Armageddon Probably Won't Come, But Just In Case....
We are so very used to being able to get everything we need at the drop of a hat from the local supermarket that the thought of stocking a month's worth of supplies for the family seems a little strange. But in uncertain times we should consider doing just that.
Imagine that for some reason there was no gas available. Unthinkable maybe, but many western countries have experienced that very thing, due to strikes and problems with supplies. Imagine that the electricity has gone down, and all the food in your freezer is spoiled. Recently many people on the west coast experienced that very thing after superstorm Sandy, and just a few years ago we had the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. Each year recently we have had fires and floods, all of them a threat to the safety of families, and leading to a disruption in the ability of those affected to carry on with their everyday lives.
Whatever your views on global warming and the possible meltdown of the global economy, we have had sufficient unusual weather events over the last few year to alert any sensible person for the need to be prepared for any eventuality.
In years gone by our forefathers would routinely stock up against hard times, especially for the winter. We should start to think like them. Sit down and consider what you family actually needs to survive for a month or so, then make a list. Forget luxury items, we're talking about basic good nutrition. Also forget anything which depends on electricity, either for storage or cooking. Choose things which either don't need to be cooked, like tinned meat, fish, fruit and vegetables, or things which can be cooked over a camping stove (you need one of these too, along with fuel.) It's a good idea to choose dried food over tinned where possible, as you may need to transport your supplies, and dried food is lighter and easier to carry. High energy bars, dried fruit, are a very good idea, as is any specialist food designed for mountaineering.
You may usually go for the “lite” version of everything. Forget that. In an emergency situation, you should be packing on the calories, you are going to need them. Focus on good carbs like pasta and oats, and vegetables, and less on protein – most adults need a lot less protein than we think. Dried milk is very useful if you have children to consider.
Remember that you don't just need food, but water, cleaning, sanitary and medical supplies. If there's a medicine that one of your family depends on, make sure you have a month's supply in hand for emergencies. And of course don't forget food for your pets – having a dog on hand in particular may well be a good plan if times get tough.
Everything you store should be regularly rotated (that includes medications) and replaced with fresh stock, to keep sell by dates up to date. It makes sense for you to keep a month's worth of supplies for your family, even though they may never, in all likelihood, need to be used. Why having a one month plus food storage is important? It may be the thing which saves your family from real hardship in the emergency.
