Food Storage Calculator

[karlsgunbunker]

How much do you need to store?

Food Storage Calculator

 

[Prometheus]

I haven't seen this in awhile. It's eye opening to someone thinking about preparedness for the first time.

To any newbies seeing it for the first time. You can be well on your way by starting with some of the cheaper basics like rice and pasta. Don't get overwhelmed. 50 pounds of rice is under 20 dollars.

 

[colt45er]

I am new to all of this, but the water seems to be on the light side....for my family 2 adults 2 kids, it says only 56 gal of water and 4 gal of bleach.

Does this seem like not enough to anyone else?

 

[indyjoe]

I am new to all of this, but the water seems to be on the light side....for my family 2 adults 2 kids, it says only 56 gal of water and 4 gal of bleach.

Does this seem like not enough to anyone else?

For 2, 28 gallons of water seems VERY light. I have 40 gallons of water stored and expect it to be a one month supply. (I guess 50 more in the water heater too.)

I wonder if they are just talking the water needed to cook the food?

 

[squarepeg]

That seems to me like an odd list of things you need. I don't have at least half that stuff for normal living. And wouldn't want much of it at anytime. Honestly, what are you going to use molasses, corn syrup, jello, or some of that other stuff for if shtf. What good is shortening used for? Isn't that for baking deserts?

After thinking for a while, I guess the flour, baking powder, and yeast are there to make bread, right? Although I don't know anyone younger than 50 who knows how to bake bread without a bread maker machine.

Also I don't see any meat on the list, do they assume you will catch/hunt for that? Vacuum packed meat lasts a long time. Can you honestly live off of what is listed on there? I guess the Asians eat a lot of rice and they seem to live long, and the Italians live off a lot of pasta. Rice and pasta combined are barely found in 1 meal a week for myself.

 

[indyjoe]

That seems to me like an odd list of things you need. I don't have at least half that stuff for normal living. And wouldn't want much of it at anytime. Honestly, what are you going to use molasses, corn syrup, jello, or some of that other stuff for if shtf. What good is shortening used for? Isn't that for baking deserts?

Shortening is a more stable fat than butter and very useful if you want to make biscuits from the flour. Molasses would be nice to have on flap jacks. Of course cooking them would require a little oil or shortening.

After thinking for a while, I guess the flour, baking powder, and yeast are there to make bread, right? Although I don't know anyone younger than 50 who knows how to bake bread without a bread maker machine.

I'm 32. I've known how to make bread since I was 14. Warm water. Add yeast. Add flour. Maybe some molasses for flavor and to feed the yeast. Add some salt. Work quite a bit to develop the gluten. Let rise. Punch down. Let rise in baking dish. Bake. Voila, bread.

Flour isn't the greatest to store, because it goes bad fairly quickly. Hard Red Winter Wheat can be ground into flour as needed and stores for decades.

Also I don't see any meat on the list, do they assume you will catch/hunt for that? Vacuum packed meat lasts a long time. Can you honestly live off of what is listed on there? I guess the Asians eat a lot of rice and they seem to live long, and the Italians live off a lot of pasta. Rice and pasta combined are barely found in 1 meal a week for myself.

Rice and Beans or Wheat and Beans give you complete proteins that you can live off of. Beans, Rice, and Wheat can store for years and still be viable. Canned or vacuum packed meats get 2 years at the high end. This isn't a "long time" when talking food storage. If you store 1-2 years worth and eat it up while replacing it, then you are good for 1-2 years with meat. The problem is that you cannot eat up as much as you would have to store for an emergency, unless all you eat is your store. (You don't eat at home every meal, do you?) This means some meat will go bad or you will have to donate to a food bank BEFORE it goes bad. If you are fine with this added expense, you can count on meat.

 

[jedi]

You need at least 1 gallon of DRINKING water per person per day if you plan on doing nothing but "living" (aka no physcia activity, just lying on the bed).

Now if you think about your every day use you need more than 1 gallon of water. You cook as well so ideally 5 gallons of water fordrnking and cooking.

Best is 10 gal of water per person perday for all activities (drinking, cooking, washing, etc). So yes the calculator is on the low side for the water.

I would recommend a MIN of 5 gal per person per day but would push for 10+ per person per day. It canbe very expensive and take up a lot of room to store that much water. So do a baseline of 5 gal per person per day for 90 days. Once you hae reached that and have reached your 90 day supplie of food then you can go back and increase the water to the 10 gallon level.

As for the sortening comment. Shortening (aka LARD) is a good replacementfor cooking oil, butter, and margine. You can use it to replace all of those and it keeps for a long, long, long, long time! Elimiate th other fats ad just stick with the lard. Back in the old days before our nation went biggie size (LARD) was used i just about everything to cook. It provided the much needed "fat" that your body needs everyday.

Correct on the flour, backing power, etc.. it is to make bread or biscuits. Since you don't know how to make them without a bread machine (neither do I) I suggest you google online for reciepes and direction on how to make bread/biscuits th old fashion way and do it sometime to learn how to.

The calculator is a good starting point to get you thinking on what you need to store. Make sure you get the basisc even if you have no need for them. Example you may not need jello but if STHF you could trade the jello for something you might need. Better to have things you can trade then not have anything at all!

 

[jedi]

Flour isn't the greatest to store, because it goes bad fairly quickly. Hard Red Winter Wheat can be ground into flour as needed and stores for decades.

what about storing the flour in metal bags seals in buckets? Does it store longer?

Did not know about the Winter Wheat. Thanks!

Rice and Beans or Wheat and Beans give you complete proteins that you can live off of. Beans, Rice, and Wheat can store for years and still be viable. Canned or vacuum packed meats get 2 years at the high end. This isn't a "long time" when talking food storage. If you store 1-2 years worth and eat it up while replacing it, then you are good for 1-2 years.

You can store canned meat forever. Granted after a few years the meat may not look right but so long as the can is not distrubed the meat or any concents will be BIOLOGICAL ok to eat. Taste, texture, and nutrinal contents may vary.

Rotate is key if you are going to store canned meats (tuna, chicken). Get stuff you already eat and rotate as you go along.

 

[indyjoe]

what about storing the flour in metal bags seals in buckets? Does it store longer?

A little, but not much better. Whole Wheat flour goes rancid in a few months. (The better the flour, the quicker.) White flour eliminates the germ (and much of the nutrition) to last longer. Grinding fresh wheat is the best of both worlds.

You can store canned meat forever. Granted after a few years the meat may not look right but so long as the can is not distrubed the meat or any concents will be BIOLOGICAL ok to eat. Taste, texture, and nutrinal contents may vary.

Nutrition takes a nose dive, but you probably won't get sick eating it. Some tuna is now labeled as good for up to 5 years. As with over the counter drugs, most companies are very conservative with exp. dates. Although anything high acid will turn bad.

 

[karlsgunbunker]

I think the israelis calculated 1 gal of Potable Water per person per day.
You can wash clothes with river or pond water.

For Drinking and Cooking 1 gal is a good basis for storage.
More would be better. Water is hard to store, it takes up a lot of space.
I store what i can and keep Bleach and Purifiers/Filters.
We have 3 ponds and a lake within walking distance.

 

[CarmelHP]

I think 1 gal per person per day is a good rule of thumb. Meat, especially home canned in glass with a pressure cooker to obtain high internal heat will last a very long time. All rice and beans is a very dull diet. Make sure you have some flavorings to make the rice go down as the Chinese say. Shortening, or other fats, will be in critically short supply and are an important source of calories and necessary for baking. Canned butter also should last a very long time.

 

[WinChoke]

Manufacturer use by/best if used by "expiration" dates are merely a guideline for quality control. This applies to (believe it or not) perishibles such as milk, eggs, etc. as well. Indiana food law does not require manufacturer "use by" dates for public health reasons, although infant formula may be considered adulterated after the use by date due to potentially degraded nutritional values declared on the label. Date marking for some potentially hazardous ready-to-eat refrigerated foods is required by the food code due to the fact that listeria can grow at temperatures below 41 F, but we're talking long term here. In the event of a long term power outage, refrigerated foods should be prepared and consumed first, followed by frozen foods. Use of a food thermometer (cheap) and a basic understanding of final cook temps for different types of products is advisable, especially due to reduced personal hygiene practices. Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are good to have on hand when conserving water. Canned foods conceivably, as previously stated, may be stored indefinitely and safely consumed. I remember eating 20+ year old C-rats while in the field with no apparent ill effects.

Personally, I have avoided stockpiling foods which are water and energy intensive in regard to preparation. I do not want to resort to cooking over fire if not absolutely necessary. I do not have a fireplace, and Coleman fuel for my stove may eventually run out.

BTW, canned mackeral is a much better buy than tuna. A buck a can (15 oz) at the dollar store.

 

[Ashkelon]

I think 1 gal per person per day is a good rule of thumb. Meat, especially home canned in glass with a pressure cooker to obtain high internal heat will last a very long time. All rice and beans is a very dull diet. Make sure you have some flavorings to make the rice go down as the Chinese say. Shortening, or other fats, will be in critically short supply and are an important source of calories and necessary for baking. Canned butter also should last a very long time.

What he said.....

 

[Chefcook]

That's a lot of food, But not nearly as much as i thought...

 

[Pamcake]

The water storage amount question: That calculator is WAY low.

Other thoughts & comments:

Another use for the shortening: general lubricant for O-rings & the like.
Also, use it for winter dry skin & lips in emergency situations.

A bread issue: try sourdough. It "keeps" for weeks in a ziplock on the countertop without molding due to the acidity. Thus "sour" dough. I keep an active culture in my fridge & renew it ~weekly, but you can always start a new batch fresh at any time. No bread machine in this house!
Honestly, though, if shtf & you don't have electicity you likekly aren't going to be baking. You will be frying over the fire unless you know how to use a cast iron dutch oven in the coals to bake. To fry cornmush or johnnycakes or pancakes/biscuits you need your shortening. I believe that frybreads will become the "bread" de jour in shtf situations.
I would be interested in others' opinions on various "bread" availability if shtf without electricity available...do you think I'm off-based? I'm thinking long bake times in even a non-electric gas or wood oven would not be "worth it" for the fuel used. And don't bake upwind of your enemies or they'll be able to find you pronto - HA-

Partially hydrogenated shortening is the slowest to go rancid. But it's "bad" for you...take your risks vs. usability. BTW, the Red Feather Canned Butter is excellent! I just about couldn't believe it when I opened one up to try. Another souce for fats are the canned bacon products...partially cooked already, just put them in the frypan & start the heat. They exude more bacon fat & you can fry your eggs & pancakes in it YUM!

I say don't get molasses unless you use it & can appreciate it. These lists have been circulating for eons and haven't changed much. They mostly depend on your ability to cook from basic scratch and many people don't know how. One needs to practice at elemental food cooking & grow to like it! for example, I make bulgher wheat frequently for breakfast and we really love it. The old addage "eat what you store and store what you eat" is very true... I've been doing this since 1997 and the items purchased that were not popular eventually get tossed! Waste of money

The Mountain House Freeze-dried entrees are excellent. They are lightweight & just add water(boiling if you can!). they provide nice variety to the food storage & have a "commercial" feel for the picky eaters in your family that you are preparing for. (When was the last time your 14-year-old ate molasses or bulgher wheat?) You can purchase a "years' supply" of Mountain House #10 cans, too.

Adding variety with home-canned meats is a great alternative. I tried canning pork tenderloin, hamburger, & Bob Evans sausage last year. Not bad! And shelf-stable, no freezer required.


Sorry to go on for so long, I just couldn't sit back and be silent on the water issue... then had to submit a few other thoughts!
Anyone else out there doing what I do???

 

[indyjoe]

I do dutch oven backing in the oven now, to keep the steam in and get a good loaf crust. I think this would carry over to coal based baking. I should try that this summer when we have fires to see how well it works.

 

[Prometheus]

IIRC the page that calculator originally came from had a caveat that the water storage numbers were for food prep only. It didn't include drinking, cleaning or bathing.

In any event, it would be basically impossible to store a years worth of water for a family of four. You'd need a 2,000 gallon tank and you'd still be on strict rationing.

 

[Spot Me 2]

Water

Water for cooking, bathing, and cleaning is collected from the sky. It's called rain. You need to have collection units in place. Your house make a great collector. You will need to reroute you gutters to your collection units. (55 gal. drums)

 

[antsi]

That seems to me like an odd list of things you need. I don't have at least half that stuff for normal living. And wouldn't want much of it at anytime. Honestly, what are you going to use molasses, corn syrup, jello, or some of that other stuff for if shtf. What good is shortening used for? Isn't that for baking deserts?

After thinking for a while, I guess the flour, baking powder, and yeast are there to make bread, right? Although I don't know anyone younger than 50 who knows how to bake bread without a bread maker machine.

Also I don't see any meat on the list, do they assume you will catch/hunt for that? Vacuum packed meat lasts a long time. Can you honestly live off of what is listed on there? I guess the Asians eat a lot of rice and they seem to live long, and the Italians live off a lot of pasta. Rice and pasta combined are barely found in 1 meal a week for myself.

This is a trustworthy source.

The ingredients are calculated to be cookable and meet nutritional requirements.

Fat is a nutritional requirement. Shortening is a good way to store fats because it is stable and slow to go rancid compared to other fats.

I know how to make bread. It's not that hard, and if life conditions change people will need to learn a lot of new skills. The LDS preparedness materials are geared to an LDS audience. We tend to be a bit old-fashioned and have skills that not everyone knows these days, like how to grow food and cook things from scratch. Not to say most LDS will have a lot of learning to do, too - everyone will, because that's what adapting to change means.

Re, hunting: Beans + rice + whole grains + fats will provide complete nutrition including the complement of necessary amino acids. Hunting is nice, but I wouldn't count on living that way. When SHTF, folks might not be so keen on sharing their hunting land. There will be a lot of people wanting meat; the forests will be full of people with guns. The deer overpopulation problem would probably be solved in a couple of weeks.

As noted above, the water storage is for cooking only. Drinking, washing, etc., will require more water.

Re; dull diet. These are basic recommendations. People are advised to store spices, flavorings, favorites, etc.

Re; shelf life: One rationale behind this list is that most of the foods will last 30+ years if stored according to recommendations.

 

[Sailor]

Thanks for the Pancake tips Pamcake. I am starting a sourdough starter this week using grapes. What kind of container do you use in the fridge?

The no knead bread recipe would work great in a dutch oven over coals.