Water Storage 101

I wrote a previous post about Water Filtration & Purification, but today I'm going to talk about water storage. I'm going to go through this in an easy to follow listing for each thing you should know about long-term water storage.


How Much Water To Store:

- A good rule to go by is that each person will need one gallon of drinking water per day.

- Pregnant women, children, the elderly, those who are ill, and people living in extreme climates (either really hot, or really cold) should plan for 2 gallons per day.

- This gallon of water per day is the amount needed for drinking only. Store an additional gallon of water per person, per day to cover water that will be needed for cooking and hygiene use.

- If you have pets, remember to put water back for them too. If you have a medium to large dog, 1 gallon of water should be stored for them per day. Smaller dogs and cats will need 1/2 a gallon per day.

- Pets that live in extreme climates, like people, will need that amount doubled.


Best Way To Store Water:

- Choose a place that has little or no light, and try to find a location that is not too cold.

- Choose jugs or containers that are BPA free.

- If buying gallons or containers of water from a store, choose ones labeled 'drinking water' and NOT 'distilled water.' Distilled water tends to absorb the taste of the container. Also, distilled water is nothing more than processed tap water that has been condensed back into liquid form. This process removes fluoride and electrolytes. Lack of fluoride could heighten chances of dental problems, and your body needs electrolytes, such as potassium, chloride, and sodium to stay hydrated. 


Shelf Life Of Store Bought Water:

- Store bought drinking water comes with an expiration date on it, usually a year or 2, but according to the FDA it has an indefinite shelf life. (see 4th paragraph under 'FAQ's about Bottled Water')



How To Prepare Your Own Water Containers For Storage:

- Be sure that each container has a tight fitting lid. That is very important.

- Clean the food grade BPA free plastic or glass container(s) by washing the inside, outside, and the lid(s) with hot soapy water.

- Sanitize the inside and outside of container(s) and lid(s) using a solution of 1 teaspoon non-scented household bleach per quart of water.

- Be sure and thoroughly rinse the container(s) and lid(s) with clean water.


How To Prepare (Non-Store Bought) Water For Storage:

Before I get into treating your tap water, I want to say that once you treated your water you should only consider it pure for 6 months. Since you shouldn't add more bleach to water that was previously treated with bleach, please just sanitize the containers and fill them with straight tap water before storing them.

Date the containers and keep them in a dark place in the coolest area of your home or wherever your storage is located. This water will be safe as is for up to 6 months without any further treatment as long as you filled them during a time that you didn't have a boil order or anything going on.

If you plan to store water in larger tanks for future drinking, be sure that you save smaller containers that are of quart, gallon, or 5 gallon sizes so you can treat smaller amounts of water at a time. I can't express how important it is to remember to store back bleach, droppers, and measuring spoons.

If your stored tap water has been sitting for over 6 months from the date you filled them, you'll need to treat the water before drinking it or using it for cooking. This water and bleach mixture will need to sit at least 30 minutes before drinking it to ensure that it has been properly purified. After sitting for the 30 minute period, there should be a slight chlorine scent to it.

- use 2 drops of bleach for 1 quart of clear water
- use 4 drops of bleach for 1 quart of water if it looks cloudy

- use 8 drops of bleach for 1 gallon of clear water
- use 16 drops of bleach for 1 gallon of water that looks cloudy

- use 1/2 teaspoon of bleach for 5 gallons of clear water
- use 1 teaspoon of bleach for 5 gallons of water that looks cloudy

After the water has been treated, be sure and date the container again. This water is only good for 6 months after the treatment date.


Alternative Boiling Water Treatment:

In the event that you have ran out of bleach to treat your water, or if you're allergic to bleach, you should use a boiling method to purify your water.

- Bring water to a rolling boil and let it stay at the rolling boil for a minimum of 1 minute.

- Let the water cool before drinking it or storing it.

- If you choose to store water once you have boiled it, remember to date it. It is only safe for 6 months after boiled. It should be boiled again if not used within the 6 month time period.


Alternative Iodine Tablet Purification:

- I'm not familiar with using iodine tablets. If you choose to stock these back and use them, you should follow the manufacturers instructions that come with them.

- Long-term safety after using iodine tablets isn't clear, so this should be an alternative for water that will be used as soon as the manufacturer's instructions state it is safe to use it. Water treated with this should not be set back in storage for any length of time.

- If you haven't used iodine tablets before and haven't been exposed to iodine in general, be cautious because some people are allergic to it.

Introduction To Clay Pot Refrigeration

Remember when I said something about clay pot refrigerators in the last post? Let's go over them now. I'm going to tell you how these are made, what makes them work, and then share a couple links to articles and videos about them. I don't think these would be good for anything more than storing fresh produce or maybe for cooling drinks, but being able to lengthen the fresh state of fruits and vegetables alone makes it pretty handy. I don't currently have one, but as long as I can make my way through my to-do list, I should have one in the near future that I can share progress, updates, and notes about. Let's get started.


You'll need:

1 large clay or terracotta pot (one with no holes in the bottom, or you'll need to close them)

1 smaller clay or terracotta pot (again, no holes)

Sand

Water

1 Towel





What to do:

*When you choose your pots, make sure that the smaller one will fit inside the large one. There will need to be a couple centimeters of space in between the pots.

*Place enough sand in the base of the large pot so that when the smaller one is set inside, the tops of both pots are level.

*Fill the area in between the small and large pots with sand, making sure to fill it all the way to the top.

*Pour cool water into the sand, giving it plenty of time to absorb. Gradually add water until the sand can't hold any more, being careful not to overflow it into the smaller pot.

*After your clay pot fridge is set up, wet your towel in cool water, squeeze out as much of the excess water as you can, and lay it across the top so it can start cooling your 'fridge' down.

*Check the temperature inside with either a thermometer, or just your hand, until it cools down. After it cools, you're ready to put in your fresh produce or whatever else you decide to keep inside.


This clay 'fridge' works through evaporation. As the water is evaporated from the sand, it pulls the heat from the inner pot with it.. kind of like when your body sweats and you feel cooler. If you keep the pot in a dry climate and allow it to have the complete outter surface ventilated, without sticking it in some corner where the surface is blocked from air flow or anything, it'll work best. If it's in a humid climate, the pots won't cool so easily either, so sticking it in a root cellar or something is also a no go.

Like I mentioned, I don't know that this would be good for anything other than produce or drinks, but if the temperature was monitored and found to be stable at fridge-like temperatures, I don't see why other things couldn't be stored in it. The sand will need to be checked a couple times a day to make sure it keeps the moisture needed to work.

If you want to see how one is made and watch temperature checks on half-hour intervals, you may want to watch

 Zeer Pot Fridge: Cool your food or drinks with no electric needed

You can also check out MixCatCom's channel for more DIY videos



If you're interested in reading more about these, you can click through these links:

Off-Grid SHTF Survival: Ancient Technology For Refrigeration

Zeer Pot Fridge


There's a lot of articles and videos on these, but nothing really covers anything new or different from everyone else's content. It's all a very basic concept.




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I'll answer any questions to the best of my knowledge if you have them, and I'd also love to read your comments and thoughts. Don't forget that I'm trying to find other blogs, sites, and YouTube channels with similar content that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share yours (or your favorites). Please take a second to subscribe if you haven't and don't forget to share this with others who may find this useful.

Introduction To Drying And Smoking Meats

Have you thought about what you're going to do if/when the grid goes down and there's no power to run a fridge or freezer to store meat in? Alternative options like backup generators or planning to use an RV fridge are great ideas, but they won't last forever. We'll talk about clay pot refrigerators in a future post, but it's not really something that's good for holding big amounts of anything inside and fresh meat doesn't last too long when just refrigerated anyway. Everyone should practice and familiarize themselves with drying meat. In this post I'm going to cover two ways for drying meat that have been practiced for centuries, by using nothing more than air and the sun or smoke. Neither process requires any electricity and each way will safely prepare meat for storage without refrigeration for quite some time.

The microorganisms that spoil meats need a certain level of moisture in order to grow. Drying meat drops the moisture below the level needed, making the growth of the microorganisms discontinue. Just about any lean meat can be dried. Beef, buffalo, deer, goat, and fish are probably the most common and best choices, pork should be avoided because of its high fat content that can make it go rancid much quicker. The nutritional properties of meats after they're dried remain the same for the most part, and the process itself is fairly simple. Dried meats can last for months without refrigeration, I read that in some cases it may be stored for years when packaged right... when attempting to save meats that long, they'll need to be thoroughly inspected for foul smells, discoloration, or other signs of spoilage before being consumed.

Since drying meat is just a matter of exposing the meat to the sun and air, or air and smoke, to make it lose tissue moisture, the fresher and thinner the meat is sliced, the safer the process will be. Meat needs to be de-boned, trimmed, and then sliced into thin uniform strips or thin steak-like cuts for each batch that is dried. If the meat has been frozen at any time, you'll need to make sure that it is completely thawed or the drying process will be uneven resulting in quickly spoiled meats. Additionally, salting meats before either drying process helps in a couple ways. It'll not only add some flavor and help pull moisture out of the meat, it also makes the surface of meats unattractive to insects that feed on the moisture excreted from the muscle tissue. Only salts without additives (like iodine) should be used. Then the meat is suspended with hooks, loops, or clips from racks or ceilings, or it can be set flat on drying racks. No piece of meat should touch another to ensure the proper air circulation needed to dry it out.

Centuries ago, people hung meats out to dry in the sun, without any protection from the elements. This is still an option today if you have the right climate, but I'm not sure I would attempt this procedure and then just cross my fingers that dogs or dirt wouldn't get to it. Solar dehydrators and smoke houses are probably the best options. Remember that we aren't covering the electric food dehydrator method because we may not always have electricity. I looked around trying to find the best written step by step directions for building your own solar dehydrator and smoke house, just to be slapped with seemingly endless results. After sifting through them all, I believe I have found the best step by steps to share. I'll share links to the articles and videos below. If you don't have time to thoroughly look them over now or if you'd like to refer back to them later, bookmarking the links would be a good idea.


*To make your own solar dehydrator, click below. The article, although not my own, is very thorough and includes not only the materials needed, but also step-by-step instructions for constructing your own solar dehydrator.

How To Make A Simple Solar Food Dehydrator

Be sure and click on to page 2 after you looked this over, it goes over the steps to making the shelving that you lay the meat on to dry.Watch the Simple DIY Solar Food Dehydrator video to go along with the article, and you can always check out more about To Do It Yourself World by clicking the name.

*For instructions on building a smoke house, click the link below. This content isn't mine either, but the content is probably some of the best instructions I found for making a smoke house.

DIY Smoker- How To Build A Smokehouse From Pallets for Less than $100

After you've looked over the article, watch the video that goes along with it. DIY Smoker: How To Build A Smokehouse From Pallets For Less Than $100. You can check out more about DIY Ready - Projects & How To by clicking the name.




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Have you ever dried or hard smoked any meat? I'd love to hear your stories, or just your comments if you have any. I'm interested in checking out other blogs, sites, and YouTube channels that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share yours (or your favorites). Please take a second to subscribe if you haven't and don't forget to share this with others who may find this useful.

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Here's an offer for fellow prepping and survival bloggers, or sellers of prepping and survival supplies. I have ad spaces on this blog that you can rent, I would even consider adding a page for advertisement alone. If you're interested, please send an email to messagemagpie@gmail.com to discuss options, or for more information. You must include the phrase 'Ad Space On Magpie Prepper' in order for me to open the email, and please do not include clickable links in the body because it may be automatically sent to spam. Once I receive the initial message, I can add your email to my contact list ensuring that I'll receive future emails from you.

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Introduction To Home Canning

I previously posted content about storing foods in BoPET (Mylar-type) bags and oxygen absorbers, the kind of food storage I'm going to talk about now is canning. I've done some canning before, but I'm no where near a 'pro' at it. This post isn't just to help others learn about canning, I'm using the research for writing this to help me understand it better too.  In a mini science nutshell, canning gives fresh foods a longer shelf life because it removes oxygen, prevents mold and bacteria from growing, and it kills off botulism spores before they can grow into the botulism toxin. I'm not personally sure how long home canned foods are good for because everything I've ever canned gets eaten within a few months, but quite a few informative articles I've read suggest that the shelf life is anywhere from one to two years. That's no where near as long as store bought canned foods last, but at least you'd be healthier without all the preservatives and it's a great addition to your food storage. Be sure to check out the bottom of this post when you finish reading it, I have some some general questions of my own that you may be able to answer, please leave any questions you may have in the comments so we can discuss those too. I'm also going to share links to articles I read for my research, direct you to a couple good tutorial videos, and share a few good recipe sites with you.

Let's start with the basics of canning, starting with the jars and lids. The glass jars, like Mason jars, come in an assortment of sizes - half pint, pint, pint and a half, quart, and half gallon. I usually can in the half pint and pint size jars, that way I know the contents will be used before they go bad once I open them. The mouth (opening) of the jars are threaded and comes in a standard size of two and three-eighths inches or in a wide mouth size of three inches. This sizes don't make much of a difference, but when it comes to re-using the jars you'll need to make sure you get the right size lids. The lid comes in two pieces - a flat metal lid and a threaded metal screw-on band that holds the flat lid in place. The flat lid has a resin type compound that'll soften up during the canning process. The compound will slightly melt around the mouth of the jar, forming a gasket type seal as the heat escapes, taking the oxygen with it. These jars have an indefinite life, as long as they don't become chipped, cracked, or broken in any way. The flat lids on the other hand, may only be good for five years from the manufacturer date if new. I've tried to read around about re-using the flat lids, or if there's a compound I can buy to re-use them, but all information leads to no. I've seen boxes of wax in the canning isle at Walmart, but I'm not quite sure if it's for canning lids, or something else.

Before starting the canning process, all the jars and lids need to be cleaned and sterilized. It's a fairly simple procedure. (1) Thoroughly wash and rinse each jar, flat lid, and band with hot soapy water. (2) Choose a pot that is deep enough to completely set the jars inside with the opening facing up. (3) Add enough water to the pot to completely fill and cover each jar with at least 2 inches of water. (4) Using high heat, bring the water in the pot to a boil and let it stay at a rolling boil for 10 minutes. This time will vary with higher altitudes. (5) After the water has boiled for the necessary time, turn off the heat and carefully drop in the lids, along with the grasping end of the tongs you will be using. (6) The lids and tongs need to sit in the hot water a minimum of 10 minutes, but can be left for longer. Don't take the lids out until they are ready to be put on the jars. (8) To be sure that the jars stay sanitized until the process is finished, the jars need to be lifted out of the pot with the tongs, dumped out, and then set mouth side up on a clean paper towel or towel. You can let the jars sit for a minute or so before actually filling them, but the filling will need to be done as soon as possible to ensure that the jar doesn't cool. Pouring hot foods/ingredients into a cool jar could cause them to crack or even burst.

Now that the basic information for the jars, lids, and their sterilization

is out of the way, let's talk about canning methods. There are two different methods to choose from, pressure canning or in a boiling water bath. I don't personally have any hands on experience with the pressure canners, but since I read up on them I'll try to explain. A pressure canner is a heavy-duty kettle type piece of equipment with screw clamps, a vent, and a way to monitor and control pressure. Before each use, you'll need to clean, inspect, and assemble the equipment, being sure not to get the gauge wet or bump it around. The pressure gauge should be checked before each canning season and from what I understand, you should be able to have this done at your local county extension office. As far as the step by step directions go for using a pressure canner, you'll need to thoroughly read the instructions manual that comes with it and then save it for future reference. Now for how it works. Water comes to a boil at 212 degrees F, but pressure canners have the ability to bring the food contents inside the jars to 240 degrees F or higher. Since plain vegetables, soups, animal products, and any other low acid foods with a pH level of 4.6 or above need a minimum of 240 degrees F to properly eliminate botulism, pressure caning is the only safe method to use.

The other canning method, and the one I 'm pretty familiar with, is a boiling water bath. Water bath canning is done with nothing more than a deep pot with a lid, and a rack that will set down inside the pot. I personally use a 15.5 quart sized stock pot that came with a steam tray that sits in the bottom, I think I paid around $20 for it when I bought it. If you can foods in larger quantities, you can find much larger pots than the one I have. Since botulism spores can't grow into the botulism toxin in acidic foods, water bath canning is great for acidic fruits, pickled vegetables, jellies, jams, and any other food that have, or can be altered to have, a pH of 4.6 or less. The pH can be brought to needed levels with additions of citric acids like lemon or lime juice, or vinegar. When you are preparing the pot for the canning, you'll need enough water to ensure that once the \jars are lowered in, they will be covered with about 2 inches of water. The tops of the jars should never be above the water at any time once the process begins. Depending on the contents you're canning, there are guidelines for head space (the space between the contents and the lid) and the time they need to be in the boiling water. If the water stops boiling for any reason, bring the water back to a boil and restart the timer for the processing time. Once this time period is complete, turn the burner off or remove the pot from the heat and leave the lid on for about 5 minutes before opening it. Letting it sit for 5 minutes gives a higher success rate for the seals and allows the contents to settle before you remove them.

Using tongs, take the jars out of the pressure canner or the boiling water bath, and set them on a towel to cool. A cool counter top could shock hot jars causing them to crack, or maybe even burst. Make sure you pick a good place where they won't be in the way because they should cool over night at least. I like to leave them for at least 24 hours and then make sure the seals took right before I store them away. I do a simple test by pushing on the center of the lid. If it doesn't pop up then the seal should be fine. After that test passes, I carefully remove the screw on lid band and grasp the edges of the flat lid, carefully picking up the jar about an inch or 2 to make double sure the seal took. That's the extent of my seal testing, but according to a few things I've read, you can also check the seal by tapping a spoon on it. I guess you can tap the bottom of the spoon on the top center of the lid. If it makes a higher pitched ping sound then they're sealed correctly, but a dull sound could mean they didn't, unless there's food touching the inside of the lid, which will make a dull tap sound anyway... a little weary on this testing method, so I'll just stick to my regulars.

You may notice that the exterior of your jars seem a bit cloudy once they finish processing too, especially if you used tap water. Even if your tap water isn't really hard water, the smallest traces of lime and other minerals can leave the exterior of your jars mucked with mineral deposits. You can add a cup of white vinegar to the water you submerge the jars in before it's hot. This will keep your jars crystal clear on the outside and it'll make the pressure canner or pot easier to clean. Having a chalky looking exterior doesn't effect the quality or safety of the contents in it, but sometimes it feels strange (to me) pulling out a cloudy jar. If you already have some cloudy jars because you hadn't added the vinegar on previous canning sessions, you can clean them off with vinegar too.  I've read some suggestions about submerging the jars into warm water that has vinegar in it, but I can't help but feel like if I stuck jars that already cooled into hot water again, it may mess up the seal or something, but I could be wrong. I just dip a clean hand towel in white vinegar and wipe it off, then rinse the whole jar in cool water and dry it. Even though the crystal clean appearance on the outside of your jar makes no difference as far as quality or safety, jars that are sticky or have other food residues on the outside do need wiped off to avoid attracting ants or any other pests.

Once all your jars are properly processed, wiped off if needed, cooled, and the seals are checked, it's time for you to put them away somewhere. Be sure and write whatever food the jar contains and write the date that you canned them. I always write it all on the flat lid so I can re-use the jars for future canning without them being marked up already. Storing them without the screw on band in a dark, clean, and dry place is best, as long as the temperature of the area keeps between 50-70 degrees F. I just put mine in the pantry. Remember to put the newest jars in the back of your stock and pull the older ones forward so they are stored for first in - first out use, just like with everything else that has an expiration date. Again with the shelf life. I've never had anything that I canned last more than a few months before it was eaten, but some research leads me to believe that home canned foods are good for a year for sure, possibly up to 2 years depending on the contents and the atmosphere they're kept in. Now for some telltale signs of spoilage. If you see any leaking, bulging, or swollen lids, or if the jar has cracked, chipped, or broken, throw it away without opening it. If you open a jar because you don't notice any of the previous signs that they went bad and any foam or liquid spurts out, throw it away. Clean it up any spills with a diluted bleach water to make sure you get rid of any botulism or other bad bacteria. If no liquids spurt out but the contents are discolored, smell bad, or are moldy, throw them away too. Never taste any home canned foods to make sure they're good or not. Even the smallest taste test that contains botulism toxins can be deadly.




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Now I have some questions of my own, let's see if you can answer any or just discuss them with me in the comment section below:

Do you personally know of a longer shelf life for any specific home canned foods passed the 2 year mark? If so, what was the shelf life and what were the contents of the jar?

Do you know of a way to re-use the flat jar lids?

Have you seen the brick of wax in the canning section at Walmart, or any other store? If so, is it for canning and have you ever tried it?

Would you trust re-using the lid if you were able to scrape off the old compound and put on a new compound?

Do you have another way to check the seal on your lids?

What are some of your favorite things to can?

Have you canned bacon or heard of anyone who has?

Have you canned any other meat? If so, what kind?

What questions do you have?


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Before I go, I want to share some links with you. I didn't pull anything word for word from these, but this post was partially summarized through some of these. I do not own any of the content or videos in the following links.

General Canning Information

Boiling Water Bath vs. Pressure Canning

Safe Water Bath and Pressure Canning

National Center For Home Food Preservation

Cooperative Extension System Offices

Ball - Fresh Preserving

Canning 101 - video

Canning 101 Pressure vs. Water Bath - video

Canning, Pickling, and Preserves 101 - recipes

Recipe Index - recipes

I hope you enjoyed this post. Please be sure and subscribe if you haven't already, answer some of my questions if you can and ask any that you have, leave a comment if you have one, and share this with others that may find it useful. Check back in a couple days to see the next food storage method on the list, it's a good one. Until then...

Introduction To BoPET (Mylar) Bags and Oxygen Absorbers

I've been pretty busy over the last week or so. Between packing up almost everything in my home so I could deep clean, sorting everything and getting rid of things that I didn't really need anymore, and taking a day trip to meet someone new, I've been too busy to post even the smallest bit of content for you all. I apologize. For quite some time I've been searching far and wide for the best information I can find regarding every aspect of storing food, so I figured that since I feel like I know quite a bit about this now, it would be a good thing to start back up with. There's a variety of options to choose from when it comes to storing foods long term, but in this post I'm going to focus on the use of Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers. I'm going to share some of the better information and videos I've found, but I don't own any of these videos or articles. They were all created and posted by someone else. Clicking each name will take you to their site, profile, or channel, and title names will take you to the original location I found them at. Regardless of what source good information comes from, I'm happy to share it when I know it's correct and will come in handy.

Dry beans, rice, dried corn, whole wheat, oats, rye, barley, pastas, white sugar, salt, flour, whole spices, and powdered milk are just some of the foods that I feel need to be stocked in the biggest quantities. These foods, along with so many others, can be stored in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers which lengthens their shelf life. Before we get into this, 'Mylar' is actually a trade name, just like "Hostaphan' and 'Melinex.' A bag made of BoPET (biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate) is what I'm specifically talking about. The science behind this material is very simple, especially when combined with the oxygen absorbers. It keeps out the main elements that make food go bad: oxygen, light, and water. Storing these packages in buckets or containers with tight fitting lids will give an extra barrier from the elements and protect it from additional problems like insects and rodents. A solar blanket made of this material can also be cut down and sealed to the preferred sizes to suit your needs. 

Using oxygen absorbers with this Mylar packaging really aids in extending the shelf life of the foods being stored, but knowing which size to use is important to ensure the oxygen is removed right. The video 'Selecting the Proper Oxygen Absorber Size When Storing Food Long Term' is a mathematical breakdown of the selection process, it was posted on YouTube by TacticalGunGuy. Don't just click and watch the video, make sure you click his name to check out his YouTube channel, be sure and subscribe if you like it. He's got some good videos. Mostly regarding tactical topics (of course), but those will come in handy... especially since that isn't currently something I'm very familiar with and will probably post very little about unless that changes. Although these oxygen absorbers are great for a long list of foods, you need to steer clear of them when you're packing things like brown or white sugar and drink mixes. These need some oxygen to keep them clumping as hard as a brick These oxygen absorbers can be bought online and in some retail stores, but according to the video 'Homemade O2 Absorbers' posted by Irish_17, it's fairly easy make your own. That may be something I'll have to try some day soon.

Once you know the guidelines for what kind of bags to get and what sizes of oxygen absorbers you need, you'll of course need to know how to do the actual repackaging. There are commercial irons, but they could cost hundreds of dollars when bought new. It may be something you'd like to invest in, but clothes irons and hair straighteners are a much cheaper device and are just as effective. You can watch the video 'Working With Mylar Bags 101' by 7TrumpetsPrepper for the general idea of how to fill and seal smaller quantities. Even though I prefer to store things in smaller packages because it seems easier to transport, you may find it more convenient to use larger bags. In that case, I suggest watching Bison Risk Management seal up some large bags in the video 'Tutorial: Long-term Food Storage In Mylar Bags Ans Food Grade Buckets.' Again, don't just watch these videos, check out their channels and be sure to subscribe if you like them. Every bit of correct information, regardless of who it comes from, could be the difference between survival and death if S really does HTF.

Here are some additional articles you can read over, it's just some interesting explanations, tidbits, tips, and info:

Survival Basics: What The Heck Are Oxygen Absorbers?

31 Gallon Garbage Cans For Food Storage

Using Mylar Bags In Food Storage




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Don't stop your research about Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers with this post, take some time and look up more information on them. It'll be well worth your time. Over the next few posts I'll be covering additional options for preparation and repackaging to lengthen the shelf life of different foods, so be sure and check back in. In the mean time, you should check out more information on Mylar bags, and maybe even do a little pricing so you could get your own. You can find some really good deals, just make sure you look at feedback to make sure it's the real deal and not just painted plastic. Don't forget that I'm interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share yours or your favorites if you have them. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.

What To Include In Your Initial Stock

Did you look at the posts with cheap foods and supplies to buy? If you're anything like I was when I started prepping, you're probably thinking things like 'that'll take too long to get everything' or 'what if SHTF when I'm only 3 weeks into the list and I have to try to survive with just 24 cans of beans?'... While those lists are good ones to buy from on a regular basis, I can understand the pressure to get an initial stock of food and supplies started. I thought about the first splurge of things I bought, and decided to make a list of the top things that would give you a great start if you have the money to spare.


Food, Drink Mixes, and Water:

20lbs of rice - Keep in mind that white rice has a longer shelf life than brown rice.

20lbs of dry beans - If you're worried about a means of cooking, then you could go for all canned beans, but it's going to cost quite a bit more. Also keep in mind that 1 pound of dried beans can make at least 10 servings, while one can will only provide about 3.

20 cans of meats. I wouldn't just get Spam either, mix it up a bit with tuna, chicken breast, canned pork, salmon, or whatever else you like.

20 cans of vegetables.

20 cans of fruits.

2 of the biggest Tang drink mixes you can find. I say Tang because it has 100% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin C, which is necessary for a healthy immune system. It also has vitamin B which helps nerve function, and vitamin A that enhances eyesight.

2 of the biggest pre-sweetened powder drink mixes you can find. If they're pre-sweetened it'll save you on sugar, and the flavors will dull any odd tastes in water that you may have to filter and purify.

2 large bags of flour. I'll share some easy recipes in a future post for easy things to make with flour.

2 large bags of masa. You know, the stuff to make tortillas...

1 large bag of sugar. Look for the largest you can find and afford.

1 bag of salt. Read the labels, some salts are not meant for human consumption.

1 large bag of rolled oats.

1 gallon of oil. I always just get vegetable oil, but I know some prefer olive oil or other kinds. Your choice.

Water. I can't even put a specific amount, but I'd aim for a couple weeks worth. You could figure it as 1 gallon per person in your family or group, per day. Also take into consideration that you'll need additional water for cooking and hygiene.


Non-Food Items:

Vitamin Supplements with the 100% daily vitamin intake amount (like One-A-Day, but I'd look for off brand). These aren't meant to keep you alive in place of food, but are great to for providing whatever vitamins you may be lacking. You should be able to find these in bulk of like 400ct.

2 ways to purify water. Look into purification filters, chemical treatments, or tablets. Remember solar purification and boiling also works, and remember that I mentioned the condensation and rainwater collection in a previous post.

2 ways to start a fire. Definitely stock up on matches and lighters, but consider things like the battery and steel wool method or even a striking tool.

First Aid Kit. You can buy a pre-made, or make your own. This is what's in mine.

The best LED Flashlight you can afford. It would be ideal to get one per member, but at the very least get 1 good flashlight. Don't forget batteries. try to invest in at least 10 changes worth of batteries.

1 wool blanket. Make sure it's 100% wool, and get one for each person in your family or group. They're fire retardant and will be warm even if wet.

1 case of the commercial size rolls of toilet paper. You can buy a 12 pack of the very big rolls that you find in gas stations online or at local janitorial supply dealers. Just check around for the best prices.

2 tarps

50+ feet of some kind of jute twine, para cord, or strong thinner rope of your choice.

Corded Phone. If you have a regular home phone service and the power goes down, you can usually still use the corded phone without electricity. This won't work with a digital phone service though.

Multi-tool

Survival knife

250 round of ammunition. If you have a primary home defense weapon, this would be a good start.


After you get this initial bit of things purchased and stored away, you'll feel a bit more at ease. You'll have food for a reasonable amount of time with the things in this list alone, depending on how many people are in your family or group, and the basic supplies will cover some main necessities. Of course there are still so many things that would be needed for longer periods of time, but this would be great for natural disasters where you're stuck in your home until things get back to order. You can add to your foods, supplies, and necessities over time as you see fit.




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Can you think of something I left out? I'd love to hear your comments if you have any. I'm interested in checking out other blogs, sites, and YouTube channels that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share yours (or your favorites). Please take a second to subscribe if you haven't and don't forget to share this with others who may find this useful.

How To Open a Can Without A Can Opener Or Tools

 It's been a couple days since I've posted anything, so I thought I would share this video I made a few days ago. I watched a short video of someone else opening a can of tuna on cement, but noticed the timing was edited... made me curious as to just how long it would actually take. I recorded this from start to finish, and it only took a couple minutes. After I got it opened, I wasn't so sure how safe it would be to actually eat. So, thinking that there may be slivers of the can inside I took it in, dumped it onto a plate, and inspected it. I was surprised not to find anything inside, so I went ahead and added this to some chicken soup I made that day.



We probably all have can openers right now, but should some desperate scenario arise in the future and I'm without one, this would be my go-to method... unless I'm in some deep woods bug out scenario where there isn't any cement around, of course.









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Building A Basic First Aid Kit

Let's talk about first aid kits... whether you're able to hunker down in your home, or are driven to evacuate, you're going to need one. First response teams won't be so widely available, hospitals could be overfilled or inaccessible in a natural or man-made disaster, and seeking medical assistance in a hospital during some sort of an outbreak could be more life threatening than your initial need for assistance.

One first aid kit per person in your family or group is ideal, at least I think so. Aside from just building or buying a first aid kit, I encourage you, and anyone else in your group of eligible age, to check into local First Aid, CPR, AED, and Aquatics classes. Contacting you local Red Cross is a great place to start. You should also include a chart or booklet on first aid procedures, along with a pharmaceutical book or drug guide in your kit.


Here are the basic items you should be sure are included in your first aid kit (alphabetically ordered):

Ace Bandages (assorted sizes)

Antibacterial Gel and/or Wipes

Antibiotics (some ethnic stores sell them without a prescription, fish antibiotics are also an option, neither needs a prescription - don't forget that you'll need a pharmaceutical or drug guide to understand doses, warnings, etc. - these are only for desperate situations)

Anti-fungal Cream (helps athletes foot, jock itch, nail fungus)

Anti-fungal Foot Powder

Aspirin (relieves minor aches and pains, especially arthritis)

Aspirin - Bayer (taken at first sign of a heart attack, get the chewable)

Benadryl (relieves allergy symptoms, soar throat and irritation, also for motion sickness)

Bottled Water (at least one 20 oz bottle)

Butterfly Wound Closures

Cold Packs

Duct Tape (you never know)

Feminine Pads & Tampons (obviously for the women, also pads for wound dressings, tampons for packing deep punctures, gunshot wounds, etc.)

Flashlight (extra batteries)

Gel Toe Sleeve (blisters on toes)

Heat Packs

Hydrocortisone Cream (relieves minor skin irritation, poison ivy, insect bites)

Hydrogen Peroxide (topical cleaner, dental cleaner)

Ibuprofen (reduces swelling, reduces fever, pain reliever)

Imodium (anti-diarrhea)

Iodine (topical cleaner)

Isopropyl Alcohol (topical cleaner)

Lighter and Matches (could be used for sanitizing needles, scalpel)

Magnifying Glass

Medical Tape (waterproof)

Metamucil (laxative, dietary fiber)

Multi-Tool/Knife

Muscinex and Muscinex DM (can break up chest congestion before infection sets in)

Nail Clippers (small and large)

Non-stick Band-Aids (package with assorted sizes)

Orthopedic Felt (relieves pressure from foot blisters)

Pepto-Bismol (nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea... you've heard the song)

Petroleum Jelly and/or Zinc Oxide (I'd get both, protects skin- chaffing, diaper rash, etc.)

Saline Solution (eye wash, wound care)

Scissors

Space blankets (aka Mylar blanket)

Sterile Gauze Pads (I'd go with a pack of each size you can find, from 2x2 and up to 5x9)

Sterile Gauze Rolls (these come in a variety of sizes and lengths also)

Sterile Gloves (if you can't find some that are individually wrapped, make sure you have a zip lock baggy to put them in after opened)

Super Glue

Thermometer

Triple Antibiotic (treats and prevents infections from minor cuts, scrapes)

Tweezers

Tylenol (relieves pain from headaches, muscle aches, other aches and pains)

Water Bottle with Built-In Filter

White Towels, Hand Towels, Washcloths

Zip Lock Bags (for putting unused items in to keep sterile after opened)


Don't let your first aid kit stop with the list I provided, you'll think of more things to add along the way. The
more things you have quick access to, the better. It's also a good idea to look into pre-built kits for more critical situations and study up on how to use whichever ones you include. There's a great assortment of online video tutorials if you can't find nearby classes to take. Even if you aren't sure you could go through with any of the procedures now, you'll probably be able to muster up the courage if it comes down to it during desperate times... especially if it ends up being your own child or a loved one's life hanging on the line.


A Couple Additional Pre-Built Kits To Consider:

Gunshot Wound Kit

Snake Bite Kit

Surgical Kit

Suture Kit (or needles with waxed thread)

Trauma Kit






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What's in your first aid kit if you already have one made? What else do you think should be added to mine? There are a lot of things to choose from and I'm interested in hearing your ideas. I'm also interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorite if you have one. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.

How To Start a Fire With Steel Wool and 9-volt Battery

Since I mentioned starting a fire with steel wool and a battery in part 2 of the Basic Survival Skills Series, I decided to make a video to show you how simple it really is. This is my first video so it isn't the best one you'll find, but with time I'll get better at making them.





Please subscribe to my YouTube channel so you can be notified of new videos as I get them uploaded. Don't forget to leave a comment if you have one, and please share with those who may find it useful.

Cheap Non-Food Supplies To Stock

As mentioned in the last post, I'm going to share a list of non-food items that I buy regularly. I'm going to share the original list, but first I'll explain how I use it. This may not be perfect for everyone, but it's a good start and very affordable.

Here's how it works:

First off, if you don't have a dollar store near you, I suggest finding one in a surrounding town. Remember that I said I'm not talking about Dollar General or Family Dollar, I'm talking about a store that has everything for $1.00 or less. The one I shop at is called Dollar Tree and everything on this list is regularly stocked there. I can't say whether or not all these items will be of decent quality at a different dollar store, but I know that the ones at Dollar Tree in particular are worth getting. After I get everything off the foods list I previously posted, I work my way through this list, then back to the foods list, and so on.

Each week I choose one group of items and buy them in the quantities listed. These groups are made according to how many come in a package, where they're located in the store, and of course they stay in my $10.00 weekly budget even after tax. Again, whatever change is left goes straight into a savings jar.

1- 3pk bar soap
2- body wash
2- liquid hand soap
1- plastic shower curtain liner 72'x70' (packaged small so it's easy to carry and good for quick rain shelter)
1-3ct travel size hand sanitizer
1- feminine pads (before you blow this item off because you're a guy, pads can be used as wound dressings)
1- tampons (tampons can also be inserted into a gun shot wound, you should also stock both of these feminine products for bartering)

3-20ct or 30ct antibacterial wipes (they always have one or the other in stock)
3-30ct exfoliating facial wipes (no water needed, simple face wash)
3- facial tissues (I just get whichever has the most in the box at the time)

1- petroleum jelly 4oz
1- after sun soothing gel 6oz
2- SPF30 sport sunscreen spray with aloe vera
1- women's Secret 1.7oz antiperspirant & deodorant
1- men's Speed Stick 2oz antiperspirant & deodorant
2-women's or men's 10ct disposable double blade razors
1- sensitive skin shave cream 12oz

3- 2-in-1 shampoo & conditioner (you could get shampoo & conditioner separate, but if there's a water shortage the 2-in-1 will cut water use in half, maybe more)
1- hairspray (largest I can find in aerosol spray can, it's great for other things, spraying on thread before trying to stick it through the eye of a needle is one)
1-12ct plastic assorted size combs
1- hair trimming scissors
1- 500ct mini rubber hair ties
1- 30ct elastic hair ties
1- 6ct elastic head bands (even if you don't have long hair for accessories, you'll have plenty of things to use them for)

1- bottle brushes (not just for cleaning bottles)
2- baby oil
2- baby lotion
2- cornstarch baby powder
1- baby powder
1- 70ct baby wipes

1- 250ct cotton swabs
1- 2ct cotton swabs in travel case
1- 100ct cotton balls
1- 80ct cotton rounds
1- 30ct assorted emery boards
1- any basic manicure set
1- any basic pedicure set
1- 3pk travel size facial tissues
1- 4ct metal nail file

1- 2pc small mirror and tweezers set
1- multi-pack toothbrushes (sometimes I see 10pk)
2- toothpaste
2- kid's toothpaste
2- mouthwash
1- 115yds dental floss

1- 2ct lip balm
2- 40ct extra strength acetaminophen caplets
2- 40ct ibuprofen tablets
1- children's liquid acetaminophen
1- 12ct anti-diarrhea
1- 60ct chew-able antacids with calcium
1- digital thermometer

1-instant cold pack
1- air activated heat wrap
1- 2ct hot & cold pain relief patch
1- arthritis & sport wintergreen rub
2- anti-itch cream
2- anti-fungal cream
1- medicated body powder

1- 4oz alcohol free cough syrup
1- 12ct non-drowsy severe cold caplets
1- 35ct cough drops
1- vaporizing chest rub
1- multi-vitamins
1- 36ct allergy tablets
1- children's liquid allergy relief 4oz
1- 24ct nasal decongestant caplets
1- 10ct disposable medical masks

1- dry eyes eye drops .5oz
1- reading glasses (you may not need glasses or know what strength to get, but if you just get random strengths every time you come to this item on the list you'll have a variety to try out if your vision gets weak in the future)
1- adult sun glasses
1- kid's sun glasses (you can leave these out if you don't have kids unless you want them for bartering)
2- 40ct antibacterial adhesive bandages
2- 25ct waterproof adhesive bandages
1- 6ct dressing bandages

1- 15ct gauze pads
2- roll gauze
1- first aid paper tape
1- first aid sport tape
2- elastic bandage
1- pain relief pack
1- antibacterial wet wipes

2- triple antibiotic ointment
2- hydro-cortisone cream
2- A&D cream
1- hydrogen peroxide
1- isopropyl alcohol
1- witch hazel

2- 2ct pack bandannas
3- plastic rain poncho
2- 3ct pack of socks (every size from infant to adult comes in 3ct packs, just remember to get the right size or larger size for growing kids)
2- 100ct assorted safety pins

1- concentrated dish soap
1- laundry soap
1- bleach
1- Ajax or Comet
1- scrub sponges
1- charcoal moisture eliminators 9.8oz tub
1- plastic spray bottle
1- small wastebasket trash liners
1- large trash bags

1- 3qt plastic storage box with hinge lid
1- plastic storage box with lid (just look at what they have and choose one)
1- plastic canister with lid (again, just look at what sizes and choose one. you can never have too many storage containers)
1- 3ct L storage bags with handles
1- 2ct XL storage bags with handles
2- XXL storage bag with handles
1- two-section plastic storage containers with lids 23.5oz
1- mesh laundry bag with drawstrings

1- aluminum foil
1- plastic wrap
1- 2pk round foil cake pans with lids
1- 2pk square foil cake pans with lids
1- 2pk aluminum grill toppers
1- large stainless steel tongs
1- 4pk stainless steel paring knives
1- kitchen scissors (pass over this if they don't have the Betty Crocker brand in stock, the others break too easy)
1- measuring cup/spoon set

1- 500ct toothpicks
1- 3pc funnels
1- magnetic can/bottle opener
2- cheesecloth
1- 2pc hot pad set
1- oven glove
2- kitchen towels

1- 2pk dishcloths
1- 2pk microfiber scrubber 12" towels
1- 4pk medium round plastic storage containers with lids
1- 4pk medium square plastic storage containers with lids
1- 10pk foam 3 compartment trays with hinge lids
1- 40ct paper lunch bags
1- quart size zipper storage bags
1- gallon size zipper storage bags
1- sandwich baggies

1- 32oz plastic storage container with screw on lid
1- 6ct plastic tumbler cups 8oz
1- 48ct assorted plastic silverware
1- 10" solar powered garden stake lights
1- 11' butane lighter with plastic handle
1- latex grip-knit gloves
1- work gloves
1- emergency candles (have seen them in 7ct and 5ct)
1- 16ct tea candles (for short periods of light, but also for waterproofing matches)

1- wooden matches
1- 8oz glass jar candle (commonly recognized as prayer candles, can be left lit hours hours on end)
1- refillable long reach butane lighter
1- 9x12' plastic drop cloth
1- silver utility tape
1- black electric tape
1- 3pk rolls of utility twine
1- 420ft roll of cotton twine
1- 50ft poly rope

1- 3ct rolls steel wire
1- 10ct disposable filter masks
1- 8-in-1 multi tool
1- 8-in-1 screwdriver tool
1- utility knife (will have a few blades inside)
1- LED travel flashlights with carabiners (clips)
1- LED flashlights with adjustable beams
1- LED book light (these are great for hands-free lighting, they can be clipped on almost anything and then bent to focus light in a specific small area)
1- portable/wall mountable lamp (battery operated)

1- 4pc screwdriver set
1- padlock with key
1- slip-joint pliers
1- adjustable wrench
1- safety glasses or goggles (there's usually a couple different kinds to chose from, I get glasses one time and goggles the next)
3- battery powered window alerts (you'll want to know if someone gets a open instead of being caught off guard because they've already snuck in)
1- 100ct pack of cable ties

(not many things on this last group, I just buy these and save the change in a jar)
1- 80ct envelopes (good for storing seeds)
1- pencils (there's usually 12pk, sometimes 24pk)
1- pencil sharpeners 12pk (not just for pencils)
1- 2pk legal pads

As I work my way through this list, if something isn't in stock that week I just skip over it completely. I don't grab something else to make up for the item I wasn't able to get and I don't try to make up for it by grabbing it when I see it in stock later. I just put the money that it would have cost in the savings jar.

One more thing before I go. There are a lot of other things at Dollar Tree that I've seen and purchased thinking they'd be good to have, but I have found that a lot of the items aren't worth the dollar that I paid for them. You get what you pay for at this store. Batteries for instance. While there are loads of them, all different sizes and quantities for just a buck, I don't buy them. I've bought them before, but half of them don't work and the other half only work for a couple hours. It's just not worth buying them. Keep saving change, eventually you'll have enough to stock up on batteries and other higher priced (and quality) items.




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I hope this list comes in handy, especially if you have to shop on a small budget like I do. If you can think of any other decent quality non-food items that are available at a dollar store, please comments below so I can check them out and add them to this list.  All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. If you're curious about a specific item on this list, don't hesitate to ask. I'm interested in checking out other prepper blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorites. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.

Cheap Foods To StocK

If you've gathered enough information from my first few posts (or elsewhere) you should be ready to get started with your first plans. It's pointless to try and include every aspect in just one plan, so you should begin with a small and quickly achievable goal. By doing this you not only prepare yourself a little more than you were before you started, but you build your confidence to create and complete larger plans and goals.

Shelter, security, and food are all equally important when it comes to prepping, but when I sat down to write out my first plan I decided to start with food and water, and being a mother of 5 children I had to set a small $10.00 per week budget. Instead of trying to plan for 30 days of food and water or anything like that, I thought about the foods that had a long shelf life, were easy to prepare or could be eaten right out of the package, and were regularly low priced without them being on sale or having a coupon. I'm going to share the original list, but first I'll explain how I use it. This may not be perfect for everyone but it's a good start and very affordable.

Here's how it works:

First off, if you don't have a dollar store near you, I suggest finding one in a surrounding town. I'm not talking about Dollar General or Family Dollar, I'm talking about a store that has everything for $1.00 or less. The one near us is called Dollar Tree. The other place I shop is Walmart. I don't buy these specific items at any other store.

Each week I buy two things on this list, just starting at the top and working my way down, or sometimes I decide to go once a month in which I'd take $40.00 and buy 8 of these listings instead. Either way works. After I get everything on this list I work my way through a similar non-food items list that I have, then back to this after that one's done, and so on back and forth. Sometimes the things on this list go on sale or you can find a coupon for them, but without any sale going on and without a coupon, you can get each listed thing in the quantity stated from any Walmart or dollar store for $5.00 or less including tax.

4 cans pinto beans
4 cans re-fried beans
4 cans black beans
4 cans kidney beans
4 cans white navy beans
4 cans black-eyed peas
4 cans chick peas
4 cans of baked beans
4 cans beef stew
4 cans chili
4 cans of Treet (generic Spam)
2 cans of chicken
6 cans of tuna
8 cans of Vienna sausages
4 pounds dry pinto beans
4 pounds dry black beans
4 pounds dry kidney beans
4 pounds dry white navy beans
4 pounds dry black-eyed peas
4 pounds dry chick peas
4 pounds dry split peas
4 cans of generic condensed cream of mushroom soup
5 cans of condensed tomato soup
6 cans of mixed vegetables
6 cans of corn
6 cans of carrots
6 cans of green beans
6 cans potatoes
5 cans of fruit
15 cans tomato sauce
5 cans of diced tomatoes
5 cans sweetened condensed milk
8 cans evaporated milk
4 cans of spaghetti sauce
5 pounds of white sugar
3 pounds of brown sugar
10 containers of iodized salt
4 boxes of black pepper
8 boxes of baking soda
4 bottles dry seasonings
8 small plastic seasoning envelopes
2 pounds chicken bouillon powder
2 pounds beef bullion powder
2 pounds tomato bullion powder
5 bags of dehydrated onion flakes
5 bags of garlic powder
8 packets of gravy mix
8 pounds of flour
3 pounds of cornmeal
3 pounds of powdered milk
4 bottles of barbecue sauce
5 pounds of rice
4 pounds popcorn kernels
6 pounds of dry pasta
20 packs of Maruchen (Ramen) noodles
1 box 10-pk macaroni and cheese
2 containers quick rolled oats
4 boxes 12-pk instant flavored oatmeal
4 boxes saltine crackers
4 boxes cereal bars
4 boxes granola bars
4 packages of 8pk raisins
2 jars of peanut butter
4 small jars of jelly
4 bottles ketchup
4 bottles mustard
8 boxes of instant pudding
4 boxes 24-ct family size tea bags
4 boxes herbal tea bags
4 canisters of iced tea mix
4 canisters sweetened drink mix
4 packs of 10-ct generic Kool-aid mix
4 bottles apple juice
4 gallons fruit drink (generic Hawaiian Punch type)
1 case of bottled water + 2 gallons
5 gallons water


Like I already mentioned, these things can be bought in the quantities listed for $5.00 or less after tax. Every time I go on my shopping trip I take only what I can spend and not a penny more. All the change left over after checking out goes straight into a savings jar that I cash in once it gets full. This is how I save for larger supplies that cost a bit more and it ensures that I won't spend more than my $10.00 a week budget at any time. It may not seem like much at first, but soon your shelves will be getting full and your savings jar will too.

Don't be tempted to add another thing on to the quantities listed because it's 'just going to make the total $5.27 and that 27 cents isn't that much.' If you do this every time you're going to be blowing past your weekly budget... just as quick as savings add up, so do spending overages. Do NOT go over your budget, no matter how tempting it is.

With all that being said, I'll leave you with three food storage tips and then let you be on your way.

1. Light, oxygen, and heat are your foods' worst enemy. Avoid all three to give your stash the longest shelf life possible.
2. In most cases, the food's expiration date pertains to the specific packaging it's in. Some things can be re-packaged to extend their shelf life for up to 20 years, in some cases even longer. (I'll discuss re-packaging foods in a future post.)
3. Remember to always rotate your stock. First food in is the first food out, just like rotating stock in a store, so you don't have waste due to expiration dates. 

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I hope this list comes in handy, especially if you have to shop on a small budget like I do. If you can think of any other foods that store well and cost less than $5.00 for a decent amount, please comments below so I can check them out and add them to this list.  All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. If you're curious about brand names or which store I buy a specific item at, don't hesitate to ask. I'm interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet, so please share your favorite if you have one. Please take a second to subscribe, share this with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment. I'll be sharing a non-food items list similar to this one in the next post, so be sure and come back to check it out. Until next time my friends.

Take Notes, Make A Plan.

Yesterday I shared some links to information that would help you understand the world of prepping. I know it didn't cover everything, but it should have been a good start. I hope you took some times to actually check out the links, and I hope you did some extra research of your own. If you did and feel comfortable with the information you do have, you should probably get started. Making a plan is the first and most important step after a bit of research. If you aren't sure where to start, here are a few key things to think about. Planning is fairly simple, grab a notebook and a pen.

Can you answer all of these?

1. Who all will be included in your plans?
2. Do you own or rent your home?
3. If you chance losing your home due to unemployment, where else you could go?
4. Do you have a exit strategy if you have to relocate?
5. What means of transportation would you use?
6. How big is your yard if you own your home?
7. Can you plant a garden or some fruit trees to provide additional food sources?
8. Can you have food animals? Even if it's just some chickens.
9. Do you know how to hunt or fish as a means of providing meat?
10. Do you know how to properly clean and prepare meat animals for storage if you don't have access to a freezer due to power outages?
11. Can you stock enough food and water to provide until order is restored or until your can start providing through gardening or raising animals?
12. Do you know how to store water?
13. Do you know how to purify water so it's drinkable?
14. Do you know how to store foods so they have a longer shelf life?
15. Where will you stash your stock of food, water, and supplies?
16. How will you cook?
17. How will you heat your home?
18. How will you provide light?
19. How will you keep yourself clean?
20. How will you clean your clothing?
21. How will you protect yourself, your family, your shelter, and supplies?
22. Which guns are better for protection and which are better for hunting?
23. Do you know how to break down, clean, and reassemble your gun(s)?
24. Do you know how to assemble your own ammo if it came down to it?
25. How will you keep up on information or communicate with others?
26. Do you have any survival skills?
27. Can you start a fire without a lighter or matches?
28. What kind of first aid supplies can you get your hands on?
29. Do you know how to provide medical care in a minor situation? What about something more critical?
30. How are your bartering skills?
31. How much can you afford to spend on prepping per week or month?

I am going to leave you with these questions for now. Answer as many as you can, and answer them honestly. The things you answered no to or can't answer at all are the first areas you need to focus on. Knowledge is free and the more you have, the better off you are. If the last question is a tough one because you're on a tight budget, don't worry. Prepping can be done on the smallest of budgets. We'll get to that in a future post.




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I hope you enjoyed this post and I hope the questions guide you as you take your first steps to getting prepared. I'm as eager to share my story with you as I am to hear your story. All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. I also invite well seasoned preppers to ask any questions that I may have forgotten, share some hints and tricks with us, and definitely make edit suggestions if I post something that's not quite right. I'm also interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet. Please take a second to subscribe, share with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.

Back To School My Friends.

What exactly is the first step to wading out into the world of prepping and where did everyone start? Before all else... before any planning, purchasing, or practicing... you'll need to do a bit of research.

 

Back to school my friends.

Just like everything other aspect in life, whether it be school, a job, or a hobby, you can't really start doing anything new unless you know what it is you're supposed to be doing. Just because you find out that the neighbors have years worth of food stored in their basement, hoards of weapons and ammo, and some mad survival skills doesn't mean that you need to just start going crazy gobbling up everything that comes in bulk or that has a survival sticker on it. While that may benefit you somewhat, you'll still be wasting a lot of valuable time and money. You need to create a method to this madness just like everyone else has, a plan if you will. Do you even know what everyone is preparing for? What will you need to actually be prepared for these things when the time comes? There are mountains of information online, in books and magazines, and even on movies and TV programs. I hope you'll take some time to go through the links below, I found all of these useful when I started taking baby steps into the prepper world. I hope you will find them informative and useful as well. This may take a while, so grab a cup of coffee (or drink of your choice) and settle in for a minute.

• This is the first thing I read when I heard about preppers (remember I started a couple years ago so this isn't a new article), it will give you the basics of what exactly it is everyone is preparing for... Why Are Millions Of Americans Preparing For Doomsday?  
• 'This is a 2 part series that will give you the basic fundamentals of how to start prepping, help you gain an understanding of why you need to have certain disaster supplies in place, and give insight on where to get those supplies.' (ReadyNutrition.com) Here's Part 1 and Part 2. Please read them both.
• Times of crisis aren't unfamiliar to us. Whether you have been through one yourself or seen it play out in the lives of others on the news, they're very real and very possible. It isn't a matter of if you will ever face one, it's a matter of when. Please read Food And Water For Short And Long Term Survival. Everyone has to eat, even in worst case scenarios. Read Ten Tips That Will Guarantee You Have Food If SHTF, 11 Emergency Food Items That Can Last A Lifetime, Food Preservation, Ten Most Common Food Fails, and Food Storage 101: What To Store.
• When the time comes, will you choose to bug in or bug out? It's good to have a plan for both. Urban Survival and Bugging In and This Is How You Make Real Bug Out Plans are both good articles to start with. No need to panic in either situation, you just need to know how to go about them.
• Of course we need food to survive, but there are some non-food items you should stock up on too. Non-Food Preparedness Items To Stockpile and Easy To Store Non-Food Items gives you a basic rundown.
• You can find guidelines for stocking a basic first aid kit here and you can check out trauma kit basics right here. You could always check out the Red Cross kit suggestions too. Whether you decide to buy a pre-made first aid kit or make your own, you are going to need at least one that is well stocked.
• While the list for needed tools is probably endless, Tools To Consider For Your SHTF Plan will give you a good idea where to start at.
• So many skills will come in useful when it comes time to providing for and protecting your family. Here are The 6 Most Valuable Survival Skills After SHTF.  You should also look into some Native American Survival Skills.
• Since you've clearly gained an interest in prepping for the inevitable, it's time you get your family in on the action too. Not everyone will see threats the way you do, but trying to open their eyes is well worth a try. How To Get Your Spouse On Board With Prepping and Prepping With Children: Managing Expectations. At least if you can't get them into the mind-set you are in (or will soon be in), you can prepare them mentally for what may eventually happen.

I hope you took some time to look at these links. While these don't completely cover every aspect of prepping, it's a very good start in understanding the basics. If you feel comfortable with what you have already learned, feel like you understand it and are ready to actually start prepping, now's the time to start making your plan. Please don't blindly dive into this without some proper planning. I suggest starting with a small prepping goal, such as 30 days of supplies for everyone who will be included in your plans. Keep reading up on other preppers and what they do, and don't get overwhelmed by the plethora of information you'll find in general searches on these topics. Remember, baby steps.



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I hope you enjoyed this post. I also hope the information you find here will interest you enough to keep coming back, and I pray it guides you as you take your first steps to getting prepared. I'm as eager to share my story with you as I am to hear your story. All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. I also invite well seasoned preppers to share some hints and tricks with us, and definitely make edit suggestions if I post something that's not quite right or if there's something else I should have included in this post. I'm still learning to ya know. I'm also interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet. Please take a second to subscribe, share with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.

Prepping Is Crucial.

Prepping is crucial. How prepared someone is, or isn't, will definitely make or break anyone in any worst case scenario. Whether it be for the possibilities and fears of unemployment, government collapse, terrorist attacks, natural disasters, pandemic threats, or a forever talked about zombie apocalypse (In my mind zombies are classified in 2 groups, those who aren't prepared and individuals devoured by some spreading pandemic, not actual flesh and brain eating zombies like the movies... but who knows), now is as good a time as any to get started if you haven't already. But how?

If you're anything like I was a couple years ago, you may not know where to begin, but you know for sure it's time to get started. I began by focusing on five main areas that are important for survival. You need to think about and familiarize yourself with forms of shelter, food and water, health and hygiene, protection and defense, and last but most definitely not least, valuable skills. Sounds pretty basic, right? Keep in mind that each one of these main areas have numerous topics, each of those topic have sub-topics, and so on down the prepping and survival line. You just need to begin with the basic version of each, and work your way in. Remember, an abundance of knowledge and preparation can never be a bad thing, but lack thereof can only lead to failure (in worst case scenarios, failure could very well be death).

One more thing before we get started, and any well seasoned prepper knows this. There are numerous ways to go about everything you do, for example purifying water. You could just stock up on bottled waters, and get some purifying drops and tablets, right? Wrong! While this is good for making it through a short period of time, what are you going to do if things take longer to get back in order and you run out first? You better figure out how long you have to boil water in order for it to be drinkable, and check into some filtration and purification system too. It's better to have multiple options that you can use, even if you don't end up needing them. You never know what you'll face until it smacks you in yours... by then it's probably going to be too late to try and figure it all out.



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I hope you enjoyed this post, which is the first of many to come. Not only am I going to share the steps I have taken to ensure my family's survival, but I am going to share some great content from other prepping and survivalist blogs. I hope the information you find here will interest you enough to keep coming back, and I pray it encourages you to take your first steps in getting prepared if you haven't already. I'm as eager to share my story with you as I am to hear your story. All questions, comments, and suggestions are welcome. I also invite well seasoned preppers to share some hints and tricks with us, and definitely make edit suggestions if I post something that's not quite right. I'm still learning to ya know. I'm also interested in checking out other blogs and sites that I may not have stumbled across yet. Please take a second to subscribe, share with others who may find this useful, and don't forget to comment.