Homemade-ish
By Lutisha Wilson
In this blog, we will go over all things home either homemade or ish….. My philosophy is if you have to stir it then it’s homemade. Okay, I’m kidding…. kinda.
We will start this off by talking about being prepared.
“He should early rise, who another’s property or life desires to have. Seldom a sluggish wolf gets prey, or a sleeping man victory.”
This stanza can also be taken as being prepared. By having a good stockpile you are one step ahead of your enemies.
I live in the mid-west which means that all year long we are in threat of a storm taking out our power or washing out a road. So having a stockpile keeps us in good food and water without having to risk our safety to get it.
Let’s go over some basics:
Potable vs non-potable
Potable = drinkable
Non-potable = nondrinkable but suitable for other uses IE flushing toilets
Shelf stable = is just something that can be left on the shelf at room temperature for extended periods of time
Sell by date = “tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date.” USDA
Use by date = “is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula” USDA
Now that we have some of the basic definitions out of the way, where do we start? Water!
According to FEMA, you should store one gallon of water per person per day, with a goal of having 2 weeks of clean drinkable water on hand. I know, that seems like a lot. It is not I can assure you. How does one store this much water? There are several ways, if you have the space and tools you can can water in mason jars this will keep the water airtight so that it can't grow any bacteria. This way you won't have to use water purifiers. Or you could go to Sam’s and stock up on water bottles. You could buy gallon jugs. It's up to you.
Speaking of gallon jugs… if you take gallon jugs and fill them up three-quarters of the way full. Then put them in the bottom of your deep freeze it will keep your food from thawing out as fast if the power goes down.
Now let's talk food. Yes, I know we are drowning in inflation. That is why you should begin your stockpile yesterday. Remember the phrase two is one and one is none. If you are going to buy a bag of rice buy two. Buying a flat of wings? Get two. The best way to maintain a good stock is to buy things that you will eat. So with that said if you don’t like rice please don’t go and buy fifty pounds of it.
I have found that I can buy some of my stock at dollar tree, while other things are at Walmart, and yes even Sam’s.
Some things you should have in your pile:
Tea bags
Sugar
Instant coffee
Canned veggies
Instant potatoes
Rice
Canned beans
Shelf-stable meats (pepperoni, jerky, canned ham, fish, chicken)
Pasta
Soups
Seasonings
Bouillon cubes
FIREWOOD
But Lutisha, you can’t eat firewood. Yes, I know but let's be real no one wants to eat cold canned veggies or uncooked rice. So get some firewood.
Other things that you should have with your stock are duplicates of your important documents in Ziploc bags. You should have several copies in different locations so that you’re not scrambling when you need them. Fire starters (old toilet paper roll stuffed with lint with wax poured over the top). Matches. Water filters just in case. A manual can opener. A cast iron Dutch oven and a pot that you can cook over an open flame.
Remember you are only strong when your body is fueled. No one is coming to save us, it is up to us.
~Lutisha
