Blog

You never know when disasters might strike. But before this happens, always be prepared. First things first have a backup food supply. Having enough food in your pantry that can last you months in case of a pandemic is insurance enough.

You can fill your food closet with items that you eat on regular basis including cereals, dried fruits, powdered milk, sugar, canned foods, and more. Stocking up food and supplies not only gives you security but also saves you on replenishing costs. You can see this link for more information: foodcrisisprepping.com.

Well, if you are procrastinating on a possible pandemic, here are some of the tips on how to stock-up food for an emergency.

1.      Set a goal

Before you decide on what food to stock up, you should first consider the duration you want them to last.

Additionally, your emergency stockpile food depends on the type of disaster that is likely to occur in your area. For instance, if your area is prone to flooding, and you anticipate it might last up to 6 months, then you will need supplies that can last you that long.

2. Where to Store Your Food

The available space in your home determines how much you can store. If you have little storage space, and you forestall a huge disaster, then you will have to come up with ways to maximize the available space.

You could start by decluttering your home to create more space or use other locations like under the bed, behind the couch, inside furniture among others as storage. Similarly, make sure your storage area is well ventilated, pest-free, and easy to access.

3.      Decide on Food Purchases

Emergency supplies are meant to last long, meaning they should be nonperishable.

Find out how much nourishment your family consumes on daily basis, multiply by the number of days you want your supplies to last, and you will have an estimate on how much you need.

Foods that you stock up for an emergency should be both nutritious and tasty. Here are some of the items you can purchase when preparing for an emergency:

·         Ready-to-eat canned fruits, meats, and vegetables

·         Canned juices

·         Milk powder

·         Dry cereals

·         Peanut butter

·         Dry pasta

·         Infant's formulas

·         High-energy nourishment

4.      Buy in bulk

Purchase your stockpile in bulk or economy sizes to minimize cost. This is very economical especially if you have a large family or want your supply to last long. Also, take your time to plan your shopping list to avoid missing out on the most important ones. Try shopping in your local supermarkets or warehouses for such deals.

5.      Prioritize water and store it safely

When storing water, consider that the average person consumes approximately a gallon of water per day.

With this in mind, you can easily estimate the amount of water your family needs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends commercially bottled water as the most reliable and safest backup water supply.

Alternatively, you can store pre-boiled tap water in tightly closed containers. Likewise, do not use your stored water for more than six months, also check out for expiry dates on the commercially bottled water and replace them if need be.

6.      Keep a Running Food Inventory list

Keeping a food inventory is the easiest way of keeping track of your supplies. You can create a manual checklist that has all the food items in your pantry, and tick on it every time you take an item out of the storage.

7.      Include seeds for sprouting

When disaster strikes, chances are, there will be lesser supplies in the market. This is why you should also stock up various grain, vegetables, and nuts seeds for sprouting.

Planting the seeds in your kitchen garden ensures a constant supply of fresh vegetables throughout the year and you won't have to worry in case your stock runs out. Click here to learn more about emergency food storage.

Conclusion

Food prepping can be tough but with proper planning, you can have your pantry stocked up in a jiffy. The key to successful stockpiling is knowing how much your household consumes in a day. With that, you can estimate your shopping list and make your purchases accordingly. Besides, knowing that you have enough food for your family in times of crisis is so reassuring.