Prepper’s Survival Pantry

A Prepper’s Survival Guide To Emergency Food And Water Storage

Alex Wild

Symbol LLC

Introduction

Water Preparation and Storage

Bottled Water

More Water

Hidden Sources of Water

How To Conserve Water In An Emergency Situation

Survival Food Preparation And Storage

7 Week Project For A 3 Months Supply

Home Canning For Preppers

Water bath canning

Pressure canning

Conclusion

Free Preview “Pepper’s Home Guide”

Other Books In This Series

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Introduction

I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book “Prepper’s Survival Pantry - A Prepper’s Survival Guide To Emergency Food And Water Storage”

This book will give you proven steps and strategies to prepare your food storage properly in case you and your family are faced with an emergency or catastrophe.

As a fellow prepper I am always planning for a worst case scenario and I feel it is vital that you have knowledge and a plan during tough times. In these pages I will guide you on what you need to do and know to prepare yourself in case your current living situation becomes compromised.

What side of the fence do you want to be on? The one that is prepared and ready for anything or the one that is lost and scared?

Let’s get started…

Alex Wild

One thing that you can be sure of is that the future is uncertain. However, even though the future is uncertain, we can undertake several measures to be prepared for whatever the future holds for us. For instance, emergencies are always happening all around us but the sad thing is that most of us are hardly prepared for these emergencies. This leads to greater deaths and suffering such that had we taken time to prepare for such situations, things would be much better. So, how can you prepare for different emergencies? First we cannot survive without food and water so this should be the starting point for preparation for any emergency. We will thus have a look at how you can effectively store food and water in order to deal with emergencies.

Water Preparation and Storage

When anticipating a future crisis, the most important priority to put into consideration is water, even more than food. The main reasoning behind this is the fact that you can stay for several days without food, but only a couple of days without water. Despite the likelihood of contamination of water supplies, most preppers don’t store enough water. Water is essential for not only drinking, but cleaning and cooking as well. A good strategy for storing water includes filtering, purifying and sanitizing as well as identifying water reserves and establishing new water supplies. So, where do you get water?

Bottled Water

Getting bottled water is the fastest and cheapest thing you can do when it comes to your survival. Get several jugs of water immediately if you don’t have some already. However, this is only your first line of defense. You will need more sources of water and know how to filter. Keeping bottled water is important because it can last almost indefinitely, but it is still a good idea to keep your bottled water in rotation to maintain better taste. The most reliable and safest supply of water is commercially bottled water since it is monitored by the Food and Drug Administration for chemicals, bacteria and other contaminants. However, not all bottled water is safe to drink. It is important to read the labels well and go for water with no fluoride and other chemicals. Some are also disguised as minerals for flavoring. Although they are passed by FDA, these water additives are not necessarily healthy. In addition, it is advisable to be smart about where you store bottled water. While it is okay to put it in the garage, this is not the best storage area. Here are some tips on how you should store your bottled water:

*Store the water in a cool and dry place, away from direct sunlight but not directly on cement as this could leak chemicals into you bottled water.

*Avoid piling boxes, cases and jugs of water too high. The large cases may bear too much pressure on the bottom cases, which will eventually give in and leak.

*Rotate your stock and monitor it on a regular basis to ensure that your reserve is adequate.

*Make sure you drink your water not more than three days after opening in order to minimize the risk of molds and microbiological pathogens.

NB: Do not recycle disposable soda, milk, juice and water bottles as these contain polyethylene terephthalate that may leak DEHP when used repeatedly.

More Water

You will need more water than you actually think. Apart from drinking water, you will also need some water to reconstitute your dried foods such as freeze dried meals, beans and rice, for cleaning your dishes and for adequate hygiene. Excessive dehydration can cause symptoms such as weariness, headaches, loss of mental alertness, urinary tract infections and full blown kidney stone problems. Even if you think you are well prepared for any crisis, consider the fact that you will need 20 to 30 gallons per month for every person in your household. 90 gallons of water will be sufficient to supply one person for a period of three months. However, if there are multiple persons in your family or group, this does not necessarily mean you multiply the number. Certain group tasks like washing the dishes will serve to consolidate the numbers a little. For a 3 months supply, a family of four will need at least 270 gallons of water. So the question is, how are you going to get that much amount of water? A residential water heater of standard size can only accommodate 40 or 50 gallons of water, tops, which is not close to enough.  The Sure Water System can store up to a maximum of 260 gallons of water, which is enough to last a family of four for three months.

Water purification

Since you may not be in a position to store enough water for an emergency, you would need to know how to purify water when you find other water sources There are many ways you can prepare safe drinking water:

*Boiling water: This is the oldest, but tried and true method of water purification. While boiling water does not take much time (about ten minutes), it does not guarantee better tasting water, which is why people back in the day drank tea… and beer, both of which require boiling to prepare.

*Sand, rock and charcoal: Place a layer of sand at the bottom of a sock or a straining container, then charcoal and top with rocks. Filter water into a container. While this method is not enough to eliminate Giardia from your water, it will give the water a better taste and reduce bacteria, at the very least.

*Iodine: This is not a very popular method of water purifications for a number of reasons. For starters, it takes thirty minutes when warm, and one hour if is hot on the outside. The second reason is that iodine tincture antiseptic is poisonous! However, an Iodine tincture first aid antiseptic with 2 percent USP can help prevent skin infections on small cuts, burns and scrapes. You will require approximately 10 drops for every gallon.

*Chlorination: This is a very effective method that will destroy almost all microorganisms. There are two techniques of chlorination to purify water:

>Chlorine dioxide water drops and tablets. Using chemicals to treat water is a safe and effectual way to guarantee water is safe for drinking. Potable aqua tablets have been shown to be very effective against viruses, Crystosporidium, Lamblia, Giardia and bacteria. The best part is that these are easy to use since all you have to do is drop the tablets in water. Aqua Mira water treatment drops are the liquid form of the potable aqua tablets. One bottle (one ounce) is enough to treat 30 gallons of water.

>Chlorine bleach. You only need 10 drops of this per every gallon of water. However, certain rules may come in handy when you are dealing with chlorine bleach:

i) Avoid using scented bleaches, bleaches with extra cleaners or color safe bleaches because these will contaminate your water.

ii) Look out for the expiry date

iii) Never use pool chlorine as this is a much stronger constitute as opposed to laundry bleach.

*Filtration: This is a great way to remove disease causing parasites. Moreover, you can still filter arsenic, fluoride and other contaminants from the water using a big BerkeyHYPERLINK "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BWIX1EQ/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00BWIX1EQ&linkCode=as2&tag=makmononeba-20&linkId=TF5E5W3GB5RNRCVN" Water Filter.

The big Berkey Water Filter is ideal for every day usage and is portable for camping trips. Most preppers prefer it because it has a prolonged filter life. This system purifies water which is both treated and untreated from sources such as remote lakes, stagnant water supplies and ponds.

The aqua pail water filter is a gravity fed water purification system that is portable with no power, no pressure and no pumps. The Aqua Pail 1000, shown below, filters higher amounts of water, about 1000 gallons. You can also purchase the Aqua Pail 400 which filters about 400 gallons of water at about half the price.

The Katadyn water filter, shown below is the most durable and most rugged micro filter available. This powerful water purification system has the ability to filter up to 13000 gallons of water. The best part is that it has a fast output speed of about 1 liter per minute.

The life straw water filter is a lightweight straw meant to sip from the water source directly for quick hydration. It has been shown to eliminate almost 100 percent of water borne bacteria and protozoan parasites. As such, this makes it a perfect choice to include in your bug out bag.

The Aqua Mira Frontier Pro Water Filter is attached directly to water bottles, bladders or cups and removes almost 100 percent of Cryptosporidium, Giardia and other contaminants. It can filter up to about 50 gallons of water.

NB: there is a difference between a water preserver and water purification drops/tablets. A water preserver should only be used when treating water for storage. This works to kill the pathogenic organisms that cause dysentery, typhoid and other serious diseases, just like chlorine dioxide water purification tablets/drops. The difference is that a water preserver also destroys and prevents the growth of algae, fungi and yeast in the water you store.

Hidden Sources of Water

When water starts running out, then you may want to look into the following sources of water:

*Rain water: This is alright to drink and you can collect it in case of an emergency situation. While acid rain is infamous for causing a buildup of toxic substances in soil, it is technically safe water. On the other hand, you can always boil it when in doubt. In addition, even though seemingly potable, it is still advisable to filter and decontaminate your rainwater before you drink it. You may be surprised at the number of airborne contaminants like bird droppings and radioactive fallout it may contain. The challenging part here is that collecting rainwater is in fact a crime in many states.

*Hot water tank: You can use this at your home or apartment as a hidden source of water in case of an emergency. While the hot water heater is a superfluous source of water, you may want to learn how to close off incoming water to prevent contaminated water from mixing with the safe water.

*Fire hydrant: You can even take advantage of this wide source of water down the street to get water in case of an emergency.

Well, now that you know where to get your water as well as how to purify and store, what important things do you need to be aware of:

Mind your water

Always be smart when choosing your water. Your tap water could be hosting arsenic, lead, nitrates, fluoride, radon, sulfates, atazine, chromium and other contaminants or chemicals. Find out how safe your tap water really is and start filtering it. Anyone who tells you that there exists such a thing as beneficial fluoride is trying to sale you something. A big Berkey Water Filter may be useful in filtering out arsenic, fluoride and many more.

Know your water

Be aware of safe water to drink and which one to avoid during an emergency. Do not... I repeat, do not use water from the toilet bowls or tanks, water beds, radiators, or swimming pools and spas. Toilet reserve tanks are not safe to drink from because they are blended with toilet tank cleaning agents, making the water undrinkable. However, you can always break the rules when you are out of options. While toilet flush tanks could be filled with contaminants from cleaning agents, radiators, pools/spas, and water beds all host plenty of contaminants. Again, if you have no other option, feel free to break the rules.

Scouts motto

Be proactive for your family's survival by harnessing fresh water for the future. Keep in mind that you need electricity to transfer water to your faucets. One of the biggest threats to your water supply is a power blackout brought about as a result of an electromagnetic pulse, which could rob you of electricity for months on end. The government may not be able to supply you with water thanks to immobilization of vehicles. This will make all car and ATV batteries pretty much useless. Even if you have electricity and water flowing in your municipality, water can be contaminated at the source just after natural disasters or man made ones. In a nutshell, a prepper needs to:

*Preserve as much water as possible

*Store more water than you anticipate to use

*Filter your water and test for impurities

*Take advantage of additional water sources such as lakes, fire hydrant, water heater and so on

*Know how to distinguish what is safe and what is not

*Plan for your future's water today

How To Conserve Water In An Emergency Situation

In case of an emergency situation where there is extreme water shortage, avoid eating salty foods because salty foods tend to make you thirstier. However, acknowledge the fact that sodium is a necessary element in your body that you lose in your urine and sweat. Talk to your physician and think about using Salt Stick Caps for endurance training. These capsules reduce muscle cramping, fatigue, and heat stress brought about as a result of unbalanced electrolyte blood vessels and replace lost electrolytes during activity, including potassium, sodium and magnesium. In addition, do not brush your teeth using the last bit of water. Store some lip balms for soothing dry lips as well as lotions for additional moisture. Stash away disposable cups for cold and hot drinks, plus paper plates and disposable plastic utensils to avoid using your drinking water to wash dishes.

Survival Food Preparation And Storage

How To Build Up A 3 Month Food Supply

Canning is probably the best way to preserve your food in case of an emergency situation although there are several other techniques such as freezing, and drying. Freezing is limited in efficiency because it relies primarily on electricity, which is highly prone to be inconvenient during a tragic event. Canned foods tend to have a prolonged shelf life, with most foods lasting up to 2 years before expiry. As such, whether you are canning your own foods or purchasing commercially canned ones from the grocery stores, you will definitely find canning very useful. Depending on the number of family members in your home, you will want to build up a pantry stock of at least three months to cover everyone on the list. Some of the essentials you should definitely have in your survival pantry are:

Distilled and seltzer water

While you can’t get full from drinking water, you undoubtedly can’t live without it, thus the reason for putting it as number one on the list.

You will hardly find any more pure form of water than distilled water. You may also want to consider including canned seltzer water in your pantry as this water lasts almost indefinitely, helps relieve constipation and allows for a fizzy pep in your sources of water. Steer away from this water if you have acid reflux!

Canned Liquids

Canned foods with a high amount of liquid content are a great idea in emergencies. Two great examples are canned vegetable juice and pineapple juice available at the bottom shelves of your local grocery stores. In addition, look for canned coconut milk, condensed milk and evaporated milk. Coconut milk will make your rice cook faster. You can also use beef, vegetable or chicken stock and stewed tomatoes to cook your rice without using up your drinking water.

Powdered (dehydrated milk)

Milk is very important for your health… at least as far as the commercials are concerned. On that note, milk is a very important and versatile food that will be very useful in case of an emergency. It is always safe to stock it in advance if there is no goat or cow. Bob’s Red Mill dehydrated milk is an excellent choice since you can store it for up to 2 years and is an also a natural creamer for your coffee. In that sense, avoid buying the non dairy creamers prepared with hydrogenated oils, but go for the powdered milk instead. Goat’s milk can be found both in canned and powdered form.

Hard cheeses wrapped in wax

It is hard to find waxed hard cheeses, but they are available. Gouda, sharp cheddar, Swiss or Parmesan encased in wax is especially great. Wax helps to prevent growth of mold and bacteria on the cheese, and helps to retain moisture, which means you can store it for a very long time without refrigeration. Parmesan cheese in powder form can last up to four months, and up to 25 years when encased in wax. You can purchase cheese wax with a basic hard cheese kit and prepare your very own cheeses.

Protein drinks and bars

When preparing cheese, the thick part of the milk that is separated from the liquid when it turns sour is called the curds. On the other hand, whey is the cloudy and yellowish watery part, which is very nutritious. Whey is rich in protein, and consists of all the essential amino acids needed by the body for strength and development of muscles. This is a great way of adding protein to your meals without adding too much fat and carbohydrates. In addition, it dissolves fast, which makes it a brilliant ingredient for making smoothies and high protein shakes. In case of a crisis, blend it with dehydrated milk to achieve a frothy & satisfying mix.

Canned and dehydrated meats

The best source of protein for a prepper is basically meat. If there was only one option of food to stockpile in your stores, let it be meat cans. This is because meats can provide you with almost ninety percent of your overall sustenance required for human survival, and most plants are toxic to humans. Canned tuna, canned mackerel and canned sardines are great sources of omega 3 fatty acids. Fill your fridge with meats as well. Hot dogs, sausages and smoked salmon can stay fresh in your fridge for a long time. Store sausages and organic hot dogs that are made from organic and grass fed beef. Use these first in case of power outage.

Coffee, tea, bouillon, tang and ovaltine

Storing coffee for survival can be a great source of increased mental alertness, as well as a morale boost. Tea for survival will also come in handy and has been used for centuries. Traditionally, our ancestors didn’t have access to quality water, so boiling it would help kill bacteria, and adding tea helped it taste better. Tea can help rehydrate you quickly in case of an emergency when you are too thirsty to wait for the boiled water to cool. Caffeinated teas are a great source of additional energy. Other types of teas can also provide a soothing and calming effect, which you will probably be in dire need of. Additionally, several kinds of tea contain anti cancer properties, help reduce your risk of blood clotting and even diminish cholesterol levels. You can also add chamomile, peppermint and Echinacea teas to help fight common cold! Bouillon cubes are condensed stock and will help you flavor your rice, soups, gravies and ramen style noodles. Even if you do not use bouillon, tea or coffee, you can still stock them for battering in emergency situations.

Oils

There are very few things you can cook without oil. Purchase small oil containers labeled “virgin” to ensure that they are first press and contain the most nutritive properties. Olive is a great oil to use but can go rancid quickly, although its shelf life can last up to two years. You can always replace Crisco or any other vegetable shortening with coconut oil as shortening usually comprises of trans fats. Additionally, coconut oil is very resistant to heat and is low to oxidize, which means that it takes more time to go rancid as compared to other oils. It has a maximum shelf life of two years and is a great source of energy on the go.

Ghee may also come in handy to stock up. This is basically melted butter that has been simmered down to eliminate all the water, leaving the milk solids to settle at the bottom. Pure creamery butter comes in a can and has a shelf life of about three years. A good replacement of hydrogenated Crisco is organic shortening, which lasts indefinitely.

Lard has also been shown to be a healthy cooking fat, which is also versatile. In a nutshell, whichever oil you decide to stock, make sure you buy them in small containers because once you open them, they oxidate and start to deteriorate fast.

Steer away from anything prepared with soybean because ninety percent of soybean products are cross contaminated or genetically modified.

Whole wheat flour

Wheat is a common food product that is rich in carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin and minerals such as selenium. Floor may also come in handy for thickening gravies, as well as to coat and fry things such as freshly caught fish. You may not need to stock up genetically modified cornstarch when you have whole wheat flour, which is used for thickening as well. As a general rule of thumb, make sure you store whole grain wheat in your pantry.

Cereals

Stock a pile of whatever cereals you and your family eat; wheat based, rice or corn. The best recommendation is shredded wheat because it contains all the muscle building essentials in the whole wheat grain made in a digestible form, thus providing you with all the strength you need to work and play. If refrigeration is not a problem, stock wheat germ as this has a high level of vitamin E and fiber which may come in handy to boost your immune system. Packed with fiber and protein, wheat germ is also rich in selenium, manganese, zinc, magnesium, and folate. While this is not really a meal, you can always add it to your hot cereal.

Potato flour

This is a great gluten free addition you can include to your pantry to prepare waffles, pancakes, and breads, as well as potato soups. You can also use it as a thickening agent to avoid GMO cornstarch. However, there is a difference between potato flour and potato starch as potato flour refers to the whole potato, including the skin, dehydrated.

Dried corn as a grain

There are several different types of dried corn. Popcorn, for instance, is a grain that you can grind into flour. Masa on the other hand, is a Spanish word used to refer to dough, and is finely ground maize, corn or hominy. It is generally dried, cooked, ground and soaked in lime before it is dried once more. It has the benefit of reconstituting easily with warm water with salt when preparing corn tortillas. Masa harina can also be used to make the dough for tamales, papusas and empanadas. Go for organic brands to ensure that you avoid genetically modified products. On the other hand, corn grits is a more versatile and nutritious basic food. You will love it especially when added milk and honey for breakfast. You can even leave it in a pot to turn it into polenta. You can then serve it for dinner this way with gravy, marinara, cheese or butter. Alkali treated corn can also be purchased as hominy, which is a very popular Mexican and Southern cuisine. Hominy is very rich in calcium.

Corn as a vegetable

Corn can work both as a vegetable and as a grain. The main difference is that as a grain, you must dry it first before harvesting. You can find organic corn in canned form at your local grocery store to ensure that it is not genetically altered since most corn is GMO.

Oats and oatmeal

Oatmeal is very low in saturated fat and is a very good source of fiber, which will come in handy during an emergency. Plenty of water will be needed since it requires at least 4 cups of water to make the porridge for every cup of oatmeal. You can soak it overnight, so that it takes a shorter time to boil (about 9 to 12 minutes), as opposed to half an hour.

Breadcrumbs and stuffing

You can add breadcrumbs to casseroles, and you can also use them to make crab cakes and salmon with the cans in your storage. The bad news is that it is relatively hard to find bread crumbs wrapped in plastic for freshness purposes. Most of these are packed in waxed paper. You can also use stuffing as a natural complement to your mashed potatoes, which will go well with dehydrated onions and spices. Also, consider canned bread and pumpernickel. Try to incorporate pumpernickel in your daily diet to get used to it. It is a wonderful whole grain rye bread, is very rich in fiber and lasts up to three or four months. A single slice of bread can make a very satisfying meal. At the start of a crisis situation, this meal will keep you full for some time.

Ready to eat meals

Soup is a great food that can provide a hearty meal accompanied with crackers. You can take comfort in owning several ready to eat meals in uncertain times, which do not require cooking. One of them is Go Picnic.

Crackers

Crackers are not really nutritious but they do provide a sense of normalcy in an emergency situation. They will also come in handy to accompany your soups, peanut butter and tuna salad stashes in your pantry. Flaky crackers may also contain surprising nutritive benefits like iron and niacin. 

Au gratin potatoes and potato flakes

If you can get a shelf stable variety of scalloped potatoes or au gratin that are not made with hydrogenated oils, you can go for these. The bad news is that most au gratin proteins contain them, which is why you should skip Betty Crocker, Wegmann’s and Idahoan. Go for the au gratin potatoes that are found at organic food based markets such as Whole Foods.

Rice

While jasmine rice is relatively cheap and worth stocking, there are other varieties you can stock up. These include brown rice, wild rice, short grain Asian rice, Italian Arborio rice and basmati rice. Brown rice is especially healthy, but it requires more cooking time, which can eat up your cooking resources. Instant rice is the best option for that reason alone, but it is not as healthy as the other alternatives.

Pastas

Dried pasta contains very little or no fat and minimal moisture content, which means it is very resistant to spoilage. You can add a variety of pastas among your most filling and relatively cheap foods; in addition to your macaroni noodles and spaghetti, include gnocchi, egg noodles, dried tortellini, orzo, couscous and other varieties of Italian pasta like lasagna, rotelle, linguine, rotini, orecchiette, rigatoni, mastoccilli, penne and so on. Do not forget Asian pastas as well. You can also find healthier alternatives to the costly ramen style noodles. Consider rice noodles, soba, udon (basically wheat flour), chow man noodles and bean curd noodles.

Fruit strips, dried fruits and raisins

A small amount of raisins can provide a full serving of fruit. Raisins are rich in vitamin C, iron, fiber and protein. They are also loaded with potassium and antioxidants. You can include them in your pantry to improve the flavor of your rice and cereals. Keep in mind that raisins are in fact dried fruit, not dehydrated food. The way you store each of them will be different. Organic raisins are a great option to avoid toxic chemicals used in commercial farming. One excellent choice is the Newmans Own. These are rich in juicy flavor and have a pleasing texture. Complement your supply with dried mangoes, cranberries, dates and apricots or whatever your family enjoys. Steer away from fruit rollups as these are leavened with undesirable high fructose corn syrups. Rather, go for high fiber dried fruit strips and simply fruit twists, which are available in a range of flavors like apricot, grape and cherry.

Jams and jellies

These are a canning favorite from raspberry jams and strawberry jams to blackberry jams, grape jellies, as well as apple butters. You can include these in your pantry to sweeten life a bit, as we know things can be quite tough in a crisis.

Canned fruits

While most people prefer stocking up canned veggies, it’s the fruit that you should really concentrate on since fruits contain about double the amount of calories/pound as vegetables. A fruit cocktail can give you roughly 300 to 400 calories per pound. Peaches, on the other hand, when packed in light syrup, can be a great source of calorie boost when in survival mode. In addition, the liquids can also provide you with a valuable source of hydration. Go for citrus options such as mandarin oranges and pineapple to serve a source of vitamin C. You can also use applesauce as an accompaniment to your cereals, but it can also act as a dessert. One great source of vitamin A is canned pumpkin, and you can prepare a quick soup by adding spices such as garlic, as well as bouillon.

Canned veggies

As a prepper, you need to think above green beans, at least as far as veggies are concerned. Green beans are limited in calories. When looking for the best veggies to store, consider canned root vegetables such as yams and sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin A, and they are filling as well. Add a variety of canned cabbage, beets and sauerkraut. Carrots, potatoes and peas can provide a nice stew for the fixing. Canned asparagus, olives and artichoke hearts can help you prepare quick pasta dishes. You can shop for dried veggies online, but keep off canned corn as this is likely GMO.

Beans and legumes

Stash all kinds of canned and dried beans, even the refried beans. Having a wide variety will come in handy, as it will give you more fiber and energy. Beans are packed with about 1250 calories per pound. The best part is that you can even sprout beans. In as little as 5 days, you can grow fresh, crunchy phytonutrients from dried lentils, beans and peas for your family. Peanuts are not technically nuts but rather beans. You can still stock up on these as well since they provide protein.

Seeds, nuts and nut butters

While nuts have a tendency to go rancid in a short time, they are a great source of energy, which is why you should include them in your pantry, as long as there are no members with allergies in your family. Cashews, walnuts and raw almonds are great choices. Mixed roasted nuts can also provide variety, such as Brazil nuts, pecans and hazelnuts. Since nuts are basically allergens, you may want to keep children below the age of 5 away from them. Consider canned chestnuts as well, as these are a great source of fiber, magnesium, potassium, vitamin C and iron. The healthiest seeds and nuts come in bags, as opposed to oiled filled jars and cans. Consider alfalfa seeds and sunflower seeds as well. Go for peanut butters whose only ingredients are peanuts, salt and oil. Avoid the peanut butters that are made with sugar, or hydrogenated oil. Keep in mind that just because a label is written “trans fat free” is not an assurance that the product contains no trans fats. Sometimes it means that there is an “insignificant” amount per serving.

Honey

Honey is especially handful as it lasts forever, and you can use it to flavor oatmeal and other grains, and teas. It works well to sooth sore throats, and you can also use it on wounds when there are no topical antibiotics available.

Iodized salt

Salt has the ability to kill bacteria and it contains sodium and chloride ions, which are essential components that all living things need in small quantities. Iodine helps prevent thyroid gland complications and goiter, as well as to regulate fluid balance in your body. Above all, you need salt to preserve foods. Salt works by inhibiting the growth of germs through osmosis, where water is pushed out of the microbial cells by the salt. The best part is that salt does not expire and you can salt anything.

Sugars and molasses

Powdered sugar, brown sugar and granulated sugar will come in handy. It is also advisable to purchase sugar in raw form (cane). Skip the sugars packed in paper bags and boxes. Purchase sugar that is wrapped in plastic as this helps prevent insects from contaminating the sugar. You can also buy canned sugar or pack your own purchased sugar in sealed food grade plastic buckets and Mylar bags.

Herbs and spices

Some spices you can consider adding to your survival pantry include saffron, which will go a long way in making your rice more tasty, as well as chili to add flavor to your beans. Stock more of the spices in your pantry. Excellent basics include ginger, dried mustard, oregano, rosemary, cumin, red pepper and dill. Avoid the strong spice curry as it may attract human predators, although it tastes wonderful.

Condiments

You will need your favorite flavors to give your foods a better taste in emergency situations. Buy small cans of mayonnaise and pickle relish for your tuna salad. If possible, try to find a mayo that does not have soybeans, as these are mostly GMO. You can also benefit from a range of mustards to spice up your foods. Purchase ketchup that is free of the toxic high fructose corn syrup, and store it in a brown paper bag, in a dark place to preserve it for as long as possible. You can also use Tabasco sauce to add flavor to bland foods. Consider also buying canned gravy as a flavor. This may come in handy to add flavor to your stuffing and potatoes. Barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce are also great condiments for enhancing the taste of stews and soups. On the other hand, almond, vanilla and maple syrup extracts as well as chocolate syrups and cocoa powder can also provide a sweet sensation to your foods.

Chocolate

Chocolate is full of antioxidants and serves as a morale booster as well. The fiber content can also make you full. Stash away high quality dark chocolate in your pantry, such as Dove bars. Some chocolates are made with hydrogenated oils, which is a very undesirable ingredient. Avoid these at all costs, even at survival times!

Vitamins

Being at the peak of your vitality is essential in times of stress. Multi vitamins are great, but be sure to add a pack of Calcium with vitamin D fortified vitamin. This combination may be useful in fighting infections. Look out for magnesium as well, as this helps to counter the damage caused by too much adrenaline. While pills and vitamins may not help you pull weight, vitamins help your body assimilate food. You can only pull more weight after eating real food. As such, the pills are not the solution, but the key is plenty of food in a wide variety. The best approach is to include the vitamins in your food. For children, you can use gummy Bears to help stay healthy and fight infections.

Food bars

Apart from the protein bars we mentioned earlier, there are other types of food bars such as pemmican bars and nut bars. These are ideal to include in your bug out bag, as they are compact nutrition, which should be a part of your every day food pantry storage. While some are a cross of vitamins and chocolate candy (somewhat), others are more granola, but are often rich in protein. You can use food bars for a satisfying breakfast meal, or you can add them to your other rations. Consider coconut bars as well! Pemmican is usually under rated but is rich in protein and is a good source of energy. It is also free of cholesterol, sugar, fructose and isolates, and is a concentrated food bar which is full of energy.

Vodka

Vodka has many functions including drinking, cooking and trading as well. It also has medicinal value. You can use it as a mouth wash or to ease pain from a toothache. Use vodka dabs on cold sores to dry them out, to ease poison ivy, or as an anesthetics for blisters. Vodka can also be applied on the skin to act as a mosquito and fly repellant. In addition, you can also use it to wipe stinky smell on your feet, and to clean the lenses of your glasses.

Dry yeast

The bad thing about yeast is that it has a very short shelf life. However, you may still need it. Dry yeast is a very important leavening agent used in baking bread and is more long lasting as compared to compressed yeast. It works by converting the fermentable sugars of your dough into ethanol and carbon dioxide.

Baking powder and baking soda

Both of these are leavening agents, meaning that they produce carbon dioxide to allow food to rise. Baking soda is purely sodium bicarbonate. When you combine it with honey or blend with an acidic ingredient such as yogurt or buttermilk, you will achieve a chemical reaction with carbon dioxide bubbles. This is why baked goods rise. Go for products that are free of aluminum, such as Bob’s Red Mill. The maximum shelf life of baking soda is typically two years. Baking powder on the other hand, contains sodium bicarbonate as an ingredient together with an acidifying agent and a drying agent. The maximum shelf life of baking powder is roughly one and a half years.

In most cases, the exact quantities of the above essentials you are going to need will depend on a number of variables. These include factors such as the basal metabolic rate of each member of your family, and the family size. If you are trying to determine the exact amount you will need for 3 months in case of an emergency situation, you may benefit from a food storage calculator. Basically, all you have to do is enter the number of members in your family, your energy requirements and the amount of food reserve you would like to store. Here is a sample of a four member family supply for a 1250-calorie diet.

So, now that you know the foods to have and the quantities you need to have so that you can survive for up to 3 months when disaster strikes, how can you accumulate these quantities? I will show you how to build your survival pantry in the next section. 

7 Week Project For A 3 Months Supply

Stocking up a three month food pantry takes time and dedication. As such, it is advisable to be wise when storing up your food and water. However, avoid going into extremes. For instance, it is not prudent to go into debt in order to establish your pantry all at once. If you plan carefully, you can establish a probable home storage supply over time, as well as a financial reserve. The best approach when starting a food storage survival pantry is to establish the basal metabolic rate of each member; i.e. the amount of energy they burn when at rest, and then try to maintain the specified calorie count each day. Of course, there is bound to be accelerated body activity during an emergency situation so try to be slightly on the higher side when counting the calories. In extreme situations when food is scarce, you cannot afford to go on a 2000+ daily calorie intake. In this case, you can settle for daily calorie intake of 1200 -1500 calories.

In that light, the best technique is to start with a small supply of food as a part of your everyday diet. One good way to achieve this is to buy a few extra supplies each week when shopping to come up with a one week food supply. You can then increase your supply gradually until it is enough for three months. Even then, you should try to rotate these items on a regular basis to avoid spoilage. The following list is a 7 week project that would provide seven different meals for three months, rotated weekly, and is ideal for a family of 4. Keep in mind that you can replace these meals with your own favorite menu ideas. Simply take each ingredient from your ideal menu and multiply by 12 to get a three month’s worth. In addition, if you find it hard to keep up with the purchases, you can always spread out the quantities to extend to a period of 12 weeks or so. This means that, if you were to purchase 12 cans of meat, chicken soup, and tomato soup in one week for instance, you can just divide the amount to meet your budget. For example, rather than buying 12 cans all at once, you could buy 4 cans for that week, then add 4 more after two weeks and so on. The trick is to strike a balance in order to achieve the 7 different all rounded meals you can eat in an emergency situation to meet your daily recommended calorie count. The quantities on the right are the specified ingredients for 4 people. Here is what you need to purchase in the seven weeks:

Week 1:

Spaghetti (for 4 servings)

6 pounds of spaghetti noodles - 8 ounces 

12 jars of spaghetti sauce with meat - 1 jar

Week 2:

Tuna noodle casserole (4 to 6 servings)

6 pounds of spiral noodles – 8 ounces

12 cans of tuna – 1 can

12 cans of condensed mushroom soup – 1 can (10 oz)

2 quarts worth of powdered milk– 2/3 c. milk

Week 3:

Chili or stew (4 to 6 servings)

24 large cans of chili or stew - 2 cans

Week 4:

Bean burrito enchiladas (4 servings)

12 cans of refried beans – 1 can (16 oz)

12 cans of red enchilada sauce– 1 can (12 ounces)

12 flour tortillas

36 cups of unbleached flour

1 canister of baking powder – 2 teaspoons 

1 canister of salt – 2 teaspoons 

1 tub of Lard or vegetable shortening - 4-6 tablespoons 

1 ¼ cups of warm water

Week 5:

Pot pie

24 pie crusts

2 4 cans of mixed vegetables – 2 cans

24 packets of dry chicken gravy – 2 cups

12 cans of chicken – 1 can

Week 6:

Hawaiian haystacks (4 servings)

12 cans of chicken – 1 can

24 cans of chicken soup – 2 cans

24 cups of dry, hot cooked rice – 4 cups

You can also include a wide range of fresh or canned items such as thawed frozen beans, mushrooms, pimiento, mandarin oranges, corn, peas, water chestnuts, tomatoes, coconuts, almonds, cheddar cheese, pineapple chunks, frozen/dehydrated peppers, dehydrated onions, and olives. For a 3 months’ supply, purchase 12 cans of each (or 12 servings).

Week 7:

Sheppard’s pie

12 cans of ground beef – 1 can

1 canister of dried onion – 1 tablespoon

12 cans of diced tomatoes – 1 can

12 cans of tomato soup – 1 can

12 cans of tomato sauce - 1 can

12 cans of drained corn – 1 can

12 cans of drained green beans – 1 can

24 cups of mashed potatoes – 4 cups

Obviously, buying all the above items will probably cost you a fortune. Additionally, relying on store bought canned foods means that if the supply is diminished, there is very little you can do about getting more food. That’s why it is best to learn how to can your own food so that you can be canning your own foods whenever you want. This will definitely give you a lot more flexibility than any other strategy. Let’s discuss canning in the next section.

Home Canning For Preppers

As mentioned earlier, canning is the ultimate solution for preppers when it comes to food preservation. There are basically two methods of canning: water bath canning and pressure canning. Most people use the water bath canning technique to preserve high acid foods that are easy to preserve. These foods are divergent and allow you to prepare and enjoy a wide range of recipes, including mouth watering side dishes, delectable desserts, tantalizing salsas and one-of-a-kind soups. Examples of high acid foods are fruits, jellies, jams, fruit juices, and salsas. Pressure canning, on the other hand, is used to preserve low acid foods such as meats, pork, poultry and sea food. Here is a basic introduction to the two techniques, as well as a few recipes to get you started.

Water bath canning

Requirements

*A tested preserving recipe

*Boiling water bath canner. You can also use a large saucepot with a rack and a lid.

*Canning jars with bands and brand new lids

*Common kitchen utensils like a ladle, funnel and wooden spoon

*Fresh produce/quality ingredients

Others

*Jar lifter

*Sure tight band tool

*Secure grip hot jar handler

Directions

Read through your sample recipe and directions, then assemble the ingredients and equipment. Prepare the recipe from the given guidelines.

Check whether the jars, lids and bands are fully functional. Avoid using jars with uneven rims, cracks, nicks or sharp edges as these may cause breakage or prevent proper sealing. On the other hand, the bands should fit perfectly on the jars, and the lids’ undersides should not have incomplete/uneven sealing compound or scratches on the inside as this may prevent proper sealing.

Heat and keep the jars in hot water until ready for use. Keeping the canning jars in hot water will prevent them from breaking due to temperature differences once you add hot food. Let the lids and bands cool at room temperature for easier handling.

Fill your water bath canner halfway with water, and bring to a simmer while covered. Make sure the rim is set at the bottom of the canner. There is no need to buy a boiling water bath canner in case you don’t have one in your kitchen. You are more likely to own a pot in your kitchen that can double up as a water bath canner. However, the selected pot must be large enough for the jars to immerse fully into the water and allow some room for the water to boil with the lid still on. If a specifically designed home preservation rack is not available, a cake cooling rack can be used in its place.

Prepare the sample preserving recipe from your fresh produce or any other quality ingredients. Using a jar lifter, lift out the jars from the hot water, and empty the water inside. Add the prepared food into the jars using a funnel, and leave the recommended headspace from the recipe. Remove any air bubbles with a rubber spatula or bubble remover, while adjusting the headspace if necessary.

Wipe off any food residue from the rims and threads using a clean, damp cloth, then center the lids and secure with bands until fingertip tight. Pack the jars into the rack in the canner until it is full or your cans are used up. Lower the rack until the jars are covered by 1-2 inches of water, then cover the water bath canner with a lid. Bring water to a full boil before you set the processing time.

Process the jars for the indicated time in your recipe, then turn off the heat and uncover the canner. Leave the jars to stand in the water bath canner for five minutes before you remove them. Set them upright on a towel to avoid breakage as a result of temperature differences. Allow the jars to stand undisturbed for at least 12 hours, then check the lids for seals.

Remove the bands and, if a lid is not secure enough, refrigerate or reprocess the product immediately. Be sure to label the mason jars before storing in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Sample Recipe

Raspberry jam

Ingredients

4 cups of sugar

4 cups of mashed raspberries

Directions

Using a very large pot, bring the mashed berries to a full rolling boil, then boil for 2 minutes. Stir in sugar and bring back to a boil as you stir frequently. Continue boiling for 2 minutes, then remove from heat and beat the berries with a rotary beater for about 4 minutes. Pour the jam into sterilized jars and secure with lids and bands.

Yields: 6 pints

Pressure canning

The average family meal planning needs to include meats, vegetables, seafood and poultry for a healthy diet. Therefore, it is vital that you preserve these low acid foods to ensure a well balanced and economical diet in case of an emergency situation. The challenge is that while these foods are easy to preserve, they require special handling in order to minimize the risk of spoilage brought about by certain food borne bacteria. This means that you must process these foods at a temperature of 240 degrees F while canning for the specified time in your recipe. The only way to achieve this temperature is by pressure canning, since the water bath canner only heats to a maximum temperature of 212 degrees F, the boiling point of water. Examples of low acid foods are vegetables, stews, soups, stocks, seafood, meat and poultry. You are also recommended to use pressure canning when combining high acid foods with low acid foods.

Follow the directions in the water bath canner technique until you have prepared the food and are ready to process in the water bath canner. Rather than using the water bath canner, you are going to be using a pressure canner. The following steps should guide you through the rest of the pressure canning procedure:

*Venting air from the pressure canner: Raise the heat setting to high in order to achieve a steady gush of steam from the vent pipe. When this has this achieved, adjust the heat to maintain a moderate flow for ten minutes.

*Sealing and processing: Close the vent pipe with the pressure regulator, and then bring the canner to a rolling boil until desired pressure. Maintain the recommended pressure by adjusting the heat regularly on the dial gauge. 

*After processing: Turn off the burner when the specified processing time in your recipe is up, then remove the canner from the heat source. Allow the pressure to drop to zero naturally, with no steam escaping from the canner when the regulator is tilted. The standard time is usually 30 minutes when using pints, and forty-five minutes when using quarts. 

*Remove the regulator from the vent pipe when the pressure has dropped, and give the canner ten minutes to cool before uncovering the lid. Use a jar lifter to extract the jars, and set them aside to cool completely without tilting, about 8 to 12 hours. Remove the bands when the jars have cooled. Store in a cool, dry place. When canning using the pressure canning procedure, use the chart below for pressure adjustments, based on your altitude.

Sample Recipe

Easy canned venison (game)

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of minced garlic

Optional: 1 tablespoon of minced green bell pepper 

1 pound of cubed lean venison

¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper

4 slices onion

Directions

Put the venison cubes in a large bowl and sprinkle with garlic, salt and pepper. Toss to combine, then transfer all the ingredients into canning jars, leaving a headspace of about ½ an inch from the top. Wipe off any residue from the rims using a clean, damp cloth.

Fill pressure canner with water as per manufacturer’s directions and then place the jars in. Cover with lid and bring to a boil without closing the pressure valve. Boil for five minutes and then close the valve. Adjust the pressure using the altitude chart above, based on your altitude, and then maintain this pressure for 75 minutes by reducing the heat. Turn off the heat and give the canner some time to cool and the pressure to drop naturally to zero. Open the canner and lift out the jars, then place on a rack to cool. Refrigerate the unsealed jars and store the properly sealed ones in a cool, dark space.

Conclusion

I hope this book has provided adequate information on the staple foods you need to have in your pantry as well as how you can store water effectively. Now you need to start stocking up because you never know what may happen tomorrow. The time to stock up is now!

Again thank you for your purchase and your time.

Alex Wild

Your next step is to check out a related book in this series called “Prepper’s Home Guide – Essential Tips And Strategies To Ready Your Home For A Disaster.”

This is the perfect complement to this book and will further guide you along the way to becoming a successful prepper.

I have included a FREE preview for you on the next page for your viewing pleasure.

Free Preview “Pepper’s Home Guide”

Disaster Situation No. 5: Anarchy, Chaos, Rioting

Society has shown over the years to be much more capable of breaking down for many reasons. It seems like more than ever people have a complete lack of trust in our governments and law enforcement agencies. We have all seen the movies of complete anarchy overrunning towns, cities, and countries. While these movies are for entertainment it does make you think that a complete breakdown of society is quite possible. Although the anarchy and chaos would more than likely be contained to local levels it still is a good idea to be prepared in case you are caught in the middle of a lawless town or city.

Now being prepared for anarchy or chaos in the streets would vary depending upon where you live. You would have different challenges and plans depending upon whether you lived in the regular house, apartment, condo, or a house out in the country. Now I could go heavy duty in this section and recommend that you mount your house with flamethrowers and machine guns to keep the bad guys out but that just isn’t practical or safe. I will let Hollywood and the movies play that story out for you as I will go a different route here.

If you or your family were facing a complete breakdown where you lived and you wanted to keep your house safe from intruders or a violent mob I would suggest you follow my advice on the topic. The best way to handle these types of situations is to go completely unnoticed if possible. What do I mean by that? You want to make sure your house isn’t inviting any potential intruders into it. In fact the best way to have your house go unnoticed is to make it look like it already has been looted and gone through by other groups of people.

Now I stress that the only way you would ever take things to this level would be in an absolute worst case scenario where your immediate safety is at danger and law enforcement isn’t capable of helping at all because it is just that bad on the streets and you have to protect your family. So yes this is worst case scenario stuff here…

Here are a few things you can do to make the bad guys keep going..

*Make your house look trashed on the outside as if it already has been ransacked.

*Spray paint the exterior window areas and doors black to give it a burned or charred look.

*Cover your windows on the inside with a black felt so people on the outside can’t see anything going on inside. You want to remain hidden.

*Mount 2X4 material on your doors and windows to prevent unwanted people from entering.

*Put any trash or old furniture you can around the outside of  your house and on your lawn making your house look undesirable and as if it has already been entered by others.

*Investing in some barbed wire line around fences and other areas might be a good idea as well. You must consider though that putting barbed wire up where it is visible to the bad guys might actually draw attention to the fact that you have something worth protecting on the inside of your home.

*Keeping your house dark on the inside as you don’t want to disclose any potential movement and invite anyone in.

*Lots of broken glass around the outside of your house will also make others thing that your house has already been gone through.

*A simple sign that you may want to make pre…

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