This article has been generously contributed by Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition. After joining the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management & response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at www.readynutrition.com.
One of the biggest excuses that people make for not prepping is that they can’t afford it. “I can’t even afford the groceries we eat every week as it is!” they complain when urged to start buying extra food.
This week I made a trip to three different stores. I went to Wal-Mart, the dollar store and a grocery store. Not to locate the best prices but to locate the regular prices on common food items that might find their way into a prepper’s pantry. The following list is not based on mega-markdown loss leaders – it is based on the normal price and availability.
Here are 52 stock-ups – one for each week!
- 15 packs of Ramen Noodles
- 6 cans of mixed vegetables
- 5 cans of fruit
- 6 cans of tuna
- 4 cans of spaghetti sauce
- 5 cans of diced tomatoes
- 4 pounds of rice
- 3 pounds of kidney beans
- 5 cans of kidney beans
- 10 cans of baked beans
- 3 cans of chilli
- 12 cans of generic condensed cream of mushroom soup
- 12 cans of condensed tomato soup
- 4 pounds of white sugar
- 10 boxes of iodized salt
- 6 bags of dry pasta
- 2 jumbo boxes of raisins
- 1 pound jar of honey
- 2 cartons of molasses
- 15 boxes of baking soda
- 5 jars of spices
- 48 bottles of water
- 5 cans of apple juice
- 2 jars of peanut butter
- 10 boxes of macaroni and cheese
- 3 cans of flaked ham
- 3 cans of flaked turkey
- 4 cans of flaked chicken
- 1 canned ham
- 3 bottles of barbecue sauce
- 500 tea bags
- 120 herbal tea bags
- 1 large canister of iced tea mix
- 50 packs of generic cool-aid mix
- 10 boxes of instant pudding
- 20 boxes of gelatin mix
- 10 cans of corn
- 3 cans of beef stew
- 5 bags of dehydrated onion flakes
- 5 bags of garlic powder
- 10 packets of gravy mix
- 2 cans of spam
- 10 cans of Vienna sausages
- 2 bags of beef jerky
- 5 pound bag of flour
- 3 pound bag of cornmeal
- 4 pounds of dried black-eyed peas
- 3 jars of sauerkraut
- 3 pounds of steel cut oats
- 2 pounds of powdered milk
- 3 pounds of brown sugar
- 30 bouillon cubes
These items might not make the tastiest meals, but they will stand between your family and starvation. Keep in mind that by shopping wisely you can get far more than this for $5 per week.
Print off this list for the next time someone tells you they can’t afford to prep!
This article has been contributed by Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition. Subscribe to Tess’ Get Prepped Weekly Newsletter for more emergency preparedness tips, homesteading ideas, and insights. As a subscriber to her free newsletter you’ll receive the latest updates from her 52 Weeks to Preparedness Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Planning Series. It’s well worth your time, and oh, did we mention it’s totally free?
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ewww ramen noodles..really?
lol
I lived off those things in my early 20’s…. add some Vienna Sausages or hot dogs… mmmm mmmm good…
One can get VERY creative with Ramen…and Spam.
There is a cookbook: 100 things to do with Ramen Noodles. Just Sayin…
I would spend my 5 dollars on seeds and grow Hundreds of dollars worth of food. I feel bad for the city folk that can’t. But, I know your story, you can’t afford it. Maybe you can’t afford not to. Get a job in the country and rent a room with a farmer. They could use the money, you’ll be living cheap and you’ll be living on property with food.
100 things to do with Ramen Noodles: use for skeet, torture prisoners, use for replacement air filter on generator, scrape bird shit off your windshield, drive off free loaders, soak up children’s mistakes, glue to stick for back scratcher, and feed carp.
An excellent article – and thanks to LAG for mentioning a cookbook. There are actually *many* books on the subject. Use a book search engine (Fetchbook, Bookfinder or Bookfinder4U) to search on the string “Ramen Noodles.” Example:
http://www.fetchbook.info/search.do;jsessionid=B111717D316E055B18991980435FD7B0?search=Ramen+Noodles&searchBy=Title&Submit=Search
Iknow they are awful an full of salt but I got my oldest son & his wife a case of beef & a case of chicken flavors with that book 100 things to do with ramen noodles for their wedding they LOL at me and soon found out 2hrs from home and short on money mom knew what she was thinkin LOL
I loved the ramen noodles with green peas and pearl onions… so simple, even a college boy could cook ’em. At 7 am. After getting to bed at 6 am 🙂
Ramen is definitely better dressed up…I don’t eat a lot, although my kids love it, but it is a good vehicle for foraged greens, like ramps, plantain, dandelion, violet leaves, sorrel, lambs quarters, etc. Although I really prefer them with a miso soup mix. But in a pinch it is helpful for cooking and getting down the sometimes-bitter wild greens.
If you got kids, you got Ramen….
Many could prep for free simply by reducing the size of current meals, which is also a good prep in itself and will prepare your body for leaner times.
Instead of 3 veggies, eat one and put the other two cans away.
The less it takes you to get by now the better off you will be when less is available. Allow your personal collapse to happen now, and on your terms. The more you can stretch a dollar now the better off you will be when the dollars become toilet paper.
And don’t forget your fishing pole. Worms are free to those with a shovel.
Worms, grasshoppers, and crickets. Lots of grasshoppers and crickets this time of year.
Interesting article Mac. People do not over look the dollar tree…not dollar general. Well it maybe called something else in your town, but everything is a dollar there! You can buy the following items: 5 packs of tooth brushes, 200 count box of strike matches, 2 bars of soap, 5 pack of dual bladed razors, duck tape, medical tape, aluminum drink bottles, cheap hand tools, (not craftsman tools, but they work!) hand held can openers, kitchen knives, aluminum foil, zip lock bags, 3 packs of lighters! I could just go on and on. Seriously check it out to stock up on some comfort items, and barter items. They even have a website!
My favorite stores! I was sad when our dollar store closed. Some people I know wouldn’t even go in it. They are also the ones that think it is ok to pay $100 for a purse. Every time I go to another town I am sure to hit the dollar stores. You just need to know what you’re looking for.
Not only dollar tree–if you have one—I have noticed MOST stores now have a $1 aisle.
IGA, dollar general, and many more.
Dollar General stores are owned by Wal Mart.
Re: Dollar Tree. Caution needed here. I got a great deal on Colgate toothpaste at a local Dollar Tree; two tubes for a dollar. All was well until my gums and lips started to tingle and then go numb. Turns out it was made in Mexico. It was not ADA approved. Pay close attention. If I had done my research, I’d have already read the stories about knock-off toothpaste and other hygiene items. I stopped using the toothpaste and within a couple of weeks my mouth returned to normal. Lesson learned. Some advocate never buying anything you would put in your mouth at a dollar store. Caveat emptor.
be CAREFUL of the cheap can openers!
got one at a dollar store that wouldn’t do the job at ALL
might not be the time to compromise?!
I love ramen noodles..I had to stop eating them every day..my hiney objected.
There are 396 packets in my storage, last I counted.
Seriously budget 50 bucks each month! I sell food storage and other prepper stuff now and wish I had had this option when I started out!! It’s called the Q!!! You can budget how much food storage you want a month to be sent to you if you can’t afford to buy all at once. It tastes amazing too unlike other brands you will find!!! There are calculators to tell you how much you will need for your family. Check it out!!! Most last 25-30 years!!!!
ivymeecham.shelfreliance.com
But seriously… I thought the list is great… that’s got to be 430 – 60 days of food for a family of 3 or 4 right there… and super cheap… it’ll definitely keep you alive.
One could even throw in a bottle of multi-vitamins in there somewhere.
just razin ya boss..Ive been there and ate them too
Better get it now, because those prices will soon be going up. When I talk to people about what is happening right now with the drought, they just do not understand that soy and corn goes into making a lot of the food humans consume everyday. prices will be going up if not this month, then very soon. Beef and pork is going to become a little more pricey. If you can invest, invest in some piglets and calf’s.
B Aware, B Awake, B Alive
Just to add to your thoughts:
There is already talk about the need to ration soybean (via higher prices) meaning less soybean meal for the livestock. The feed for livestock gets more expensive, the producers keep fewer animals around, this has been done in the past many times before…. Just history repeating itself. Meat prices may dip a bit while animals numbers are being trimmed, but then watch out! Expect meat to rocket up, pork first, quickly followed by beef.
Agreed– get your food ducks in a row NOW. Corn is GONE here in Eastern NC, and feed has already gone up 20% in a month. I’ve sold my old milk cow to buy hay for my goats and to invest in rabbits. The garden is holding on and I’m canning every day, but I still source produce from farmers around here to ensure that we have enough to make it through the winter. I called 5 farmers for corn yesterday and NONE had any. (I put mine in early and got a good amount, but I really want to make sure that I have 2 years worth.) Farmers I know are very concerned, and are selling off newly-weaned calves so they don’t have to feed them. There’s very little pasture so folks are really trying to get and stay lean through the fall and winter. Expect VERY high prices on beef and anything with corn in it. Wheat did well, soybeans are iffy so far. I can’t implore folks enough to get their crap together. You may not be able to feed your family this winter (without going broke) if you don’t take some steps now. Good luck.
Even Ramen is up by 20%.
soapdish: milk drinkers, esp with young children need milk goats which is better than cows milk, which can cause allergies, don’t forget jars of Ovaltine and jars of protein powder to mix with it. Stock up on tea, coffee. Laying hens are important, chickens and rabbits for food. Several in my area are raising meat goats.
invest in some piglets and calf’s
why?? you’ll just be paying triple the amt to feed them.
May I recommend the book, ‘Keeping Poultry and Rabbits on Scraps’ by Goodchild & Thompson is a reprint which was originally issued in 1941. It enabled the meager official wartime rations to be supplemented by a regular supply of eggs and meat, at a minimum of trouble and expense.
We cannot keep many animals in town, so I am building the hutches and coops at the retreat and filling them with feed, etc. while keeping my breeding pairs here.
Tarheelbilly, I just read jack and the beanstalk to my kids last night…hope you did better than a hand full of magic beans. Corn is pretty much gone in my corner of the upper Midwest…I didnt think about soybean meal, which I buy in hundredweight bags to use as organic fertilizer for the garden. Might have to get another. I hope it is still 23 dollars.
@ soapdish I read yesterday on another site that corn is dying all over america. People best get their heads out of their behinds and look around. Its all coming crashing down and I really hope hubster and I arent the only ones (in our area) getting ready.
Mamabear, I did get a little more than a few magic beans, but not by much. The crazy weather around here really hurt people. I planted early and lost some to rabbits. I replanted and managed to can half of what we will need next year and bought the last 2 bushels of beans from a local farmer. I have chickens and milk goats (hubby and the kids go through quite a bit of milk) and the feed costs have risen 2-3 per bag in the last few weeks. That doesn’t sound like much, but we have nearly 30 chickens and 5 milking goats, and those feed costs really start to add up. Right now, cow milk is pretty cheap at the store but I’m sure that won’t last. I’ve had several folks ask about buying milk goats from me (I’m keeping them), but it took months to sell my milk cow and I advertized like crazy. I finally sold her at a LOSS, despite the high cost of beef. People just don’t have the money to put into large livestock. I am really going to have to reevaluate my feeding ration, too. Heck, I even cut my corn stalks by hand and stacked them to feed the critters later this winter. Crazy times we live in, Mama B.
No you are right mac on this and really gives the viewer better ideas than maybe favorites we are used to getting. Good work. Some of the things on this list are great ideas. I got cash out of the bank and have my fiance ready to go in an instant of a breakout to the markets, we live in a smaller town in the midwest so I still believe I have time to do this. Still have at least a month of food. TIP HERE FOR NON GUN SHOOTERS. Buy a 12 guage gun, best defense inside a home and make sure it can shoot a slug into someone specially if you got armored men comming in with kevlar vests. Buckshot to the face is the best move. They will have helmets and possibly plates on top of the kevlar so you gotta have a fast round that can penetrate like a .338 laupa but not practical indoors, so get a shotgun with buckshot. when you buy shotgun shells dont get too high of a number on the box. Like 8 shot has hundreds of small pellets, they use those for clay pigeons. then you will see 5,4,bb,bbb,T and buckshot. There are more but the bb or t or buckshot is your best bet to shoot the armed and armored intruder in the face and drop them. Make sure you have a 2nd weapon ready to rock and roll once you empty your shots, you wont have time to reload. just a tip and tell obama to go suck it.,
@ clint I heard about a demonstration once where a heavy caliber pistol defeated body armor, even trauma plates. .44, .45 hollow points, with chunks of titanium drill bit, held in place with loctite. Can’t claim that I’ve tried it, but trusted the source. Figured a shotgun blast to the family jewels, taking out both femoral arteries would work just as well on home invaders.
@ clint: dude you are sooooooo speaking my language! I’m a New England transplant, finally got out of the blue state gulag and headed south to the free states. My first gun when I got here was 12 gauge pump action Maverick, which are kind of like the po’ boys version of the Mossberg.
Quick question for you on the subject of defeating body armor with slugs: what say you about the managed recoil types? I only ask because I find it waaaaaaaay easier to “re-acquire” than with the typical slugs; ditto for 00 buck.
btw, I totally agree with your stance on that jug eared fucker infecting the people’s White House
stand strong until freedom dawns
Excellent list from Tess!
son of sam and swift, swift yes I believe that would work thats what they use more dense mentals that travel fast. like these new padalocks that are made out of bromium carbide. carbide melted down in the center would be denser and should penetrate, im not an expert but i would bet it would go thru. the ps90 makes the 5.7×28 that shoots ss190ammo that has a aluminum hull with a steel penetrator inside that will rip thru kevlar but plates some of sapi plates can resist 308 or larger rounds. I shot my .338 laupa at a 1 inch plate at 10 yards and the copper bullet punched at hole into it and blew the metal on the otherside out by and inch but did not penetrate with hornady 250 grain bullet. SON OF SAM again no expert but try different brands on shotgun shells, some have lighter recoil and some have more with same shells and powder but the wad is different and gun types can make a big difference. I guess if you can get back on target quickly or in a general area rather quickly like a head 00 buck id go with and slugs not tried one on a plate but i think it wouldnt go thru a level 3 vest since its going about 1600 ft per sec average and made out of lead, but the energy would break the ribs and put trama on the heart so think would severly damage or kill someone as well. but the plates and kevlar both can stop some serious bullets. love talking about this stuff and would love to share my experience and would love to hear yours on these articles.
Don,t forget hamburger helper…….
IF your freezer is working for the hamburger, then good idea. If not, well……..
The good hamburger (93%) was $5.09 per pound at a local Food Lion a few days ago.
@Anonymous, you can preserve hamburger in jars using a pressure cooker. It will last for years.
COF…Good call!!!
I will tell you the chicken helper is great.
I have used it with rabbit, pheasant, wild turkey breasts, dove and squirrel….
It’s easy to prepare, and the kids will eat it.
I don’t mind the flavor of wild game but getting the children on board when they were younger was difficult.
It’s filling, and taste good with any meat cut into bite size pieces….
Also don’t underestimate the value of soy sauce, liquid smoke, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and a little honey, to enhance the flavor of the hunt…
Let the meat marinate in the refrigerator for 24 hours and grill baby grill!!!
Take care!
Hey, a $.55 cent can of tuna and tuna helper–it ain’t bad.
$1.55 plus tax and a glass of fresh brewed tea…it’ll make your day if that’a all ya got!!
And it’ll feed 2.
Its easy to hamburger
Ger some freeze dried ground beef. It actually tastes great. No refrigerator needed… ever. We got us a few cans at www,shelfreliancesanantonio.com a while back. I just add a tablespoon or two to our spahetti sauce or use it to make hamburger helper all the time. They also have chicken and their scrambled eggs are very tasty. Great investment for your food storage!
The vitamins are super-important. It’s hard to get all of the vitamins and minerals that you (or especially a child) need for best health. Fiber powder is a good item, too! 🙂
Absolutely, Mac. This whole SHTF thing is not about continuing the fine lifestyle that many of us have now. It is, quite simply, about continuing… period! Some of the foods on that list aren’t very tasty but that is something that we may not have the luxury to indulge after the SHTF. At that point, there will only be two kinds of stomachs… those with something in them and those with nothing in them. Yeah, a bowl of top ramen & spam, hopefully with a little onion and garlic powder but OK without, will be MUCH better than what most folks will have. I can see a time coming when desperate people will kill for a packet of ramen… and eat it uncooked! It is images like this that fuel my prepping urges.
“I can see a time coming when desperate people will kill for a packet of ramen…”
People had more than they needed. We had no idea what was precious and what wasn’t. We threw away things people kill each other for now.
-Eli, The Book Of Eli
So true! And a little cayenne goes a long way. Plant a cayenne pepper plant. You can allow the peppers to dry, then crush and bottle the powder to use for seasoning. Or, with 18 peppers which are easy to get from one plant during the summer, you can boil with 2 cups of vinegar and 1/2 tsp salt and you have homemade Tabasco sauce to flavor your food. You can also use a Tbs of this mixed with water to keep pests off your garden plants.
It is a great list, Mac. Many of those are going to have a nice long shelf life at that.
What is the shelf life of Ramen noodles anyway? With and without oxygen absorbers and mylar and without. I’m curious if anyone has tried to test their longevity.
Woops, take out the extra “without” from my last post.
Edit button, Mac? 😀
Mac, prepping is easy and doesn’t really require a list. Just buy the things you like now and don’t eat them until you can no longer buy them.
Anyone who uses a list like this as a “shopping list” to prepare will probably find themselves with a lot of stuff that is personal torture for them to eat.
I understand that it is only to prove a point that it can be done cheaply. But you still have to eat the things you buy so you best stick to things you like.
I thought Ramen noodles only lasted a year or two – don’t they go rancid because of the oil content?
You won’t notice if you have enough home brew on hand
Mr B.:
No, they don’t. The noodles are packaged separately from the broth seasoning. I would actually rather stock different sorts of noodles in larger quantities and separate packs or cans of bouillon, plus various seasonings, but I have used out-of-date Ramen and could not detect a bit of difference. The main problem could be when the seasoning pack becomes degraded after years of humidity, I suppose. If the packaging is intact, it should ok. If it isn’t, improvise with any bouillon and seasonings. Many folks only use 1/2 the seasoning pack, anyway, as it is so salty.
6 lbs of egg noodles are under $5. Spaghetti is around the same. Bouillon is also affordable.
For hamburger, beef chunks and other meats, for non-canners, check the camping supply stores. For $25/month, you could begin to store canned protein foods w/5-year shelf life. I bought 2.5 pounds of ground round, 90/10 for $3/lb just a few days ago. Check the web. You can dehydrate cooked ground beef. A vacuum sealer is a good investment.
The list is reasonable. Ramen can be used as a base for a lot of different recipes, as people have said.
You have a great point Mr Blue..my focus is on energy.
My ramen cooks in 3 minutes..pasta, 12-20 depending on the source.
I have all ingredients for my own chicken noodle(pasta, bouillon, canned chicken) , BUT pasta requires more energy– a can of soup, 2 minutes??
That’s how I think anyhow..and my water is precious.
Folks are getting rid of vacuum sealers for super cheap at yard sales
You can purchase 2.2 lbs of powdered bouillon at wal-mart in the hispanic section for under $5!! check this section of your local stores as many products that we purchase are sold there at a much cheaper rate!
If things go to hell for two years you probably won’t be here anyway. Why not just buy bags of good egg noodles and make chicken noodle soup. Carrots, green onions, dried celery and dried or canned chicken.
I get my water boiling, pour in noodles and cover the pot. turn off the stove and let noodles set a few minutes. They get done without much energy used. win win.
yep..that was the reason I said “ewwww” on my first post..i just assumed everyone knew this
the noodles are fried, before being freeze dried
Great hiking food, add a can of tuna and an egg, salt and pepper to taste, and hot tea and sugar to wash it down, you’re good to go all day with a pack on your back.
Corn prices surging… Now up 42% since last month
“This is a huge heads up for you to purchase corn-using products NOW before these conditions reflect in grocery goods.”
“Since 75% of grocery store products use corn as a key ingredient, expect food prices to rise.”
“In addition to this, maize is in many things that aren’t obvious like aspirin, clothing starch, cosmetics, cough syrup, batteries, envelopes, ink, paint, powders, rugs and carpets, stamps, talcum, toothpaste, wallpaper, and vitamins. That’s just for starters…”
(See the article for a longer list…an error wouldn’t let it post.)
(theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/the-corn-is-dying-all-over-america)
Direct link….
http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/the-corn-is-dying-all-over-america
EVERYthing listed is loaded with MSG unfortunately MSG will KILL ME! Any alternatives?ki
The federal government and states overpaid an estimated $14 billion in unemployment benefits in fiscal 2011, or roughly 11% of all the jobless benefits paid out.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — Don’t spend that unemployment check too fast. The government might ask you to pay it back.
Overpayments are a rampant problem in the unemployment insurance system. The federal government and states overpaid an estimated $14 billion in benefits in fiscal 2011, or roughly 11% of all the jobless benefits paid out, according to reports from the U.S. Labor Department.
and this is the system(government) that will be trusted with our health care dollars
yep..were fucked
you got that right, I can’t believe there are that many stupid people out there that can’t just see the truth and how the government cant save us money. my god how stupid are these people. you know they think we are hicks or something. im not racist but id like to see how many people on here are black honestly. just an honest question.
It really has nothing to do with the color of skin Clint. And more to do with how they are raised and how they view the world now. Its sad to say, but no matter the color of the skin, most people are just doing what they’ve been taught and do not know any better. They also have never been taught/refuse to learn basic critical thinking skills. So let us all remember that we (hopefully most of us here) have basic critical thinking skills and know that the color of skin should never play a part in generalizing a culture. Then when you say “I’m not racist” people can actually take it to heart as you dont seperate them in a different category from the rest of the human race. Just sayin…
EXACTLY.
The people who want to believe you are racist will believe it whether it’s true or not. The rest of us just don’t care anymore.
your local black guy here. so what do you want to know? i do find one thing funny. some of the most racist comments always start off with “I’m not racist”. i agree with peteropolis 100%. you have to understand that some of the people in the ghetto are 4th or 5th generation of food stamp users. that is all that they know. they don’t know the first thing about farming or saving up for a rainy day. they just leave in the moment. i am not defending what they are doing, because i disagree with what they are doing. but how do you help someone to understand something that goes completely against what they are taught. i don’t live in the ghetto but i drive threw there on a regular bases and there are just as many white people in the ghetto as there are black.
http://billhicksisdead.blogspot.com/2011/12/free-your-mind.html
on bigotry
“Bigotry – Before he went off the deep end and became a humorless supporter of the status quo, stand up comedian Dennis Miller had a great line about bigotry. In essence he said that he could never understand why anyone hated anyone else on the basis of race, religion, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or whatever else…because if you just get to know the person there are so many more VALID reasons to hate them. It is not the black welfare mother, or the illegal Mexican worker, or the Korean shopkeeper or even the gay couple getting married who is the enemy responsible for the rampant greed and avarice that are rapidly destroying our economy. It is instead the rapacious financial elites on Wall Street and their political hand puppets in Washington and the state houses/governors mansions who are your enemy. The elites avoid the fate of King Louis and Marie Antoinette by turning the dimwitted masses against each other, and appealing to bigotry is the oldest divide-and-conquer strategy on the books.”
Very true about “as many white people” OGK, and it doesnt matter where you live, or what you see, as I had lived in Harlem for a time and if I wanted could conclude many racist things about “blacks” (people) based upon what I saw, where I lived. Luckily Harlem wasnt the only place I have lived or have studied and know full well the destitution of the human race on the planet as a whole.
Hi clint, I do not think you are racist. I’m black and my husband is white.we have great kids. most of my friends are white.Although I have black friends, and of course my aunts, uncles.etc.etc. It is just the way I grew up. I come from a Military family, four generations. My father is now dead, but he was a very conservative man. I never learn to hate anyone at all. I was told to judge people by who they were. Growing up there were always white and blacks that were my parents friends. And they were very hard workers. One day when we are all back with God and things are the way they should be, I am positive we all will look back and think how silly we were to put so much on the simple color of the skin. I live in a State that is 90% white, mixed family, and I know from experiece there is really not that much difference in people. Bad character is just plain bad character, no matter what color.
To my shtf-fife preppers, some of you, it feels like I really know. I do not agree all the time, but you guys are very informed and I always want to know what you think. this site has helped me so much. I made the word SHTE-FIFEs up.
I have medical training and would help any of you in any way I could.
Well, here’s Black Lynda signing off( SMILE) I’m not sensitive about being black and I hate it when some play the race card.My country has tried it’s best to correct it’s mistakes and really over done it. My father and mother would not want me to ever give up on America.Even my 95 year old grandma before she died never spoke a word against this Country and she saw some bad things in her life time in alabama, where she was born. She worked hard, raised military sons and nurse daughters. No excuses, get out there and make something of yourself, she said. Did not have a bit of hate in her heart.Told us to forgive. sorry to ramble on.
Bye guys
Hey, my daughter gotthe power back on Coney Isand. Yesterday afternoon. Thanks for your prayers. I know some of you are pray warriors to.
keep prepping and stay prayed up.
here’s a couple of my favorite items for prepping on the cheap
can’t afford a Berkey?
check out this
http://www.homespunenvironmental.com/category_s/34.htm
http://www.dlightdesign.com/products_D.LIGHT_S10_global.php
Amazon has these for about $16
and don’t forget Costco and Sams Club for bulk foods that have been packaged for long term storage
you can make purchases even if you are not a member
there will be a small surcharge
anybody else have any favorite prep items for prepping on the cheap?
Those who cannot afford a Berkey can build a clone for under fifty dollars using a Just Water brand monolithic ceramic drip filter available from the manufacturer and Cheaper Than Dirt for under $30.
I’ve also used a kerosine lantern with the base removed and a #10 can with a few vent holes turned upside down over the lantern as a tent heater.
Awesome, Prep Pastor! Btw, just wanted to check, is this the item you meant? –>
http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/CAMP-352
Because that would be truly awesome. I’ve been puzzling over water supply for some time, and the Berkeys are just mad expensive
Yes, I have three of them. I also store calcium hypochlorite (pool shock) instead of bleach because it does not go bad as quickly and have a filter bottle in my bug-out-bag.
i picked up a brand new never used unit at a yard sale earlier this year for 5 bucks!
My fave item lately are the 20 packs of plain old fmj 7.62 by 39 that the shop up the road sells for 5.50, no bs. At the end of every week, I take the spare green folding George portraits in my wallet and go pick up a pack or two.
In CA we can’t buy Berkley, our state has deemed them environmentally unfit. I have the Homespun emergency kit as my home emergency water filter. Costco goods are ok but I still recommend a Mormon staples center.
you can’t buy a Berkey, but illegal aliens are crawling all over the place; you can buy pot if you’re “sick” but you have to jump through hoops to get an AK (unless of course you’re a gangbanger) fucking California!
Find a friend you visit out of state, order a Berkey and have it shipped there. You can pick it up during a visit, along with all the ammo and rifle magazines you can’t ship to California either.
I live in Iowa, can’t buy a real filter here either.
I have friends who go to the LDS cannery, but we are so rural the nearest one is 250 miles each way so travel costs have to be added to the price. I can buy a lot of powdered milk online for that.
When Ramen is boiling crack a couple eggs drop in the boiling Ramen till done. Study how to be a vegetarian, in case there is no meat. I went on a diet, changed what food I buy, and am saving a lot of money. Now I have $43 extra I can decide if to use to buy food to store or other. Sell or have a yard sale now sell things you really don’t need. Rent a room out. Garden even if its in containers. Cut off the cable tv.Shop bargain racks.
The Mayor of Chicago isnt running his city..the Gangs are..
this is what happens when you make laws against the law abiding and dont recognise our 2nd amendment rights..
this D bag should be brought up on charges for any deaths that could have been averted had the individual been armed.
the mayor is telling gangs to take their fights into the alleys..oh yeah thats sending the right message..keep fighting and shooting innocent people, but dont do it out where others can see it..
the mind set is astounding..ill see if i can find the link
This is exactly what every smart person said would happen. When you disarm law abiding citizens, you embolden the gun carrying criminals. If a criminal knows his victims are helpless its a free for all.
welcome to Chicago a gun free zone..take your chances
I bet that asshole has armed guards, and i bet he owns a gun or 2
link
http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/lookout/murder-rate-climbs-chicago-mayor-makes-values-appeal-161727694.html
you know he does and you are dead right on that. I live 300 miles left of chicago and if you cant figure out what he said you are dumb. its unbelievable he said that. He is a total POS. There are so many dumb people out there that vote for these assholes. my spelling is bad but I know. In a way I wish they would just shoot it out and get rid of the scum, clean out the steets.
Just to add what you said this is a bit of topic but there was an article I think on clinton saying we should not be allowed to carry guns or some crap, ok then disarm your bodygards that are around you all the time too asshole and see then, if its ok for us it better be ok for you and it will never be ok for us to disarm ever. Never I will fight and not just saying this. Im a honest hard working and never had money or medicaid or any help. I busted my butt and saved money to buy my guns. I carry daily and never would hurt anyone who is not a threat.
Yeah, its amazing what a big mouth this phony “tough guy” is in a roomful full of politicians and sycophants. Put him up against people with guns, and he wilts like the precious daffodil he is.
Now if this was Giuliani, or Mayor Daley back in the day, the thugs would be in lockup until they were old and grey. Or, quite possibly, being shot and killed resisting arrest
Dick Daley was not a good man. My family knew his very well. My Uncle put the guy in the Mayor’s office. Chicago Pol’s are rats, plain and simple. Read Royco’s book “Boss”.
I’ll take your word on it, not having been there. What the hell, I managed to live near Boston and in the criminal state known as RI, and I’ve been told Chicago is even worse
I’m not searching for the link, but a couple years ago, I read Moochelle lost her law license working for Daley…involved in kickbacks, or being paid under the table, or whatever you call it.
Ah yes…The infamous Rahm Emmanuel. Bath house buddy of Obama. Alias Ben Down and Phil McCavity. I am not surprised.
dont forget the soap boy Phil McCrackin
I grew up in a political family in Chi town. The Dem’s are are a bigger criminal element than the Mafia, often they work together.
I’ve heard he carries a nickel plated Uzi, but it’s just a rumor.
Thank you Tess! This is an article I can send to family and say look…yes, you can prep for only $5 a week.
As with saving anything, Over time this adds up! 🙂
Afternoon folks
I would get much much less for my money than you do over there, but the principle is good and adapting it to UK products and prices might be a good way of getting people over here interested.
Nice one, thanks
Take care
Afternoon Burt !!!
Eagledove
How are you? I am just clearing up after my third flood in 3 weeks soi am not a happy Burt right now lol
Hope you are well
Take care
Ok here. Sorry to hear about this. PRAYERS !!!
I do approve this message….ONLY if you get them to borrow the money NOW and store those foods NOW!!
Time is something I don’t believe in with this rotten administration, corrupt bankers with socialist agendas.
This is honestly the MOST USEFUL article I have EVER seen on this site.
THANK YOU.
AMEN
I love a good discussion/argument/fight about political matters
but is is VERY refreshing to talk about preps for a change
lots of good ideas so far
keep ’em coming
and I absolutely love this article
prepping can be overwhelming
especially at first
this is a good starting point
way to go Mac !
thats just about what i spend per week on my preps and it adds up very fast i have lots of food saved up because of this.
5 bucks a week is an additional 260 bucks per year you guys should pay your bills. Maybe the economy wouldn’t be so bad off if you actually paid your bills on time. Are we prepping still? Still after years of “it’s coming, it’s coming”.
LOL sheeple.
Hmmm… that’s fine if you have the time to buy all of that lot ! Buying in small quantities never gives you a price advantage either.
I’m in favour of a short list – one that will give you wide spectrum nutrition, be tasty and have long life.
I’d suggest bulk buy muesli, pasta, baked beans, low-salt peanut butter, long-life fruit juice, vitamin pills, protein powder, low-fat yogurt.
Sure, you won’t get a lot of variety in your diet, but it will be tasty & nutritious without the high fat,salt and sugar of most items on the list above.
When it’s life & death time, you don’t want to be stuffing around with a 100 item list. Down and dirty, short list and high nutrition value is the way to go.
Muesli (if chosen wisely) is great. eg
http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/breakfast-cereals/7540/2
5kg bags of pasta are $10 and one would feed 4 people for weeks.
Mix muesli with yogurt and you’ve got a great meal.
Low-fat (ie organic) peanut butter has 1% of the salt of most mainstream peanut butters (shows how BAD mainstream foods are !!), and is a great energy food, and Bear Grylls favorite !
Good spices include pepper, chilli, ginger, curry, but avoid salt as processed foods are high in salt anyway.
Just my quick thoughts on this anyway..
dawg – great choices! i would add couscous to that list; very little hot water needed for prep and very high in protein for a carb. and would add cinnamon to your spices. Tess – thank you so much for taking the time to put a great list together that people can find no matter which part of the country they live in!!!
Great article.., but with no disrespect., from what I am reading, we don’t have much time left.
Myself, I am going out this week to purchase several flats of veges…, corn, beans and ect.. I just don’t want to be standing in long lines. 🙂
You voiced my opinion…do it now..this list will take you into July, 2013??
Will we be here??
I told my BIL, who is almost 80 and still driving a truck, who wants to start storing food with resistance from the wife and step son in the house.
I told him, no problem..I gotcha covered. ‘YOU’ are welcome here.
JayJay ;
I am putting myself in 5th gear when it comes to food and all ready warned my loved ones. 🙂
In Canada, we could only dream about that much purchasing power with $5.
I just bought a box of 50 CCI .22LR for $6.99. A small bag of rice is $3.99.
Prep here and there and before you know it, you’re feeling better.
M.Michael you’d be better of putting that 6.99 in a sock in the drawer a few times. 50 round for $7 is a ripoff….you should find a 525 round brick for $20 easy.
Your right, the bulk packs are $20. The CCI is pricey.
Many other items are ridiculously overpriced in Canada, which is why scores of Canadians shop in the US every weekend.
Everything from our vehicles to food seem to cost a lot more in Canada. I’m not complaining…it’s just a fact of life up here in the socialist utopia… (sic)
Cheers!
@Michael I’d like to suggest you try purchasing .22 shorts,or sub-sonic .22’s. They will kill small game and not alert the whole valley to your presence. I tried them several years ago, was convinced of their usefulness and have bought a lot of them. In a SHTF scenario, stealth (small game getter)will be as important as a main battle rifle.
Or a good air rifle…
bought a ruger pellet rifle w/scope for a couple hundred and have thousands of pellets. even quieter than sub sonic and at 900fps it a great small game getter
.22 Short is a great round for the garden pests. I’m on a suburban lot, and no one is disturbed by the rifle report. The Subsonic LR round is a good one for small game.
Having food on the cheap and making it tasty often is quite a challenge. A few generations of Italian Americans including Rocky Marciano were fueled by a staple called Pasta Fazole. Beans , pasta, garlic, bay leaf, can of tomatoes, olive oil and a bit of salt pork is all you need. One could feed a dozen people cheap and now it commands top dollar if out dining.
A recipe book that incorporates your supplies will make that prepped food all the better. I suggest Italian peasant food from central and southern Italy because it’s cheap, simple and very tasty.
Spagetti with tuna and olives tastes just like crabmeat in red gravy. That is cheap, filling and a complete meal too.
Go to Chinese markets , they have all sorts of bulk spices cheaper than your going to find them anywhere .
T.R.
I agree. It is much cheaper to buy spices this way. There are some grocery stores, such as Wegmans, that sell spices in bulk. Just save some containers to put your spices in.
Hispanic Markets, Monterey Bay Spice Co and San Francisco Herb Co are awesome websites.
Hot sauce is very popular in third-world countries where beans and rice are popular. Sam’s Club sells it by the gallon.
Its also fun to grow your own hot peppers… I especially love growing Thai dragons and a new variety I just found called Biker Billy. Chop ’em cook ’em in a pan with a little oil… they’ll make even powdered eggs taste super
Good call on the hot peppers. You can also dehydrate them to store. Adds punch to bland food.I like the Thai and jalapeno but the habanero are too much for me.I once bet someone that if they could chew and swallow 2 habaneros I would buy them a case of beer. He was in agony for about an hour but I lost a case of beer.
Yes, it’s very popular in countries where refrigeration is absent or intermittent, to cover the taste of spoiling meat.
If you don’t have off-grid refrigeration, better stock up on spices.
I’ve also been looking into vegetarian dishes that have all the right proteins…. I figure if things really get bad, I’d rather not be out in the woods with all the Billy Badasses who claim they’re going to be out there a huntin’ up some food and firing at everything that moves — including me. I figure if I have some beans and quinoa and such, I might be alright that way. When I’ve completed my research, I’ll be back to let you all know
Paisan!!!! Gotta have the chick peas, and the basil and oregano too. Btw, have you tried angel hair with canned chicken and canned diced tomatoes… simply awesome!
Can also make flour from dried chick peas. Makes an amazing quick flatbread. You’ll feel like a gourmet! 🙂
Look for a recipe for Olive Garden Pasta Fagoli copycat on the internet. Several good ones. Good and filling.
Very True !!!!!
there are deals out there if you do the work , dollar stores of corse , but swap meets and flea markets , Ive noticed if you go on the last day and close to the last few hours , some merchants are willing to make a deal rather than have to pack it up again , I picked up an old boy scout 2qt canteen for $2 . Garage sales are another one , some fishing gear is pretty cheap . On and on , its out there .
With all heat and farm reports I say buying would be great idea no matter what you think could happen.
Clearly this fall may bring cheap meat if the farmer can not feed their stock. But that only mean less product in the future.
beprepared.com do the super pails….lasts 30 years. SHTF…think currency crash, nuke war, job loss. Go Long.
I had to throw out several #10 cans of Emergency Essentials brand bread mixes I got from them that were less than ten years old. They refuse to say how long there food can be stored so I have no recourse.
The yeast activated and expanded the cans. I last ordered from Sam’s Club and Costco which charges a little more but provides free shipping.
any kind of processed flour doesnt last too long
this includes white flour,pancake mixes etc
buy wheat in superpails and a good quality grinder
wheat,if properly stored is good for 25-30 years
consider maintaining a culture of sour dough
and learning to make flat breads
I have a Country Living Grain Mill with the extra bean auger. I store pickling lime to make tortillas since my new wife has Celiac Disease and therefore cannot have wheat. I have fifty five-gallon buckets of alternate grains, beans, and other staples.
These came from an Emergency Essentials one-year plan I bought from a friend cheap when he moved out of the country. The point of my comment is that just because it comes packed for long-term storage doesn’t mean it will last and NEVER buy from a company that will not at least estimate shelf life.
Satori
Flatbread
2 cups any flour
Herbs to your taste
Teaspoon of dried milk powder
Mix together with water until you have an elastic dough. Flatten into a lightly greased pan, skillet whatever and cook through turning a couple of times.
A good filler to put with soups, salads etc.
Add a handful of soaked dried fruit for a simple fruit bread. Not the most nutritious or lightest bread you will ever eat but it’s filling and can pad out light meals such as veggies etc making them more substantial.
Take care
Satori–I removed my meal, flour, and pancake mix from the buckets and dry canned.
Granny on the internet said they’ll be good for years cause she’s been doing this for years.
Wanta know how?? just ask.
You can oven can your dry foods like flour, sugar, mixes, etc. and they will last for years. Place the dry food in canning jars. Place a jelly roll pan in your oven and preheat to 200 degrees. Place the filled jars without lids on jelly roll pan and leave in oven for 1 hour. Remove jars one at a time and place on a towel. Quickly wipe rims with a wet paper towel and place a seal and lid on jars, one at a time. They will seal and you’ll hear the lids pop usually within 30 minutes. I do this all the time just because we have a problem with bugs getting into these items in the summer.
Is putting dry goods like flour, in a mason jar and dropping an O2 absorber in there equivilant to dry canning? Just wondering if I can store flour longer term in jars like that. The top pops in so i didn’t know… I just “canned” some matches that way to keep them good and dry… Any input is appreciated.
you sould be good to go with that strategy, so long as the jars remain airtight… if i remember correctly, you’re looking at about 5 years, maybe 10 on the flour in those jars…. wheat would be your best bet as a ‘set it and forget it’ but flour’s solid too…
definitely fill it to the top to get rid of as much o2 as you can before sealing.
Thanks MAC for the input. It’s nice to be able to go somewhere and have your questions answered no matter how random or silly they may be. Helps guys like me out a lot.
My wife and I stockpile packets of gravy. We buy every variety we find. They can be used on potato,pasta and rice. One thing though, the Brown gravy does not thicken once the packet gets old. Never had a problem with any of the other gravies. We also stockpile the Taco Seasoning packets and Spaghetti sauce packets. When TSHTF, you’ll be grateful for any change of taste to what will become monotonous meals.
try adding a little corn starch to the gravy
its a great thickener
and here are ten foods that will outlast you
http://urbansurvivalsite.com/foods-that-last-forever/
50 five gallon pails of grains and beans ??
holy crap
your not ready for the apocalypse
your ready for THE APOCALYPSE
I’ve been doing this a long time. I have accumulated 70 #10 cans. I try to keep a couple years for my entire family at all times. Since we are expecting another child early next year I am already planning my new purchases.
your setting a good example
I’ve been prepping a long time too. I’d like to recommend Honeyville Farms for dehydrated fruit. They have a excellent selection in large cans. No matter if you buy one can, or a hundred, shipping is $4.99 for the order.
PP, I was wondering what is a two year supply for 5 people? I have read many different versions but they only take into account the staples of wheat, honey, oil, salt and sugar. I get that and am working on it but when it comes to the #10 cans I can’t figure it out. We have 5 adults in our family, maybe 6 or 7 if I get a couple of extra people coming into the fold and I have 150 tins of assorted freeze-dried veggies, fruit, drinks, pancake mix, brownie mix, tvp, etc. In addition, I have a but out kit that includes a 2 week supply for 5 plus a good year’s supply of various tinned, bottled foods that I rotate on a regular basis. Do I have too much #10 cans, or not enough? I think maybe I should start to use some of them so I can get a better idea of quantities. I did open the mushroom tin up and I am very pleasantly surprised by the quality of food. I am using it in spaghetti sauces etc. Do you think I should start rotating them into the regular food stock? I was thinking of getting another 60 or so tins ’cause you never know who you’ll have to ‘entertain’ in an emergency and I couldn’t turn my family away even though they are a massive burden.
Damn, swift ..I have those too..but no gravy pkg.
I stock beef and chicken bouillon cubes for gravy….the gravy is superb with water or milk–you’ll not know it wasn’t real beef or real chicken!!
Did you know in a pinch you can use taco seasoning pkg for spaghetti??
I have canned sp. sauce, jar sp. sauce, and pkg sp. sauce.
@VRG – here u go:
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57468982/in-chicago-hospital-collateral-damage-of-gang-war-never-subsides/
good grief
what a sobering article
if things are like that now
what’s gonna happen if the lights go out ???
I think we know the answer to that
https://www.shtfplan.com/emergency-preparedness/congressman-warns-those-who-can-should-move-their-families-out-of-the-city_05272011
I just love old Roscoe
There is a video somewhere on YouTube where Sen. Roscoe Bartlett shows off his retreat. You should see his setup! He has a well in the basement of his house. He has a pump in the kitchen. He can turn a valve and pump water up to a tank in his attic. Then he turns the valve and has running water. He has a wood stove that heats and cooks. His outbuildings are all attached, so he doesn’t have to go out into the cold to get firewood or to work in his shop.
talk about blown Opsec
Greetings from Alaska…
I really think having the money is only half the problem. Having a plan and sticking to it is the other half. What I find great about Tess’ list is that it offers someone with a limited budget a plan of attack.
When I first started prepping, I had a fair amount of fiat money set aside, but NO plan at all. I ended up using a a food calculator from one of the LDS sites and altering it a bit to suit my family’s needs. It gave me a sense of direction and a sense of accomplishment checking off items when I purchased them and I knew I was working toward a worthy goal.
Build a plan around your budget, no matter how limited, and execute it!! Tess’ shopping list is great if for no other reason than it sparks you to START.
Have a great night,
Mal
I have been doing the 10. a week challenge for a while… I try to use coupons and what not cuz when I have bought my 10. worth and SAVED 10.00 i go buy 1 franklin 1/2 silver dollar which has been ranging from 9-11 dollars for a while. That is prepping and physical savings!
We had a store open outside my small towncalled the preparedness store. I called to get the hours and the owner picked up (it was his cell phone) we talked for a ling time as the store was not open yet and he was driving from NC to NY so he had some time to chat, he was living in LA when Katrina hit. He told me how there was no water, his generator ran almost 2 months, gas was hard to get and the food he ate was rancid. He said when you are hungary you will eat it. He said it does not make ya sick but it is a lil hard to get down. I live in hurricane US and could not believe the store was only open for a brief time, like a few months and was closed. I do live in farm area but this store was between farm country and a small city only 20 minutes in the other direction. Goes to show you how many people out in the world can not see how needy they are and what a burden they are if and when something happens. I just could not believe the store was shut down so fast due to lack of buisnees. But I will never forget the knowledge I learned from that man as he shared the horror stories of Katrina with me. I was just starting to prep so what I heard from him really stayed wit me and drove me to at least try.Some cheap ways I have prepped are COUPONING, I got a sh*t load of hot sauce for free or 25 cents a bottle. Dollar general can soups are 2 for 1 dollar, dollar tree is great for some meds. and our grocer store has a dollar section that I get all kinds of lil stuff. I got nuked milk at the dollar tree last year a dollar a jug WOOHOOOO! My veg would not gorw in my horrible soil so I bought 2 kid pools poked holes in the bottom and I have 6 tomatoe plants pepper squash and eggplant growing. Start your own taters to grow by cutting in half toothpicks all around the edge and sprout in water plant em when the start sprouting. dehydrate every left over ya got. Spend the money on a dehydrator best band for your buck. get storage buckets for free at grocery store and bakery. stock up when things are on sale. think outta the box, my swimming pool is my drinking water. youtube is a great resource. I sace all my old melted candle wax if need to make candles in the future. I spent more time researching how to prep than prepping, just think frugal and remember waste not want not let that be your mantra and you will be the ultimate prepper. Need not take money but wits. the only thing that takes money is guns ans ammo this is the big money prpping item the rest is easy on the wallet. (thus me not having guns or ammo)
Oops sorry for the typos guyz I keep having power surges as a storm is brewing here, again sorry
@ justincase, @mamabear,@ky mom, @smokeymtn lady, and to the rest of you in the estrogen brigade, we’ve started a forum sistersintinfoil dot freeforums dot org. it’s an area with ladies prepping info.
mac, please let this go thru; not sure how else to get the word out.
No testosterone allowed?
Prepping is saving..
Prepping is tucking away a little bit each week and forgoing the small luxuries like an extra coffee or snack during the week..and tuck it away.
I earnestly canned several hundred jars of complete meals last winter..each enough to feed a cup each for 4 people.
I then tucked away 10 or 20 each week since last winter and have now bought myself some decent firearms and ammo.
The foods I canned are good for many years and weekly add to my preps with canned and dry goods.medicines.paper goods purified waters etctec.
Many here have the fiat money to buy land and retreats.
most of us are modest earners for sure and must budget accordingly in our homes…
It can be done.as a smoker..I now roll my own and saved another $6 a pack and put that away for preps as well..$42 a week..it all adds up folks.
Received a 22 pistol as a gift and practice weekly at the range..22lr rounds are $19 for 550 rnds..
I take the 40 cal carbine(winter savings investment) every other week as the 40 cal are .40 cents per round..
Practice what you preach..live frugally..can those meals..shoot inexpensively and often to keep that skill sharp..we all might need it soon..
possee
hey possee – would you mind listing some of the things that go into a “complete meal” in a jar? i just started canning last year, and think that would be a great idea rather than opening 2 or 3 jars at a time. or if you have a link to recipies that would be even better!
Great tip on the buckets. My son and I normally put anywhere from 10-13 deer each year in the freezer. In the parts supply house I frequent for work, one of the employees also works part time in the bakery section of a large supermarket in town. I trade him packs of venison and veggies from the garden for the food grade buckets and lids he can get. I also buy food grade buckets and lids from a company called ULINE. They are based in New Jersey. They carry both five and six gallon buckets with the screw top lids (with gasket). I can call in an order in the morning and they’ll be delivered by noon the next day.
Your idea of the closed prepper store was how I felt about the water drums/container/storage store in Lexington…why wasn’t his parking lot full??? all the time??
did they close??? they had great deals!
good way to get long term storage cheap
http://store.lds.org/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product3_715839595_10557_21003_-1__195787
the LDS has the starter kit,cases of pinto beans,wheat and rice
prices are from about $25-$45 a case ,tax included,free shipping
if funds are limited
just order one case a month
Funny story about these Starter Kits… I headed over to the LDS in Houston prior to our move… Picked up 10 or 12 Starter Kits because my wife and I wanted to leave some emergency preps for the fam before we headed West…
Not a single family member wanted them. Not one!
Ended up having to drop them off at a good friend’s house and he was more than happy to add them to his larder.
For some people… even FREE is too much to pay to get prepped!!
As is the case with most of the folks on this web site, we all know where the fam is going to go the minute the SHTF….
In any case — Satori makes a fantastic recommendation… Those starter kits are super cheap compared to the amount of food you get.. and according to the Elder at the LDS, the Church doesn’t turn any profit on them, so you’re paying less than retail!
Send a few starter kits my way Mac! 😛
I have buckets of beans..my problem is the usage of not only water when it is precious, but my white gas(coleman cooker).
I mean, a campfire in the back yard to a logger with access to all the wood he can use is doable …but the neighbors??
They will know, they will smell.
Problem??? You bet.
I also have a Aladdin thermos to save energy.
Rice= 1/2 cup rice with 1 cup boiled water for 30 minutes in thermos; save energy and water!
And don’t forget the importance of ziplok bagging your meal..in boiling water, it can be heated, but saving that water for other uses may be paramount to staying alive.
thermos cooking
great way to save fuel
http://www.thermoscooking.com/
GREAT tip JayJay
JayJay,
Try cooking beans in a solar oven. I have been cooking beans, stews, pot roasts, cakes, homemade soups, etc. The food cooks slowly, is tender, juicy and delicious. The food does not stick to the pans either. Cooking food this way uses no fuel. Another bonus is there is no food aroma like when you are cooking food out on the grill. In a SHTF situation, this would be a plus.
You can buy a solar oven or make one.
Hope this helps.
KY Mom
Survival cave has canned meats both in 14oz and 28 oz
cans..I buy once a month and have managed to accumulate
414 servings of meat so far…I like the smaller cans
because I dont have to worry about preserving the leftovers from a #10 can.
I know most people on this forum have seen this list
but I like it so much I’m posting it again
http://www.thepowerhour.com/news/items_disappearfirst.htm
notice in particular items 9-10-11
“9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugar
10. Rice – Beans – Wheat
11. Vegetable Oil (for cooking) Without it food burns/must be boiled etc.,)”
Thanks, this is new to me.
Great list Satori
Just looking at some alternative protein sources, I wondered what people thought of Textured vegetable protein. i heard good things like it takes on the flavor your cooking with and is textured like ground beef, but i don’t know how it stores or where to find it locally for that matter. Just wondered if anyone else knows anything about it that I may wanna know. Thanks.
YMAP:
Personally, I hate TVP. It chews like rubber, is tasteless even w/heavy seasoning and produces prodigious amounts of gas. I know some vegetarian religious who use it, which is where I ate it. I’d rather eat red beans and rice.
don’t forget the konriko or zatarains, etc, creole seasonings! that’ll make even groundhog edible! konriko creole goes good on eggs, rice, beans, corn, okra, or heck, anything that goes into a gumbo!
EVERYTHING goes into a gumbo! There is something about gumbo that just assimilates whatever is added and expands. Only problem with this is that you may end up w/10 gallons of gumbo. It does freeze well, though.
There’s lots of choices for protein mix at the health food stores-proteins made from different foods, like plant based proteins for vegans, ranging in price from $6 to $40
Young MAP:
TVP is not my favorite, first of all because more than 80% of soy in the US is GMO now. However, if you are able to get organic TVP or you don’t mind the GMO stuff, here are a few tips:
1.) Buy the crumbles instead of the chunks – much less of that nasty rubbery texture that Blue mentioned
2.) When you soak it to reconstitute it, throw a beef bouillon cube in to give it a meatier flavor.
3.) Don’t use it INSTEAD of meat – use it to STRETCH your meat. So if you would normally put two pounds of ground beef in a pot of chili, use one pound of ground beef and the equivalent in TVP.
4.) Always use it in something saucy and highly spiced – it’s far less noticeable that way. So chili, spaghetti sauce, enchiladas, that type of thing. I’ve tried (and failed) in things like a ground beef stroganoff and taco filling. It’s far tastier when it is accompanied by the “sauce” and the “spice”.
I hope this helps. 🙂
Daisy
Put a pound of top in and you’ll end up with three lol I used much less than that, say one pound of meat and a cup and a half of top, when reconstituted it makes the two pound mark. I agree the crumbles are much better. I soak with a bullion cube for some recipes, tomato paste and water for others, both work.
Take care
Young map
I use this, it does indeed ‘become’what it is cooked with. I use it in meals that have ground beef in to make them go further. Meat gets smaller when you cook it, this gets bigger. I soak mine for a minute or two before putting it in the pan, just to start it swelling. I have served spag Bol, chilli, minced beef and onion pie, al to committed carnivores and not ne of them has noticed.
It lasts for ages unopened and is dirt cheap…try it out, I think it is worth it and have 10pounds of it in store.
Take care
Thanks guys Ill buy some and try it. As long as it stores good for a decent price i dont see why like you said keeping a few pounds of it would hurt.
Some TVP is best mixed 50/50 with the real thing. We bought some chicken TVP at http://www.shelfreliancesanantonio.com and we mix it into chicken salad for example. It adds a nice smokey flavor to the otherwise boring boiled chicken. They also have Taco TVP which my grand kids love. They think I just went to Taco Bell but it’s really Taco TVP.
I buy a lot of water in gallon jugs from the Dollar Store! They also have great beans already cooked which are great for a fast meal not to mention some other really useful things.
I have 100 gallons of stored water from used jugs..the only ones that leaked were the commercial store bought jugs.
Just saying..I moved water to the garage cement floor(on shelfing) and then bought drums.
But I STILL use every emptied jug in this house for water..the ‘without water’ scares me more than the ‘without food’ scenario.
Hearing the news on Peregrine Financial Group going chapter 7 just makes me think that time is getting shorter, and we are running out of tomorrows.
Obama is getting more bold and arrogant by the day while the Stupid Party cowers. Why even have a Congress. I cannot remember a president ever that did whatever he wants with no pushback. I think the fix is in and we all better accept the fact that things are goingto get bad.
Yes, all the Paulbots will peel away enough votes to keep Barry in the WH. It’s the same set up which was pulled off to get Hillbilly Bill in.
Ross Perrot, Ron Paul, same/same
Red team…Blue team…not much difference.
@John W— Let me refresh your memory.
George W Bush:
Iraq
Afghanistan
Patriot act
I’ll stop there.
They ALL suck.
First the positive is that the longer you can survive without depending on the government the absolutely better. In fact the longer you can survive, even a few days can mean the difference. You can find much at the market that has been discounted. I cannot say enough about coupons as many companies want you to try their product to get you hooked and they will give you free products that you can store. Coupons also can be combined with certain in store coupons in some stores to save even more money. Many times in the produce section and meats, they will discount food a lot that must be sold. If you are into canning this can save mega dollars.
The negative about the above article is that I don’t know if we have 52 weeks to store up, we may not even have 52 days. If we do, then there is some real problems with storing up food that is packed with sodium and no nutrition. Your body will feel the effects of eating food that is not good for it. I have always highly suggested to everyone that your body must be operating in good shape to face the perils of after the end of society, especially disease and germs that will be rampant.
Items such as Kool-Aid, bouillion cubes, gelatin are not really survival items as they offer nothing that your body can use. I say buy up items that are listed that have calories and nutrition. Canned vegetables, fruit, meats, beans, rice, chili, etc. I would really avoid products that have MSG (monosodium glutamate) in them because this shows that the product is most likely inferior to eat and is being hidden by MSG. Japanese soldiers during WW2 were given pure crap to eat loaded with MSG so they could shallow the less than dog food they had to eat.
I actually did a way someone could get one week worth of food for under $50 for one person at wal-mart. This was last year, but with this you get ALL the vitamin and minerals you need. About 2400 calories. and way more than enough fiber. Again for about $7 a day. It is 39 total items; 35 cans, 1 jar, 2 boxes, 1 box container.
It is boring to eat almost the same thing each day, but lacking any nutrition it won’t be, and the items you can stored for awhile.
1- 14.75 oz. container mixed nuts
7- 20 oz. cans of pineapple
7- 15 oz. cans black beans or other beans
7- 15 oz. cans mixed vegeatables
1- 25.6 oz box dry powdered milk
2- boxes (10 packs) of instant oatmeal
7- 15 oz. cans fruit cocktail
4- 5 oz cans chunk light tuna
3- 12.5 oz. cans of chunk chicken
Eat one can of each of the 7 cans each day, 1 can of tuna one day and 1 can of chicken the other, divide up the oatmeal and powdered milk for the 7 days, and each about 2.1 oz. of mixed nuts each day.
Each day you get following vitamin and minerals and the recommended daily allowence you should get each day.
Vitamin or mineral——RDA——–What you get
Vitamin A————–5000IU——36265
Vitamin C————–60 mg——-90.4
Vitamin B1————-1.5 mg——2.43
Vitamin B2————-1.7 mg——2.55
Vitamin B3————-20 mg. —–31.29
Vitamin B6————-2 mg.——-2.58
Folic acid————-400 mcg—–675
Vitamin B12————6 mcg——-6.93
Calcium—————-1000 mg—–1729
Iron——————-15 mg——-22.7
Magnesium————–350 mg——850
Phosphous————–1200 mg—–2825
Potassium————–2000 mg—–5523
Zinc——————-15 mg——-21.39
Copper—————–3 mg——–3.39
Manganese————–5 mg——–13.48
Prices have changed a little since last year, but for $7 a day about you can maintain your health, and people will be very thankful to have their health. Lack of proper nutrition reallys takes its toll on the body. I suppose any food is better than no food, but just any food for extended periods of time will cause all sorts of immune problems, and a person’s immune system is essential to fight off the horrible pathogens everywhere after this happens.
PLEASE EVERYONE REALLY CONSIDER NUTRITION AS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS FOOD STORAGE.
People now spend $7 a day at the golden arches on one meal, or easily more at other fast food and regular restaurants. With this plan you can buy one week or multiple weeks of food using the same items. During the really awful times, something to consider is fiber, which this has. Constipation is something that many of these cheap foods will give people, and all sorts of stomach cramps on top of not giving someone what their body needs to survive. Mineral and vitamin deficiencies are ugly and debilitating, but can be prevented both before SHTF and during it and after it.
Good point. People laugh when I say they need to have stool softener in there medicine chest. Laxatives are too harsh and people can get dehydrated. Always do your own research though.
Informed
Well stated
and got your list covered..
Bought lots of canned chicken/salmon and sardines while on sale a few months ago..no preservatives..just sea salt in the chicken..expiration dates 2015 +
Those same cans 6 months later have increased over 50%!
Sardines were $1 per can..now $1.59
And your discussion on nutrients was vital..must maintain a simple balanced diet..period.
Been stocking up on gallon purified waters..cheap 88c each..
and never forget the lead investments..always pick up a few boxes every week..faithfully..
possee
@ Posse and LAG. Both of your wisdom makes me so glad that I visit this site. People seem to forget just how important it is that wastes are removed from the body so toxins don’t collect. Malnutrition is awful and take the physical stamina away from people when they need it the most.
May I suggest one of the best little books I have ever come across for maintaining proper nutrition with what you eat, AND what you store for later. It is called: The Complete Book of Vitamin and Mineral Counts, by Corinne T. Netzer. With this book you can see if you are missing anything with what you are eating, and how much of each vitamin and mineral you have stored in your supplies. Many survival foods lack some of the most important vitamins that there is because many B vitamins are cooked out for long term storage of certain items.
You know when I was trying to figure out what would be the cheapest route to go for a survival menu for others, I found it was difficult for example B12, Vitamin C, Zinc, and Copper. This is why I chose mixed nuts as one of the items to store up. Brazil nuts for example are loaded with selenium that is an important antioxidant that helps prevent breakdown of tissues, really important after a SHTF event. Vitamin E is also in nuts and oatmeal. Beans are wonderful for fiber and high in so much that we all need.
Much goes into survival after everything breaks down and avoiding sickness is one them. Maintaining continued good nutrition is key to this.
Tony Patrick wrote two books, “101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles” and “101 More Things to Do With Ramen Noodles”.
Check these out:
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/190-6705946-7772535?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=101+things+to+do+with+ramen+noodles
I think I have the first one somewhere, I’ll try to find it, and upload the Contents listing in a message.
Best post ever.
Listen people
Without the Fear..TPTB’s game would be dead in the water, thats why they perpetuate it, build it, and push it daily, because without it,, they cant control you, or anyone else
This is a war, a war of wills..and a war of character..
its not the violence that sets men apart..its the distance he’s prepared to go. or the distance they (TPTB) are prepared to go..its up to us, to do whats right
oh and dont get me wrong..this shit our government is doing is real, and it affects us daily..but the only way we can change it..or get them off our backs..is to know in your heart we are humanity..and were done with their shit..make them fear us..not the other way around..
next time you witness someone being mistreated by the corp..step in ..step in in mass and shut it down..
do not allow your fellow man to be dragged off by the corp goons…make them work for it.
defend your brothers and sisters when you see wrong doing..dont cower to these jackboots
A little off topic but the price of corn has risen 30% in the last month.With the droughts in the midwest it will only go higher.While corn isn’t one of the most nutritious crops it is used in most food products.Heaven forbid….a shortage of high fructose corn syrup.lol.Prices for everything including beef and chicken will probably rise. I look for this to affect gas too with the gov subsidized mandate on ethanol.This program should be suspended when corn is scarce. Ethanol in gas sucks anyway.Save the corn for foodstuffs.
things not looking good at all
http://beforeitsnews.com/story/2367/699/The_Corn_Is_Dying_All_Over_America.html
could this be the heads up that we are hedding into WW3?
Here Come the Draft-Nappers: Gen. McChrystal Calls for Reinstating Conscription <— use that for your search
I actually agree with Gen. McChrystal. A 2 year stint in the military is not too much too much to ask. Some reservists are putting in 2 and 3 deployments to the ME.
For a lot of young kids getting out of high school who have no immediate goals, the military is a great builder in discipline and offers training which can be utilized once out of the military , as well a helping through the GI bill should they want to continue thir studies.
I am an example of the hillbillification of our society by preppin to the max. I highly recommend all preppin peeps enjoy this vid because we rule ……..RIGHT ?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvpo_U-VJus&feature=player_embedded
Okay…but ‘cousins’ at the end of the vid had an apostrophe!!
Get prepped while you can. Prices skyrocketing, food shortages sure to come, then martial law. I dread martial law most of all.
I know this has been mentioned before but I want mention it again to STRESS the need for this: FIBER!!!!! Maybe not for you and your fam but as things start getting tough and food chooses are slim, constipation can become a huge problem for people, especially if they are on a rice only diet or just gnawing of scraps they find. Constipation in extreme cases can be simply horrible: severe abdominal pain, vomiting, diahrrea, fever, fatigue, etc…bad stuff. Because let’s be honest, a well balanced diet for most people will be the thing of the past if the actual SHTF…thus, it is reallllly smart to add a container or two of fiber powder and an enema kit (they are cheap or you could make your own). Just saying, constipation can be hard to diagnose but once you see one of your loved ones in that sort of pain you will do anything to make it better (speaking from experience).
Beans my brother ! You cant go wrong when yur BUTT sings,…. the odifferous songs of relief an content til yur fuel rods r spent……trust me,….I Know !
Rachel Maddow on Nebraska Caucus & Massachusetts Delegate Scandal
type that into You Tube
Who gives a fuck anymore? In the end we all end up dead anyway. Meaningless, all of life is meaningless.
Hey!SK Maybe Just Yours!
just a heads up
sunpot 1520 is poised to send off some strong solar flares
there is a 15% chance of an X flare being produced
http://spaceweather.com/
You can actually get 24 packs of Ramen noodles for $5 on Amazon with free shipping to boot.Bought lots of those and when other things go on sale I buy as much as I can.
I’m not even wasting my time reading this stupid article; the comments, yes, I learn much from them.
There is no way in HELL any one on this planet can spend $260 a year and be prepped…hey, people, my Berkey alone cost $219.
I think the purpose of the article is to get people started
prepping can be overwhelming
emotionally and financially
if you break it down into smaller steps its more manageable
and
as people get into it
like me,they QUICKLY see the need to accelerate their efforts
and if people put away even one months worth of food
they are now better off than 97% of the population
Off Topic…
UN arms treaty could put U.S. gun owners in foreign sights
“A treaty being hammered out this month at the United Nations — with Iran playing a key role — could expose the records of America’s gun owners to foreign governments — and, critics warn, eventually put the Second Amendment on global trial.”
(www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/11/un-arms-treaty-could-put-us-gun-owners-in-foreign-sights-say-critics/)
My feeling is if they can’t get the Senate to ratify the UN Treaty or others to that effect, they will use the Supreme Court to get their desired gun laws passed. Unfortunately, for many in power the Constitution means nothing.
Michelle Obama’s Warning To Gun Owners
(dailycaller.com/2011/10/11/michelle-obamas-warning-to-gun-owners/)
Direct links…
UN arms treaty could put U.S. gun owners in foreign sights
http://www.foxnews.com/world/2012/07/11/un-arms-treaty-could-put-us-gun-owners-in-foreign-sights-say-critics/
Michelle Obama’s Warning To Gun Owners
http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/11/michelle-obamas-warning-to-gun-owners/
NRA Takes Aim at Weapons Treaty
The UN weapons treaty is “supported by the Obama administration, has very vocal opposition: the American gun lobby.”
(www.usnews.com/news/articles/2012/07/09/nra-takes-aim-at-weapons-treaty)
funny thing about those “records” they dont show guns (pistols) purchased before i think 1968..and they dont show long guns( rifles- shot guns) of most of the US states..so the number will not tell them much..except for dont fuck with the USof A’s gun group..or take your chances..
to put it nicely ..come take um UN..if you feel lucky
when Japans,,Isoroku Yamamoto said there is a gun behind every blade of grass in this country. and that was soooo many years ago..think of the shear number that it has had to have grown by this date, especially after the bullshit we have endured with the current admin.,..Good luck suckers!…LMAFO
Unfortunately their suggestions (laws) mean nothing. There is no way in high hell America will ever be disarmed. I think at least half the country would die before that, and the other half the didnt fight have no idea of life or liberty in the first place.
*that didnt fight
Just wanted to add: We must remember it is not those in office (most who truely hate us (“citizens” “human resources” (not to be confused as something seperate from say oil or timber)as their actions/inactions show) who grant us rights, but ourselves who determine each and every action in our lives as we so choose. So if anything ever comes close to the above, we can kindly give them a warning with peaceful action, or we can wait silently for them at our door step, either one is very acceptable in my eyes. (a little shout out to the caps trolls) ***THEY DO NOT MAKE OUR DECISIONS FOR US***
Please, please, please, remember that you are in control, and having fear of “consequences” if you dont comply will not be an option if/when the day comes to bear arms against the government for its blatent tyranny and the true domestic terrorist’s compliance in it.
All right, I found the “101 Things to Do With Ramen Noodles” book.
Recipes in the book are divided into the following chapters:
Soups
Salads
Beef
Chicken
Pork
Seafood
Family Favorites
Vegetarian Entrees
Just to give you an idea, under Beef it lists the following recipes:
eef Ramenoff
Cheeseburger Ramen
Creamy Beef and Broccoli
Noodles
Beef Provencale
Marinated Beef
Cheddar Beef
Casserole
Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
Beefy Mushroom Noodles
Beef Sukiyaki
Vegetable Beef Noodles
Beef ‘n’ Potato Noodles
Beefy Chili Noodles
Ramen Burgers
Spicy Beef Noodles
Spicy Meat Loaf Cheese Roll
Country Vegetable Beef
Beefy Noodles with Gravy
Under Chicken:
Creamy Chicken and Broccoli
Spicy Chicken
Cheesy Chicken Divan
Chicken Lo Mein
Chicken Hollandaise
Chicken Veloute
Chicken Curry
Chicken Diablo
Creamy Chicken Noodles
Chicken with Mushrooms
Chicken Allemande
Chicken Alfredo
Ramen Fajitas
Italian Chicken
Fiesta Chicken
Cherry Chicken Casserole
Chicken ‘n’ Asparagus
Chinese-Style Ramen
Chicken Milano
I checked some of the recipes, and, as you could imageine, the recipes are calling for all kinds of other goods, with the Ramen noodles being an insignificant slice of the total cost …
In other words, pasta would suffice..not ramen noodles?
Gotcha.
Beefcake says:
July 11, 2012 at 9:06 am
What is the shelf life of Ramen noodles anyway? With and without oxygen absorbers and mylar and without. I’m curious if anyone has tried to test their longevity.
I’m eating some dated best by April, 2010…that’s my oldest.
So, they were probably bought in 2009.
World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates
United States Department of Agriculture
July 11, 2012
U.S. feed grain supplies for 2012/13 are projected sharply lower with corn production prospects reduced 1.8 billion bushels from last month. The projected U.S. corn yield is lowered 20 bushels per acre to 146 bushels reflecting the rapid decline in crop conditions since early June and the latest weather data. Persistent and extreme June dryness across the central and eastern Corn Belt and extreme late June and early July heat from the central Plains to the Ohio River Valley have substantially lowered yield prospects across most of the major growing regions. Harvested area is also reduced slightly based on the June 29 Acreage report.
Reduced supplies and higher prices are expected to sharply lower 2012/13 corn usage with the biggest reduction for feed and residual disappearance, projected down 650 million bushels.
Food, seed, and industrial use is also projected lower, down 105 million bushels, mostly reflecting a 100-million-bushel reduction in corn used to produce ethanol. Exports are projected 300 million bushels lower as tight supplies, higher prices, and strong competition from South American exporters limit U.S. shipments. A 52-million-bushel increase in beginning stocks and a 15- million-bushel increase in imports offset only a small portion of the expected reduction in this year’s crop. Ending stocks for 2012/13 are projected at 1.2 billion bushels, down 698 million from last month’s projection. The season average 2012/13 farm price for corn is projected at $5.40 to $6.40 per bushel, up sharply from $4.20 to $5.00 per bushel in June.
Trade changes to the 2011/12 corn balance sheet boost projected 2011/12 ending stocks. Imports are raised 2 million bushels based on the latest trade data. Exports are projected 50 million bushels lower reflecting the slowing pace of old-crop sales and shipments. The season average 2011/12 farm price for corn is projected at $6.10 to $6.30 per bushel, up from $5.95 to $6.25 per bushel last month, as cash and futures prices have soared since early June on intensifying drought and heat across the Midwest.
I am a big fan of the clearance aisle at Dollar General and Family Dollar- there is always something there to add to your preps ( make sure to look at expiration dates!), I scored a bunch of bandaids and first aid supplies last week, as well as an 8 pack of lighters and dirt cheap candles. I love the Dollar tree as well, even if I have to drive and hour to get there, it more than makes up for it. I think everyone should also be looking at their local thrift stores and Goodwill. I am a regular at a little charity-run-thrift store in my area, I found an awesome pair of olive-drab cargo pants for my Bug-out bag for $1 and packs of 40 tampons for$2.50(Ladies, you know that’s a deal)! Oh, and don’t forget Yard Sales!!!!
All of my shorts and tops this summer were bought at Goodwill. Even got a couple of nice purses, a large candle, and an extra oil lamp. Bought hubby’s workshirts and a Columbia swimsuit with the original tags. Buying these needed items at Goodwill allows more money to be spent on food preps! Yard sale prices are much better though if you can find what you need.
http://www.dryships.com/pages/report.asp
Does anyone notice something scary at the end(the right side) of the gray lined chart for March-July of 2012???
Even for Cape???
Sorry JayJay….I don’t know enough about shipping to understand that chart.Is it showing the value of a shipping route? I suppose a Cape is a type of container ship?
there are no ships’ orders!!! They transfer goods from country to country…no orders because our economy is shot due to unemployment!!
Does anyone notice something scary at the end(the right side) of the gray lined chart for March-July of 2012???
Even for Cape???
link above.
Yesterday I walked into my local Walmart and ran smack into a large bin of .88 cent items. I bought 2 large bottles of peroxide, rubbing alcohol, children’s liquid pain/fever reliever, box of antihistimine tablets, cold and sinus tablets, asprin, anti itch cream, bandaids, athlete’s foot cream, and powder. All .88 each! Stocked up nicely on much needed health products and priced better than the dollar stores.
I prefer lentils and they are a very versatile food.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/good-eats/pantry-raid-6-lentils/index.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=52
Best buy I have seen in the past two weeks – WalMart 98 cent per pound!
Y’all Beware!
In addition to the middle west drought, the Pacific NW had a cool and wet spring, temps about 4 degrees below normal. It’s warmed up the last two weeks, but the corn is 6″ tall in the fields, looks like a reduced or late harvest here. Potatoes are good, barley is good, berries are fine, but expect higher prices even for local produce up here.
Many preppers in the PNW have said their gardens are toast due to the heavy rains.
I like rammers. Not for long term storage, but up to a year past the expo date. Yeah, they taste a bit on the rancid, oily side at this stage but not too bad. Hot Sauce will help. They won’t kill you.
Instead of Rammers why not store corn grits? Cheap, nutriton isn’t any worse than the noodles (what nutrition?) and they last forever. Grits, Rammers…you pays your money and takes your chances. They’ll fill your belly but not much else
This is a terrible article. I’m all for a little cheap prep, but these foods are part of the problem, not the solution. How about a 50 lb bag of rice, one of beans, and one of lentils?
Keep your family from starving AND from malnutrition. Plus – the foods I mentioned are cheaper, lb for lb, than the article’s.
Canned food is banned food in my house.
My first observation was ..no rice??
WTH…every stocker should have many bags of rice..not only for nutrition, but for frugality.
Anyone over 50 that even has a hint high blood pressure would surely blow a gasket with the high amounts of sodium in this list. Try again you can do better. On a positive note, your body would be preserved for a while till they bury you.
One basic thing I would get for every member of your family or group , is the complete set up of the good old GI canteen with steel cup and cover. Its very very basic but with that you can make a hot meal , have an emergency digging implement , etc. , etc . The old ALICE cover works fine but the modern MOLLE cover may be a better choice as you get pockets on the side and more versatile attachment abilities .
some of the most versatile gear isnt always fancy , but makes life a lot easier on the fly .
I didn’t read thru all the items bought by the author of the article but did read here and there on the comments. I’ve been in the mountains camping/troutfishing/and badly needed r&r from all the gardening/canning for the past month. The little woman went south with some of her lady friends for a lot(5 days) of r&r at the beach. Anyways, I did think about the prepping and SHTF friends while I was away.
I read JayJay’s comment above about the non-mention of rice/beans in the weekly buying article. Why not? Besides canning your own garden grown foods, buying/stocking up on beans/rice is one of the cheapest and smartest moves you can make when prepping. We add venison jerky and canned trout(any type fish you like) to that list as we harvest our own. Every little bit adds up. I have about 20 lbs. of trout from this trip. When all costs are added it would be cheaper to go to a trout farm pond and catch it by the lb.; but not nearly as much fun and gratifying.
RICE!! BEANS!! WATCH! your local grocery store sale/discount/coupons/BOGO for these. We have three chain supermarkets besides Walmart that we check weekly. Since January; we have bought up quite a few bargains because we have watched and waited. Examples: Lucks canned pintos/northerns were on sale for 50 cents each (regularly from .99 to 1.19 each) over a period of three weeks. We bought a case each week without a strain on our budget. The sale by date is 2014. Good deal! Another market has a scanner at the entrance for the store discount card. It spits out a daily discount/coupon sheet for certain items. Four times in the past month we have gotten coupons with .75 cents of any size bag of store brand rice. Their brand rice in the 3 lb. bags have been on sale for two months at a regular store discount (without coupon but with their store discount card) for about half price. Regular price is $3.69 for the 3 lb. bag. Reduced to $1.59(w/ card) which is a good deal already. We each have a store card so we got two coupon sheets at the entrance. With a limit of one item/coupon (@ .75 off) for each day we got the chance to purchase. We bought rice several times, when we were lucky enough to pull the .75 cents off coupons, at a steal at less than .01 cents per ounce(about .88 cents total cost for the 3 lb. bag.). Regularly, at full retail, we would be paying over .07 cents per ounce. What a bargain, and we got it by paying attention and using our options. We now have an extra 24 lbs. of rice stored in clean 3 litre glass wine jugs(with metal lids) stored for the long term at a cost of a liitle over $7.00. For comparison; at our Walmart store the cost of the (cheapest) rice for a 10 lb. bag is $10.99. Thats a cost of $26.38 for the same 24 lbs. Most likely the same quality of rice at a savings of nearly $20.00. Every little bit adds up. There is no excuse for not storing up long term/long shelf life foods.
as Marvin said I am inspired that anybody able to make $6830 in one month on the computer. did you see this web page makecash16com
Spam, Noodles and Eggs … (Cover) – JJPMB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02IMHq-Y8rw
Great post. Here’s another one I came across along the same lines:
http://hungrythirstystranger.blogspot.com/p/5-percent-rule.html