Food Preparation

Why This is Important

1. Food may not be available as the pandemic progresses.

• Grocery stores typically stock three days’ worth of food at most. It is on the shelves, not in a warehouse. This just-in-time delivery system works for normal times. When disaster strikes or is imminent (such as a hurricane), the shelves are quickly emptied.
  
  
• Re-stocking grocery stores is uncertain during a pandemic or other disruptive emergency. Getting food from the farm to the table is a very complex system. In a flu pandemic, farmers, food processors and truck drivers will get sick too, which means that grocery stores may run out of food.
  
  
• Government assistance is unlikely.

2. You reduce your exposure to the flu virus by minimizing your trips away from home.

Getting Started

What kind of food? Store what you already eat. By doing this, you avoid adding dietary stress to an already stressful situation.

How can I ever do this? Start now, but don’t defeat yourself.

Break the task of stockpiling down into stages. Getting your pantry stocked for two weeks is a good initial goal. Simply write down what you eat over a two-week period. Then add a few extra items on each shopping trip. Look for specials and bulk purchases. Remember to add lunches for children who are normally at school, as well as infants and toddlers.

Once you’ve reached this goal, go for four weeks of food, then eight, and then twelve. In a few months, you will have a full pantry of your kind of food!

For a quick start to your emergency pantry, you can purchase rice, beans, noodles and canned soups to get a family meal stretched pretty far. Put these in metal garbage cans and seal with duct tape. Then add to this basic emergency stockpile using the strategies discussed next. Recipe suggestions: 'Stockpiling Food for Small Spaces and Small Budgets' .

How do I keep track of all this stuff? You can use any form to record the food items you need, what you buy on each shopping trip, what you use, and what to re-supply. A tablet works. You can download food inventory spreadsheets from the Internet.


How do I avoid spoilage?

1. Rotate your supplies. 'Eat what you store. Store what you eat.' You are building your own pantry for daily use. Information in the form of a shelf-life guide is available from Kansas State University's Refrigerated, Frozen and Cupboard Storage Charts.

2. Use containers that keep things dry and airtight. FREE food grade buckets with lids are often available from the bakery department of grocery stores. Just clean, label and date.

3. Storage temperature is important. The cooler the better, to extend shelf life.

Pests

How do I control pests? You will want to keep pests OUT of your food. The following suggestions are from the University of California: Pests of Homes, Structures, People and Pets. Most home infestations of pantry pests maintain themselves on spills in the crevices of cupboards and drawers or in opened packages of food stored for long periods of time. Following a few general guidelines when storing food products will help you avoid many potential problems.

• Do not put exposed food on shelves. Place it in containers with tightfitting lids (plastic bags are not adequate).
  
  
• Regularly clean shelves, bins, and all other locations where there is any possibility of flour or other food particles accumulating. Certain pests need only small amounts of food to live and breed. Soap and water is great for cleaning flat areas, and vacuuming with a crevice attachment will help clean cracks, edges, and corners.
  
  
• Do not mix old and new lots of foodstuffs. If the old material is infested, the pest will quickly invade the new.
  
  
• Clean old containers before filling them with fresh food. They may be contaminated and cause a new infestation.
  
  
• Do not purchase broken or damaged packages of food materials. They are more likely to become infested.
  
  
• Construct storage units so that they are tight and can be cleaned easily.
  
  
• Store bulk materials, such as pet foods, in containers with tight-fitting lids.
  
  
• Keep storage units dry. This is important because moisture favors the development of pantry pests; dryness discourages them.
  
  
• Some pantry insects breed in the nests of rodents and insects and may migrate from these into homes. Eliminate any nests found in or near the home.
  
  
• Pantry pests can also breed in rodent baits. Be sure to frequently check and discard infested baits.

Small Spaces, Small Budgets

Storing a lot of food in limited space is challenging, but it is being done. View this outstanding how-to guide, 'Stockpiling Food for Small Spaces and Small Budgets.'

Preserving Food

Why This is Important

The pandemic flu virus may be circulating in our communities for up to three months per wave.  Resulting illness and absenteeism may disrupt grocery store deliveries, food production, and your source of income. Learning how to preserve food may be an important skill, especially between pandemic waves when you are trying to re-supply your pantry. 

Preserving Food

Your pantry should be augmented with fresh food.  We recommend regionally-grown food, whether from your own garden, grocery store, farmers market, truck farm, or community-supported agriculture.

Get a copy of  "How to Grow More Vegetables", by John Jeavons.  This is an indispensable book for both beginning and experienced gardeners.
 
There are many food preservation methods available.  Criteria for selection are flavor and safety. 

• Root Cellar or other outdoor storage system:
  

1. Advantages: non-electric; good for root crops, squash family, cabbage family and some fruits.
   
   
2. Disadvantages: requires space
   
   
3. To learn how to build a basement root cellar go to Mother Earth News:  Build a Basement Root Cellar
   
   
4. To learn more about small root cellars, go to the British Columbia Agricultural Building Systems Handbook:  Small Root Cellar (PDF)
   
   

• Dehydration

1. Advantages:  Saves space, light weight, non-electric (if using a solar dryer).
   
   
2. Disadvantage:  Needs additional water for reconstitution.
   
   
3. To learn how to build a solar dehydrator, visit: Solar Food Dehydrator.
   
   

• Canning

1. Advantages: variety - from vegetables to meat to complete meals.  Some liquids can augment your water supply.
   
   
2. Disadvantages: requires canning equipment.  Get extra lids now.
   
   
3. See your County Extension Service for additional information on food preservation. Some offices can test pressure cooker gauges.
   
   
4. You MUST use a pressure canner for meats, vegetables, and most tomatoes.  Also, a pressure canner must be used if one item in a blend would require pressure canning on its own. A classic and inexpensive how-to reference is the “Ball Blue Book of Preserving”.

See also Fresh Preserving (the Ball® website) for illustrated, step-by-step instructions, including PDF downloads.


There are additional food preservation methods, and detailed instruction on using them.  See this Important Resource: "Prudent Food Storage FAQ,"  written, copyrighted and courtesy of Alan Hagan. 

Food Options

Why this is important

"I don’t know how to cook.  At all.  We eat takeout or frozen meals.  How can I begin to store 6 to 12 weeks of shelf-stable food in my pantry?  We don’t LIKE canned foods or powdered milk!  We don’t eat that kind of food.  And, we’re not made of money.  We can’t afford to buy food we won’t ever eat."

Does this describe you?  Here are four options. 

Option 1:  Buy a 12 week supply of MREs

MREs or "Meals Ready to Eat" have been used by the military for years.  Telling kids that "this is what the soldiers eat" helps many kids eat them. If stored properly (cool and dry), they have a long shelf life.  Be sure to check expiration date before purchasing.

• Advantages – easy, no need to plan or cook, wide selection, taste is acceptable to good
  
  
• Disadvantage – expensive

Option 2:  Buy all ready-to-eat foods

Many people purchase ready-to-eat foods in the event of a hurricane or natural disaster.  This is also a good idea during a pandemic, because the foods are easy to heat and serve, especially if one is ill.  Some can be frozen, but to have a three months supply, you will also need canned and packaged food.  Look for foods that you like that have a longer shelf life, in the unrefrigerated section of the grocery store.  Crackers, shelf stable cheeses, puddings, cereals, toaster pastries, tuna packets, shelf stable meals, soups, chili, and pancake mix can be a good route to starting a pantry.

Many soups are designed for people trying to lose weight, so they have very few calories.  Get extra oil such as olive oil and some pasta or rice to add to the soups to make them more nutritious and filling.  As long as you can boil water, you can make instant cup-o-soups and oatmeal packets.

• Advantages – many of these foods may already be part of your normal diet, and can be used on a regular basis.  It is easy to determine how much food you have.
  
  
• Disadvantages – if utilities fail, you may lose your frozen foods. This option is more expensive than cooking from staples, as you are paying for single servings, packaging and processing. Shelf life is not as long as for MREs or pantry staples packaged for long-term storage.

Option 3:  Learn basic cooking of pantry staples

Learning to use pantry staples is an excellent way to stretch your preparation budget!  Pantry staples are generally much cheaper than mixes or ready-to-eat foods.  Also, learning to cook pantry staples gives you more options.  If you buy a muffin mix, you can only make muffins.  However, if you buy the staples that went into the muffin mix (sugar, salt, fat, flour, leavening) you can make:  muffins, pancakes, waffles, noodles, biscuits, cakes, dumplings, breads, cookies, and more!  Recipes for these are as easy to follow as the instructions on the back of the muffin mix.

Try learning to cook at least simple foods now, trying a new recipe once or twice a week.  The ingredients are inexpensive, and you do not lose anything by trying.  Get your kids used to eating them.  Teach younger children and teens how to cook them safely so they can help in an emergency.

• Advantages – Foods prepared from pantry staples are simple, cheap and healthy.  Basic meals are easy to learn and prepare, even for those who have never cooked.  They are also very inexpensive, enabling you to afford to stock 12 weeks of food.  For example, $20 spent at a fast food chain can buy you the supplies for at least 10 meals using staples.  If you incorporate these staples into the meals that you eat each week, you will be accomplishing two things:  enjoying home cooked meals and saving money.  This will also allow your family to become accustomed to different flavors, and will build your confidence as a home chef.  Even famous chefs burn their food occasionally. Try new recipes in an afternoon or on weekends when the family can sample and you can experiment without anxiety.
  
  
• Disadvantages – requires some cooking time, may require some practice, and requires a heat source to prepare.
  

The "Bare Basics Cook Plan" is for people who have never met a cookbook or boiled a pot of water  - the most basic plan imaginable - for turning very basic pantry items into meals.

It will tell you what to buy, and how to prepare it.  Except for bread, all recipes can be prepared over a burner (camp stove) with a single pot or frying pan.

BARE BASICS COOKING IDEAS

    * Hot cereal (oatmeal, rice): with fruit, cinnamon, syrup, or nuts
    * Pasta (spaghetti, macaroni): with jarred sauce
    * Tortillas: with various toppings
    * Stew: with various flavorings
    * Pilaf (whole grain plus vegetables or canned meats)
    * Basic bread (no eggs): bread may be prepared in an oven, a solar oven, or a dutch oven
    * Pancakes
    * Chili

Your recipe for success

1. Download "Bare Basics Cook Plan" from the downloads section on this website
   
   
2. Purchase some suggested basic ingredients and start cooking, using the techniques described in the "Bare Basics Cook Plan."
   
   
3. Reinvest your savings into additional preparation supplies.
   

If you have special dietary needs, conditions or allergies, you will need to alter this plan to fit your needs.  Be sure to consult your healthcare practitioner.

Option 4:  Supplement Stored Food with Fresh Food

Supplement stored foods with fresh food you grow yourself.  If you are a beginning gardener or have limited space, investigate "Lasagna Gardening" and "Square-foot Gardening."  Consider planting disease-resistant fruit varieties that grow in your area.  Even a few big pots on a deck or balcony can help you satisfy a craving for salad or a few berries in your oatmeal or the bright flavor of fresh herbs in your recipes.  Buy plants, seeds and supplies now.  Start small and learn season by season.  If you buy non-hybrid seed, you can collect seeds from this year’s crop to plant next year.

Emergency Cooking

Why This Is Important 

Conserving energy is critical with an uncertain electricity and fuel supply.  Equally critical is cooking safely.  Practice to know what works indoors or outdoors and under what conditions.

Emergency Cooking

• Heat Sources

I. Outdoor only

• 'Buddy Burners' (Wax filled cardboard Camp Fires in a can)

• Charcoal Briquettes
• Coleman® Fuel Stoves (Camping Stoves)
• Propane Gas Grills

Make your own ‘buddy burner’

Materials:  Plain corrugated cardboard, small flat can, such as a tuna can (save the lid),  a #10 can (the large institutional size), and candle wax or paraffin.

Tools: punch-type can opener, and tin snips Buddy Burner

Procedure:

a. Cut the cardboard in strips whose width is the height of the can - across the corrugations, so that the holes show.  Roll the strips until the cardboard roll fits snugly into the can.

b. Melt the wax. It is best to use a double boiler, as if the wax gets too hot, it can burst into flame. You can improvise a double boiler by putting water in a large pan, and then setting a smaller pan into the water. Each tuna can will take about 4 ounces of wax.

c. When the wax is melted, slowly pour it into the buddy burner so that it runs down into the holes and saturates the corrugated cardboard and fill the can to the rim. You can put a small piece of cardboard sticking up or a candle wick in the middle to help start it, but this isn't required. Let it cool and harden. To light it, set it on a brick or concrete block. Put a lighted match in the middle of the can or light the wick. The flame will spread across the top of the can; that's OK, that's what it's supposed to do.

d. To use for cooking:  Cut out one end of the #10 can. Use the tin snips to cut a 3" high and 4" wide "door" on one side of the can at the open end. Leave the top of the door uncut. Bend this flap of metal up so the door is "open". Take the punch-type can opener, and make 3 or 4 holes on the other side of the can at the top (this is your chimney). Light the tuna can as described above, and place the #10 can over the Buddy Burner and place a pan with whatever you want to cook on top of the #10 can. This "#10 can stove" can be adapted to fuels like twigs, charcoal or charcoal briquettes, but do not use these indoors.


   

1. If used indoors, provide ventilation with a window or door open 1 inch. Place the cooking device close to this opening but not close to curtains or other flammable materials!
   
   
2. Place all open flame emergency heaters on a fire-proof surface!
   

II. Indoor or Outdoor

• Candles
  
  
• Canned Heat (Sterno, Gel, EcoFuelXB or HeatCell, etc.) [EcoFuelXB doesn’t evaporate over time, as Sterno does, so it has unlimited shelf life and is eco-friendly.  It also goes by the name Heat Cell. See HeatCell™ and Ecofuel XB™.]
  
  
• Fondue Pots

III. Indoor, if used & installed properly

• Fireplace
  
  
• Kerosene Heaters & Stoves
  
  
• Natural Gas Stoves & Ovens
  
  
• Propane Stoves & Ovens
  
  
• Wood Stoves

IV. Solar Cooking

• Solar Panel Cookers
  
  
• Solar Box Cookers
  
  
• Sun Shade Solar Cookers

Make your own solar cooker. See The "Minimum" Solar Box Cooker.
 
For an alternative lid, unscrew the door from a microwave and use it.  Glass from a picture frame would work well, too, if it is the right size.

Cooking Techniques

When learning to cook over a woodstove, open fire, or any other new technique, begin by simply boiling water for instant soup, tea or coffee.  This will give you a feel of how fast or slowly a pot will heat, without risking a fire or burning valuable food.  After that, try making one pot of clear soup.  Then progress to things like popcorn, pancakes, or items that are fried in small amounts of oil (such as bacon or sausage).  Do NOT try to deep fry anything on an open fire.  Then, try baking muffins or breads.

1. To get the most cooking from the least fuel, use a pressure cooker.  Make sure you get an extra gasket.

An excellent website about pressure cookers is Miss Vickie's Guide to Modern Pressure Cookery
Start with the Beginner’s Workshop.


2. Covered pans cook faster and save scarce fuel.

• Cook with lids on pots.
  
  
• Cover cake pans and other open dishes with tin foil.

3. Make Your Own Non-Electric Crock-Pot

• Use a box or bucket big enough to pack 4 inches of insulating material on all sides, top & bottom.
  
  
• Line the inside with aluminum foil.
  
  
• Put insulating material on the bottom (newspapers, cloth, or sawdust).
  
  
• Using a 3-6 quart pot, bring food to boil & place in box or bucket.
  
  
• Put insulating material on sides and top of bucket and let 'cook' for up to 4 hours.