Shockingly Delicious Survival Food

The worst is going to happen at some point.

At some point you’re going to have to rely on your food storage to stay alive. It doesn’t take too many meals of white rice and dry cornbread with canned chili to make you miss your favorite restaurant.

It’s going to get bad, some might say bad enough to make you wish you hadn’t survived. Sure, that fresh fish from your aquaponics setup is great and fresh micro-greens from your raised bed garden is really great, but you want some Udon noodles or carne asada burritos right?

Well, it’s not as far out of reach as you might think. Great food can made if you plan well; in fact, there are tons of awesome shelf stable foods that bring you back to your favorite meals while you wait out the storm.

In these articles, you’re going to get a huge list of items which are seriously cool, and have excellent shelf life. When you follow along with this set of articles you’re going to get a bunch of great ideas to really amp up your food preparation during a time of “crisis”, when excellent food can be a powerful morale booster and motivation to be more productive.
Are you ready for some seriously cool food recommendations?

Since there are so many great foods in these articles you’ll just have to keep reading to see all of the great recommendations. Don’t worry there’s seriously good stuff in here.

Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Herbs, Spices and Flavoring

Your garden probably isn’t big enough to handle growing all the herbs for fifteen different cuisines, and the season can dictate what types of fresh foods you’ll be able to make. The solution? Buy cheap, plentiful and delicious dried herbs and produce.

Ordinarily, you wouldn’t want to put too much faith in non-renewable food resources, but in this case, you really can’t go wrong. Freeze drying and dehydrating for herbs and specialty produce allows low bulk, low weight,long-lasting storage for a ton of different styles of cooking.

You can get a few ounces of turmeric or five spice or jerk seasoning and call it a day. You’ll get the flavors of the dishes, without having to take up a lot of room in the garden and it will cost you less than $15. That’s bang for your buck. Dried Spices and produce can last over 6 years.

Polenta

{adinserter backyardliberty}Polenta is a corn meal based product that is sort of assembled like a risotto, and give a creamy, hearty texture, while adding an excellent platform to incorporate bold flavors and fills you up. Usually, you’d see polenta on an Italian menu or in the refrigerated section at the grocer.

Polenta might be a peasant food in some countries, but it’s got an undeniable flavor and consistency that brings comfort food to a new level. But what you need to know is that whether you put the polenta together or you buy it already mixed; in its dry form, it doesn’t take much to get it to where you want it to be.

Once you realize you are eating a hot and hearty, creamy corn polenta while your neighbors are stuck with Vienna sausages in a can, you’ll realize that everything is going to be alright.

Rice and Bean Based Noodles

You find them in all types of Asian cuisines around the world, and they are one of the original prepper foods, but usually you relegate yourself to ramen noodles from the dollar store. You can get dried noodles with Asian styles and made from Asian flours just the same as you can buy Italian style noodles.

A package of dry udon noodles lasts 10 years if packaged properly and can be made in less than ten minutes for a hearty meal. What’s better, is a dash of soy sauce, some fish sauce and a bit of chili paste, some mirin soaked dried shiitake mushrooms and a bit of salt with some fresh spring onions out of your garden, and you’d be hard pressed to think you’re outside of a great Japanese restaurant.

ALL of these items have a 2+ year shelf life. Shiitake mushrooms are cheap when you buy them dried at Asian markets (like $3 a pound), soysauce can be bought in bulk and stored out of refrigeration for many months and all of the condiments listed (also touched on in the OFF GRID GOURMET articles you’ll find here) are available for low cost with very long shelf life.

Ten minutes for gourmet noodles sounds a lot better than 3 minute ramen that tastes like Styrofoam.

Cooking Oils and Fat

Having fat to cook with is important, but olive oil can go rancid in less than three weeks; other sources of fat can also go bad quickly too. Having a shelf stable source of fat with good properties is essential. Good preppers will have some cooking oil is vegetable oil and lard (shelf life of 1 year or so).

But the best survivors will subsidize their pantry with much longer lasting oils and fats such as Ghee (clarified butter), coconut oil and duck fat, all of which can last 5+ years. All of these oils will give better flavor and texture to your food than standard oils. They also store better and while relatively expensive in comparison, they offer a more long-term solution with proper planning.

Coffee and Tea

This is a no brainer for bringing you back to normal. If properly packaged, coffee and tea can last at least 3 years (though you probably won’t let it). Another great advantage with coffee and tea is that it’s perfect for barter. Specifically:coffee and tea offers people good memories in tough times. Even cheap coffee and tea can be made to last and made to taste great.

These are just some of the best items to put in your long-term food storage. What you need to do now is take stock of your current storage; use these recommendations to see where you can add to it. There are upcoming articles that will highlight some more foods that are absolutely must haves.

P.S. Unless you’ve spent a decade searching for items that last for years on the shelf, you’re going to want to see what’s coming up in these articles. Sticking around will not only give you fresh ideas for your own preps, but it will also give you some insight into the best long-life foods and how they’re made.

This article has been written by Ben Worthen for Survivopedia.

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Latest comments
  • good article, I’m anxious to see the next one!

    • Good info…and a reminder to not only prepare but thry them out now.

  • Great article. Thanks

  • Thanks for the info.
    Keep it comming.

  • Food for thought, Thanx Ben!

  • Great info. I’ll be passing it on to my friends.

  • These are great ideas to include in my food storage. In several parts of your article you state “If properly packaged” but never state how to package these items. If you could provide a link or reference to a web page based on your recommendations it would be beneficial to all the readers. I believe it would add great value to your future articles.

    • The two ways I have found for storage is vacuum sealed canning jars or a food saver machine with the proper bags.

  • BE AWARE SOY SOURCE IS MADE FOR GMO SOYBEANS

    • Corn and soy are the 2 most genetically modified plants in america so you are right there. I use “Bragg” “liquid aminos” from the health food store. Tastes the same to me…

    • Rather than use soy sauce, I use Bragg Amino Acids. It tastes just like soy sauce but is completely natural, healthy, and doesn’t have all the sodium of soy sauce.

    • Kikkoman has a certified Non-GMO soy sauce, labeled in large letters on the front *Organic* and is very tasty. Some stores carry it. I buy it in 6-packs directly from Kikkoman at: kikkoman.elsstore.com

  • Good article, but can you add the best way to seal and store coffees and teas. What is the shelf life of coffee if it is in the factory sealed can. Keep up with the articles.

    • Remember the best storage of an item is the way it was prepared and shipped. If left in the original container undisturbed it will last way past the expiration date if maintained in a cool, dark, area and not exposed to extreme temperature changes. The only thing that might happen with an item that is still sealed and not used within the time period as suggested will be a slight loss in taste. What you need to do is act as though you are a store and use the rule of “first in first out” by using the product and then replacing what you used with more of that product. Always store the oldest cans/containers to the front and the latest purchases to the back so it is easy to follow the “first in first out” rule.
      This rule should also apply to your ammunition keep it cool, dry and available for quick access.

  • great thanks for the info, keep it coming please!

  • Nice article, good length. Please resist the temptation to get longer or more articles. A lttle something everyday will keep me coming back. Too long/too much and I can’t take the time.

    • If our life(lives) depend upon it. The length of the article is of some importance, but I will take the time to read and reread the important sections. When it comes to our/your survival what do you consider as too long?

  • Thx. Good info about the polenta.

  • Good article. Look forward to seeing more in the future. Thank you

  • Great Idea!
    I would like to see a recipe or two for the foods in the long term storage.

  • great article~! One of the must haves in my prepper “closet” is hard candies… great for something sweet, but can also be used for barter!

  • Great article Ben, I look forward to your future articles.
    Also I agree with the other people which im sure you
    Will add to, can you tell us how to package this stuff
    For long term storage.

  • In answer to the many questions on ” proper storage”
    I have found that a” “Foodsaver” vacuum sealer is the best way to store just about anything you may want to preserve, from beans and flour to guns and ammo.
    One of the best aspects is that you can store your staples in amounts that allow you to open just what you need for a day or so and not expose quantities any greater than necessary. Or remove just what you need at the moment and reseal the bag.
    I have rice , beans and even flour that has been stored since 2009. Of course it is wise to open and rotate all items stored but I have had nothing spoil as of yet. All is still edible.

  • Nice going buddy, I’m on your side.
    I’ve had a tube of polenta for years and never tried it. I’m going to now.

  • If this is the first article it is a good overview. I hope your future articles have more substance, like how to get to the final product, how to package, and store, and where to obtain different products. Looking forward to your next article. I am an elderly prepper that already has my water, heat/cooling, food (which can always be expanded on), medical supplies, cooking, and shelter. I have renewable food seeds, meat(goats, chickens, ducks), dairy, and water. I’m working on getting my supplies to the point where I have extra to share with my family and invited friends, and some to barter. The list goes on…I have tried to consider every cenario and prepare for it.

  • WOW! When I ordered my video I had no idea that we would be getting all this good advice. Double Thanks.

  • Good info. Some instructions on how to properly pack foods for long time storage would be very much appreciatated. Looking forward to next newsletter.
    Thank you.

  • My wife is a gourmet chef and will have a tough time once the SHTF. A tasty diet will help keep us sane. Thanks for the tips.

  • Thanks for the information. Fish and grits is good too!

  • I’m looking forward to seeing more.

  • Excellent. Just what I’ve been looking for. Simple, easy, inexpensive ways to prepare. We are over 65 yoa and are on a limited budget, not proverty level, but limited just the same. When you get to firearms, please concentrate a few articles on economical battle rifles such as the Mosin Nagant 91/30’s, both Russian and Finish types and other low cost firearms.

  • FOR A VARITY AND NEEDED PROTINE OF WHICH YOU CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT, TO SUBSTAINE HEAT IN YOUR BODY. I MAKE JERKEY AND KEEP ALL THE FAT FROM THE TYPE OF MEAT I AM USEING. THEN I MAKE THE INDIAN SURVIVAL TRAVEL FOOD CALLED PEEMICAN FROM THE JERKEY.
    I USE MY FOOD PROCESSOR TO POWDER OR NEAR POWDER THE MEAT. THEN I ADD DRY FRUITS AND OR DRY VEGETABLES TO THE DRY POWDERED MEAT. I THEN HEAT AND RENDER THE FAT I HAD SAVED FROM THE MEAT THAT I USED TO MAKE THE JERKEY AND RENDER DOWN THE FAT UNTIL IT IS ALMOST TO THE SMOKING POINT BUT NOT SMOKING.DO NOT LET IT SMOKE,STAY WITH IT. I PORE THE STRAINED FAT INTO A CLEAN CAN WITHOUT A LINING. SET ASSIDE TO COOL DOWN TO WARM BUT NOT SOLID.
    I THEN PUT THE FAT REMAINS BACK ON THE STOVE AND FRY IT TO A CRISPY TEXTURE AND COOL.WHEN COOLED PUT IT INTO THE FOOD PROCESSOR TO GRIND TO A NEAR POWDER AND SCRAPE IT OUT. IT THEN GOES IN THE SAME BOWL AS THE MEAT AND FRUIT,NUTS,CHOCOLET CHIPS ETC. OR VEGETABLES.STIR ALL FOODS WELL TOGETHER.
    OVER THIS MIXTURE I PORE THE WARM FAT ABOUT 1/4 TO 1/2 CUPS DEPENDING ON AMOUNT. JUST ENOUGH(BE CAREFUL NOT TO USE TOO MUCH FAT) TO MAKE THE MIXTURE STICK TOGETHER WHEN PRESSED INTO SMALL PATTIES ABOUT THE SIZE OF A COOKIE.IT IS A GOOD IDEA TO TEST IT NOW AND THEN SO YOU DO NOT PUT TOO MUCH FAT IN BY MAKING A PATTIE. IF IT HOLDS TOGETHER IT IS RIGHT, IF IT DROPS APART USE A TINY BIT MORE TILL JUST RIGHT,AND NOT GOOEY FROM THE FAT. I PUT THE PATTIES ON NONSTICK FOIL 0R WAX PAPER TILL COLD. IF YOU WANT YOU CAN PUT THE COOKIE SHEETT PANS IN THE FREEZER ABOUT 5 MINS. TILL COLD BUT NOT FROZEN. THEN INTO ZIP BAGS AND THEN A STORAGE BUCKET. IT CAN LAST INDEFANTLY IF KEPT IN A COOL PLACE. YOU CAN EAT IT AS IS OR MAKE SOUPS OR WHAT EVER YOU WANT WITH IT.STEWS AND CASSOROLES ETC. WITH THE VEGETABLE ONES. IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE YOUR HOME QUICKLY THIS FOOD WILL KEEP YOU ALIVE. IT HELPS TO GIVE YOU ENERGY, KEEPS THE HEAT IN YOUR BODY,AND GIVES LONG ENDURANCE. IT IS THE FOOD THAT THE PIONEERS AND TRAPERS BOUGHT AND TRADED FOR WITH THE INDIANS.

    • Great info Liz, thank you.

    • Liz…totally great info here that I have never seen anywhere else, can’t wait to try this out..thx for sharing this!!! Maybe you could be a contributing writer in this newsletter 🙂

    • That was amazing Liz! I wish you could expand that into an article and have backyardliberty.com publish it in their “Survivopedia” newsletter! For now, I’ll just have to copy this into my recipes folder and try to sort it out in the kitchen later. Thanks again!

    • Liz- This is great stuff. Thank you for the recipe.
      Ben- Keep the articles coming. Love ’em!

    • Liz, This is great information. Perhaps you could share your jerky technique. Can you use chicken as well as beef? I would eternally grateful if you would share that info. Thanks and many blessings to you. Gypsy Blu J

  • Love the newsletter, looking for the next one!!

  • Thanks for the info .. I’m from Australia and have been preparing carefully the last few years.. solar panels, medicine plants all through my garden..cures for all things that may come this way,I make or collect all my own medicine (Herbs)in capsules eg: Tumeric/cayenne pepper/Andro G/Ganoderma/ etc.. A VERY important mineral to have as it has all the 84 trace minerals in it and is Alkaline also is Himalayan Salt.. a must have to survive ..

    • Would love some more information. Thanks. Blessings.

  • Great information. Thank you. Look forward to coming articles.

  • Thnx for the insight . Never thought that prepping could be much easier than thought
    This is something that could become a good lifestyle for my family to get accustomed to:- )

  • Thank you for this newsletter and that you see the importance of updating things. Good work, keep it coming!

  • Awsome info I’m just getting started so keep it coming

  • Nice article!! I can hardly wait to see what the next one will be. Thanks for getting me thinking about the “little things” in our food storage that will help keep me sane.

  • How can yeast (for bread baking) be made at home? My encyclopedia has a recipe for home made soap.
    Any manuel available for raising milk goats ?

  • Thanks for adding a “Newsletter” to your product line.
    Great work, keep it up!

  • We have been pressure canning meats: chicken breast, cubed pork, ham, tuna, ground beef. Backyard Liberty inspired us to farm fish and we are setting up an aquaponics system of 3 spa tubs to raise tilapia,crayfish and perhaps fresh water shrimp.
    Here are some of our meal ideas:
    Tilapia+Masa+canned salsa = fish tacos
    Pork+Masa+greenhouse cilantro = carnitas
    Ham+cloves+sugar+rice = spiced ham
    Chicken+rice+spinach+dried mushrooms+frozen romano cheese = risotto
    Tilapia+shrimp+dried mushrooms+paprika in thin white sauce

  • Thanks for all the info. to vacuum seal glass canning jars get new tips or lids and rings then heat what you want to seal in the jars put the tips in boiling water to soften the rubber but shake off the water to keep the product dry.

  • Great article and email, love the comments as well. Keep up the good information. Glad I received your great Backyard liberty have been reading it over and over. You also did a GREAT JOB on that also.

  • I have some mortar cans that I use for storage. These are bigger than ammo cans and measure W5.5 in” X D14″ X T24″ with a rubber seal. They hold a good deal of dry food. If interested e-mail at [email protected]

  • In a natural food world, this information would be great, how ever, in reference to (Tom Bennett’s post) about (GMO)product’s ( genetically modified organic ) foods , or oils, you need to at least go to this web site: http://www.examiner.com/article/what-countries-have-banned-gmo-crops. Look and read the label of where you are getting your food source from, to obtain the highest level of substance for survival you can.

  • very good job

  • Have read the Backyard Liberty and have thoroughly enjoyed it. Very good tips in this newsletter. Please continue it! Never can have too much info. Just finished canning out 500th jar-meat, veggies, butter, soups, tuna, salmon.

    It’s great that your article allows others to spin off and submit their ideas, suggestions, comments.

  • Hey, anyone heard about growing wheatgrass, which is a somewhat renewable resource–except for the buying wheat seeds if you haven’t grown them themselves, and fits right in to what everyone is doing at this website!!!

    Anyone have leads where to get, say, 50# bags of maybe…hard red wheat seeds? You might seriously consider providing a link to a wheatgrass-growing website.

    It’s also healthy and cancer-fighting, and if you have chickens and/or a worm-composting box they will compost the “mats” that grew it all, reconditioning/rebuilding soil for houeplants as well as the grass itself and your garden.

    Hey, my two cents-worth as long as we’re talking! Keep everything healthy as long as we’re trying to survive–not on dehydrated donuts, hm?

  • TO MAKE A YEAST YOU NEED TO BOIL A SMALL POTATOE WITHOUT PEELS. KEEP THE WATER AND REMOVE THE POTATOE. NOW MASH ABOUT 1/4 OF THE POTATOE AND PUT IT BACK IN THE POT.AND STIR THE POT WELL ADD ABOUT A FORTH OF A CUP OF SUGAR AND A CUP OF FLOUR STIR THIS WELL.IF TOO DRY ADD A LITTLE WARM WATER POUR THIS INTO A QUART JAR (IT SHOULD BE ABOUT LIKE PANCAKE BATTER). NOW ADD A LITTLE BAKING SODA TO THE BATTER ABOUT 1/4 TESP. LET THIS SIT IN A ROOM TEMPATURE WITH A BOWL UNDER IT TO CATCH THE BATTER WHEN IT STARTS TO RISE. (YOU CAN PUT A LITTLE YEAST IN THE WATER AFTER YOU TAKE OUT THE POTATOE IF YOU WANT YOUR FIRST BATCH TO START QUICKER) YOU DO NOT NEED YEAST AS LONG AS YOU KEEP USEING ABOUT 3/4 OF YOUR BATTER AND REPLACE THE SAME AMOUNT YOU TOOK OUT EACH TIME BUT DO NOT LET IT SIT UNUSED MORE THAN THREE OR FOUR DAYS. THIS IS HOW YOU MAKE SOUR DOUGH STARTER. WHEN EVER YOU USE SOME ALWAYS ADD WATER SUGAR AND FLOUR BACK INTO THE JAR TO KEEP IT GOING. OH YOU WILL NOTICE THE BREAD WILL BE HEAVER AND THE CRUST CHEWER. IF YOU TO MAKE A SOURER BREAD ADD SOME SALT TO YOUR BATTER BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR BREAD FLOUR INTO THE BOWL THAT YOU ARE GOING TO MIX IT IN DO NOT FORGET TO ADD THE SHORTING OR LARS TO YOUR BREAD YOU SCHOULD BUY A LITTLE YEAST FOR A BACK UP IF SOMETHING HAPPENS TO YOUR SOUR DOUGH BATTER SO YOU CAN MAKE A QUICK BATCH BY JUST ADDING SOME YEAST WATER TO YOUR DEAD BATTER TO REACTIVATE IT ALONG WITH A TESPOON OF SUGAR. YOU SHOULD STIR YOUR BATTER DAILY AND ADD A LITTLE FLOUR AND A LITTLE SUGAR IF YOU ARE NOT USEING IT OR IF YOU ARE USEING IT. DO NOT PUT A TIGHT LID ON THE JAR IT HAS TO BREATH. A SAUCER ON A JAR OR A CROCK POT WORKS BEST. TRY THE BATTER ON MAKING SOFT PRETZELS…YUM

    • Hi LIZ…okay, another great practical basic recipe, sounds like you know what your doing!!! Thx for sharing this, going to try this too 🙂

    • Liz–Thanks so much for the information. It’s a little hard to read in all capital letters. Could you use upper/lower case for your next post? Thank you again–very informative.

    • Going to try this. You surely give good information. Thanks Liz. Brightest blessings.

  • Good tips that most folks need, knowledge to keep them going in their long term survival stash.

  • Great ideas looking fwd. to more great ideas..have printed this out to add to my note book….

  • this is somthing i think everyone choul look into how to build a Pyramid!
    http://educate-yourself.org/pyr/howtobuildpyramid05sep11.shtml

  • Just a few thoughts. Olive Oil: I have stored olive oil for years. I have used olive oil that is 3 years old that IS NOT rancid. I feel it stores very well. I do keep it in a cool area in my cold storage room. I also store Lard and coconut oil. I also can butter, although the extension services tell you not to. I have done it with success and the butter (not margarine) taste great a year later (or more). Lard will go rancid if opened, but unopened it lasts a long time.

    My favorite storage item is dehydrated ground beef. I have also been doing this for years. I buy ground beef on sale or buy a 1/2 of beef have have the majority of it ground up. I than take about 10 lbs at a time and brown it on the stove top, just as if I were browning it for any recipe calling for browned ground beef. I then put it in a strainer to drain off the fat (and keep and us the fat). Then I take the browned hamburger and spread it out thinly on a cookie sheet (or two or three) or on my dehydrator racks (covered with waxed paper or parchment paper). Then put the cookie sheets in the oven on the lowest temperature that your oven will allow. Mine will turn to 160 degrees. Or turn your dehydrator onto 140-150 degrees. Leave it there for about 3-4 hours and then take it out and stir it around. You will notice the side that is not dry and you want to expose the moist side. Return it to the oven again. Repeat this process until you have dried out the ground beef so that you cannot detect any moisture in the meat and it almost feels like a hard rock. Be careful not to do it so long that it burns or it will not rehydrate and taste good. After it is dried put it into plastic bags that zip or to jars with lids or I use old plastic jars that my nuts came in. Label them with the date and they store on your shelf with no further processing. I have used some of mine 2 years later and it tastes great. When ready to use 1 and 1/4 cup of dehydrated ground beef equals one pound of fresh ground beef. Take the desired amount and add it to your sauce (as in sloppy joes, spaghetti, lasagna and allow it about 30 minutes to rehydrate. You can also just put it in a pan or bowl of hot water and let it sit or simmer until re-hydrated. To test it, just take a piece and chew it up and determine if the texture is still to hard or if it is soft enough. That may all depend on how dry you got it in the first place.

  • Thanks all. I have not read this info elsewhere. I liked the comments also. Good site.

  • Thanks for the article on root cellars, and preserving foods, they are much appreciated! Keep up the good work, I look forward to your next article! NRF.

  • Great info, thanks! Here is a very cheap dehydrator: the oven. On mine, the lowest temp is 200 degrees, too hot for dehydrating. So I don’t turn the oven on; instead, I put a light cord with a 60-watt light bulb in the bottom of the oven. I bought 2 extra racks at a junkyard to utilize all the available space. (Oven racks are different sizes; make sure you get the right size!) Cover each rack with a piece of sheer curtain fabric (very cheap at Goodwill). You can clip it on to the racks with clothespins, or sew a cylindrical sleeve that will slip over each rack. Spread food on the fabric, turn the light on, leave the door cracked to let air circulate (I put a wooden spoon in the door to hold it open), and leave it for 2-3 days. It stays about 80 degrees inside. Food dries beautifully. You can rotate the racks; the bottom ones dry out faster. In summer, I use drying trays made from old pallets, with a plastic covering stapled on to keep the rain off, and put them up on the roof. But only for fruits & vegetables, not for meat. Meat attracts flies and yellow jackets, so I only dry it in the oven.

  • Coconut oil is not only great for cooking but I use it for skin irritations (instant relief)
    and mix it with almond flour and use as a facial scrub. You could use oatmeal instead of
    almond flour.

  • Becky, thanks so much for the info to make dehydrated ground beef. I imagine it would work for other meats as well.

  • I have stored flour and sugar for long periods of time. For flour I put zip lock bag into coffee can, put bay leaf in bottom of bag, put oxygen absorber packets in bottom, pour in flour, put bay leaf on top of flour, oxygen remover packets on top of that and push out as much air as possible and seal bag. Then I put an oxygen remover packet on top of closed bag, but coffee can lid on container and seal with clear tape all around the lid. Store container in dry area.Sometimes I use gallon milk jugs for this too. I have used flour that has been stored for 3 years, no bugs, and just as fresh as the day I first stored it. As for storing sugar, I use gallon and half gallon milk cartons or those containers that you get liquid coffee creamer in. I use the bay leaves and oxygen absorber packets as well. As long as a container or bag has a good seal you can use oxygen absorber packs in almost anything that is dry, no liquids.

    • Thank for your ideas. I was saving oxygen absorbing packets that came in certain things, but I don’t have enough for the kinds of things you are talking about storing this way. Is there a place you could tell me about, where you bought a supply of these packets?

  • I’d like to see an article on what to do to go back to a paper (non-ebased) lifestyle. When the computer goes down now, it’s a nightmare, even with all our moderen rescources. But, what happens to your money, your Bill-Pay, your investments, your contact info? Your whole life on .doc or .xml disappears. What are some ways to prevent this calamity.

    It also brings up some ideas on the monetary monopoly, since we are getting away from “hard cash”, gold-backed banks, and into “plastic and online banking”, “OZ type, behind-the-scenes-investments, etc). Where will our money go in disaster? How can we best prep for this? What type of currency is best to have in our survival suppy?

  • I would like more info on fruit tree aquaponics.

  • You talked about tea n coffee, well if you run out of the store bought just go out in your yard and pick some dandelions, maybe some pine needles a few plantain plants and you have a good start for herb tea. I grow peppermint and harvest sweetfern for a dandy tasting tea.

  • I try to find old books that were “how-to” from the early 20th century, recipes, herbal, woodworking. Things that our grandparents did during the Great Depression, and WWII rationing. Even what cooks did on long cattle drives with limited supplies. All are good sources of how to live successful from scratch. Another thought, looking at many photos of the Depression Era, lots of people were clothed in burlap. Or stories of kids having to stay in bed until their only outfit was washed and dried. So I recommend keeping a supply of different fabrics on hand and needles, spools of thread. Use for barter or clothe yourself. Learn basic sewing. My grama taught me how to make newspaper patterns. I’m not the best hand seamstress but I won’t be naked.

  • Some really good points here. I have been looking into olive oil and found that it goes rancid quickly due to the added oils that are not olive oil. Pure olive oil will last much longer.

    Also, I have purchased many spices at excellent prices in sealed, foil bags from Nature’s Alternatives. These spices are mostly organic, much fresher, and have a richer flavor than anything I used to buy from the grocery store. I like that they are sealed too. You can find them at http://www.naturesalternatives.com/food/culinary-spices.html

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