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What Foods to Store In Case of a Pandemic

I've written a similar post before (at our www.survival-cooking.com blog), but considering the health situation of today, it bears repeating here. Please note that this 2009 H1N1 (Swine) Flu is mild at this time. It is spreading quickly, but loss of life is quite light compared to "regular" seasonal flu.

Besides water (1 gallon per person per day for drinking, cooking, cleaning, etc.), the following is suggested for one person over age 8 (to prepare and eat healthy meals for ONE year):

  • 150 pounds of wheat berries
  • 25 pounds of flour
  • 25 pounds of cornmeal
  • 25 pounds of oats
  • 50 pounds of rice
  • 25 pounds of pasta
  • 50 pounds dry beans/peas/lentils/soybeans
  • 40 cans tuna
  • 40 cans ham
  • 10 pounds dried turkey dices
  • 10 pounds dried chicken dices
  • 10 pounds powdered eggs
  • 40 pounds applesauce
  • 30 pounds dried banana chips
  • 50 cans fruit cocktail
  • 50 cans pear halves
  • 50 cans peach slices
  • 50 cans pineapple chunks, tidbits or slices
  • 40 pounds of fruit juices
  • 30 pounds corn
  • 30 pounds green beans
  • 30 pounds dried carrots
  • 40 pounds potatoes
  • 20 pounds dried potato flakes
  • 10 pounds dried onion dices
  • 10 pounds dried garlic granules
  • 20 pounds tomatoes
  • 60 cans tomato paste
  • 50 pounds powdered milk
  • 12 cans evaporated milk
  • 2 pounds dried milk items (sour cream/butter)
  • 1 pound baking powder
  • 4 pounds baking soda (cleaning & cooking)
  • 1 pound yeast
  • 5 pounds salt
  • 5 gallons vegetable oil
  • 5 gallons vinegar
  • 2 quarts of mayonnaise
  • 1 quart ketchup
  • 5 pounds honey
  • 30 pounds sugar
  • 24 jars jams/fruit preserves
  • 2 pounds flavored gelatin / instant puddings
  • 4 pounds hard candy
  • 4 bottles mustard
  • 4 jars pickle relish
  • 12 bottles salad dressing
  • 5 pounds boullion/broth-maker
  • 5 pounds peanut butter
  • 12 bottles multi-vitamins

This should give you a good start to feeding one person for an entire year. Cut in half for younger children. Be sure to check out www.survival-cooking.com for recipes and information about providing healthy nutritious and fun meals for your family during confinement, and start practicing today!

Also, make sure you have a way to cook this food. Have you come up with alternative cooking methods just in case your utilities go out?

Note: Some people believe there's a possibility they could be confined (quarantined) due to the swine or bird flu pandemic for 3-6 months, and some people believe that there will be many waves of the flu which could last a year or two. Use your own judgement.

Be sure to include a lot of the following list too. Great to spice up ordinary meals, or when you don't have a way to cook. These foods store well and don't need cooking:

Beef jerkey + Canned beef stew + Canned chicken and dumplings + Canned seafood (clams, shrimp, tuna, oysters, crab, salmon, kippers, etc.) + Canned soup + Canned spaghetti sauce + Canned veggies + Canned and jarred fruits + Cereal + Cheese (jar or box) + Chicken salad kit + Chips + Chipped beef + Crackers + Deviled ham + Dried fruits + Dried veggies + Granola bars + Ham salad kit + Instant gatorade and other instant drinks + Instant hot cocoa + Jarred salsa + Juice box + MREs + Nuts and Seeds + Peanut butter + Protein bars + Protein Drinks + Protein Powder + Rice cakes + Spam + Summer sausage + Tuna salad kit + Vienna sausages

Just FYI... the following are non-food items that you'll need during quarantine:

Tissues, toilet paper, paper clips, baby wipes, diapers, hand lotion, powder, can openers, blankets, socks, first aid kit, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, triple antibiotic ointment, ace bandage, heating pad or hot water bottle, multi-vitamins, sewing needles/thread/pins, fabric, velcro, defense items, pain relievers, prescription medications, duplicate eye glasses, duct tape, bed linens, towels, plastic baggies, tin/aluminum foil, paper, pens/pencils, reference books, novels, school books, board games, decks of cards, allergy medicine, flatware, fire starting equipment, water purifying items, body sanitation items (portable toilet, etc.), rechargeable batteries, mosquito repellent, sunburn cream, sunscreen, tape, staples, stapler. You'll need to clean and sanitize your home regularly so stock up on those items. Be sure to stock up on N-95 respirator masks, disposable gloves, foot cover/booties, goggles, hand sanitizer, cough medicine, etc. You also need a grinder for the wheat berries (hand-grinder preferred in case you lose electricity).

Did I miss anything?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

A source for omega-3 fatty acids in adequate levels, with low risk for rancidity of the EFA's. My choice is fish oil (green glass bottle), and I also keep on hand fish oil capsules (4 bottles in reserve). You'll also want cod liver oil in the fall to spring months to provide adequate, animal source, vitamin D at levels to maintain health!

Vee said...

Absolutely agree! Fish oil plus echinacea, elderberry, and, of course, prescription medications.

Anonymous said...

I'm a store what you eat; eat what you store kind of guy. I had 450 pounds of wheat sitting around my house since the mid-1980's and have used less than 30# baking breads. I think there's a great deal more value in storing more commonly consumed items that won't create a radical change in your diet when you're already under a tremendous amount of stress.

Items like pasta (I store egg noodles, spaghetti, & macaroni), rice, beans (pinto, navy, black and soy), and various canned and boxed dry foods intigrate into my regular diet, allow me to take advantage of sales, and keep all my food rotated on a regular basis. Also, items like wheat berries need special tools for preparation, like a wheat grinder and an oven to bake in. I want at least 30 days of minimal preparation food (MRE & freeze dried) and 3-6 months of food that is already in my diet stored well before I get into FD meats and wheat. A well developed garden will usually take that next step in self sufficiency.

I also believe in buying a freezer that works when the grid goes down (sundanzer with a solar/battery back up). That way my elk doesn't thaw and I don't have to resort to dried meats or canned meats.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, don't go out and buy 300 lbs of wheat! *groan* How much bread do you eat in 1 year? Buy that much wheat, or better, flour. USE IT. As you use it, replace it. You'll always have a year's supply and none will be more than one yr old. Same with all the rest. Put up what you eat. USE IT. Quickly replace what you use. Don't forget the yeast, salt, etc. that goes into that bread. (one pound of bread = 1 lb of flour)