# 2 weeks of food



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

2 weeks should be the minimum goal every one should be trying to keep in there homes.
(yes more is better )

I was thinking about all the people who go to the store every day especially in major metropolitan areas like Boston

Name one event man made or natural disaster that doesn't get better if every one has 2 weeks or more of food and water in their homes. 

for now just assume power is on water is running they don't worry about what the food is just whatever they eat every day any way


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

People I know in NYC don't even go to the grocery store. They keep minimal food in their home and instead eat out all the time.

That would drive me nuts!!! I don't mind eating out but not having food in the house???????????????


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Annsni said:


> People I know in NYC don't even go to the grocery store. They keep minimal food in their home and instead eat out all the time.
> 
> That would drive me nuts!!! I don't mind eating out but not having food in the house???????????????


besides seeing just how much food has gone up at restaurants this week , and the crazy amount of money that would take. 

( I had customers in town for meeting much of the week , and compared my expense report to the one from 2 years ago , i was feeding a lunch for an average of 8 dollars 2 years ago , and using the same restaurants around my office it is now costing me about 13 dollars a person when i average in soft drink and tip)

I suspect there are many in Boston today who normally do the same and are finding maybe they should keep some more canned soup, crackers and wine at home for when they are stuck in.


----------



## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

same as Ann said .many people i know have very little in the house and eat 3 meals a day at restaurants. they have lots of wine and if they want something at night they order takeout. ~Georgia.


----------



## Common Tator (Feb 19, 2008)

I was thinking about the folks in Boston who can't leave their homes. You're so right. Waiting the situation out is so much easier with a full belly!


----------



## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i've been thinking of them all day too. wondering if they had food and whatnot. that's been lifted now though. ~Georgia


----------



## TnAndy (Sep 15, 2005)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> 2 weeks should be the minimum goal every one should be trying to keep in there homes.
> (yes more is better )


I think anything beyond a couple of weeks, and short of a couple years leads to a false sense of security.

For example, you have 4 months worth of food. Assuming there is enough of a disaster that you can't get more in 4 months ( not counting job loss or some sort of physical inability ), then the whole distribution grid is down, and likely isn't coming back for a LONG time, if ever......cause the growers, distributors, etc have died out.

So, in this case, after 4 months you're in the same boat as the ones that died the first two-three weeks. You just managed to outlast them.

What you really need is a year, bare minimum, and two for any kind of safety net.....giving you time to fail at raising your own year one ( or perhaps weather conditions didn't permit.)


----------



## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Saw on the news that one woman tried to go out of her house in a locked down part of Boston because she needed to get something to eat. I figure in a real melt down the zombies will be out scavenging in just a few days.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

I figure 2 weeks is just about the magic number for just enough , in 2 weeks any snow storm can be dug out from under , order can be restored , and if needed new distribution networks can be established. 

we grocery shop every 2 weeks so today there is likely a bit more than a months food in the house 

2 weeks is also a very easily attainable goal as long as your not already in a crisis


2 or 3 years of food is hard to afford , hard to rotate , hard to store , yes it would give you a lot of security but it would also fill your house 

2 weeks for a family of 5 fits in the trunk of a car

one thing to think about is if there was an event that caused a year or more with no food , there would also be a lot more issues medical and such

we all know there will be short term reasons , storms and such that happen nearly every year , that we need to have food around and not need to go out , most of these are 24-48 hours some make 72 , but seldom is any reasonably likely to happen event going to leave you without longer than 2 weeks. so it is a good starting goal 

I know we sometimes look at the schedule and say , it just won't work to get to the store this week and making things last that 3rd week isn't very hard often for convenience we will say , you know if we stop off and get some milk and bread from Quick Trip ( a gas station here that keeps grocery store prices or better on milk, butter ,eggs , bananas , potatoes , onions , and apples ) we can wait that 3rd weak easily before running to the big grocery store.

we still can , and have freezers beyond our 2 weeks worth , but i don't calculate that into the 2 weeks 


think of all the energy , money or bartering you save if you can just sit back and relax and not stress and worry about were the next meal is coming from.


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

Telling someone to have a year's worth of food in their home (especially if they live in the city) might just scare people away but if you can build them up from a little bit up to more, it might be easier. I'd recommend no less than 3 days for anyone who lives in the city (especially including water since it seems like water in the city goes out easily) and a week for those living in the suburbs. Once they are comfortable with that, then it would be good to build up from there.


----------



## justincase (Jul 16, 2011)

I was thinking of the families with lil ones. You know that many may needed diapers or formula. I always kept cloth diapers rubber pants ans pins whenmy lil one was a baby due to hurricanes, I am sure nobody has that just in case something should happen. I always bought a big box of diapers and had 2 packages back up along with cloth. I alwas had an emergency can or two of formula for baby. ( could not breast feed) Thank God my lil one uses the bathroom but the average American does not live thinking of what to do if_____ fill in the blank. NOw nobody sees anything like this coming but anything can happen at any time. It takes a second for a freak accident etc. Imagine being told to stay in your home for what was no set amount of time. it could have been much longer. At leasst the water and electric was still on.


----------



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

two weeks and knowledge will go much further- that is how I think about it- 
I have about 9 months- a yr- tops- but I have the knowledge and I have the means to replenish- that is the key- replenishing- 
if you can not grow- or know people/have relations with people that you can barter with- then you are in trouble- I have the seeds- in storage- 
and a game plan - if everything - well SHTF- happens- the first things I need to do- 
have a game plan !


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

also people in tiny apartments in the city , would have storage issues , i have storage issues in a rural house with a basment 

one thing about people in tiny apartments is they tend not to have a lot of children and the food needed to keep 2 adults for 2 weeks would not be that much or take up that much space their biggest dection would be how much wine to get to which a thrifty shopper would say is there a case discount oh and get a backup cork screw to keep with the kit , or better yet a Swiss army knife with a cork screw on it


----------



## Becka03 (Mar 29, 2009)

if I lived in a city- I would keep pull tap canned food- that can be eaten cold- and canned milk/powdered milk and gallons of water- till I could get out


----------



## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

I'd say at least a week if you live in the city. That's an absolute bare minimum. However two years isn't possible for some people. I wouldn't even have a place to store it unless it went out into the garage. I'm lucky with a long growing season though. I had a few fruit producing tree that I didnt get planted and am in a weird area as far as fruit trees go, but my goal is too have year around fruit production within the next few years. I don't mean a garden, but established, low/no maintenance trees and bushes. I was blessed with 4 kinds of fruits growing wild on the property. Though I think the crazy winter we had did in our hog plums for the year. I think year around "automatic" production, on top of a garden and hunting/fishing, puts most people with that lifestyle ahead of the game. I know that everyone not to count on that, but if its already something that someone does anyway then theyre likely to know some of the better spots and can be the ones that get there first. Hopefully this event will teach people that they need to keep some food on hand.


----------



## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

I have a lot in storage, but a lot of ours is also live & on the hoof. We could easily go a year or more as long as the rabbits keep breeding & the goats stay in milk & the chickens keep laying. Pickings might get slim, but we wouldn't starve. That unfortunately is not an option for people that live in the city. I would be freaking out if I couldn't have my stash on hand. One thing I do make sure of, we are not hungry! I ordered more fruit trees, will be planting the garden soon, & hope to get some more chickens, rabbits, turkeys, & ducks in the freezer. I don't know how anyone can stand not having food on hand. I'd be going crazy!


----------



## Ross (May 9, 2002)

Might not like what we're eating all the time but we could easily go a few months. Longer if needed. At least the city govt. does actually advise people to stock 72 hours. Its better than nothing, ........ not much


----------



## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

I wonder how many folks in the area affected thought, hmmmmm... Sure wish I had( whatever) in the house.

Yes, the very minimum o 2 weeks.


----------



## wes917 (Sep 26, 2011)

Annsni said:


> Telling someone to have a year's worth of food in their home (especially if they live in the city) might just scare people away but if you can build them up from a little bit up to more, it might be easier. I'd recommend no less than 3 days for anyone who lives in the city (especially including water since it seems like water in the city goes out easily) and a week for those living in the suburbs. Once they are comfortable with that, then it would be good to build up from there.


I don't know, I'm a citidiot and don't get scared by it. With rising food costs and stagnated or lower earnings lots are beginning to buy in bulk. I had three offers to split a half cow my response was to buy a bigger freezer. Two of them did lol.


----------



## wes917 (Sep 26, 2011)

Wendy said:


> I have a lot in storage, but a lot of ours is also live & on the hoof. We could easily go a year or more as long as the rabbits keep breeding & the goats stay in milk & the chickens keep laying. Pickings might get slim, but we wouldn't starve. That unfortunately is not an option for people that live in the city. I would be freaking out if I couldn't have my stash on hand. One thing I do make sure of, we are not hungry! I ordered more fruit trees, will be planting the garden soon, & hope to get some more chickens, rabbits, turkeys, & ducks in the freezer. I don't know how anyone can stand not having food on hand. I'd be going crazy!


I live in the city (well a suburb but large none the less) we have four cherry bushes 8 blueberry bushes, two plum trees, about 300 or so strawberry plants and two kiwi vines that should start producing if not this year then next definitely. We're putting in asparagus patch and adding a two peach trees. We also have our garden that keeps us in tomatoes, peppers, cukes, squash, cantaloupe, cabbage, lettuce, spinach etc all summer. It can be done in a small area, just takes so creative ways sometimes. We plan on adding a couple more bush type fruits to our landscape also. Low maintenance producers are great


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

wes917 said:


> I don't know, I'm a citidiot and don't get scared by it. With rising food costs and stagnated or lower earnings lots are beginning to buy in bulk. I had three offers to split a half cow my response was to buy a bigger freezer. Two of them did lol.


The problem is many people live in TINY city apartments. We met my friend one night and his apartment is under 400 feet. He doesn't have a full sized fridge and certainly fitting a large enough freezer in the apartment to hold even a 1/4 cow would not be possible.


----------



## Cyngbaeld (May 20, 2004)

Daughter and I once lived in a travel trailer for several yrs. I kept a minimum of 3 months food at all time. It wasn't a real big trailer but we did ok.
Maybe we need a thread on how to store food in small spaces?


----------



## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

I couldn't live in an apartment that small. My garage is bigger than that. I agree that storage can be a big problem for a lot of people. That's something that I'm trying to work on now.


----------



## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

under your bed and over your head....
Seriously...5# of quick oats, 5# of rice, 5# sugar and koolaid pkts, a can of pancake mix, some #10cans of soup mix veg and fruit (freeze dry) and some ramen noodles could fit in one of those underbed storage totes ....nothing fancy or expensive


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

mpillow said:


> under your bed and over your head....
> Seriously...5# of quick oats, 5# of rice, 5# sugar and koolaid pkts, a can of pancake mix, some #10cans of soup mix veg and fruit (freeze dry) and some ramen noodles could fit in one of those underbed storage totes ....nothing fancy or expensive


In many of the micro-apartments, the beds are lofts so they have their living room under the bed.  

I know what you're saying and I agree that even in a micro-apartment it is important to store some sort of food. Heck, knowing NYC, I'd be more likely to store water than food! They ALWAYS have water main breaks and so many buildings are without water then. I'm not sure how I'd store enough water for three days in a micro-apartment! LOL


----------



## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> I live in the city (well a suburb but large none the less) we have four cherry bushes 8 blueberry bushes, two plum trees, about 300 or so strawberry plants and two kiwi vines that should start producing if not this year then next definitely. We're putting in asparagus patch and adding a two peach trees. We also have our garden that keeps us in tomatoes, peppers, cukes, squash, cantaloupe, cabbage, lettuce, spinach etc all summer. It can be done in a small area, just takes so creative ways sometimes. We plan on adding a couple more bush type fruits to our landscape also. Low maintenance producers are great


I was talking more of the meat animals as being not an option in the city. You won't see too many cows, goats or chickens in downtown Boston.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Annsni said:


> In many of the micro-apartments, the beds are lofts so they have their living room under the bed.
> 
> I know what you're saying and I agree that even in a micro-apartment it is important to store some sort of food. Heck, knowing NYC, I'd be more likely to store water than food! They ALWAYS have water main breaks and so many buildings are without water then. I'm not sure how I'd store enough water for three days in a micro-apartment! LOL


a few ideas , a small end table made from a barrel , or make a wood box , put a small table top on them and toss a table cloth over it , 

build a small shelf to raise the bottom of your closet up about a foot then put the gallons of water and food under that , then shoes on top

if your bed isn't a loft raising it both saves the back you get out of bed , not up from bed , and provides a lot of storage 

even if it is 2 weeks of dried back packing food it is something , and will be small and easy to store , water store what you can 

water should be easier to get free or cheap than food will in the days after a disaster


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> a few ideas , a small end table made from a barrel , or make a wood box , put a small table top on them and toss a table cloth over it ,
> 
> build a small shelf to raise the bottom of your closet up about a foot then put the gallons of water and food under that , then shoes on top
> 
> ...


I once saw someone take 4 of the 5 gallon water jugs, put them together next to a couch and put a square piece of wood on top and cover it with a table skirt. Voila! A table AND 20 gallons of water. I thought that was clever.

I've also thought about using a small chest freezer as a table as well - and it can even be painted to match the decor.

Empty suitcases can be filled with food as well and most people have some sort of suitcase in their closet or storage! 

If I lived in a micro apartment, I'd seek to store that 20 gallons of water and enough food for 3 days minimum. I would at least feel that I was in a place where I could survive most city disasters/issues because usually in this area, things like this disrupt you for just a short period of time. 

Oh - and I'd also get a small butane burner to use as a stove if power went out too! Inexpensive but SO handy if you can't use your stove!


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

chest freezers have cooling coils in the sides but not the tops (my brother builds kegorators out of them) you can put a counter top on the top of the chest freezer and raise the freezer with 2 lengths of 4x4 to create toe kick area 

a friend had a set up like this at his parrents house , they needed lots of freezer space as his uncle a batchler farmer raised beef , any that broke legs or needed to be put down went to there house in a bad winter they might get 2 or 3

when they make the chest freezers into kegorators they make a wood surround to match the bar decor it looks like a big cabinet , but the replacement top sets on and may even have a small sink with a bucket under it to our off the head , or doors to open and drop the kegs in , if it isn't up against the wall then the lid can hinge , but the tower that the tap heads are on hits the wall if the kegorator is against the wall a separate thermostat is used to set the temp the freezer is plugged into this thermostat control and the thermostat controls the temp buy allowing the freezer that wants to make it freezing to only run when the thermostat give it power.

freezers around here can often be found free for the hauling or for 50 dollars in decent shape , sometimes they are dented or rusted from being stored in a garage for many years


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> chest freezers have cooling coils in the sides but not the tops (my brother builds kegorators out of them) you can put a counter top on the top of the chest freezer and raise the freezer with 2 lengths of 4x4 to create toe kick area
> 
> a friend had a set up like this at his parrents house , they needed lots of freezer space as his uncle a batchler farmer raised beef , any that broke legs or needed to be put down went to there house in a bad winter they might get 2 or 3
> 
> ...


I would take one of the small chest freezers, get a top that would just fit the top, make a skirt to go around the three sides (the fourth side is the coils - most likely the side by the wall) and use it as a nice table or something. Or else get a good spray paint and make it match the decor.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

often larger chest freezers have cooling coils on all 4 sides just not in the removable lid , it is easy enough to tell , turn it on and prop the lid open , wait a few hours frost will have formed showing right were the cooling coils are 
the compressor is usually in the back left corner that is were you can't block air flow but an enclosure that leaves room for air flow is fine 


the coils do not seem to be in the last inch or so around the op edge , as i have added hasps and padlocks to some in the past that were stored outside and my sheet metal screws were fine 
the locks were mostly to keep kids and nosy people out of them, any one with a screw driver and the time could have removed the hinges


----------



## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

I agree it would be a good thing for our country if everyone had at least 2 weeks of food on hand, preferably more. 

When I retired from the Army and moved to rural Missouri I went to a case lot sale at the local Air Base commissary and filled the pick-up three times with canned and dry products. Set up some garage sale shelves in the basement to put everything on, plastic containers for the bags of rice/flour/corn meal. 

I got a large chest freezer, dehydrator, canner/jars/lids. Started a garden, planted fruit trees, asparagus. Got bees, chickens and some calves. 

I only buy fresh fruit and vegetables when it is something I do not grow or it is not in season. Try to only use what is in season. 

I do not so much as buy groceries is keep a list of what I have used and buy cases 50 lb bags to replace what I have used from storage. I raise 50 chickens every year. Usually use a cow and a hog every two years. 

I do not do this so much for prepping but to save money now that I no longer have to move. 

By only buying in bulk when it is on sale you safe a lot of money. The problem is having the money to start. 

For most families buying a few extra items on sale every shopping trip ( only items that you like and will use) might be a way to get started. Slowly build up your supply. Even one more can of soup/ bag of noodles than you need and adding it to your supply will, over time, get you to the two weeks of food. 

For those that really do not cook they should I think get some backpacking type foods to have on hand. 

For the most part I do not recommend having years worth of specialized foods but rather foods you like and use (rotate) all the time plus the ability to grow your own. 

One of those shelves is full of homebrewed beer and either homemade wine or wine on sale.


----------



## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

Perhaps a bird feeder, bird seed and a net....never had pigeon but I'd try it!


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

we buy things like flour , sugar , oats , pasta , beans , rice , corn and such in bulk , but there are a lot of little things that we pick up to make meals 

a lot of perishables like , milk , eggs , butter , bananas , apples , greens out of season, lemons , limes , avocados and such are in our 2 week shopping cart.

everyone eats differently , and I think people should do as they please but adding a 2 week or greater store of the foods you eat that can store is a good idea


----------



## Trixters_muse (Jan 29, 2008)

Cyngbaeld said:


> Daughter and I once lived in a travel trailer for several yrs. I kept a minimum of 3 months food at all time. It wasn't a real big trailer but we did ok.
> Maybe we need a thread on how to store food in small spaces?


That would be a good thread, especially for people who live in tiny houses or travel trailers. My niece and her boyfriend live in a small camper with their one year old son and they have very little room and only a small fridge. She asked me to look the place over and help her find some storage. We came up with some great storage options and she feels better knowing she has a food supply for her son.


----------



## Oma2three (May 5, 2012)

I would think people could find the space and could afford a jar of peanut butter, crackers, a few cans of soup,canned fruit and some granola bars and a case of water for an emergency as a very minimum.And maybe a few chocolate bars


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

mpillow said:


> Perhaps a bird feeder, bird seed and a net....never had pigeon but I'd try it!


Fried pigeon is good. I had a friend growing up whos father raised pigeons and they would invite me over on "nugget night".


----------



## wes917 (Sep 26, 2011)

Wendy said:


> I was talking more of the meat animals as being not an option in the city. You won't see too many cows, goats or chickens in downtown Boston.


I agree, but if you have a yard you could have rabbits or even quail. Dairy would be a problem though. In downtown Cleveland I know people who keep chickens


----------



## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

*Would you have enough food to last through a lockdown?*

At the end of the article there are tweets that folks in the Boston lockdown made about how they didn't have any food in the house. Here is a sampling:



> If #lockdown continues in #cambridge, how will @massgov get food to people?





> Being in the center of the Boston lockdown is really inconvenient when I have no food #realcrisis





> This lockdown wouldn't be so bad if I had some food #sigh





> Boston in lockdown = my roommates and I without food. I'm upset.


----------



## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Good grief! From the looks of that link ^^^, I have more food, at any given time, in my car than what they have in their rooms/homes.

It would scare me spit-less to not have anything stocked. I do hope some of them learned a little something from that lockdown.


----------



## OnlyMe (Oct 10, 2010)

Wags said:


> *Would you have enough food to last through a lockdown?*
> 
> At the end of the article there are tweets that folks in the Boston lockdown made about how they didn't have any food in the house. Here is a sampling:


Ok, now I'm officially stunned


----------



## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Here's a picture I saw on Facebook this morning. Evidently a family in Boston was out of milk for their children during the lockdown. A SWAT team member brought them milk. This isn't a commentary on the policeman (although that was nice of him) but on the family who couldn't go 24 hours without going to a store. Even if we didn't have any warning, we could go several months without needing a store. We might miss fresh fruit and veggies, but we'd have plenty of food to allow us to stay safely in our home.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

total length of lock down was less than 24 hours so all anyone really needed was water , 6 slices of bread and a jar of peanut butter would have held anyone not allergic to it the hole day without even a hunger pain.

box of crackers , bag of chips , bowl of rice , rammen noodles anything should have been enough for 1 day

*well i hope they got their first feel of hunger pains , nothing makes picky eaters eat anything or people store food quite like the memory of hunger 

*and remember their water and electric was all still on and they had nothing but time to cook


----------



## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

i shop every friday only because there are good sales on food that day not because i need anything. i store where ever i can find a hole to put it. i have 3 sofas and in order to move them i have to move canned food out from in under first. i had enough for a couple years. unfortunately ,through no fault of mine, it was thrown out. i'm up to a year again. i wonder if the people will heed now and prepare in case something happens again in future. i doubt it for most. ~Georgia.


----------



## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

I commented on the photo about the family not being able to go a day or two without milk and got a response back that young children go through milk fast.


----------



## Wags (Jun 2, 2002)

It was nice of the officer. While I can see someone running out of milk (since our teenage foster son moved in we run out all the time and we have milk goats!) - surely that was not the only food in the house. An 18 month old doesn't have to have milk in order to survive.


----------



## Elizabeth (Jun 4, 2002)

_An 18 month old doesn't have to have milk in order to survive.

_Ha!!! Of course they can survive without milk. However, our 23 month old daughter only drinks water and milk. Try explaining to her why we cannot get out to go to the store to buy her more milk. And, good luck with that!!!!


----------



## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

My kids only drink water and milk, too. They would whine about powdered milk if we couldn't get fresh, but I've got enough powdered milk put away to last for maybe a year. And they'd have to adjust to Kool-Aid or plain water once that was gone.

When my kids were babies and drank formula, I always had enough for about a month in the house. That was way before I started prepping, but I had a horror of running out and having to listen to a baby screaming until I could get to the store. And I always had diapers for a month, too.


----------



## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Wendy said:


> I was talking more of the meat animals as being not an option in the city. You won't see too many cows, goats or chickens in downtown Boston.


This comment caught my attention because NYC is one of a few big cities that allows chickens. Also feasible in the city would be the raising of quail (requires a permit in NY State) and pigeons.

In a very small space, you have to search for places to store food. A narrow bookshelf behind a sofa can store a lot of canned goods. Tuna cans can easily slip under a sofa due to their low profile. You can take an empty boax and fill it with groceries and then throw a cloth cover over it and use it for an end table.


----------



## TheMartianChick (May 26, 2009)

Elizabeth said:


> _An 18 month old doesn't have to have milk in order to survive._
> 
> Ha!!! Of course they can survive without milk. However, our 23 month old daughter only drinks water and milk. Try explaining to her why we cannot get out to go to the store to buy her more milk. And, good luck with that!!!!


We aren't big milk drinkers but we do stock shelf stable liquid milk quarts for when the grandkids come over. I found it at Dollar Tree and it comes in 2% and whole milk. We also buy soy and rice milk in the same type of packaging. (It looks like a large juicebox.) It is infinitely better tasting that powdered milk and it stacks easily on a shelf. We stock powdered milk for use in recipes and canned milk for hubby's oatmeal. We also keep a few cans of condensed milk in the house for dessert recipes. It's nice to be able to whip up a nice dessert during a weather emergency.


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

We go through about a gallon and a half to two gallons of milk a week at our house. I buy in 1/2 gallon containers because my kids were young and couldn't handle the gallon size and we've just kept in that habit. When I go to the store each week, I buy enough to get us to 2 gallons in the fridge (so usually I'll pick up 3 half gallons, considering we usually have at least a half gallon already at home). My girls work at the grocery store and when I'm down to 1 gallon, I'll ask them to pick up another 1/2 gallon just in case. If I'm ever down to just one last half gallon, I get in a panic. LOL So a sudden 24 hour lock-down would still find us with plenty of milk in the house.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

at one point we went thru 7 gallons of milk a week , we are down to 3-4 a week 

but any kid who hasn't had water on their Cheerios , now is as good a time as any to learn , yup you run out but there are a lot of ways to make do.

nope it isn't as good, but are you hungry or bored ?


I know I know I am harsh , I took my kids to the holocaust museum also , life and reality is harsh and turning a blind eye to the unpleasant things in life doesn't make them stop or go away , very much the opposite


----------



## newfieannie (Dec 24, 2006)

one thing about my son. for some reason he liked powdered milk more than the fresh. i always had plenty on hand for ice storms and the like. have lots in my preps now. i dont like it but i'll do in a pinch and i can certainly bake with it. i like canned evaporated milk in my coffee and have many cases stored. where i came from the kids were brought up on that. i think it was half canned milk half water. ~Georgia.


----------



## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

> I commented on the photo about the family not being able to go a day or two without milk and got a response back that young children go through milk fast.


That's why you buy enough to last a week at a time. Before the goats kidded, I would buy 10 gallons of milk every week. We go through 7-10 gallons. I can't get around the idea of only buying what you need for a day or two. I haven't been to the store in 2 weeks & we are still fine. Could go for a long time really.


----------



## Txrider (Jun 25, 2010)

Rofl, I never have less than two weeks worth of food because I hate going to the store about 20 miles away and only go about every three to 4 weeks, even then I could feed myself for another 2-3 weeks on whats still around the house. I always have plenty of canned goods, rice, flour and other long storing stuff around, enough for 2-3 weeks anyway. then theres my stash of ramen alone that could feed me for a week.


----------



## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I don't consider us preppers in any way, shape, or form, but we still always have at least two weeks of food on hand (and that's right before I go to the store every two weeks). We don't drink a whole lot of 'real' milk (my oldest child is lactose intolerant), but we've always got at least a couple gallons of shelf stable almond milk (I buy lots when it's on sale at the co-op). I buy grains, flour, honey, fresh nut butters, pasta, and bottled water in bulk. We've always got enough of those to last us a minimum of 3 to 4 months, and also toliet paper and other hygiene products. There is usually a minimum of 4-5 chickens and a quarter of beef in the freezer. Not to mention all the canned fruit and veggies that I still have stored from back when we actually ate canned fruits and veggies. We could continue a diet pretty similar to our normal diet for at least a month.


----------



## nostawmama (Dec 29, 2011)

Even before setting aside a little bit of extra food each week we had *some* food in the house. It might not be exactly a meal but it was calories. Probably could have lasted 2 weeks if we stretched it. I cannot imagine having NO food- what the heck does a person put in a kitchen cabinet besides food?!


----------



## Raymond James (Apr 15, 2013)

Besides food in the house I keep my camper stocked. Frequently get a last minute time to go and do not need to waste time figuring out what to buy, and have the time to do it or to transfer everything from the house. I just go if I get a chance to get fresh vegetables/fruits/meats great but if not no big deal. I have enough for 6 people for a week of shelf stable foods. Nothing special just grocery store stuff short cooking time rice/noodle dishes, instant potatoes, canned stews, chilli, meats, cereal, powdered milk, HT milk (shelf stable cartons of fluid milk), canned sauces, pasta, canned vegetables, foil packed meats nuts, rasiens , canned fruit. 

Each vehicle has at least a box of granola bars or soft oatmeal cookies.


----------



## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

When I had kids 4,3 2 and 1 yo I got a goat and then my goat got a friend and we had milk....and all the things I could make from it....I used to take the two goats camping with us even...to have fresh milk and to keep the milk flowing!
Going to the store with kids 4,3,2,1 by your self JUST for milk was a task I never wanted to HAVE to do...and I didn't. Think 4 carseats in and buckled...unbuckled, out of car hold hands...into the store back into carseats...just for MILK....nope no way.


----------



## Annsni (Oct 27, 2006)

mpillow said:


> When I had kids 4,3 2 and 1 yo I got a goat and then my goat got a friend and we had milk....and all the things I could make from it....I used to take the two goats camping with us even...to have fresh milk and to keep the milk flowing!
> Going to the store with kids 4,3,2,1 by your self JUST for milk was a task I never wanted to HAVE to do...and I didn't. Think 4 carseats in and buckled...unbuckled, out of car hold hands...into the store back into carseats...just for MILK....nope no way.


Best thing ever? We have Dairy Barn. Drive through for milk, bread, eggs, beverages, ice cream and the like. LOVE this place. Just wish it carried chopped meat and chicken breast along with frozen veggies - then I could grab a meal fast and easy!


----------



## mpillow (Jan 24, 2003)

LOL I live w/o drive thru!


----------



## Taylor R. (Apr 3, 2013)

I love the idea of taking the goats camping! We can't take our dog because he's overly protective (we're working on socializing, but we have a hard time finding people brave enough to not make it even worse with their fear), but a goat wouldn't be any problem at all.


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Know I'm crazy, but I keep more than two weeks of grub in my truck....


----------



## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

Texican - Maybe you can give me some ideas then on stuff that will keep in a vehicle in a hot environment. I've eaten stuff that's sat in my truck for awhile and it usually tastes a bit off.


----------



## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

I have a friend who lives in a camper and she has a years storage. In addition she has tons of medical stuff, clothing, blankets for guests, etc. It all depends on how dedicated you are to making choices between wants and needs. She keeps a tiny TV so she has more space for a small freezer. Her computer is a laptop instead of the old tower she used to have. She says where there's a will there's a way.


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

texican said:


> Know I'm crazy, but I keep more than two weeks of grub in my truck....


I keep that much in the camper area in my horse trailer. I'll be short on water though if the horses are with me as they drink about 10 gal a day.


----------



## longshot38 (Dec 19, 2006)

newfieannie said:


> one thing about my son. for some reason he liked powdered milk more than the fresh. i always had plenty on hand for ice storms and the like. have lots in my preps now. i dont like it but i'll do in a pinch and i can certainly bake with it. i like canned evaporated milk in my coffee and have many cases stored. *where i came from the kids were brought up on that. i think it was half canned milk half water*. ~Georgia.


yup, Carnation milk, i was a carnation baby the brothers and sister too. my son got his share as well. But then i live only a couple of miles from where newfie annie grew up.

dean


----------



## Usingmyrights (Jan 10, 2011)

How long does the canned evaporated milk truly last for? I have some set back, but dont really use it. Will it keep for quite a while after its experation date like a lot of canned goods? I know that most of the dates are shorter than canned veggies or meats. Just trying to figure out amounts, rotation, etc.


----------



## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

Usingmyrights said:


> How long does the canned evaporated milk truly last for? I have some set back, but dont really use it. Will it keep for quite a while after its experation date like a lot of canned goods? I know that most of the dates are shorter than canned veggies or meats. Just trying to figure out amounts, rotation, etc.



that really depends on how it was stored , if it was in a room with temps over 80 not as long , if it was a basement were temps stay cool , then much longer 

try to use the old first , it makes good coffee creamer , or make a 3 milk mexican cake I know what it's called but no way i could spell it or any recipe that calls for milk in baking


----------



## udwe (Aug 8, 2009)

I put a front quarter of beef in my freezer above the fridge.


----------



## JohnL751 (Aug 28, 2008)

texican said:


> Know I'm crazy, but I keep more than two weeks of grub in my truck....


I guess I fit in this bunch! I take a bowling ball bag along. Neighbors think I do a lot of bowling. I is full of food, the book I'm reading, a radio, flash light, and other things. I could eat for at least 4 days and a week if I was careful.


----------



## AR Transplant (Mar 20, 2004)

this is so interesting. I keep food in the car and of course in the house. Now I am working on my kids that live away from home. three are on board and the fourth one is getting there. He is the one who lives in the middle of the city and I doubt he gives much thought to storing food and such. baby steps.

I would love to hear how those who live in small places store preps. This is a skill that will only get more and more important as time goes on.


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

Usingmyrights said:


> Texican - Maybe you can give me some ideas then on stuff that will keep in a vehicle in a hot environment. I've eaten stuff that's sat in my truck for awhile and it usually tastes a bit off.


I keep my food stuffs in milk crates and totes, with stuff stacked on top of them. I park my truck at the house, always under a large shade tree, and avoid large parking lots in towns for any long periods of time. I have 'homesteaded' spots at my usual stores, that are in the shade. IF I parked in the boiling sun, have no doubt everything would spoil over time.

I have tuna fish (with oil of course, for calories), sardines, chili, spam (rarely eat it, as it's costly, relatively speaking), few bags of beans, 4lb bag of sugar, bag of rice, canned refried beans, hominy, green beans. Couple of two lb tubs of peanut butter... Usually a few boxes of tea. Stove, with four propane 'cartridges', few pots and a skillet. MSR water purification. At any given time, there'll be an errant sack of groceries meant for the prep room, that's waiting for me to move it. Oh, and the most importante foodstuffs... half a dozen bottles of hot sauce... habanero, louisiana hot sauce, sriracha, jalapenos, etc. Little hellfire will make a bland bowl of retread beans tolerable.

As far as 'off'... I've eaten things that are way off... as long as it's not 'bubbling' or if I think botulism might be involved. Having mis-spent my youth in far flung places, finding myself in week long starvation scenarios, I've come to enjoy the value of food, all food... Hunger is the best spice.


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

terri9630 said:


> I keep that much in the camper area in my horse trailer. I'll be short on water though if the horses are with me as they drink about 10 gal a day.


Do you keep a 'map' in your head, knowing where all the rivers, creeks, and lakes are in your travels? and how many 'horse hours' it'd take to get to them?


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

JohnL751 said:


> I guess I fit in this bunch! I take a bowling ball bag along. Neighbors think I do a lot of bowling. I is full of food, the book I'm reading, a radio, flash light, and other things. I could eat for at least 4 days and a week if I was careful.


Did I mention I keep a library? I'm a bibliophile that's been stuck in places for months without any reading material except food labels... so, I never go nowhere without a milk crate of reading materials... books, animal guidebooks, magazines, etc. The college level 'anthologies' are great... large paperbacks w/tiny print, that you could spent a month on reading. And, like the errant bags of prep grub that hasn't made it into the house yet, right now, there's a box of Nat Geo books, some Atlas's, and 'greatest thinkers' collection of ~50 books.

Needless to say, there's little room for passengers in my rig. When both of us need to go somewhere, we go in my better half's truck.


----------



## unregistered29228 (Jan 9, 2008)

Texican, you are one of my prepping heroes!


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

texican said:


> Do you keep a 'map' in your head, knowing where all the rivers, creeks, and lakes are in your travels? and how many 'horse hours' it'd take to get to them?


Rivers, creeks and lakes? What are those? :hysterical:. There is 1 natural spring 22 miles from my house, currently dry. The Rio Grande 65 miles away, dry, and 1 natural lake and 2 man made 95 miles away, almost dry. We have had 1 inch of rain on our property this YEAR. :help:


----------



## texican (Oct 4, 2003)

terri9630 said:


> Rivers, creeks and lakes? What are those? :hysterical:. There is 1 natural spring 22 miles from my house, currently dry. The Rio Grande 65 miles away, dry, and 1 natural lake and 2 man made 95 miles away, almost dry. We have had 1 inch of rain on our property this YEAR. :help:


But you do know where there at! :thumb: Knowing that, you know what your limitations with horses are.

All of my long distance horse packing was centered along hitting campsites next to flowing streams or springs. I know we'd sometimes go all day without the horses and mules getting a drink... but that wet camp made a difference. Would probably need an extra mule just to tote water for the animals, if dry camping.


----------



## terri9630 (Mar 12, 2012)

texican said:


> But you do know where there at! :thumb: Knowing that, you know what your limitations with horses are.
> 
> All of my long distance horse packing was centered along hitting campsites next to flowing streams or springs. I know we'd sometimes go all day without the horses and mules getting a drink... but that wet camp made a difference. Would probably need an extra mule just to tote water for the animals, if dry camping.


I know where they are, but so does every other person in the area so if its not dry now it will be once everyone gets there. We keep 1200 gallons on hand at all times and another 180 when its not freezing between the camper and horse trailer. Also have a 150-200 gallons in the various animal water tanks. Working on getting a solar set up for the well and a hand pump. Going to check with the well guy and see what the depth limits are and maybe have ours dug deeper.


----------

