FOOD STORAGE PLANS

3-DAY EMERGENCY PLAN:

If you carry these items in your car in a small bag, you will be prepared for all types of emergencies; evacuation, stranded in the desert or blizzard, car breakdowns, delays and hungry impatient children.

*1 quart of water per person per day (do not eat unless you have at least this amount of water.  You will dehydrate more quickly)

3-MONTH EASY EATING PLAN:

In case of a physical disaster, personal crisis or illness, canned goods (dry or wet pack) provide the best source of food.  Because they are sealed they can be easily cleaned of contaminated substances; they will not break in an earthquake; they provide liquid when water is at a premium; they do not require cooking and can be eaten cold or heated with little heat; and small children can prepare meals if parents are sick or injured.

Meats:  (6 cans per person)  tuna, span, ham, corned beef, turkey, chicken, beef, hamburger, clams, oysters, vienna sausage, etc.

Soups:  (12 cans per person) hearty soups (no water added), condensed soups, etc.

Fruits:  (12 qts or 24 #303 cans per person) peaches, pears, fruit cocktail, applesauce, mandarin oranges, grapefruit, pineapple. etc.

Vegetables:  (30 #303 cans per person)carrots, peas, beets, corn, green beans, spinach, new potatoes, beans, etc.

Meals:  (12-1#cans per person) chili, spaghetti, ravioli, stew, etc.

Snacks: (3-#10 cans per person ) crackers, vanilla wafers, miniature candy bars, mixed wrapped candy, marshmallows, granola bars, fruit snacks, dried fruit, gum, beef jerky, chex mix, pringles potato chips, canned frosting

Beverages: (60 c per person)  capri sun, crystal light, juice mixes(canned consentrate, canned, or bottled), etc. 

3-MONTH EASY EATING EXTENDED PLAN:

 Dehydrated foods increase the preparation time and amount of fuel needed, but take advantage of the processed foods that are so available and part of our normal meal planning habits.

Meals (add canned meat):  hamburger, tuna or chicken helper, suddenly salad, crockpot classics,

rice-a-roni, macaroni & cheese, stovetop stuffing, other packaged dinner entrees.

Mixes: muffin, biscuit, cake, cookie, pie crust, whipped topping, cheese sauce, gravy, etc.

Cereals (dry pack for longer shelf life): instant cream of wheat & oatmeal (regular or flavored), cold cereal, granola, etc. 

Desserts & Snacks: jiffy popcorn, instant pudding, cheesecake, jello individual snack packs

Beverages: hot chocolate mix, apple cider mix, flavored drink mixes, juice mixes, tea, postum, etc.

1-YEAR EMERGENCY FOOD SUPPLY:

This list provides all the daily recommended allowances needed for a well-balanced diet.  It is the least expensive, requires the least amount of storage, but the most preparation and skill in using. 

It is important to use these commodities on a regular basis so that your digestive system will be accustomed to the amount of ruffage they provide.  A gradual exposure to whole foods from processed foods is important to prevent diarrhea and dehydration.  Another reason to introduce whole foods in the diet is an emotional one.  During an emergency children will go hungry rather than eat foods they are not accustomed to.

Grains:  Since wheat is the most versatile it should be the primary source, with other grains, legumes,  and pastas added for variety: popcorn, oats, rice, barley, soy beans; dried peas, beans and potatoes (sliced, diced, shredded, mashed); spaghetti, lasagna, macaroni, and noodles.  At least 50% of grain amount should be wheat.

Milk:  Amounts listed are for bakery-tested (non-instant=1/2 c + 1 T pdr/qt water, 2 ¼ c per gallon) dry milk powder.   25 lbs=80 cups=160 qts=640 c =1.78 one cup servings/ day/year.   If using instant milk you need to double the poundage as one 25 lb bag of instant milk contains half the liquid quantity as non-instant (instant= 1 c pdr/qt water).  Powdered milk can be substituted for commercial liquid milk in all all dairy products (hard cheeses, cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese, ice cream, evaporated milk, whipped topping, drinking milk, hot & cold chocolate milk)

Sweeteners:  Includes jam, jellies, sugar, honey, hard candy.  2 c honey=11 oz; 1 c jam=10 oz; 1 c sugar=7 oz.

Peanut Butter:  Old fashioned type made with pure peanuts is the highest in protein, but does not store as long.

Fats:  Includes oil, shortening and margarine.  1 c oil=7 oz (2.29 c=1 lb; 7 lbs=1 gal); 1 c shortening=6 oz (2.67 c=1 lb; 1 c margarine=8 oz (2 c=1 lb).  Oil is the most versatile and should be poly-unsaturated.  Fats should be stored at the following ratio:  4 parts oil, 2 parts shortening, 1 part margarine. (17 lbs of fat should be stored as: 9 lbs oil (l.5 gals); 5 lbs shortening; 3 lbs margarine)

Dehydrated Carrots:  A #10 can contains 1.75 lbs of carrots.  1 c dehydrated=2 c fresh.  1 c dehydrated=2 oz=28 c/can

Vitamin C Tablets:  2 lbs of alfalfa seed can be substituted for the tablets, but should be rotated every year in order to keep a high germination level.  Alfalfa is nice because when sprouted can be used as a salad or in the place of lettuce.

Salt:  5 lbs per person per year

Leavenings:  1 lb per person per year of baking powder, baking soda, and yeast.  Everlasting yeast (sourdough start) could also be stored as a leavening source.  It will keep at least a year in the refrigerator.  The longer it is stored the more sour the flavor.  It can be freshened by pouring off the black water and adding equal parts of flour & milk or water on a daily basis until sweetened to taste.

Water:  5.5 gallons of drinking water per person for 2 week period.  14 gallons total for drinking and purification bottle & tables are necessary when using polluted water.

COMBINATION FOOD PLAN:

In the combination plan the 3 day (72 hour) kit would be used for evacuation or for the first 3 days of an emergency where hot water is the only cooking needed.  The easy eating plan would be used for the next 3 months if quarantine was required and fuel for cooking is limited.  The  emergency food supply should provide 9 months of the families nutritional requirements in the event that food supplies through the regular channels were interrupted for an extended period of time.  To determine the 9 month supply for each person, multiply the recommended amount for each person in the family by .75 (3/4).  This combined storage program provides the most flexibility, the most variety, requires less skill and fuel then does the emergency plan by itself and assures that foods are rotated regularly.