In the event of a tornado, hurricane, or any other disaster, there might be limited to no opportunity to go to a grocery store.
Not only is it important to store food for natural disasters, but also having a supply can prevent a crisis in your home during other unforeseen circumstances like losing a job.
Food is comparable to money stored in a bank, as having a plentiful reserve can contribute to the sustained welfare of your family in the aftermath of a disaster. To ensure you and your loved ones are adequately prepared, here are six suggestions for storing emergency food.
1. Build Up Slowly
Gradually purchase a small additional amount every week until you accumulate the desired reserves.
By adopting this approach, not only will you be able to distribute the expenses over time, but it will also prevent the occurrence of a substantial quantity of food expiring simultaneously. Your desired duration for the food supply, whether it be a few weeks, months, or even longer, may vary depending on your specific location and circumstances.
When stocking food for your family, make sure to only store the food that they will consume. For children, it is prudent to have the necessary ingredients to prepare some of their preferred meals readily available. Additionally, if you have pets, don’t forget to include the items that they eat in your stockpile.
2. Rotate Items
Instead of keeping your food supply unused, start including it in your menu immediately, even if it’s only once a week.
In order to maintain organization, arrange your food storage pantry in a way that places older items at the front. If you have a stack of canned goods, place the cans that have the closest expiration date on top. When purchasing additional supplies, position the new items at the back of a shelf or beneath a pile. By following this method, you will be aware of which food items need to be consumed first.
To prevent spoilage, it is necessary to rotate certain items such as dried fruits, nuts, and trail mixes every 6 months to a year. If not, they may go bad. Sealed in its original airtight packaging, beef jerky has a shelf life of up to two years.
3. Store Wisely
It is advisable to store some emergency food supply at home, but having a stockpile of food items at a secondary location, like a self-storage unit, can offer an additional layer of safeguard. In the event that the vicinity of your home suffers damage, while the location of the storage unit remains intact, you will still have access to an emergency food supply. Additionally, if you anticipate a hurricane or any other disaster, you can transfer some belongings from your house to a storage unit, as suggested by Purcell.
It is important to note that perishable food items should not be kept in a self-storage facility, even if it has climate control. However, it may be permissible to store canned foods, boxed foods, and other shelf-stable items like sealed granola bars. Before storing any food in a storage unit, it is advisable to check with the facility to determine any potential restrictions on the type of food that can be stored.
4. Keep Health in Mind
It is feasible to consume nourishing food during a crisis.
When searching, focus on finding vegetables like green beans, carrots, and mushrooms. Don’t forget to get an ample supply of canned corn and beans. Additionally, there are other nutritious options to consider such as canned tuna, chicken, salmon, shrimp, and crab. It’s worth noting that processed foods in plastic containers may not have as long of a shelf life compared to canned goods. However, most of them remain suitable for consumption for at least a year, according to Krieger. Lastly, be on the lookout for items like peanut butter, cereal, cooked rice, and ready-to-eat meals.
5. Remember Water
It is likely that food shortages will result in water shortages too. To get ready, search for food items with water content, like canned soups.
When considering water, make sure to have gallons of it available. Take into consideration the amount needed for cooking and other activities, including bathing. Also, consider the water needs of animals.
6. Focus on Safety
To ensure safety against flood waters, bugs, or rodents, it is recommended to place food on a shelf rather than on the floor. Additionally, store items in sealed plastic containers for further protection.
When considering long-term food storage in a self-storage unit, it is vital to prioritize the temperature and moisture levels. Fluctuating temperatures may lead to a reduced lifespan for food, whereas excessive humidity could result in damage to goods. Hence, it is advisable to opt for a climate-controlled storage unit to ensure proper preservation of food items.
In addition, it is important to keep track of your supplies.
It is important to always check the expiration date of food and dispose of any items that have been damaged.
7. Three-Day Supply
When it comes to emergency food, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security advises having a minimum of a three-day stock of non-perishable food for every member of your family. This quantity is generally regarded as sufficient to sustain you during small-scale emergencies like extended power cuts or floods.
8. Frozen Foods
If you have enough space for a large freezer to store frozen foods, it can be a useful addition to your emergency food supply. Nevertheless, in the event of a power outage, you will require a generator to maintain electricity for your freezer. Otherwise, your items will quickly thaw and spoil.
Can Wet Emergency Food be Saved?
Assembling your food storage can be quite challenging, especially if you have a big family. Nevertheless, once you have finished, the feeling of achievement and tranquility is remarkable.
What if your hard-earned food storage gets wiped out by a flood?
Losing your food storage can feel like a double loss, regardless of whether it occurred due to a hurricane or a leaky pipe. Those emergency preparedness supplies were intended to help you cope with such situations. Now that they are no longer available, how will you manage the disaster?
It is not possible to entirely avoid a flood damaging your home; all you can do is take necessary measures to be ready and then wish for the best outcome.
While all hope may not be completely lost, there are certain emergency foods that have the capability to endure a flood. Nevertheless, it is still crucial to prioritize prevention as the most effective solution.
What Food is Unsafe after a Flood?
It is important to be cautious with food items during floods because there is a risk of contamination by harmful pathogens such as E.coli, Salmonella, Hepatitis A, and norovirus. Therefore, when unsure about the safety of a food item, it is advisable to discard it and prioritize one’s safety.
After coming into contact with floodwater, there are specific food items that must be disposed of.
- Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs
- Fresh produce
- Opened containers and packages
- Glass jars with carboard lid liners that were submerged and unopened (Mayonnaise, salad dressing, etc.)
- Containers with screw caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped caps
- Food in cardboard boxes, paper, foil, or cloth
- Cans that are leaking, bulging, dented, or rusted
- Home-canned foods
- Spices, extracts, and baking staples in canisters like flour, sugar, etc.
In addition, there is the issue of any food that may have spoiled in your refrigerator due to a power outage.
What Food Survived?
Following a flood, it is common for insurance companies to declare items as a complete loss, but this does not mean you should neglect thoroughly inspecting your food storage.
MREs
To ensure durability during flooding, retort pouches used for MREs should be able to withstand it. In case of concern about bacterial contamination caused by floodwater, simply boil the pouches prior to consuming the contents to effectively eliminate all germs.
Commercial Canned and Jarred Goods
If the cans or jars have been opened or damaged, they must be discarded. However, if they remain unopened and undamaged, these commercial goods only require sanitization.
Please sanitize these containers by following a step-by-step process.
- Label the container with its contents with indelible ink (like permanent marker).
- Remove all labels because the paper can harbor bacteria.
- Using a strong detergent solution, wash and scrub jars and cans.
- Immerse your containers in a sanitizing solution for 10 minutes.
- Air dry containers before opening.
Flood Prevention
If you want to protect your food supply from a flood, the most effective approach is to ensure that it does not become wet in the initial stages. By implementing these four fundamental preparatory steps, you can greatly reduce harm to your stored food and safeguard it.
1. Don’t assume that you will never experience flooding
When Hurricane Harvey struck Texas, regions that had never encountered flooding received a substantial amount of water. It is possible for anyone to encounter issues with rain gutters and leaky water heaters, regardless of whether their home is located well beyond the flood zone.
2. Perform simple maintenance on your home
To keep water away from your window wells and your home’s foundation, make sure to regularly clean out your rain gutters and attach extenders to your downspouts.
A few years in the past, the rain that got stuck in the gutters poured directly into our window well. As a result, the water found its way through the seal surrounding the window and caused flooding in a section of the basement.
Make sure to regularly check and ensure that your water heater is functioning properly. A specialist I am acquainted with suggests replacing your water heater every ten years, as he remarked, “They behave like ticking time bombs, ready to cause significant damage when they finally fail.”
3. Store items appropriately
When it comes to storing items, especially those with sentimental value or used for food storage, it is important to avoid keeping them in the basement. By transferring these items to a higher floor, you can effectively safeguard your food.
Even basic shelving can be highly effective. When there is a minor flooding of about two or three inches, shelves play a crucial role in elevating items off the ground, preventing them from being submerged in standing water.
Another way to prevent flood waters from damaging refrigerators and freezers is by elevating them off the ground. You can achieve this by positioning cement blocks under each corner of the appliances.
4. Don’t be afraid to build up your food storage again
Attempting to rebuild your food storage may seem futile and demoralizing after losing everything, including your existing reserves.
In June 1976, Bob (not his real name) lost everything he had when muddy water from the Teton Dam washed it away. However, Bob and his family were fortunate enough to find shelter with a friend while the cleanup was ongoing.
Bob vented his annoyance, declaring that he would no longer make an effort to store food, as it had all been ruined. In response, his friend pointed out, “Fortunately, I had mine and that’s what you’ve been relying on for the past two weeks.” Following this revelation, Bob’s perspective swiftly changed.
By following these steps, particularly during a small-scale flood, one can reduce the extent of the damage. However, even if all food storage is lost, it is important not to panic.
Even though the flood may have damaged your carefully acquired food storage, it is important to remember that your preparations were not completely wasted and replacing them might be overwhelming.
If you were not able to utilize your food storage this time, you might still have a future need for food storage as a backup.
