I usually suggest when asked what I need to have on hand, well I am asked this quite frequently at my store. I suggest: You have on hand at least one case of MRE’s, pouched food by Mountain House, Alpine Air, Backpackers Pantry or another brand you know and trust. Pouched Foods can last usually seven years if stored correctly. Next, I would have bulk supply, whether it be beans and rice or what have in mylar double sealed containers. As for Mylar you will want FDA grade both in the bags and in the buckets. Most people do not consider this, if they are not FDA grade the previous contents or the containers themselves can leech into the food you have stored. For a five gallon bucket you will want a liner, such as a 7mil mylar bag, and smaller interior bags. You can bulk pack gallons of rice, but for waste and vermin reasons, I recommend you pack in smaller quantities so you can only use as much as you need at one time. Each bag should have an O2 absorber inside, from the smaller bags to the bucket itself. If you are short on space, but have a strong metal container you can use the 7mil mylar bags without a bucket. You will want a metal container to keep out larger pests. Lastly, you will want Bulk Heirloom seeds.
When the power goes out most people start with the fridge and the dry goods, which you should as well, but what happens if the power stays out, or there is a larger natural or worse unnatural disaster?
You will want to crack open your MREs first; you can eat these 3,000 calorie meals for about two weeks, but no longer. MREs have been longing called “Meals Refusing to Exit” but for this scenario, it would be best not to consume more than one per day and not longer than two weeks. Next, I recommend you break into the pouched food, while some are awesome; some others leave something to be discussed or disgusted later. I have had all the Wise Food, most of the Mountain House and Backpackers Pantry as well as some of the Alpine Aire. I enjoyed all, but one of the hardest things to get over is how it looks and tastes as compared to your regular fair, but it will keep you alive and this is numbro uno. You can eat this for the next two to three weeks. By this time, services should be restored, if not, time to change your menu again. After thirty to forty-five days you will start breaking into your bulk foods (weather #10 canned or dry bulk), once you decide to do this, watch how much you are making and reduce waste by only opening what you absolutely need. An opened #10 can will last about a year and half and sealed can 20+ years (if stored correctly); properly sealed bulk mylar or buckets will last 20+ years as well. After breaking into your bulk foods you should be planting your “Victory Garden” with your heirloom seeds. Save MRE’s and pouched foods as supplements when you have to move or to “patrol” your area as the disaster continues. Last thing you want to be is waiting in line for the National Guard or FEMA to dole out supplies. With any of my suggestions, you will need Water and a clean source of it.
