# Thoughts on prepping food



## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Many folks tell you to start with 7 days, increase to a month and go from there..

I want to say - have enough to get to the next harvest season and have seeds and the ability to grow a crop

Start with having lots of basics.... rice, beans, canned fruit and veggie... have enough to survive 12 months.... why 12 months

lets say a pandemic, EMP, dollar collapse, etc happens where food distribution is slowed or stops...you need to be able to the next harvest season...

living off of rice and beans will not be pretty but it will get you to the other side... Look at what the wagon train families took west with them...
flour
sugar
beans
etc

YES, 1 month is a good start..ok, not really..1 month means that you might be a little better off then the average joe. but 30 days of supplies means you will be late to the warehouse raiding party... 

Stock what you eat - Wonderful idea... but get the survival essentials first.. then add the martini pearl olives and the other little things that make a good SHTF survivable... 30 days of what you normally eat again means that you are late to the party....

rice and beans are cheap... add some spices and you have variety... 

I know that not everybody can run out and buy a years worth of food... but until you get there, I would not be purchasing honey roasted canned ham for the shelf....

Remember many of our grandparents had a cellar full of food... why, because the event many think will never happen - happened to them...


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> Many folks tell you to start with 7 days, increase to a month and go from there...


Start small, we all do, usually because of our budget and storage space. 1 week,,, then 3 weeks.,,, 3 months is enough for most people and most realistic SHTF scenarios.

18 months is what the old farmers wanted, time for a bad crop and time to pray for a good crop.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Have to agree with you. We have planned on going two full seasons with no crops. Now that will not happen but we see the need for a buffer.
IF SHTF that bad there will be a lot going on at first. Growing food takes labor. Labor spent growing food is not available for security and other work. Make no mistake, no madder how much work you have done. IF SHTF real time it is going to be busy for a while until life settles into a new normal.
Root cellar stocked with potatoes, goes along way when used with other food sources. For those new to this by all means do something.
3 day, then 7 then 14 . They must start some where. I bet we could live good for a month on just what is in the kitchen cabinets now.


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## Medic33 (Mar 29, 2015)

one thing I thought about ,If the purpose of being a prepper is to be prepared without dependency on the system then why do we always depend on pre packaged foods(yes I know some out there package it themselves) like cans ect.
if you buy the basics like flour(as suggested) rice sugar ect. then you can swing the rest by hunting and gathering growing ect. people didn't just survive the great depression they lived through it and thrived or our society wouldn't have.
the wagon train is some thing that keeps being brought up those people had skills -they needed a house they built it from scratch from what ever was available to them most only had dirt floors they didn't have running water or electricity and surly didn't have an AK or AR sitting by the bed stand if they even had a bed stand. luxury is just that and today we feel like we can not live without it.


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## PrepperFF712 (Nov 12, 2015)

We are shooting for 1 year of food, maybe not complete, but the bulk of what we would normally buy at the grocery store. 

For us it's moreso the possible economic breakdown within our household. If one of us were to lose our jobs for whatever reason, the $500/month (preps included) we spend on groceries won't be a burden. 

We're also stocking up on Alcohol. Rum, Vodka, Whiskey and Wine. If SHTF, it's a great bartering tool, and during a really bad event in our area, what better way to feel better than to get a good glow on with the neighbours. 

Goal is 6X 26oz of Rum, Whiskey and Vodka each as well as 24 bottles of red and 24 bottles of white.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

FoolAmI said:


> 3 months is enough for most people and most realistic SHTF scenarios.


3 months of unemployment would put a hurt on that... NO I SAY.. at least 1 year... do not be lulled into a false sense of security thinking that 3 months is ok for MOST people

you want a realistic SHTF scenario... 
Depression happened before in the USA and lasted around 10 years...
EMP happened before in the USA we just did not have the same level of technology then
Pandemic killed over 600,000 in the USA..would have been nice to avoid food stores then
Civil War, in the USA lasted years

3 months.. ha ha ha ..


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Medic33 said:


> one thing I thought about ,If the purpose of being a prepper is to be prepared without dependency on the system then why do we always depend on pre packaged foods(yes I know some out there package it themselves) like cans ect.
> if you buy the basics like flour(as suggested) rice sugar ect. then you can swing the rest by hunting and gathering growing ect. people didn't just survive the great depression they lived through it and thrived or our society wouldn't have.
> the wagon train is some thing that keeps being brought up those people had skills -they needed a house they built it from scratch from what ever was available to them most only had dirt floors they didn't have running water or electricity and surly didn't have an AK or AR sitting by the bed stand if they even had a bed stand. luxury is just that and today we feel like we can not live without it.


I understand where you are coming from... and i mostly agree... not everybody thrived during the great depression... there were lots of people that were starving and out of work for years...

If the wagon train people could have had some of the things we have they would have... do not think the GOOD OLD DAYS were always good.

canned wheat like I store is much better then wheat in a barrel of flour in a bag... I remember my grams flour getting bugs in it.. uggh


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## Targetshooter (Dec 4, 2015)

We are working on a 18 month supply , to go any longer then that , I would have to convert a bedroom in to a storage room , that to me would work ,, I don't think the wife is ready for all that yet.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> 3 months of unemployment would put a hurt on that... NO I SAY.. at least 1 year... do not be lulled into a false sense of security thinking that 3 months is ok for MOST people
> 3 months.. ha ha ha ..


So I take your answer to mean that you over night went from 1 week of stored food to enough food for you and your family for one year. Damn, that must have a been a strain on your finances. Was this instant increase just before that Jewish gloom and doom apocalypse prediction you pushed on this site last September???

Most people who consider preparing would be scared off if the "entrance requirement" was an instant year of food purchased and stored.

A little moderation and common sense please.


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

FoolAmI said:


> So I take your answer to mean that you over night went from 1 week of stored food to enough food for you and your family for one year. Damn, that must have a been a strain on your finances. Was this instant increase just before that Jewish gloom and doom apocalypse prediction you pushed on this site last September???
> 
> Most people who consider preparing would be scared off if the "entrance requirement" was an instant year of food purchased and stored.
> 
> A little moderation and common sense please.


Your User Name implies a theme.

M&M gives advice and folks want to argue. I say let them starve if they won't take advice and argue about things they know little of.

Proverbs 26:4
Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him.KJV


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> Your User Name implies a theme.
> 
> M&M gives advice and folks want to argue. I say let them starve if they won't take advice and argue about things they know little of.
> 
> ...


Aqua Fool is right to ask questions. A year's worth of food is a very large investment for some one with a family (especially is they have a couple of kids) or with limited amounts of disposable income. And if you invest in things like rice and wheat that take some adjusting too that's quite an overnight change.

Far better for those on a limited budget to start slowly and accumulate what they know their family's will actually eat with out any major changes when the hammer drops.

Six months supply of instant noodles - ramen - doesn't have to cost a lot and stands a much better chance of being eaten than 80 pounds of wheat that hased to be processed into biscuits, bread or pancakes.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

FoolAmI said:


> So I take your answer to mean that you over night went from 1 week of stored food to enough food for you and your family for one year.


What I implied was - do not settle for 1 week or 1 month or 3 months... If you reread my OP I think you would INFER I advocate for getting a lot of the basics to cover a year before prepping the other nice to have items (Notice how I used imply and infer..because you infer different then I imply)
heck get 365 cans of chili and 50 bags of rice
buy a ton of noodles
IF a SHTF event happens it is better to have a year of low cost supplies then to have 30 days of WHAT YOU EAT NORMALLY
I understand that it is hard for many to buy a year of food... I AM SAYING get it as dfast as you can buy buying essentials... beans, rice or noodles and tuna fish... GET IT.. I am not saying you have to have a huge selection of stuff



FoolAmI said:


> Was this instant increase just before that Jewish gloom and doom apocalypse prediction you pushed on this site last September???


I have had a years worth of food for a long time... and that sept thing is ongoing and as I have had to say several times... it ends Oct 2016... PUSHED>>> I think I was clear that "I" thought it would happen but it might not... I was not asking anybody to join my group or send me money... PUSHED..LOL...



FoolAmI said:


> Most people who consider preparing would be scared off if the "entrance requirement" was an instant year of food purchased and stored.


 Are you just plain trying to cause a fight.. entrance requirement..please.... My stance is people should strive to have 12 + months of food.. I have laid out my reason why... now if you have a problem with my reasons then argue against them... but making up stuff ENTRANCE REQUIREMENT LOL - show you are just being a "richard"


FoolAmI said:


> A little moderation and common sense please.


 I agree that is why I said ..rice and beans - beans and rice... common sense says that any fool can survey for a few weeks..only the really prepared or those that steal from them will survey longer

I wish more people took debate classes or had the ability to argue the topic not the person...


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## Chipper (Dec 22, 2012)

Many think they will live off the land, hunting and fishing. But remember all the starving people with nothing will be forced to do the same. How long will the wildlife last with millions of untrained folks wasting anything they see?? 99.9% will shoot a animal and eat one day before it spoils, not having a clue how to preserve it. Let alone the risk of being out hunting with all the desperate people wandering around. So don't expect to lengthen your preps of beans and rice with game.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

I might add that people also look into how much food that is a minimum for a person/day and try to live on that for a while, just to try it out. A human can get by on suprisling little food when laying low. But laying low also means lots of time to think, think about how hungry you are and how good the food you have tastes. That goes for your familiy to. 

And always remeber to eat from the stored food, first in - first out. check those experation dates. And dont look fat while every one else is starving.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

Chipper said:


> Many think they will live off the land, hunting and fishing. But remember all the starving people with nothing will be forced to do the same. How long will the wildlife last with millions of untrained folks wasting anything they see?? 99.9% will shoot a animal and eat one day before it spoils, not having a clue how to preserve it. Let alone the risk of being out hunting with all the desperate people wandering around. So don't expect to lengthen your preps of beans and rice with game.


how long untill the only game left are humans?


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> Many folks tell you to start with 7 days, increase to a month and go from there..


does anynody disagree with this



Maine-Marine said:


> I want to say - have enough to get to the next harvest season and have seeds and the ability to grow a crop
> 
> Start with having lots of basics.... rice, beans, canned fruit and veggie... have enough to survive 12 months.... why 12 months


I thought that would be common sense



Maine-Marine said:


> I know that not everybody can run out and buy a years worth of food... but until you get there, I would not be purchasing honey roasted canned ham for the shelf....


my point here is that UNTIL you get the year of food.. do not spend extra on extras... no rum, canned olives, or expensive items.
you can get lots of food cheap if you are just doing it to survive.

focus on getting 12 months of survival food and then add the nice to have items



Maine-Marine said:


> Stock what you eat - Wonderful idea... but get the survival essentials first.. then add the martini pearl olives and the other little things that make a good SHTF survivable... 30 days of what you normally eat again means that you are late to the party....


as mentioned before.. get the essentials first


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Deleted .... PF acting up on me.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

A Watchman said:


> Swede, you opened up this ugly can of worms so you get to go first.
> 
> What do your food preps consist of and how long will they last?
> 
> Okay, they are now depleted. Only hungry Swede's walking around&#8230;.what are you going to do?


depends on the world around me. There is no simple answer to that, but say that if I at this moment run out of food... well the ground is frosen and it will be months before I can get a harvest. I have something I can plant but not enough that lasts a year to the next harvest, nor the grounds to plant them (but that might be the least of the problems).

At this point, try to fish/hunt, sweden is one of the best places in the world for that, not that it is easy to survive on that, but with no other choise, what else?


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> how long untill the only game left are humans?


Swede, you opened up this ugly can of worms so you get to go first.

What do your food preps consist of and how long will they last?

Okay, they are now depleted. Only hungry Swede's walking around&#8230;.what are you going to do?


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

Chipper said:


> Many think they will live off the land, hunting and fishing. But remember all the starving people with nothing will be forced to do the same. How long will the wildlife last with millions of untrained folks wasting anything they see?? 99.9% will shoot a animal and eat one day before it spoils, not having a clue how to preserve it. Let alone the risk of being out hunting with all the desperate people wandering around. So don't expect to lengthen your preps of beans and rice with game.


A lot will depend on the EVENT.. if it is an EMP..no cars on the road.. many will not be able to get to a good hunting area.. I think game will be thinned out but not gone..

Chances are there will be a great reduction in people then in deer or moose...

think about if all transportation stopped tomorrow... how are 350,000,000 going to get to the wilderness to hunt a deer and then get it back home....

SO how long will the wildlife last with a bunch of untrained folks around.. depends on the event and the time of year it happens,,,

if we have an EMP in January.... come spring there will be a bunch of dead people up north


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## AquaHull (Jun 10, 2012)

Or how long will the untrained folk last in the woods, when the trained locals get upset with outsiders taking what they think is their game/food ?


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

I'm prepping for 5 years worth of food. One year ???? Hahaha I don't think so.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> depends on the world around me. There is no simple answer to that, but say that if I at this moment run out of food... well the ground is frosen and it will be months before I can get a harvest. I have something I can plant but not enough that lasts a year to the next harvest, nor the grounds to plant them (but that might be the least of the problems).
> 
> At this point, try to fish/hunt, sweden is one of the best places in the world for that, not that it is easy to survive on that, but with no other choise, what else?


I am going to assume that most Swede's are of a not prepared mindset. So your coast line and hunting regions are going to get pretty crowded very quickly, not to mention the game being over pursued.

You will not be the first to come up with this idea, assuming you have some stores and plan on using them first. By the time you head out to use natural resources&#8230;&#8230;.. you might be the natural resource.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

A Watchman said:


> I am going to assume that most Swede's are of a not prepared mindset. So your coast line and hunting regions are going to get pretty crowded very quickly, not to mention the game being over pursued.
> 
> You will not be the first to come up with this idea, assuming you have some stores and plan on using them first. By the time you head out to use natural resources&#8230;&#8230;.. you might be the natural resource.


No, most swedes are not preppers, even if it is growing my guess is that it is less common here then at your place.

All of sweden is a hunting region, exept for in the city centers, but there one can usually fish, most city centers have rivers/sea/whatever. But of course, city centers are not places to be after SHTF for lots of reasons. Everywere we have forests, and if one knows how to, there are things to eat there among wild plants, unless it is winter.

But everything depends.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

I'm prepped to fish in the Gulf of Mexico or even leave the United States via the Gulf of Mexico. I have food stores on the boat and a plan in place.

Plenty of protein in the Gulf to eat on my way out of here, from birds to fish. 

If I'm bugging in and the Gulf isn't destroyed I can still fish it for protein. Can't rely just on that......two is one and one is none. That's why I back that up with stored food. 

Living on the coast gives you options.


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## Swedishsocialist (Jan 16, 2015)

Operator6 said:


> I'm prepped to fish in the Gulf of Mexico or even leave the United States via the Gulf of Mexico. I have food stores on the boat and a plan in place.
> 
> Plenty of protein in the Gulf to eat on my way out of here, from birds to fish.
> 
> ...


And tsunamis.


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

Swedishsocialist said:


> And tsunamis.


No places is without a downside. We also have hurricanes too.


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## TacticalCanuck (Aug 5, 2014)

When I think SHTF I don't think the road or the end of all life. I think more in terms of war and the breakdown and rebuild. If there are 2 people there will be a society. 

My preps are designed to keep my family healthy and living above the poverty line. 

If we see anything in the next few years it will be war. And a global war. I also see the cost of food rising so high that nice to haves go the way of the dodo and to be eating healthy it is going to take on the bulk of your living expenses. The cost of food now is starting on this trend and the prices never go down after whatever cockamamie scheme the price was falsely inflated to passes. 

Soon vacations and owning your own music studio or having more than one computer in your home will be for the rich only. The average worker will be no better than the very poor are now just with the ability to eat well and stay dry and get to work on time. 

We will be taxed and prices will be inflated so high that in our daily struggles we will be grateful any break at all. Like having our debts forgiven if we move to global unified currency and start the financial system over from scratch. Only, if our system fails who is saving it, since we are all part of the same one? 

The controllers of this new financial system will run the planet. And that's exactly what the aim is, after a good population reduction and the removal of citizens ability to fight back. In this regard the US people who value freedom will be the last line. 

Only, if they win, what sanctions and restrictions will be put on those who were unable to fight? And what type of possible tyranny could that lead to?

We live in a twisted and sick world, because humans with all their greed and selfishness and desire to control are running the show. 

Peace and open-mindedness are being wrung out of us like the last drops of pure water from a canteen. We are being set against ourselves more and more. The next time a headline fills you with hate, just remember who printed it, how they present it and what the end game for these devious liars really is.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

AquaHull said:


> Or how long will the untrained folk last in the woods, when the trained locals get upset with outsiders taking what they think is their game/food ?


Country, Suburbia, City, or mobile people trying to bug out..... it doesn't matter. Should the available and dependable supply of resources become outnumbered by the consumers. Shit Hath Hit The Fan.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

AquaHull said:


> Your User Name implies a theme


People who are serious investors will recognize my handle as someone who is in the market and an investment style I have used in the past. That's how I pay for preps.

I prep but I try to be realistic in my preps. I started slow and slowly over years grew my preps without breaking the bank. Along the way I learned better ways and items to add to my preps such as the fact that some long term storage foods taste terrible unless you have a lot of time, spices, and heat to cook them, a lesson that won't be learned by someone who rushes out and gets a year's worth of food only to discover that they should have made some different choices in what they bought.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

MRE's, prepackaged foods are a buffer. They are a quick fix. The shorter term bad weather ect . They are not the long term answer. They one would run you broke and two you could never store enough. MRE's are not cheap but when you need it now or on the go they sure do work. I am glad the MRE rack is full if it is needed. They are also what is in every vehicle here for winter emergences.
In the early stages of any disaster prepackaged food saves time for other thing we may need to focus on. once settled in. Day today operation would clearly need to move away from them.
Same as what Army does when they move in. Live out of the ruck , take up space set out security, move on with mission, set up house keeping a natural flow. Securty, food water, sanitation and keep improving them all.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Many of what used to be C-rations (like pork and beans, corned beef hash and beef stew) are still around and good fairly inexpensive (but not light) alternative to MRE's. Just make sure you stock up on things like katsup, mustard, salt and pepper and hot sauce.


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## A Watchman (Sep 14, 2015)

You have it spot on Smitty ...... I have stores of ample supplies of short term, mobile MRE's and long term food preps.

Is it enough or come with a guarantee? Absolutely not but I am satisfied I have prepared as best my abilities will allow.


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## Maine-Marine (Mar 7, 2014)

FoolAmI said:


> People who are serious investors will recognize my handle as someone who is in the market and an investment style I have used in the past. That's how I pay for preps.
> 
> The Japanese mutual fund shares I purchased last Friday already went up 5.2% and the US stocks I purchased Friday are up 4.5%. These are long term holds for me but it's nice to see them get off to a good start.
> 
> I prep but I try to be realistic in my preps. I started slow and slowly over years grew my preps without breaking the bank. Along the way I learned better ways and items to add to my preps such as the fact that some long term storage foods taste terrible unless you have a lot of time, spices, and heat to cook them, a lesson that won't be learned by someone who rushes out and gets a year's worth of food only to discover that they should have made some different choices in what they bought.


are your friends RUSHING out to buy a year of food??? you seem to be STUCK on this instant need for 1 year of food


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## Operator6 (Oct 29, 2015)

Maine-Marine said:


> are your friends RUSHING out to buy a year of food??? you seem to be STUCK on this instant need for 1 year of food


If you believe you need a year supply of food then why beat around the bush, go get a years worth if you have the storage space and the funds.

Might not be a tomorrow......


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

Maine-Marine said:


> are your friends RUSHING out to buy a year of food??? you seem to be STUCK on this instant need for 1 year of food


No, Over several years I've built up to a solid 8 months at 2100 calories a day for 4 people. Some is tasty and easy to prepare, some freeze dried canned vegetables, and some is just bulk grains I put in 5 gal containers along with spices and other needed cooking items like yeast. In addition there is plenty of meat on the hoof around here and crop fields.


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

Swedishsocialist said:


> I might add that people also look into how much food that is a minimum for a person/day and try to live on that for a while, just to try it out. A human can get by on suprisling little food when laying low. But laying low also means lots of time to think, think about how hungry you are and how good the food you have tastes. That goes for your familiy to.
> 
> And always remeber to eat from the stored food, first in - first out. check those experation dates. And dont look fat while every one else is starving.


A couple times a year I will declare "ration weekend." This is where we cook without a house stove/oven and eat the minimum servings of food. My kids hate it but I remind them that one day this may become our reality.

As far as not looking fat while everyone else is starving... I recently lost weight and kept some my fat clothing thinking that if SHTF I might pull out a few baggy outfits to make it look like I am suffering along with the masses.


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## Jp4GA (Jan 21, 2016)

We have done rice and beans and more rice and beans. We have about 6 months of rice and beans for the family of four. We also have done canned goods as they go on sale to add a little variety in the mix. Soups, chill, meats. Most of these have a 3 or more year shelf life. We keep a spreadsheet of what we have and expiration dates. We mostly do the spreadsheet because of lack of storage and having stuff put all over the place. When we move (hopefully soon) we will have a better storage system. We currently have about 1 years worth of food, TP, Wipes, and are working on another 6 months. This spring we will expand our garden area, and the new place we are looking for must have more garden space than we currently have. We live near the woods so there wildlife, but in our populated area we don't expect it to last long. We work each week to try to prep a few more meals. We look at ammo and other things every month or so and buy what we can when we can

I try to be covert in prepping and not draw attention to myself. If I buy 100 pounds of rice all at one time I am going to get looks and questions that could lead to others figuring out what we are doing.


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Jp4GA said:


> I try to be covert in prepping and not draw attention to myself. If I buy 100 pounds of rice all at one time I am going to get looks and questions that could lead to others figuring out what we are doing.


If you go to an oriental market, you can get 20 or 30 pound bags all day an no one is going to notice. A ****** in and amoung them yeah you'll stick out but 100 lbs of rice and no sweat


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Actually if you don't mind pepper spiced cabbage or turnips, you can pick up a six month supply and store it out doors (in cold weather) and the fermentation only makes it taste better. Good in stir fry, eaten as a side dish or made into soups.


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