Food Storage

• 32 Long Shelf Life Foods to Keep In Your Pantry

  Long shelf life foods are pantry staples. Keep these on hand for years (or even decades!).

  Don’t you just hate reaching into the cupboard and realizing that box of cake mix has expired or your favorite snack is past its prime? Certain pantry items just don’t seem to last as long as we like. However, there are plenty of long shelf life foods perfect for filling your cupboards. Foods like these are great to have on hand for everyday cooking, of course, but also times when you just can’t get out of the house.

  Many foods with long shelf lives are the basics—think rice, grains and salt—but others can last for a long time because they’re dried or canned. These techniques can extend the usefulness of all kinds of foods.

• Essential Food Storage for Long-Term Sea Adventures

  Exploring the sea is an incredible experience for any adventurer. Whether you’re sailing around the world or taking a weekend away in your boat, food storage can make all the difference in the success of the voyage. With the right knowledge and equipment, you’ll have delicious, nutritious meals to fuel your journey—whether for the short-term or long-term.

  Find the Right Boat Fridge

  When it comes to food storage, you need a boat fridge. This specialized freezer or fridge, usually vinyl-coated aluminum or stainless steel, is designed to resist corrosion in salty or damp environment. Most boat fridges are either compressor-based or thermoelectric cooling systems, and usually come in either top-opening, upright models, or front-opening, chest-style models.

  Top-opening fridges provide more storage capacity than chest style models, while chest style models have less temperature fluctuation and use far less energy. These fridges also highly efficient and require far less energy consumption due to direct cooling systems that run with little fan noise.

• Essential Survival Skills for a Collapse: Beyond Guns and Self-Defense

  When we imagine a world thrown into chaos by an economic collapse or social anarchy, it’s tempting to think that guns and self-defense would be the most important tools for survival. However, history, particularly the experience of the Great Depression, teaches us that while security is important, the skills needed to survive—and even thrive—are much broader. Practical, everyday survival skills, such as cooking, sewing, and agriculture, were essential in the 1930s, and would be just as valuable today in the event of a societal breakdown.

  In this article, we’ll explore the most important skills you would need to sustain yourself and your community if modern conveniences disappeared.

• Freeze-Dried Food on the Go: Tips for Preppers

  Nowadays, there is an ever-increasing demand for convenience and survivability, with prepping for any eventuality becoming a growing trend among people of all backgrounds. Freeze-dried food offers a great way of ensuring that you’re ready for anything, and that you’ll never go hungry in an emergency. When stocking up for a disaster or other emergency, there are several benefits to consider when it comes to freeze-dried food as opposed to other options like MREs. First and foremost, you can be sure that the food you’ve stored up will be incredibly light and compact, making it much easier to transport and store in a pinch. In addition, freeze-dried food does not require cold storage outside of its sealed packaging, meaning you don’t need to worry about perishable items spoiling or even taking up valuable space in a single refrigerator or deep freeze. Finally, freeze-dried food can last up to 25 years in its sealed packaging, giving you the peace of mind of knowing you’re covered for long-term survival periods.

• Low Cost Food Storage Ideas for New Preppers. Here’s How To Do It Yourself and Save!

  Guest article by Ben W

  In today’s economic climate, finances are a major concern for everyone, but doubly so for the prepper or survivalist. Not only are we trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy in our everyday lives, we are also attempting to put together a “kit” for another lifestyle altogether, a kit that will keep us alive when everything falls apart.

  Generally, the first items purchased by a prepper are foodstuffs, and these preps can be made slowly and relatively inexpensively, over a long period of time, or one can bite the bullet and spend a fortune to “prep” quickly, and in today’s socio-economic climate, quickly is the byword.

  This usually involves purchasing ready made and assembled food packs from some company offering a 5-gallon survival pail sufficient to feed you for anywhere from 3 weeks to six months, or by buying surplus MRE’s. Both of these are good options, but you are paying for convenience and there is a better and much less expensive option.

  Having been a long time prepper, 25+ years, I was into long term food storage at a time when options were few: Foods packaged for campers, very expensive, and MRE’s, always surplus and also fairly expensive.

• Prepping on a Budget: Tips for Economical Disaster Preparedness

  In today’s uncertain world, being prepared is crucial, especially when it comes to disasters and emergencies. Whether you're a seasoned prepper or just beginning your journey toward disaster readiness, the cost of supplies can sometimes be prohibitive. However, with careful planning and strategic budgeting, you can significantly reduce expenses while still ensuring that you have the necessary resources for survival. This article provides practical tips for prepping on a budget, helping you to create a robust emergency kit without breaking the bank.

  Assess Your Needs

  The first step in any preparedness plan is assessing your specific needs. What are the essentials? For most people, this includes water, food, medical supplies, and basic shelter items. Start by listing these essential items based on your family size and health requirements. This will help you focus your efforts and avoid unnecessary expenditures.

  • Water: Look for large bottles or jugs that come at a reduced price per liter.
  • Canned Goods: Dried beans, pasta, rice, tuna, and other non-perishable foods are great choices. Always check the expiration date to ensure you're not buying expired items.
  • Dried Fruits and Nuts: These can be added to your diet as a healthy snack or used in recipes.

  Buy in Bulk

  One of the most effective ways to save money while prepping is by buying essential items in bulk. Many stores offer discounts when purchasing larger quantities, and over time, these savings can add up significantly. Additionally, buying in bulk allows you to reduce packaging waste, which is environmentally friendly and cost-effective.

  Grow Your Own Food

  If you have the space and time, growing your own food is one of the best ways to reduce costs while increasing self-sufficiency. Start by selecting easy-to-grow vegetables that are nutritious and require minimal resources.

  • Tomatoes: These require full sun but produce large yields.
  • Carrots: They grow well in containers and provide high nutritional value.
  • Leafy Greens (Spinach, Lettuce): These plants grow quickly and can be harvested multiple times per season.

  Utilize Free Resources

  There are numerous free resources available that can help you save money on your prepping journey:

  • Community Gardens: Check if there's an existing community garden in your area. Many local governments sponsor these as a way to encourage sustainable living.
  • Food Banks: Many communities have food banks where you can obtain non-perishable items for free.
  • Homesteading Forums and Websites: These platforms often offer tips on how to reduce expenses while building up your survival skills.

  DIY Projects

  Making use of DIY projects is another great way to stretch your budget further. There are countless tutorials available online for crafting everything from water storage tanks to solar-powered lights. Not only does this help you save money, but it also gives you the satisfaction of creating something yourself.

  • Water Storage Tanks: You can convert empty plastic jugs into makeshift containers by drilling holes and attaching spigots.
  • Emergency Lighting: Make use of inexpensive LED bulbs that last longer than traditional incandescent ones. You can even build your own emergency flashlights out of simple components.

  Practice Smart Shopping

  Even when you're buying supplies, there are ways to cut costs:

  • Shop Seasonally: Buy fruits and vegetables at their peak season when they’re cheaper and fresher.
  • Compare Prices: Always check for deals or coupons before making a purchase.
  • Use Multiple Suppliers: Sometimes local suppliers will offer better prices than large retailers.

  Educate Yourself

  Knowledge is one of the greatest tools you can have as a prepper. Attend workshops, read books, and participate in online forums to learn about various aspects of preparedness. Many resources are free or low-cost, so take advantage of any opportunity available. Understanding how different systems work—whether it's water filtration methods or building shelters—can also help you make informed decisions that could save money.

  Build Long-Term Relationships

  Building relationships within your community can be incredibly beneficial for prepping purposes. By joining groups focused on survival skills, sharing resources becomes much easier and more efficient. Whether it's trading seeds with neighbors during a gardening exchange or pooling together to buy large quantities of food at once, working together reduces overall costs.

• Sailboat Pantry: Maximizing Stored Foods for Long-Term Bug-Out Sailboat Prep

  Introduction

  Bug-out sailboat prep is a way to be prepared for any emergency scenarios that might arise. Every boat owner should have enough food and water stored on their vessel to sustain them if needed. But long-term boat storage presents a unique challenge — how can you maintain a good store of non-perishable food items for extended periods that won’t spoil or take up too much space? The key is to make use of the sailboat pantry.

  In this article, we’ll explore the concept of a sailboat pantry and its importance in long-term bug-out boat prepping. We’ll look at the types of food to store, long-term food storage techniques, and how to maximize the amount of food stored in limited space. Read on to get the scoop on sailboat food storage and see how you can be ready to go in case of emergencies.

  Importance of Storing Food on a Boat

  Having enough food on board is one of the most important things to prepare for emergencies. Not only can you keep yourself and your crew nourished and fueled, but you can ensure the safety of your boat and prevent any fires or explosions. On a bug-out boat, food storage can also make it easier to get out of a dangerous situation quickly and with minimal resources.

• Using An Oven As A Food Dehydrator

  Dehydration and Why It's Useful

  Dehydration is the process of removing water from food to extend its shelf life and preserve its nutrients. Water is an essential ingredient for the growth of microorganisms that cause spoilage, so by removing it from food, we can prevent bacterial growth and spoilage. Dehydrating food also makes it more portable and convenient for storage and transport.

  Dehydration is useful because it allows you to store food for longer periods of time without the need for refrigeration or freezing. This is particularly useful for outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, and campers who need lightweight, non-perishable food options. Additionally, dehydrated food is a great option for emergency preparedness kits or for those who live in areas prone to natural disasters where power outages can disrupt the food supply chain.

  In addition to the practical benefits, dehydrated foods are also packed with nutrients. The dehydration process preserves the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes in food, making it a healthy and nutritious option. Dehydrated fruits and vegetables, for example, are rich in fiber, antioxidants, and other essential nutrients.

  Overall, dehydration is a useful and practical way to preserve food while maintaining its nutritional value, making it an increasingly popular choice for home cooks and outdoor enthusiasts alike.