LONG TERM FOOD STORAGE + TRAVEL

[Texjbird]

Prepping is what people have been doing for thousands of years so they could survive through the non-producing times.

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I agree with you 100% 
 I figure if someone wants to identify themselves as a "prepper" that's fine and dandy with me.
It seems to me that some folk think others are nutz because they are concerned about emergencies and want to be some what prepared for them at "WHAT EVER  LEVEL" they feel neccesary.

I have a neighbor that has all of her groceries on 2 shelves in 2 of our small kitchen cabinets.  I have more than that on my kitchen table waiting to be rotated into my shelves.

She's on $69mo food stamps and will not receive any more until March if then.  I've been doing a lot of her shopping because she can barely walk with a walker.   By using BOGO + coupons I always save $$$ at the store.  Sometimes I pay less cash than the amount I've saved.   I've tried to encourage  her to buy at 2 @ 1/2 price and she seldom agrees.

 I have picked up 14pks of Winstons for her so far this month, she has picked up others.  Any adult can smoke as far as I'm concerned, it's their business.  I stopped when I was 21ys old.  I just don't understand why someone will put off buying food in case they need more cigarettes.  I really care about my neighbor.   I don't intend for her to go without while I live here. She knows and worries about the fact that one of these months I'll be leaving....I Hope.  Still I worry about her.

I don't consider myself a prepper or a hoarder or many of the other things   I've been called in my life.  I'm just me.

Jewell Ann

[rvpopeye]

It's like underwear .................
Everybody needs to have just what makes them feel comfortable.

[RoamerRV428]

yup, panties is a good comparison on that popeye


my mom quit smoking at 77 yrs old. She is now 91 in March. Depending on your friend, her appetite could be very very low as is my moms and my mom doesn't ever want to 'stack up anything' at her age. you get my drift, some think like that the older, more frail they get.

[TrainChaser]

Prepping used to be called 'putting food by'.

[Nana]

More shelf life foods

Dried Beans list to stock up on:-
Aduki beans
Black beans
Black eyed peas
Butter beans
Caneloni beans
Edamame (soy beans)
Fava beans
Garbanzo beans
Green beans
Kidney beans
Lima beans
Lentils
Navy beans
Pinto beans
Red beans
White beans

(While many preppers stock beans, they often don't know that beans may be ground into flour for baking breads, biscuits and cookies, making them ideally versatile and useful to preppers.)

Dried corn and popcorn.
Consider stocking popcorn kernels and dried corn in the prepper's pantry.

Popcorn.  (is among one of the foods with the best shelf life) Did you know you can turn popcorn into cornmeal?  Did you know corn is a vegetable when it's fresh, but when dried it's considered a grain? Technically popcorn is a grain too! Popcorn is extremely versatile as you can pop it or grind it into cornmeal. Cornmeal just can last as long as dried corn.

Dried and freeze-dried meats.
Meat is the best protein source for preppers, and while it's available in cans, you will get a much longer shelf life from freeze dried meats. Legacy Foods freeze dried chicken dices, right come in a Mylar bag. Pack this into your bugout bag for maximum protein in the smallest possible space.

Beef jerky was an American pioneer staple. Don't overlook cured meats like Salami, which can have a long shelf life as well.

Legumes (lentils and peas).
Lentils  have an almost indefinite shelf life! The longest lasting lentils are whole, not cracked. Because of their size they are quicker to cook than pinto beans. They are an excellent source of fiber! Dried Peas, another popular legume, is often overlooked by preppers, dried peas have an incredibly long shelf life like other legumes. Split peas have a 4-5 year shelf life on their own and you can increase the shelf life to 25-years or more by packaging in mylar with oxygen absorbers.

Oats.
Oats continue to go under appreciated in the world of prepping, but peppers will find many reasons to hoard oats once they get started preparing them. Oat groats are the whole grain. They take longer to cook, but they can last upwards of 30 years in your food storage. What's more, Oats are highly nutritious and versatile. During the Great Depression, homemakers used oats to extend meats and casseroles.

Pasta.
Italians have long stored dried pasta to get them through lean times, but did you know pasta has a legacy dating back hundreds of years to the Chinese and possibly beyond to Jerusalem? Rice flour was made into dumplings in China, but this kind of pasta is perishable, unlike Italian semolina pasta.

Durum wheat semolina isn’t overly absorbent, which is probably why it's such a durable food (and credit given to the Italians) Indeed, durum wheat pasta has a long shelf-life; however, the egg noodle variety is much lower at 5-8 years under proper conditions (dry canned with oxygen absorbers). While other pastas have a much longer life, extending 25-30 years under proper conditions.

Dried fruits, such as raisins, apricots, apples.
Dried fruits are always good to stockpile for variety.  Raisins are an ancient prepper food and an excellent source of energy. They are an ideal prepper food because they "don’t spoil, bruise, or need refrigeration," according to SunMaid, America's favorite brand of raisins. The pioneers dried apples.

Cane sugar.
Sugar is both a condiment and a food. Sugar lasts indefinitely if stored properly, and has a variety of uses in prepping.

Wheat berries.
Wheat is a prepper staple because of its long shelf life. Once, you've ground your hard red wheat into flour, the shelf life decreases. With hard red wheat, you can make breads, cakes, pasta and so much more.

Want to know more shelf stable foods?

Foods with a long shelf life
On the topic of shelf life of the foods in your pantry, there's much to know. Generally, here are some things to look for. Foods with the best shelf life include:

Canned foods.
Canned foods generally will have a one to three year shelf life, depending on where in the cycle you purchased the product. These are the manufacturer's suggested dates based on maintaining the integrity of the food. Beyond the date printed, food may be mushy or otherwise loose texture. Though the canned foods may still be edible, the manufacturer does not guarantee quality. Food will really only go bad when the can has been dented, punctured, corroded, or exposed to extreme  heat or cold. In such cases, botulism may set in.

MRES: When many preppers think of shelf stable, non perishable foods, Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) often come to mind. MREs were developed for military convenience. They include everything a solider needs to eat (no chef required).

Freeze dried foods. There are many brands of freeze dried foods, including:
Auguson Farms
Legacy Foods
Honeyville Farms
Mountain House - scientifically proven to last 25 years
Saratoga Farms

Dehydrated foods.
Dehydrated food in grocery stores often are found in and around the bulk food bins. Ordering shelf-stable food that can store for 25-30 years is an admirable
goal, accomplished best when stored in #10 cans and commercially prepared food buckets packed in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. If your aim is long term food storage (25 years shelf life), then look for freeze dried foods in nitrogen packed #10 cans. These specially formulated cans are packed in small portions to maintain freshness and keep variety in your food storage.

Shelf-stable, dried foods. You can also dry-pack can to increase the shelf life of your favorite foods.

Shelf-stable condiments to stockpile
Here's a list of shelf-stable condiments and spices to stock in your prepper's pantry:

Cane sugar. The United States has a limited production of cane sugar. It's grown only in Florida, Hawaii, Louisiana, and Texas.
Honey. Prized since Egyptian times, honey is food and medicine.
Salt.
Tea. Dried tea leaves have sustained man through the centuries. (The process of boiling water to make tea was a key to making water safe to drink.)
Freeze dried coffee. Many prepper sites list coffee as shelf stable, but it isn't necessarily so, because the oils of coffee reduce shelf life. Green coffee beans are available for extremely long term when they are in #10 cans and you can roast them, the way pioneers did. Read coffee for survival.
Cacao. Cacao was food of the ancient Mayans for many reasons. A long shelf life among them.
Maple Syrup. Natural goodness for your pancakes, maple syrup won't spoil.Skip Mrs. Buttersworth, it's not real maple syrup.
Bourbon Vanilla Extract. Bourbon vanilla extract makes it to the list of the 37 foods to hoard in crisis. The alcohol content keeps your extract fresh forever.
Vinegar. Discover the many reasons preppers stock vinegar.

Baking soda and baking powder.
Coconut oil. Most oils become quickly rancid: the exception is coconut oil. With a two-year shelf life, and the surprising health benefits of coconut oil is a prepper favorite.
Soy Sauce. This popular Asian condiment is fermented for long shelf-life.

How to Plan Your Food Storage
Here are some considerations and tips for long term food storage.

Plan on variety, but don't get too creative.
Combating menu fatigue will be an issue, but there are a variety of brands of shelf stable foods packed in #10 cans or commercially packed food grade canisters to give you the variety you need. Among some of the favorites include:

Augason Farms. Ideal for potatoes and milk, Augason Farms is one of the favorite freeze dried food manufacturers. I haven't tried any of these but they recommend their bucket of potatoes and pancakes.

Mountain House. Popular with backpackers and the best bugout food you can get: Mountain House freeze dried foods also come in #10 cans so you can store them in your pantry. The #10 cans from Mountain House are scientifically guaranteed to last 25 years but the company guarantees they will still taste good in 30 years! Top on the list of ready to eat shelf stable foods is Mountain House beef stroganoff Other popular choices include eggs with bacon, and pasta prima vera.

Buy foods with high caloric content. Stressful times will require more sustenance. Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) for U.S. Army personnel have around 1200 calories per meal and with high protein content to sustain physical stamina. You should think the same of foods you buy.

Think about serving sizes. You'll get a general idea about how much food to pack, but when it comes to serving sizes, one cup of beef stroganoff won't be enough food for a hungry man who's been hard at work.
The "servings" are a food rationing measurement. In times of stress, you'll need more food. Likewise, think about volume and weights of foods. If the product packs water, it could be deceiving about how much food product you're getting.
Freeze dried foods pack more easily into limited space and is equivalent to more food.

Don't just buy grains and leave them in bags. Storing grain is often a goal of Preppers as bags of rice, for example, are fairly inexpensive and can provide sustenance. Improper storage will surely get an infestation of pests. The grain must be sealed away from pests (preferably stored in food grade buckets, sealed into mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and vacuum sealed with gamma lids). This will help prevent moisture and oxidation. The easiest solution is to purchase commercially packed grains to ensure the product will be fresh and available for use when you need it most. For example, rice stored in #10 cans, left has a 25-year shelf life.

[TrainChaser]

Three little things:

Beans are best used within two years; you can store them for years longer, but they will take longer to cook.

For Gas-Free Beans (the only way I cook them now):  add a pound of beans (about two cups --  precision is not necessary) to 2 quarts of water, bring to a boil, boil for about 2 minutes, remove from heat, let set overnight -- refrigeration isn't required.  The next day, drain an discard the water, rinse.  Put the beans back in the pot and continue with you regular recipe.  The gas is in the discarded water, so be sure to discard it.

If you have one of those gadgets that sucks the air out of jars or bags, don't use it on sugar (white or brown), or it will turn it into a rock.

[BCGuy]

Watch out for fake and diluted honey.
https://theprovince.com/news/local-news/...86a19cbb9c

Chilliwack beekeeper to safeguard purity of B.C. honey with high-tech test
Glenda Luymes Glenda Luymes More from Glenda Luymes

Published:
January 25, 2019

Updated:
January 25, 2019 6:57 AM PST



Honey is the world's third-most faked food. A Chilliwack beekeeper is hoping to change that.

A high-tech honey-testing machine unveiled Thursday in Chilliwack could help B.C. beekeepers root out “adulterated” honey imports that threaten to cheapen their product.

Using a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) machine, Peter Awram’s lab will be able to determine if cheap sweeteners, such as corn syrup or rice syrup, have been added to particular brands of honey to increase producers’ profits.

The machine will also create a “fingerprint” for each honey sample, which will be kept in a database to help distinguish premium B.C. honey from a flood of untested, adulterated honey entering Canada from around the world.

“We’d eventually like to see it lead to a certification scheme, where producers submit their honey for testing and get a label,” said Awram, who runs Worker Bee Honey Company with his parents, Jerry and Pia Awram. “It would give security to the people buying it.”

A study published in October in Scientific Reports found evidence of global honey fraud, calling honey the world’s “third-most adulterated food.” Researchers tested 100 honey samples from 18 honey-producing countries. They discovered 27 per cent of the samples were “of questionable authenticity,” while 52 of the samples from Asia were adulterated.

The results were no surprise to Awram. He said statistics show that while the number of bees in countries such as Vietnam has not risen in the last decade, honey exports have doubled and almost tripled.

“How else do you explain that?” asked the beekeeper.

Awram’s NMR machine — one of only 12 in the world testing honey, and the only one in Canada — can scan the entire organic chemical spectrum of a honey sample, detecting fraudulent sweeteners, as well as the floral and geographic origins of the honey. By establishing a database of B.C. honey samples, he hopes to convince local and international buyers that B.C. honey is worth premium prices.

“This issue has become a crisis for our industry,” he said.

In 2003, honey was worth about $2.30 per pound. It has since fallen to about $1.50 per pound, and at one time fell to just 80 cents, less than the cost of production in Canada. While producers who are adding sweeteners to their honey can afford to sell it for less, producers who sell a pure product are finding it tough to stay in business.

“Ultimately, this method should be used worldwide to ensure that what we are calling honey is in fact honey,” said Awram.

The beekeeper plans to share his results with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), which is responsible for testing imported honey, but doesn’t have a NMR machine.

In an emailed statement, the CFIA confirmed it tests for C-4 sugars (from cane or corn syrup) through stable isotope ratio analysis. The agency is looking into NMR technology to detect adulteration with other sugars.

The CFIA has never found a Canadian honey adulterated with other sugars, said the statement. But testing of foreign-produced honey has found adulterated product in about six per cent of 397 samples tested so far in 2018-19. (A testing year runs from April 1-March 31.)

In 2017-18, 4.3 per cent of 243 samples were adulterated. The statement said the percentage of noncompliances “should not be considered to represent the overall adulteration of the products available to the consumer.”

The CFIA’s response when finding adulterated honey is based on a variety of factors, but can include “seizure and detention, removal orders from Canada, disposal and import lookouts for known noncompliant products or importers,” said the statement. The agency can also undertake enforcement actions, such as recommending prosecution for companies that import adulterated products.

At Worker Bee Honey Company on Thursday afternoon, stakeholders and politicians received a tour of the lab with its honey-yellow walls and stainless steel production tanks. Awram, who has a PhD in molecular biology, showed off his new machine, a white capsule topped with a tray of tiny test tubes of honey. The molecular composition of the samples was visible as a jagged red line on a nearby computer screen.

B.C. Agriculture Minister Lana Popham said one of her nicknames at the legislature is “the bee lady” and praised Awram for providing another way to put “our own provincial stamp” on the honey industry.

Awram received a $87,500 grant from the federal and provincial governments to establish his database.

“I’m a huge believer in truth in labelling,” said Popham, adding “this technology is critically important.”

gluymes@postmedia.com

twitter.com/glendaluymes

[Ticklebelly]

Preserving excess fruit and vegies, Prepping, and Hoarding, mean different things to me. In my childhood, people filling root cellars with seasonal oversupply was seen as efficient, and necessary to get by. Hoarding results in inconvenience in the lifestyle because of the need to find storage for more and more stuff. Prepping is a quite vague concept, often without thought out and valid scenarios that might lead to need for survival using the stored Preps.

In my campervan, I just do not have the space to store preserves, to hoard anything, or to Prep. Social scientists have long described the contemporary shift of the pantry from the living location to the supermarket. “Supermarket as Pantry” is the term coined. A lot of the change has happened as more and more people never cook at home and eat out for every meal. So now I am not much different to many S&B dwellers when on the road when talking about how much I have in the pantry, although, I do buy some staples in bulk when I can. I do find that some of those staples need to be treated as if they will be stored for a long time. I freeze flour for a couple of days before repacking into repurposed PETE. Same same for rice and other grains. Crackers and the like already packaged into Mylar are simply stored, relying on the OEM packaging for the item to reach Use By date. Powered milk and powered eggs stay in original mylar bags until opened for use immediately. Semi-dried tomatos and vac pack Olives fill lots of spaces in the Camper. I always check Use By date when I buy stuff. I occasionally go through the stores to check what is about to run out.

I do have a vacuum sealer. Many a time a hunter has given me a couple of kilos of meat from a freshly hunted animal. Sealed portions in the bottom of the chest fridge last a long time. A bag limit of trout will see the vacuum sealer get a workout. Roadside fruit and vegie stands often get my attention; I once ate green mango curry every second night for two weeks.

I once had a summer friendship with a couple of fossickers. This couple would camp off grid in harsh conditions for up to three months without resupply. Their experience was reflected in the contents of their pantry/larder.

I can and have gone off grid for a month. I regularly bake bread in a camp oven and use the fresh vegies in a timeline according to the storage qualities. In most of the proposed SHTF scenarios, I would survive maybe 3 comfortable months without resupply.

One thought that goes with this thread has nothing to do with SHTF anxiety. What plans do you have if you lose your RV and stored food/supplies to a natural disaster, fire, flood, theft, or Alien abduction?

[rvpopeye]

I typically keep a couple of months supply , which fit into a surprisingly small space if you choose right .
I have lost my RV and stored food in a fire.
Five months later.....I got another RV and one of those store pantry places had more food.


if the SHTF-YMMV


I have to use up anything that can't freeze by December here though. Then use the day I buy till spring .

[Texjbird]

 Crackers and the like already packaged into Mylar are simply stored, relying on the OEM packaging for the item to reach Use By date.   Powered milk and powered eggs stay in original mylar bags until opened for use immediately.   
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I'M THINKING OF ordering 3 sizes of the mylar zip lock bag so when things packed in larger ones are opened that one can be resealed and a smaller amount to use kept out so as not to open the larger bag often.

TJB
___________________________________________________________________________________________
I can and have gone off grid for a month.   In most of the proposed SHTF scenarios, I would survive maybe 3 comfortable months without resupply.

One thought that goes with this thread has nothing to do with SHTF anxiety.   What plans do you have if you lose your RV and stored food/supplies to a natural disaster, fire, flood, theft, or Alien abduction?
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I PLAN ON DOING to the best of my ablities what I've always done during my life when something bad happens.  Be grateful I'm still alive.  Assess my current situation. 
 
Then do whatever I can to stay alive and protect myself & Queenie then any  #1 family,  2 # friends, #3 others.  Before anyone sez anything about Q being at the head of the list she is with me almost 24/7, depends on me, lives with me and is almost always the closest living being to me.

TJB

Some of the reasons I started this thread was to find out if and how any members are storing food long term.
Also I may not want to run into town often for shopping while camping.  If I'm alone with the Aliner set up I'd worry about it and all my belongings being there when I return.  If only in the Safari I'd need to pull everything inside and secure it to travel.

I like going to new towns and exploring them.  I'm thinking that if I'm camping near or with other members and I have the Aliner set up then I wouldn't worry about how long I was in town.  Also since the Safari is my daily driver and ez to park maybe others with rigs they are living in and don't want to move them often just for town trips could ride along with me or send their shopping list with me. 
  I LIKE SHOPPING!  STORES, ROADSIDE, FLEA MARKETS, YARD SALES AND DUMPSTER DIVING 
 DID I MENTION THAT I LIKE TO SHOP

Jewell Ann