Although I was never a big fan of stocking up supplies, I know that we are living difficult times and it's useful to have a stock of food for when the time comes. Moreover, the pandemic has shown that we need to be prepared for anything and that a little caution never hurts.
Food insecurity in 2022 is likely to be more pronounced than last year. People are concerned about the shortage of food in stores across the country, which has worsened. According to USA Today, COVID-19 and bad weather have contributed greatly to food shortages. To better understand the situation, I urge you reading this article https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/shopping/2022/01/12/shortage-grocery-store-empty-shelves/9178100002/
Why stock up on food?
We live in an interesting time, when only a few days can separate us from a catastrophe. Crises, epidemics, natural disasters, wars simply oblige every responsible person to provide comfort and confidence in the future, to himself and his family today.
You might be skeptical about this as long as you’re not starving, you’re not cold and you’re safe. But how long do you have this security?
Here are some foods, which in exceptional cases will be extremely useful.
But first you need to know that all products should have a long shelf life if possible, even without refrigeration. That is, no semi-finished products and frozen foods that will go bad without electricity. Let's go through the list in a little more detail.
- Water. Water is essential for our body, cooking and hygiene. During a disaster, water may not be available at all, or it may be dirty, contaminated, or undrinkable.
- Canned meat and fish. It is best to stock up on canned tuna. Tuna meat is fatty, without small bones, and is highly valued for having the highest protein content of any fish.
"Sea veal", as tuna is called, has an exceptional taste and contains about 120 kilocalories per 100 grams of product.
- Ramen noodle soup or canned soups. Stock up on these soups so you can quickly make hot soups if you're in a hurry or if there's a power outage in the house.
- Canned fruits and vegetables. Canned food can be stored for up to three years depending on the contents. For example, the shelf life of green peas is up to 2 years, and canned fruits are up to three years.
- Pasta and sauce. When stocking pasta, don't forget to stock up on sauce. In this case, you will save time on cooking.
- Beans and legumes. Beans are rich in high-quality protein and other nutrients. If you want to cook faster and save water, buy lentils or white beans.
- Grains. Grains are a survivalist's best friend. It is recommended to store them in plastic bottles or jars.
Quite an acceptable price and high nutritional value distinguish legumes and white rice from the general background, which can be stored in an airtight jar for up to 30 years.
- Whole wheat flour. As you know, flour can be stored for a long time. This is a very important thing in the kitchen, because with its help you can cook many different dishes that will definitely not let you die of hunger
- Biscuits. Thanks to hermetic vacuum packaging, they can be perfectly stored. Shelf life – 2 years.
- Nuts and seeds. Each variety of nuts has a supply of useful substances, vitamins and minerals. Mixtures of nuts, seeds, and dried fruits are also good, they do not deteriorate for a long time, perfectly satisfy hunger, and give energy.
- Dried fruits. In addition to proteins, fats and carbohydrates, vitamins are also necessary for long-term survival in extreme conditions. And they are in dried fruits. Yes, less than in fresh fruits, but they are stored much longer. But again, it all depends on storage conditions. Exclude the access of insects, exclude excess moisture – and, in fact, that's all.
- Powdered milk. You will need it for cooking. It also contains calcium for healthy bone development, which is especially important if you have children. If things get really bad, you can always boil milk rice porridge.
- Vinegar. It can not only be added to food, but also used as an antibacterial agent.
- Peanut butter. Peanut butter is a delicious, uplifting food, full of healthy fats and protein. You can make snacks or desserts for the whole family out of it.
- Cooking oil. You will need oil for cooking and baking.
- Salt. Ordinary salt can be stored for decades. Salt is useful not only as a seasoning, it can be used to extend the life of other products.
- Honey. It keeps longer than sugar. In addition, honey is a rich source of nutrients. You can store it for a very long time, most importantly, place it in a glass jar and put it in a dark place where the temperature does not rise above 20 degrees. Use honey in cooking or as a natural sweetener for drinks.
- Alcohol. Strong alcoholic drinks can be stored for years. Alcohol can serve as a disinfectant for surfaces or hands.
So let's summarize. Before disaster strikes, stock up for a rainy day and buy vital foods.