Meals during EMERGENCY

[y_p_w]

I remember being in a storm situation in Florida. I was staying in an extended-stay type hotel where I had a mini kitchen and a refrigerator, but when I got to Publix they had a ton of their preparation supplies laid out. A lot of it was matches, Zippo lighter parts, charcoal, and even Sterno. I'm not sure how to use the Sterno without a stand, but they might have had those and I didn't see them. In the end I did buy a couple of cans, but had to leave them behind because I couldn't take them on a plane.

 

[IndyIan]

I guess our biggest natural threat to our house is a tornado, but that's so localized its not really a large scale emergency.
A big ice storm is probably the most likely thing to shut down our area for a couple weeks, but that happens in winter so food storage becomes pretty simple. I guess eventually we'd run out of feed for the fowl, but I'd welcome the culling of the flock anyways and the wife's dam geese would taste dam good! I'd sign up for a week without power every winter if I didn't have to go to work, staying home with the kids would be great!

 

[Chris142]

My wife is a prepper. We have 2500 gallons of water. Many cans of food stored. Generators. Propane for the bbq as well as a 250 gallon propane tank for heat that I could use for cooking.

All because we can see the San Andreas from my front door.

 

[ecotourist]

We live in earthquake country so we have to be prepared as well.

We normally have a lot of canned and frozen food on hand and use wood for supplementary heat so if the house is standing we'll be fine. If the power goes out we'll eat what we can out of the freezer and give the rest away. We have a barbecue with a side burner, and an extra tank of propane so we can cook.

Our actual earthquake supplies are in the shed in case the house is down or unsafe. It doesn't get much below freezing here so our shelter needs are small. We have a tent and sleeping bags, lots of canned food, peanut butter, beef jerky, kraft dinner, pasta, toilet paper, hand-soap, dog food and a large camping jug of water.

We carry a day's supply of water and a bit of dry food in both cars as well. An earthquake might not occur when you're at or near home.

I think we're good for a week if either the house or the shed survives. We live near a ferry terminal, so if both the house and shed are gone, there should be support services coming through the terminal within a day or two.

One thing we haven't done yet is put shoes under the bed. Broken glass in the dark would not be good for your feet.

 

[28oz]

MREs are awesome. I still have some from Hurricane Ivan when I lived in Pensacola in 2004. Cracked one open a few months ago just to check, and it tasted and looked like it was packaged yesterday. Should have grabbed as many as I could, but we had a food stash already. National Guard guys said they'd just be discarded if no one took them all, so we grabbed a few cases.

 

[Chris142]

Imo the biggest problem will be the thousands of folks trying to kill us for our food.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
My wife is a prepper. We have 2500 gallons of water.

How/where do you store it and ensure that it doesn't get contaminated?

 

[Farmer]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Chris142
My wife is a prepper. We have 2500 gallons of water.

How/where do you store it and ensure that it doesn't get contaminated?


Most likely in a large poly tank. We have three 2500 gallon poly tanks that store water for our wash plant/area that gets frequently tested and its good every time.

 

[BJD78]

Still have 6 cases of MREs that I keep in our basement,I went to a military school at Camp Roberts Ca a few years back about 2009 , where they only served breakfast and Dinner and lunch was on our own but they gave us 2 cases of MRE's , many students did not like them and when class was over some flew there and did not have a POV so they just left them there or gave them away so I managed to pick up 4 cases besides the ones I was given. Never opened them yet but they are at least 6 years old so likely will have to toss many of them. Perhaps items like crackers or coffee would be ok but don't think I will take a chance on the entrees. The earlier version MRE's of the mid 80's were mainly dehydrated items that would last much longer. I did a quick amazon search for MRE and you are correct price is $100.00 or more. At that price there are cheaper alternatives.

 

[JohnnyJohnson]

Originally Posted By: motor_oil_madman
works great until you need water to wash the pan out. I would just eat it cold.


Well you could just heat it in the can!

 

[ArcticDriver]

Originally Posted By: BJD78
Still have 6 cases of MREs that I keep in our basement,I went to a military school at Camp Roberts Ca a few years back about 2009 , where they only served breakfast and Dinner and lunch was on our own but they gave us 2 cases of MRE's , many students did not like them and when class was over some flew there and did not have a POV so they just left them there or gave them away so I managed to pick up 4 cases besides the ones I was given. Never opened them yet but they are at least 6 years old so likely will have to toss many of them. Perhaps items like crackers or coffee would be ok but don't think I will take a chance on the entrees. The earlier version MRE's of the mid 80's were mainly dehydrated items that would last much longer. I did a quick amazon search for MRE and you are correct price is $100.00 or more. At that price there are cheaper alternatives.


I have eaten them much older than 6 years.

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
Imo the biggest problem will be the thousands of folks trying to kill us for our food.


More likely the contaminated water and overflow sewage will get everyone sick.

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: Farmer
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Chris142
My wife is a prepper. We have 2500 gallons of water.

How/where do you store it and ensure that it doesn't get contaminated?


Most likely in a large poly tank. We have three 2500 gallon poly tanks that store water for our wash plant/area that gets frequently tested and its good every time.
yes a big tank. I put a few drops of bleech in it and drain fill it every couple of years

 

[Chris142]

Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Imo the biggest problem will be the thousands of folks trying to kill us for our food.


More likely the contaminated water and overflow sewage will get everyone sick.
not so much here. 99% of this area is on wells and septic

 

[eljefino]

My well runs off my generator and my wife knows how to run the legal interlock switch.

I keep a half dozen empty gallon milk jugs for used motor oil or water so I fill them before a storm just to have a little so I don't have to fire up the stinky generator. Besides, our well system has pressure for a few gallons.

I can flush toilets with "roof water" and a bucket collecting outside. 99% of my nuisances are "wet".

If it gets bad I can make my cars pump their fuel tanks dry. I know where the relays are and don't need the internet to find them.

I have a few "blue rhino" propane tanks... refilled at BJ's with the full 20 lbs. Tourists here leave tanks at the dump, which I turn in to Blue Rhino. I can BBQ 3 meals a day for weeks. Plus my indoor gas stove lights with a match.

I have a shortwave radio that gets the BBC version of events if stuff gets ugly. A chainsaw if trees fall on me. Booze, board games, books.

 

[RedOakRanch]

My family runs a cattle ranch with a spring fed gravity flow water source and a supply or every food and material you could think of. I could check out from society anytime but I'm too lazy!

 

[bioburner]

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
If you pop the top off the soup can, and rip the label off, you can stick the can right on the burner. No need to dirty up a pan.

Years ago I worked in a guard tower at a prison for 12 hour shifts. No lunch break, no microwave, no fridge. They did have a coffee pot, and I used it as a hot plate to heat up a can of soup or my lunch on occasion.


The practice of heating in the can not so good idea anymore as they now coat the insides of the cans with plastic. I remember many cans on a fire while fishing in Canada in the 70's.
Fresh Walleye, can of cream corn and canned pie cherries for dessert

 

[Rick in PA]

The propane grille is a good option to heat water for tea or coffee and food. If the grille has been out of service for a while, remember to check the burner tubes for blockage such as spider nests, etc. A little hot food and drink helps when everything else is cold.

That's one of the things I learned when hurricane Sandy knocked our power out for a couple of days.

If you have a water heater, that could be a source of fresh water in a pinch. Our water heater holds 50 gallons. Assuming water service is not affected, I'd suggest shutting off the water heater feed valve and opening it to only sparingly use the hot water. You'll have hot/warm water for a little while after the power is lost.

 

[Errtt]

Wife has stashed lots of canned goods in the pantry's and spare room. Make sure you have a manual can opener tested. Several P38's take no room for simplicity. She has lots of other non perishable foods too plus lots of water.
I have never tried MRE's. Yuk C rations back in Army times.
We do have quite a stash of Mountain House and it keeps growing. In fact today a box load of granola milk blueberries arrived, several pouches. Tomorrow another 14-day essential pack should arrive. All adds to what we already have in Mountain House. Mountain House is very light weight, doesn't take much water. Good for backpacking or...
Have a few Sawyer water filters. Several flashlights and loads of batteries. Solar lights.
Lots of camp gear, several stoves of all kinds, plenty of propane. 3 of the stoves take the iso-butane/propane, others propane and others gas. Then the gas and charcoal grills.
Although we have the generator (exercise it monthly and keep a stash of fuel with Stabil), still want to keep portable radio's to keep up on news. Oh, and my HAM radios (base, HT's and mobile).
Aladdin lamps we still have plenty of but don't really have much use anymore.
Most camp gear in waterproof tote's (tents, sleeping bags, camp pillows, sleeping pads) includes many pieces of survival gear stuff (first aid, emergency mylar blankets, waterproof matches, paracord, etc. etc.).
Don't forget meds, pets, documents etc. and don't let vehicles or generator get low on fuel.
Firearms, ammo etc. if applicable to you. Extra clothing in boating dry bags etc. Power packs & solar chargers etc.
Saws, shovels, tarps, tents.....

Some prepper & survivalist forums have had inputs from those actually in Florida and Houston lately.

Coffee, reading material, cards etc.
Well, supper time means time to go now

 

[Balrog006]

Originally Posted By: BJD78
Still have 6 cases of MREs that I keep in our basement,I went to a military school at Camp Roberts Ca a few years back about 2009 , where they only served breakfast and Dinner and lunch was on our own but they gave us 2 cases of MRE's , many students did not like them and when class was over some flew there and did not have a POV so they just left them there or gave them away so I managed to pick up 4 cases besides the ones I was given. Never opened them yet but they are at least 6 years old so likely will have to toss many of them. Perhaps items like crackers or coffee would be ok but don't think I will take a chance on the entrees. The earlier version MRE's of the mid 80's were mainly dehydrated items that would last much longer. I did a quick amazon search for MRE and you are correct price is $100.00 or more. At that price there are cheaper alternatives.


Depending on your storage temp, they're likely fine. In an emergency, any packaging that is not damaged visibly or swollen should be edible but may not be as tasty/nutritional/colorful as it once was. Dry goods will of course have a much longer life than wet foods.