Ten Essential Emergency Preparedness Tips

Trying to become self reliant and prepared for whatever emergency life might throw at you can feel pretty overwhelming at times. Recently, it's become something I have become passionate about. I feel like shouting it from the rooftops! Possibly while dressed like a clown, juggling watermelons AND hula hooping at the same time to get more attention. However, my rooftop is still icy so I will post it on my blog instead. I thought I'd share with you some helpful tips I have found when it comes to food storage and emergency preparedness!

1. Make sure you store a good variety of foods. You will get tired of eating wheat, rice, oats and honey pretty fast. Be sure to include fruits and vegetables, cheeses, spices, etc. You don't want to get appetite fatigue. It can get to the point where a person would rather die than eat the same food over and over. The people most at risk are small children and the elderly. (And my kids are ALREADY picky...sigh!)
 

2. Learn to cook with your food storage foods BEFORE an emergency happens and you are under stress. Did you know that it takes about 3 months for your body to adjust physically AND psychologically to eating a different way than you normally do? Well, now you do!

3. Have a hand grinder in your storage!!! There are lots of electric ones, but they won't do you much good if there is no power. You can find them all over the place, ranging from around $50 to over $400. Remember that you may get what you pay for. If you have 600 pounds of wheat to grind you're going to want a good grinder...unless you feel like grinding it between two rocks. It will only be fun for about 30 seconds. (I may or may not have tried this approach.)

4. Cooking oil will be EXTREMELY important to have with your storage. It's a great source of fat and calories. Besides...it's close to impossible to cook without. It will also be a great bartering tool. Vegetable oil, olive oil and shortening....put them on your list.

 

5. Stock up on spices, baking ingredients and flavorings! They will also add flavor variety to what you eat. Add some taco seasoning or Worcestershire sauce to your beef TVP to make it taste a little better. Add vanilla to your powdered milk when you mix it up to make it a little more flavorful. Add a little sugar to your dehydrated veggies to improve the flavor, too. What do you use now in a lot of your recipes? Make a note of it and then buy them in bulk! Places like Sam's Club and Costco have bulk spices for cheap. Be sure to have your baking soda, baking powder, powdered eggs, cheeses (Yes, they really do sell freeze dried cheeses!)

6. Try your best to prepare balanced meals. Don't just eat a plate of beans. Be sure to include rice, wheat or corn as part of your menu. Have some vegetables or fruit on the side. 

7. Rotate your storage! The best way to do this is store what you eat and eat what you store. Remember what I said earlier about learning to cook with your food storage BEFORE things get bad? Just be sure to buy a new can every time you open one up and use it. 

8. Don't forget to store things besides food. Water, paper products, soap, shampoo, toothbrushes and toothpaste, laundry and dish detergents, Clorox, medical supplies, bedding, seeds, tools and fuel will all be missed! And all my lady friends out there, don't forget to stock up on feminine products OR check out my post on how to deal with Aunt Flow during an emergency.

9. Vitamins are also very important, especially Vitamin C. It is crucial to your immune system.You don't want to get scurvy...even if you aren't a pirate. (May I suggest chewable tablets if you have little kids? You can find them at Walmart, Sams Club and many other places!)

10. If your water has been stored for a long time and goes flat, you can pour it back and fourth between two containers or mix it with a hand beater. It will aerate it again. Or, you can also add flavored drink mixes to your water to make it taste better. If you've used chlorine to purify your water, it will help to mask the swimming pool taste. Unless you like swimming pool water...then you'll be all set!

Hopefully you've found some of these tips helpful in your journey to preparedness!  Thanks for stopping by Prepping With NatSprat!