How does your food supply rate?

[VenomJockey]

Does your food stash contain all the micro/macro nutrients necessary for good health and to sustain body weight?

https://www.askaprepper.com/what-really-happens-if-you-eat-a-bucket-of-survival-food-when-shtf/

 

[jontte]

I've at least tried to vary as much as possible,would something happen now,it would be somewhat easy to get proteins and vitamins from the nature,
if it happens in wintertime, different ball game totally

 

[KateMTx]

This is something I need to work on. My current stash is definitely lacking, TBH. I always imagine raising a garden after SHTF, but of course I know that will actually take a while to produce and depend on time of year. I need to put this issue higher on my preps review list.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Mine should be good. I have a good mix of freeze dried, commercially canned, only about 30 quarts of home canned jars and 17 buckets of dried food. I have thousands of garden seeds and lots of seeds for sprouts. Many acres of land to forage and hunt.

 

[Mountain trapper]

I'm good on food "on the hoof", and have a very productive garden and orchard. Plus wild game is very abundant on my property and the surrounding national forest. However, I'm lacking in long term food storage and the ability to can our own food. Once the house is completed we'll be able to start canning and preserving our food.
Right now we have about 6 months worth of canned, dried and frozen foods.

 

[Brent S]

I think for most of us, probably not Arctic or Maverick, hunting and fishing will be wiped out very early on. With no Walmart to go to people will kill every animal in site within 6 months. We have a 5 acre pond near here that was great for fishing, usually catch at least 6 fish an hour. One guy fished it every day for a month, keeping all the fish he caught and not releasing any. The last time I went I didn’t even get a bite. If one guy can do that just think what a hundred could do. Even small birds and squirrels would be thinned out in short order. Gardening is great, but with the learning curve, the soil preparation, and the hit or miss with each changing season on what will produce it’s not going to be your staple, but rather a suppliment to your food at best if you’re not allready doing it each year. When I talk about prepping with new people I always suggest to think about the basics, which start with water and then food. Since food is so hig on the list, I think having a good storage of it should be high on everyone’s list, but having a plan to suppliment and replace your supply is even more important.

 

[Maverick]

Hopefully a solution will be in play before everything gets wiped out, I'm under no illusion, it wouldn't take much for me to start worrying, I can go 1 year without a garden, butchering, hunting, fishing and foraging and without taking water from the land, in reality 1 year isn't very long. Everything is setup according to the plan thus my achilles heel, mother nature and human nature will always be the red herring of any plan.

 

[Dani]

We are set pretty good here right now. With all that has been involved with granny care, I have had to unfortunately let my garden go for now, but even then I have plenty preserved . . . Home canned, dried, freeze dried and in the freezer. We would have no problem living on that until the garden started to produce again. We also have the woods on and around the property to forage in even in winter months since we hardly ever have a very cold winter.

 

[JackDW]

As others have stated, that is my weak point. It all depends upon timing. I stock up and have plenty but gradually use it up and not restock for a while and then realize how low my supply has become, so time to stock up again. I really need to set aside some strictly for emergency. One thing I started doing this year is buying seeds and putting them back. I realize they do have a "shelf life" which is why I am buying so many expecting only partial germination.

 

[Dani]

As others have stated, that is my weak point. It all depends upon timing. I stock up and have plenty but gradually use it up and not restock for a while and then realize how low my supply has become, so time to stock up again. I really need to set aside some strictly for emergency. One thing I started doing this year is buying seeds and putting them back. I realize they do have a "shelf life" which is why I am buying so many expecting only partial germination.

Store them in Mylar bags in the freezer to prolong your seeds germination. Even if you don't have the Mylar bags, still store in the freezer.

 

[VenomJockey]

Store them in Mylar bags in the freezer to prolong your seeds germination. Even if you don't have the Mylar bags, still store in the freezer.

You want something like this.....https://www.foodsaver.com/vacuum-se...---certified-refurbished/2087356.html#start=5

They are available from around $35 and up from a variety of sources...Wally World, Amazon, Foodsaver, etc. Very good to have!

 

[Brent S]

One thing I’ve thought about is sure, I have a years worth of food and supplies saved up, great. Then I thought about that’s for me and my wife. I could even help my son and his wife some. The problem comes when others start to show up. Sure it’s easy to say you wouldn’t help total strangers, but what about extended family, friends etc. None of us know how shtf or even a major disaster will exactly play out. My advice is figure out how much you think you need and then double it, maybe even more.

 

[Kevin L]

I think for most of us, probably not Arctic or Maverick, hunting and fishing will be wiped out very early on. With no Walmart to go to people will kill every animal in site within 6 months. We have a 5 acre pond near here that was great for fishing, usually catch at least 6 fish an hour. One guy fished it every day for a month, keeping all the fish he caught and not releasing any. The last time I went I didn’t even get a bite. If one guy can do that just think what a hundred could do. Even small birds and squirrels would be thinned out in short order. Gardening is great, but with the learning curve, the soil preparation, and the hit or miss with each changing season on what will produce it’s not going to be your staple, but rather a suppliment to your food at best if you’re not allready doing it each year. When I talk about prepping with new people I always suggest to think about the basics, which start with water and then food. Since food is so hig on the list, I think having a good storage of it should be high on everyone’s list, but having a plan to suppliment and replace your supply is even more important.

I agree with 99% of what you said.

I live in south Florida, but may soon be moving to Ocala near a national forest.

I believe in retreating into the boondocks (as a last resort) because I can cope with the mosquitoes, alligators, bears, wild pigs, water moccasins, eastern diamondback rattlesnakes, and so on. Such things don't bother me a bit, but they will bother people who try to invade "my" realm.

I have personally identified over fifteen edible plants in the area, including ones that are poisonous unless they're prepared properly (taro falls into this category).

I and my other half will probably lead a covert, unobtrusive, "grey man" existence until things get better.....either on their own or with my participation.

 

[Dani]

You want something like this.....https://www.foodsaver.com/vacuum-se...---certified-refurbished/2087356.html#start=5

They are available from around $35 and up from a variety of sources...Wally World, Amazon, Foodsaver, etc. Very good to have!

I have the food saver and it is used often when freezing items and for me is a great way to store whatever in the freezer.

 

[Kevin L]

I have the food saver and it is used often when freezing items and for me is a great way to store whatever in the freezer.

I use my vacuum food saver to seal up gun magazines, gun parts, and springs.

 

[user 7704]

This makes the 2nd year that i have not been able to do much canning. Just shows how we always need extra reserves.

 

[Kevin L]

I want to stockpile more food, but my other half put her foot down, as she can't stand clutter and "stuff".

I have some canned food, and about 200 lbs. of sealed grains and beans (rice, quinoa, pinto beans, kidney beans, and soy beans) in mylar bags and restaurant buckets.

She doesn't want me to stash more water, but I have a Kadadyn filter that's supposedly good for up to 13,000 gallons with proper maintenence.

 

[Brent S]

I want to stockpile more food, but my other half put her foot down, as she can't stand clutter and "stuff".

I have some canned food, and about 200 lbs. of sealed grains and beans (rice, quinoa, pinto beans, kidney beans, and soy beans) in mylar bags and restaurant buckets.

She doesn't want me to stash more water, but I have a Kadadyn filter that's supposedly good for up to 13,000 gallons with proper maintenence.

Get a second filter as a backup and scout water sources nearby. I’ve started liking the #10 cans of freeze dried foods. They stack nicely, have a lot of meals in a compact space, and won’t go bad in your lifetime. No rotation or expirations to worry about. They are pricey compared to canned goods but you can build a good supply a little at a time. Walmart.com and amazon have sales all the time, and free shipping.

 

[Kevin L]

Get a second filter as a backup and scout water sources nearby. I’ve started liking the #10 cans of freeze dried foods. They stack nicely, have a lot of meals in a compact space, and won’t go bad in your lifetime. No rotation or expirations to worry about. They are pricey compared to canned goods but you can build a good supply a little at a time. Walmart.com and amazon have sales all the time, and free shipping.

Thank you.

 

[KateMTx]

I want to stockpile more food, but my other half put her foot down, as she can't stand clutter and "stuff".

I have some canned food, and about 200 lbs. of sealed grains and beans (rice, quinoa, pinto beans, kidney beans, and soy beans) in mylar bags and restaurant buckets.

She doesn't want me to stash more water, but I have a Kadadyn filter that's supposedly good for up to 13,000 gallons with proper maintenence.

I don't like clutter either but I don't consider legitimate preps to be in that category.

 

[Kevin L]

I don't like clutter either but I don't consider legitimate preps to be in that category.

In fairness to my girlfriend, we really do have a tiny place. It's half of a duplex, with maybe 1100 square feet or so.

 

[KateMTx]

In fairness to my girlfriend, we really do have a tiny place. It's half of a duplex, with maybe 1100 square feet or so.

Maybe a nearby storage complex could come in handy, if available. Close enough to reach reasonably easily after SHTF. That's what I plan to do if (when?) I run out of space in my apartment. There's one less than a mile away, and I'll just rent a storage locker for additional supplies. When things start to go bad, I'll put my immediate plans in motion which will include recovering supplies. It's the best plan I've been able to come up with under my current circumstances.

 

[Kevin L]

Maybe a nearby storage complex could come in handy, if available. Close enough to reach reasonably easily after SHTF. That's what I plan to do if (when?) I run out of space in my apartment. There's one less than a mile away, and I'll just rent a storage locker for additional supplies. When things start to go bad, I'll put my immediate plans in motion which will include recovering supplies. It's the best plan I've been able to come up with under my current circumstances.

That sounds like it would work, if you have 24 hr access.

 

[KateMTx]

That sounds like it would work, if you have 24 hr access.

After SHTF I'll hop the damn fence if need be.

 

[Mountain trapper]

In fairness to my girlfriend, we really do have a tiny place. It's half of a duplex, with maybe 1100 square feet or so.

That's tiny? My cabin is 370 square feet. But then I have a large barn, shop, several out buildings and 2 12×20 storage units in town. Oh, and my dad's garage is filled with stuff too. And it's still not enough space.