Advice?

[LindaS]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to prepping and doing it secretly, as my husband does not believe we need to.

So my question is, for non perishable foods, what kind of foods can I add to my shopping list that works in an emergency situation, but won't stand out when my husband reads my list.

Rice and bean in bags don't work as we never eat those, lol. Sorry just finished reading the rice and bean post.

Linda

 

[Bravery]

Well the old saying is true... Store what you eat and eat what you store. I would just buy more of what you already eat if you can't convince your husband to start prepping.

 

[old_anorak]

Shop the loss leaders, go to Aldi if you have one. I don't buy off the wall things, I just make sure there is plenty of what we do eat. As for the hubs, point out the way food costs are sky rocketing and it's cheaper in the long run to get what's on sale now.

 

[PrepperMommy]

Canned goods. Canned fruit/veggies. Hormel Chili. Ramen! Just look at the non perishables you already have in your pantry and get more

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

Pretty much what has already been listed here. The only thing I would add is the possibility of adding some seeds that you can plant. You can get them dirt cheap (no pun intended) at Wal-Mart and they are small packages so there wouldn't really be an issue for putting them somewhere out of the way. Granted, they aren't going to be helpful right away until you can plant them and grow the food, but in the long term you would be better off.

 

[old_anorak]

You can also get seeds from your local feed and farm stores, generally you buy however much you want. On some of the cheap, cheap packets you can get from Wal Mart or the Dollar Stores, the seeds don't have a really good germination rate. If you know someone that gardens with heirloom varieties, you might ask them if you could purchase or barter for some of the seeds so that you have a true line. With some of the newer varieties, they are hybrids and don't produce the same type of fruit or veg after the first planting, with heirlooms, you get the same thing year after year. Watch where you grow your corn, if you are growing an heirloom variety, try to make sure there are no other corn patches around close because they cross-pollinate like nobodies business.

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

And corn is great for shine! Sorry had to say it. Just because SHTF doesn't mean you should have to be barbaric!!!

But very good point, I didn't even think of the seeds being hybrid. Which brings up a question. The fruits and veggies that you get at the store (not co-ops, or organic places, more like Wal-Mart), I know some people keep the seeds to plant later. Is that really worth it? I mean aren't they hybrids as well?

 

[old_anorak]

Most of them are hybrids, so if you saved the seeds, I have no idea as to what you would end up with. If you're wanting to start saving your own seeds, try a local farmer's market and see who is selling heirloom varieties, then save the seeds from those veggies and fruits. Some vegetables however, don't go to seed until they are past what most people would want to eat, it all depends on what you want to grow. An example; if you want cucumbers, the ones that are best for getting seed from are the ones that are turning yellow on the vine, most people pick them green to eat and only leave them on the vine that long just to get the seeds.

 

[PhoenixPrepping]

Yeah, I haven't done it but I know some people who have. Personally I ordered 75 pds of common veggie seeds that I KNOW are not hybrid and will produce seeds ,heirloom you called them right? I got them stashed away in my bunker in the sealed container they came in.

 

[Kenprep1979]

Hi everyone,
I'm new to prepping and doing it secretly, as my husband does not believe we need to.

So my question is, for non perishable foods, what kind of foods can I add to my shopping list that works in an emergency situation, but won't stand out when my husband reads my list.

Rice and bean in bags don't work as we never eat those, lol. Sorry just finished reading the rice and bean post.

Linda

anything with a 3-4 year shelflife most things will have this somewere on the label. tuna in foil packs is one thing i keep stocked ,any dry pasta's, anything that is pickled if unopened has a very long shelflife, protein bars are good for emergencies there is alot more but id be sitting here half the night .

 

[jimLE]

You can also get seeds from your local feed and farm stores, generally you buy however much you want. On some of the cheap, cheap packets you can get from Wal Mart or the Dollar Stores, the seeds don't have a really good germination rate. If you know someone that gardens with heirloom varieties, you might ask them if you could purchase or barter for some of the seeds so that you have a true line. With some of the newer varieties, they are hybrids and don't produce the same type of fruit or veg after the first planting, with heirlooms, you get the same thing year after year. Watch where you grow your corn, if you are growing an heirloom variety, try to make sure there are no other corn patches around close because they cross-pollinate like nobodies business.

i had forgotton about cross breeding..

 

[jimLE]

one thing we haven't taken in consideration here..that is,getting husband on board.take the year round weather conditions into consideration.like right now.it's winter time..whats the chances of getting snowed in for 3 to 7 days? if not longer? no power from power lines comeing down from to much ice? no water from frozen water lines?tree's come down and land across your only way out of there?what will yall do then when the food and other things run out?

 

[Gazrok]

Dry pasta, mashed potato flakes, canned goods. Buy them on sale and use that excuse. Most preppers are also master coupon shoppers. When I shop for 5, if I don't save at least $100 on my weekly trip, I've really screwed up somewhere (usually it is much, much more).

Having bottled water stored is just good sense if there is a power outage (whether through snow, or some other cause).

 

[getnready]

Welcome LindaS, my husband was like yours at first! It seemed a slow process to get him on board because he did not want to be deemed fanatical. Explain to him that it is both your obligations to ensure your famiy is taken care. Ask him if he remembers what happened to people when Katrina and Sandy hit. How would he feel if a disaster occured and he could have prepared his family to take care of themselves and not end up in a FEMA line. Once I started giving my husband responsibility for things I knew he liked to do he didnt see it as prepping, ie; inventory of weapons, ammo, camping gear, evacuation and rondevioux plan. Oh, I read the book Patriots to him and then he was on board! Hope it works out for you.