I want to ask you a question.
Are you prepared for a storm? An extended power outage? A long term loss of transportation? The one thing you learn from living on the Texas coast is to always have a little something in the pantry during the storm season.
Now the favor I want you to do for me is simple. Go to your pantry and take a good look at the canned goods you have on hand. I mean, take a good inventory of everything you have. Do you think that with just the non-perishable goods in your pantry, you could feed your family for at least a week? Two weeks? A month or longer? If you can, good for you. If you can't, why not?
You know, there are some religions that require their members to keep a years supply of food on hand. Even if you don't think that you have a reason to prepare for disaster, you can prepare for extra long term visitors that drop in unannounced and leave when their schedule says they should, or that sudden rain storm that lingers on and on until it turns into a flood that shuts down all paths to the food store and gas station, or that hurricane that comes ashore down the coast and sends all the fleeing victims into your city to help delete the few supplies at the store due to the trucking strike, but you get the picture.
You know, getting the pantry in shape isn't that hard or expensive. When you go to the store, instead of getting one can of whatever you are stocking up on get two or three. Instead of one pound of coffee, buy two. Do this with sugar, flour, salt and pepper,everything you would normally get and what your family likes. Before long, you have quite a good store on hand. Now if you want, take a magic marker and write the date on top of the cans. That way you can always use the oldest cans first.
See, the good thing about stocking up like this is that the food will get used long before it goes bad, you'll have extra supplies just in case, you won't think that you are buying into some great survival B.S., and you will have the comfort of knowing that your family is covered partly in case of some unfortunate happenings.
One thing though...don't forget the comfort foods. Things like some honey, maybe some candy, crackers and cookies, even some hot chocolate. When the lights go out, nothing can comfort young ones like some hot chocolate by oil lamp.
Doesn't sound like stockpiling, does it? Let's just call it some small measure of common sense prepping, OK? OK! Now let's get some fresh coffee...
4 comments:
Good morning Jim,
Great advice. Funny, I was just in the car and the station was interviewing a lady from the Red Cross about preparedness. She gave pretty much the same info you did. She said that everyone should have at the very least an additional 7 days of food and water available to them at all times. (It used to be 3 days, but guess they changed it..)
We lose power often in this area during the cold winter months, so I have learned to always have enough of these things. (actually friends poke fun at me and say none of them have to be prepared because I have enough for the whole county.)I have this in the trunk of my car also; Blankets, first aid, flashlight, water, tuna cans and jarred snacks etc.
Thanks for this post and great advice!
btw I see you added your cookies in there...funny. :)
lydia
It is very good advise, Bubba. I am working on the stocking up myself. There was a time when I had enough to feed whoever came by but not anymore. The rough times that I am experiencing now, though , have reminded me that even if one is alone , one needs to prepare.
To Lydia: When I lived "up north" I , too , kept emergency supplies in the car. My husband and I got caught in a severe situation once and had a hard enough time surviving even then. Good thinking (even if it is common sense. So few people have common sense anymore, it seems.)
Hey LYDIA...thanks for stopping by this morning. Imagine that the kidding about sponging off you actually turned serious during an emergency. Pretty scary!
Glad you have a supply of items in your car as well. That was going to be another article soon. I feel this is very important instead of just waiting till we need it.
Hey Sis...I remember how you used to have a lot of things in your pantry. I'm glad that you already know the importance of stocking the car for the "just in case" scenarios as well.
Maybe more of us could learn from the common sense folks, huh?
Appreciate you dropping by this morning. Love ya, Sis...
I's ready..... Got canned goods for my family of four for a month or more..... Building up more as I can. Guns and ammo now, before Jan 20, more food after. Prep on!
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