One of the more basic rules of being prepped is having stuff in reserve – such as food and drink.
Imagine you are very ill or become immobile and cannot get out of the house for several days – do you have enough food in your home to sustain you?
Or, supposing there are food shortages or another crisis that means that there is simply not enough food to go around?
This quick blog suggests a baseline of items that are ideal for food stockpiling and are (up to a point) non-perishable.
Choose nutritious, easy-to-cook food and don’t forget to have the items you’ll need – such as tin openers, saucepans and cooking equipment, as well as the basics such as sugar, dried milk, oils, vinegar etc.
What canned foods are good for prepping?
This can include tinned/canned foods such as:
- baked beans – a source of protein and high in fibre
- vegetables (carrots, green beans, tomatoes etc) – when in transit to the shops, fresh produce loses nutrients. As tinned vegetables are generally processed almost as soon as they are harvested, their nutritional content is highest
- kidney beans and chick peas – excellent sources of protein, B vitamins, fibre, and many other important vitamins and minerals
- canned meats and fish
- fruit (such as pears, and pineapples)
- good old Fray Bentos have convenient nutritious meat and vegetarian pies.
What frozen foods are good for prepping?
- frozen vegetables
- homemade stews and curries
- butters etc
- some meats, poultry and fish.
Do note that all frozen food does have a “shelf” life – for example, ground beef will last no longer than 2 months, while blanched vegetables could last up to a year.
What dried foods are good for prepping?
- rice – filling, no fat and with carbohydrates and protein
- oats – gluten-free and a great source of important vitamins, minerals, fibre, and antioxidants
- potato flakes – dehydrated potatoes deliver the same nutrients as fresh potatoes, (such as vitamin C, potassium, and fibre)
- dehydrated onion flakes
- honey (while not really a dried food, it is in a jar and can last almost indefinitely) – full of nutrients, antioxidants and can even be used on a wound as an antibiotic
- salt – not just for adding flavour but the body requires a small amount of sodium to conduct nerve impulses, contract and relax muscles, and maintain the proper balance of water and minerals.
When storing your foodstuff, don’t forget to put it in date expiry order. That way, your stock will last as long as possible, and you hopefully won’t have to throw away any expired stuff.
Finally, Amazon have a range of useful books on food stockpiling and food prepping which you may wish to take a look at for more inspiration.
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