[tenntyrant]

For emergency. I am going to have to do little every week until I get it built up to where I feel comfortable. I started by just getting some canned chili, soup, green beans, baked beans, tuna, chicken, and peanut butter. As you can tell I am new to this so any suggestions on what kinds of food to get and where and how to store it would be a great help. I do not have a lot of room and will probably have to just put it where I can find a spot in the house. I think if I do a little each week I will be ok. Family of 5.

[dunerunner]

Rice, dried beans, canned meats (Spam, Corned Beef, etc.), Saimin noodles, all are great. Focus on having plenty of protine and carbs. Dry goods are best (for me) stored in FoodSaver bags.

[c3shooter]

And get things that you eat- because you will be eating them. If you do not like chicken noodle soup, then do not stock up on that. You will want to rotate food- buy new, use some of the older.

[aandabooks]

I've been buying about $5 per week in beans, rice and canned goods. Need to consider some tuna or other canned meats. Also, don't forget to put back some bottled water. I have several cases that I got on sale for like $2.99/24. Not my favorite brands but I imagine if the SHTF I won't be complaining about the brand of water I will have on hand.

[ktmboyz]

Originally Posted by aandabooks

I got on sale for like $2.99/24. Not my favorite brands but I imagine if the SHTF I won't be complaining about the brand of water I will have on hand.

+1 on that , when your dehydrated I doubt you will really care as long as its wet and clean.

[fireguy]

When first starting out, it is best to buy the things you normally do, just stack them deeper in the pantry. This applies to canned and dry goods. It probably won't do well for you in time of a disaster to rely on the freezer, electricity can't be counted on unless you have a reliable backup.

Try buying the usual stuff you and your family like, but get double or more in amount. Soups, pasta, side dishes, chili, spaghetti sauce, tuna, ham, chicken, beef, spam, juice drinks and mixes and dry milk or canned condensed milk if you prefer for the milk drinkers and for use in cooking. After you have progressed to having a supply to last a couple of months then you can start thinking about long term storage foods and the things it takes to prepare them and make them tasty.

Decide how long you want to be prepared for, what you like to eat, how you will prepare it, whether you will have a water supply or how to get one and go for it. It does not have to cost a lot, even a little at a time will get you more prepared than a lot of people out there. Remember also for a long term event that you should consider first aid, meds, tp, grooming, teeth, soap, light, comms and a bunch more. There are a lot of links that have been put in this section of the forum for you to get some good ideas.

[ScottA]

Back when the Y2K hysteria was going strong, I rolled my eyes at storing up food.

I can't roll my eyes at any preparations folks are doing now.

[fireguy]

Originally Posted by ScottA

Back when the Y2K hysteria was going strong, I rolled my eyes at storing up food.

I can't roll my eyes at any preparations folks are doing now.

I was the same way then. I'm stocking up now though. After losing a job I had for over 30 years a year and a half ago I started doing it even more seriously.

[HockaLouis]

Water on hand is a must, however, storing it is not a long term proposition -- you'll need to strain and disinfect other water sources with chlorine (which u can also add a pinch of to water in all those soda bottle u throw away and store that instead of buying Poland Spring), or, filter purify it as with a Berkey setup.

I think the idea of doubling up on what storable stuff you use today is valid, to a point. It takes up alot of room, is expensive, and if you are not looking at nutrition and counting calories you are not doing yourself any favors; will you be healthy and will it last a fortnight, a month, or a quarter!?

Please see Post #4 here:
http://www.firearmstalk.com/forums/f51/best-place-56518/

[c3shooter]

There are SEVERAL threads on emergency preps- and I do not want to see us recreating ALL of them (Egad!) However, to your list, make sure you have a good MANUAL can opener. Yes, you CAN haggle a can open with a knife- but you will use fewer bandaids with the can opener.

Bottle opener and corkscrew for the beer and wine, of course..........