Food security is a significant factor in survival, but it may be compromised by unfortunate emergencies such as calamities, government issues, and global pandemics. Every disaster or pandemic has lasting effects such as people that are left without essentials like food and water. With food prices also going up, it’s important to properly prepare your family for potential food shortages. You should therefore have an idea of the types of food to store, the quantity, and have the proper means to store it. Here is how to prepare your family for potential food shortages.
Understand Your Family’s Needs
When planning for a food shortage, it’s important to properly understand your family’s needs and wants. For instance, if you have an infant in the family, you’ll highlight the need for milk and the baby’s food. Take note of the immediate and long-term needs of each member of the family. Doing this will potentially secure food availability for everyone and will minimize the possibility of food getting wasted if it’s not consumed before the expiration date.
Choose Your Storage Space
Choosing your storage space for food is very important when planning for a food shortage. Unfinished basements and attics or rooms without regulated temperatures are not good places to store food. Once you have considered factors like temperature, water, and access, you need to pick a spot where you plan to keep your stockpile. It’s also important to measure this area in order to be always reminded of how much space you have to work with. You can as well take a photo of the space and keep it on your phone so you can remind yourself when you’re out shopping.
Stock up on affordable items like grains and legumes
One of the things you don’t want to do is to panic and charge thousands of dollars of food to your credit card. An effective way to stock up to prepare for food shortage is to invest in affordable foods that will last long on your shelf at home. Think of bags of rice, beans, and oats that are cheap to purchase and stock. With oat, you can make things like granola and oatmeal, and you can also add them to a meatball or a burger as a filler. You can also use oat to bake snacks for the family.
Plant a Garden
Making a garden can be an effective way of overcoming food shortages. Even if you don’t have a yard, you can use containers and place them in a sunny location in your home. You will need to make sure your plants can be pollinated to produce fruit or vegetables. Assessing whether or not an outside or inside garden is right for you in your situation is worth considering. For instance, Survive It Gear provides seeds that you can use to effectively prepare for a food shortage or crisis. Gardens are usually a great way to be self-sufficient and provide food for yourself with no dependence on a grocery store.
Prioritize Water and Store it Safely
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends storing 1 gallon per day for each person and also recommends creating a two-week supply if possible. You should also not forget to store extra water in case you’ve pets. Unopened commercially bottled water is the safest and most reliable emergency water supply.
Store Long-term Foods
Some foods have naturally long shelf lives, and if stored properly, will keep for months or years. Also, think of getting long-term food storage buckets that can keep the food fresh and safe to eat. Survive It Gear Long-term food buckets make it possible to store great-tasting freeze-dried and dehydrated foods that are ready in minutes when you just add water.
At Survive It Gear, we provide survival gear and kits, long-term food options, self-reliant garden seeds, and many additional items. We’ve developed helpful resources so you and your family will be better prepared and equipped for all types of emergencies, food shortages, power outages, and natural disasters. You will also find goods and equipment for safe adventures and expeditions. Contact us to learn more and get started.