Questions about food crisis preparations

[DA_Champion]

Judging by the current mess, and the combination of several distinct factors each contributing to the food crisis each of them requiring distinct but politically difficult solutions, I take it as a given that food prices will be rising dramatically. I doubt anyone on this message board is going to starve, but it will be getting a lot more expensive. I plan on stockpiling foods now.

However, I'm drawing a blank. Which foods don't go bad, and are good for stockpiling?

Rice
Beans
Lentils
Canola and Olive oil?
Canned corn, carrots, green peas?
Flour
Sugar

????

Also, do people think prices for other household goods, such as soap, shampoo, detergent or kleenex will be rising as well?

[Yoda]

Food Storage: Pantry
How long will your staples last?
The longevity of various foods depends on their perishability. Some, like sugars, alcohol-based extracts, and high acid canned goods, will keep for years unopened. Other foods like bread or cookies can get stale in a few days.

Tips for preserving staples
To preserve foods for the longest period, store in a cool, dry, dark location.
Make sure food packaging is secure when you purchase it.
If you buy staples in bulk, buy only as much as you expect you'll use fairly quickly. That will ensure that your staples are always fresh and will give predictable performance in your cooking and baking projects.
Vacuum seal dry foods if you buy in bulk to extend the storage period.
Use the oldest stock first and rotate your pantry goods regularly.
Refrigerate foods that have been opened. Condiments like ketchup and mustard last longer in the fridge than on the shelf.
READ the package. If it says to "refrigerate after opening", make sure it gets into the fridge.
Pitch any containers that show signs of bugs, or cans and jars that have bulging lids or show any signs of leakage. The rule of thumb here is "When in doubt, throw it out!"
What do those dates mean?
Manufacturers offer "use by" dates as a guideline to peak quality. It's also a liability protection. Once the food has passed that date, the manufacturer is no longer bound to replace product that has gone bad. The federal government requires labeling only on infant formula and some baby food.

States regulate dates too so there is not much uniformity between states as to what "sell by" or "pull by" dates should be. Both tell the grocer the last day the item may be offered for sale, but has nothing to do with home storage or use. In some states, as long as food has not lost its quality it may be pulled and offered for sale at a reduced rate.

Another date is "best if used by" and again this is an estimate of how long the quality should stand up over time. Expiration dates indicate the when a product should used by. After that date, more caution should be exercised.

Pack dates tell you when food was packaged but give no indication of how long it will be good.

The following tables offer simple guidelines to the life expectancy of various foods. That said, many foods are perfectly safe to eat past the expiration dates as long as the packaging remains intact. You may notice some degradation in quality and that should be expected, but the foods should still be safe to eat. Items like cake or quick bread mixes may not rise and fats may develop rancid "off" flavors.

Baking Ingredients
Type of food Unopened Opened
Baking powder 6 months 3 months
Baking soda 2 years 6 months
Quick bread or cake mixes 15 months Use-by date
Cocoa and cocoa mixes Indefinitely 1 year
Cornmeal 12 months Refrigerate after opening (1 year)
Cornstarch 18 months 18 months
Flour (white) 1 year 6-8 months
Flour (whole wheat) 1 month Refrigerate after opening (6-8 months)
Frosting (canned) 10 months Refrigerate after opening (1 week)
Frosting mixes 12 months 3 months
Gelatin (unflavored) 3 years Reseal in four months
Gelatin (flavored) 18 months Reseal in four months
Molasses 1 year 6 months
Sugar – brown or granulated white Forever Forever
Sugar – confectioners 18 months 18 months
Sugar substitutes 2 years 2 years
Vanilla 5 years 1 year
Yeast – dry packets Use-by date Refrigerate open packets

Condiments
Type of food Unopened Opened
Barbeque Sauce 12 months 1 month (refrigerated: 4 months)
Catsup, cocktail sauce or chili sauce 1 year 1 month (refrigerated: 6 months)
Chutney 1 year Refrigerate after opening (1-2 months)
Chopped Garlic 18 months Refrigerate; good until use-by date
Horseradish 1 year Refrigerate after opening (3-4 months)
Gravy mix (dry) 2 years Use entire packet
Gravy mix (wet) 2-5 years Refrigerate after opening (1 month)
Herbs (dried) 1-2 years 1 year
Honey 1 year 1 year
Jam, jelly, marmalade 1 year Refrigerate after opening (6 months)
Maple Syrup 1 year Refrigerate after opening (1 year)
Mayonnaise 2-3 months Refrigerate after opening (3 months)
Mustard 1 year 1-2 months (refrigerated: 1 year)
Olives 12-18 months Refrigerate after opening (2 weeks)
Pickles 1 year Refrigerate after opening (2-3 months)
Relish 1 year 6 months
Salad dressings 1 year Refrigerate after opening (3 months)
Salsa 1 year 1 month
Salt Forever Forever
Worcestershire sauce 1 year 1 year

Food Staples
Type of food Unopened Opened
Bread (store at room temperature in a bread box) 1-2 weeks 1 week
Canned goods such as soups, pasta, peas, potatoes, and spinach (low acidity or sugar) 2+ years Refrigerate after opening (3-4 days)
Canned goods such as juice, fruit, pickles (high acidity or sugar) 2+ years Refrigerate after opening (5-7 days)
Cereal (ready-to-eat) 6-12 months 3 months
Cereal (cook-before-eat) 6-12 months 6-12 months
Chocolate 12-24 months 1 year
Chocolate syrup 2 years Refrigerate after opening (6 months)
Coffee (whole beans from bulk bin) 2-4 weeks in air tight container Vacuum pack and freeze (3-4 months)
Coffee (ground, in can) 2 years Refrigerate after opening (2 weeks)
Coffee (instant) 1 year Refrigerate after opening (2-3 months)
Coffee Creamer, Powder 6 months 6 months
Dried Beans 1 year 1 year
Lentils (dried) 1 year 1 year
Pasta – Dried w/out eggs 2 years 1 year
Pasta – Egg Noodles 2 years 1-2 months
Peanut Butter 9 months 3 months
Peas – Dried split 1 year 1 year
Popcorn – Kernels in jar 2 years 1 year
Popcorn – Microwavable Bags 1 year 1-2 days popped
Potato Chips 2 months 1-2 weeks
Potatoes – Instant 6-12 months 6-12 months
Pudding mix 1 year 3-4 months
Rice – White 1-2 years 1 year
Rice – Brown 1 year 6 months
Rice – Flavored Mixes 6 months Use entire amount
Rice – Cream Flavored Mixes 1 year Use entire amount

Cooking Ingredients
Type of food Unopened Opened
Bread Crumbs 6 months 6 months
Dried Mushrooms 6 months 3 months
Oil (olive or vegetable) 6 months 4-7 months
Oil Sprays 2 years 1 year
Spices – Whole 2-4 years if vacuum sealed 1 year
Spices – ground 1 year Six months
Sun dried tomatoes 9–12 months 6 months
Vinegar 5 years 3 years

Packaged Goods
Type of food Unopened Opened
Cookies (packaged) 2 months 1 month
Crackers 8 months 1 month
Diet powder mixes 6 months 3 months
Nuts (jars or cans) 1 year 3 weeks
Shortening, Solid (eg. Crisco) 8 months 3-5 months
Soda (Bottles) 3-5 months Refrigerate after opening (2-3 days)
Soda (Cans) 9-12 months N/A
Soup Mix 12 months Use entire amount

Miscellaneous
Type of food Unopened Opened
Baby Food Two months Refrigerate after opening (1-2 days)
Candy 1 year N/A
Dried Fruits 6 months Refrigerate after opening (6 months)
Evaporated milk (canned) 1 year Refrigerate after opening (4-5 days)
Juice boxes 6 months Refrigerate after opening (8-12 days)
Marshmallows 2-4 months 1 month
Tapioca 1 year 1 year
Tea Bags Freshest before 18 months Freshest before 1 year
Tea – Loose 2 years 1 year
Tea – Instant 3 years 1 year
Toaster pastries – fruit filled 6 months 1 week if packet is unsealed
Toaster pastries – non fruit filled 9 months 1-2 weeks if packet is unsealed

For more information
Food Reference - Manufacturer's codes on canned goods
Sally Strackbein's Emergency Kitchen - Handy table with coding and shelf life
Pantry Storage Info from Clemson University

http://www.demesne.info/Home-Maintenance/Pantry.htm

[DA_Champion]

Ok, so I'll add:

Tea, nuts, vinegar, peanut butter, pasta, coffee, cereal, salt, jam, honey, herbs;

Should take a few months, will need a dark box.

[One Truth]

I know bananas are no good.

[RedDog]

Judging by the current mess...

What "mess" is that? I'm surrounded by plentiful food, cattle, fresh water, blue skies. Was there I memo I didn't get?

[C.Morgan]

Judging by the current mess...

What "mess" is that? I'm surrounded by plentiful food, cattle, fresh water, blue skies. Was there I memo I didn't get?

Just run of the mill Henny Penny predictions of the end of the world.

Not sweatin it.

[styky]

A suggestion would be to see if you can get in good with a farmer. We buy our buffalo straight from the farmer who raised it and you can do the same with most livestock. There is also a possibility that if you don't have a place to grow your own vegetables that you can rent our buy a share in a farmers. There are many ways to be thrifty. Starting with going to places like abebooks.com and finding the used bookstores in your area and purchasing one of ther old <a href=http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?kn=y2k&n=200000038&x=18&y=16>Y2K preparedness books</a> for about a dollar.

[HSMom]

Judging by the current mess, and the combination of several distinct factors each contributing to the food crisis each of them requiring distinct but politically difficult solutions, I take it as a given that food prices will be rising dramatically. I doubt anyone on this message board is going to starve, but it will be getting a lot more expensive. I plan on stockpiling foods now.

However, I'm drawing a blank. Which foods don't go bad, and are good for stockpiling?

Rice
Beans
Lentils
Canola and Olive oil?
Canned corn, carrots, green peas?
Flour
Sugar

????

Also, do people think prices for other household goods, such as soap, shampoo, detergent or kleenex will be rising as well?

I look forward to Styky's suggestions on this topic. I beleive she is quite knowleable on this.

I have been thinking about picking up some ice cream tubs from the local ice cream shop and putting unopened bags of flour, sugar etc and putting them in the basement to keep them longer. Is there any reason this wouldn't work??

[DA_Champion]

Judging by the current mess, and the combination of several distinct factors each contributing to the food crisis each of them requiring distinct but politically difficult solutions, I take it as a given that food prices will be rising dramatically. I doubt anyone on this message board is going to starve, but it will be getting a lot more expensive. I plan on stockpiling foods now.

However, I'm drawing a blank. Which foods don't go bad, and are good for stockpiling?

Rice
Beans
Lentils
Canola and Olive oil?
Canned corn, carrots, green peas?
Flour
Sugar

????

Also, do people think prices for other household goods, such as soap, shampoo, detergent or kleenex will be rising as well?

I look forward to Styky's suggestions on this topic. I beleive she is quite knowleable on this.

I have been thinking about picking up some ice cream tubs from the local ice cream shop and putting unopened bags of flour, sugar etc and putting them in the basement to keep them longer. Is there any reason this wouldn't work??

Does ice cream not freezer burn after a few months?

[HSMom]

Judging by the current mess...

What "mess" is that? I'm surrounded by plentiful food, cattle, fresh water, blue skies. Was there I memo I didn't get?

You two walk into a grocery store lately?? If you are only feeding one you may not notice the rising costs of food. But if your feeding six on one income it would be irresponsible not to start practising ways to protect your family from the current climbing food costs.

[styky]

Judging by the current mess, and the combination of several distinct factors each contributing to the food crisis each of them requiring distinct but politically difficult solutions, I take it as a given that food prices will be rising dramatically. I doubt anyone on this message board is going to starve, but it will be getting a lot more expensive. I plan on stockpiling foods now.

However, I'm drawing a blank. Which foods don't go bad, and are good for stockpiling?

Rice
Beans
Lentils
Canola and Olive oil?
Canned corn, carrots, green peas?
Flour
Sugar

????

Also, do people think prices for other household goods, such as soap, shampoo, detergent or kleenex will be rising as well?

I look forward to Styky's suggestions on this topic. I beleive she is quite knowleable on this.

I have been thinking about picking up some ice cream tubs from the local ice cream shop and putting unopened bags of flour, sugar etc and putting them in the basement to keep them longer. Is there any reason this wouldn't work??

Make sure that the tubs are food grade or don't use them. I have always bought my rice and lentils in bulk amounts and store them that way. You must remember to keep them in a dry place though. I found a brand of dry soup mix beans that was packaged about 60 mile from here. They sell for about $6.00 a bag in the store. I called them We drive out there and buy it by the case which works out to about $1.50 a bag. They keep pretty much forever. We also buy out wildrice from the roadside stands set up by the Native communities. Nothing tastes better than Wildrice mushroom soup in a crockpot on a cold winters day.

[HSMom]

Judging by the current mess, and the combination of several distinct factors each contributing to the food crisis each of them requiring distinct but politically difficult solutions, I take it as a given that food prices will be rising dramatically. I doubt anyone on this message board is going to starve, but it will be getting a lot more expensive. I plan on stockpiling foods now.

However, I'm drawing a blank. Which foods don't go bad, and are good for stockpiling?

Rice
Beans
Lentils
Canola and Olive oil?
Canned corn, carrots, green peas?
Flour
Sugar

????

Also, do people think prices for other household goods, such as soap, shampoo, detergent or kleenex will be rising as well?

I look forward to Styky's suggestions on this topic. I beleive she is quite knowleable on this.

I have been thinking about picking up some ice cream tubs from the local ice cream shop and putting unopened bags of flour, sugar etc and putting them in the basement to keep them longer. Is there any reason this wouldn't work??

Does ice cream not freezer burn after a few months?

I see I wasn't very clear. I can purchase the empty ice cream tubs for storing flour etc.

[styky]

HSMom don;t store large amounts of flour unless you plan to use it regularly. It will go rancid.

[backhoe]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1507830/posts
Hurricane Preparedness ( and general "bad times" links )
various FR links & stories | 10-23-05 | the heavy equipment guy

Posted on Sunday, October 23, 2005 05:50:03 PM by backhoe


The following is my usual slap-dash collection of quotes and links from other posts I have run across, with information about preparing for, coping with, and generally surviving hurricanes.

Tossed in is some general disaster information. Credit given when I can find or remember it.

The Survivalist & Y2K hounds weren't so wrong, after all...

The the best general summary here:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-new ... page=41#41

[DA_Champion]

Judging by the current mess...

What "mess" is that? I'm surrounded by plentiful food, cattle, fresh water, blue skies. Was there I memo I didn't get?

You two walk into a grocery store lately?? If you are only feeding one you may not notice the rising costs of food. But if your feeding six on one income it would be irresponsible not to start practising ways to protect your family from the current climbing food costs.

HSMom,

For whatever reason, a lot of people who are personally doing well tend to think everything is doing well. Red Dog and C. Morgan are both businesspeople in Alberta, at least one of whom interacts directly with the oilpatch. The oil patch is doing well. The sky is blue, there's plentiful food, and thus no sweatin it.

My life is going rather well as well. The sky is blue, I'm getting healthier, I'm doing research, I'm a good teaching assistant, and I've paid off my debts. I'm not going to start believing everything is rosy. Doesn't mean I shouldn't prepare... such situations are always more tenuous than people think. Seeing as how food inflation is running at 25% it makes sense for anyone to stockpile.

********

You have four kids? wow! boys or girls?