With food shortages reaching an all-time high and with prices constantly increasing, my husband and I are spending time evaluating our food storage. We like to keep things on hand in the event of an emergency, but now we’re thinking it’s smart to keep extra food just to save money too.
The article “The Top Twelve Foods for Long Term Storage” makes a good point that when buying bulk items, you should buy foods that are nutritional. If there is an emergency, it is the nutritional food that will sustain you, not junk food.
So what do you purchase? Which foods will last for situations such as those?
4 packaged foods (indefinite shelf life)
1) Jarred Raw Nut Butters - almond, peanut, and sesame butters are good protein sources
2) Canned Tomatoes - Used in pasta and other dishes, contain Lycopne
3) Canned Beans - black, red, chili or garbanzo beans - good sources of protein
4) Canned Sardines - Protein and Omega-3 oil, less mercury than tuna
4 Bulk Grains (2 year shelf life)
1) Brown Rice - cheaper than white, a health food since it is a staple grain
2) Spelt Flour - can be used to make bread dough
3) Popcorn - Great source of fiber, be sure to buy organic as popcorn is “one of the most pesticide-laden foods”
4) Dried Peas - good source of protein and can be used in many recipes
4 Protein Sources (6-12 month shelf life)
1) Raw Milk Cheese from Grass Fed Cows - gets better with time and is a complete food, should be aged more than 60 days, kept at about 44-48 degrees, look for mold growth and if it stored in contact with plastic, remove the part that has contacted the plastic as it will absorb its chemicals
2) Grass Fed Beef and Lamb - can be canned or frozen and is reasonably priced if in bulk
3) Free Range Chicken - It can be stored in the freezer and most of the parts can be used including the bones (composted or ground up for pet food)
4) Miso soup - Very concentrated and is a great source of protein - only one or two tablespoons of miso paste makes a pot of soup
Source:
McLaughlin, N. The Top Twelve Foods for Long Term Storage. The Natural News. 08/28/08.
Images:
Meat. Wikipedia. Grains. Wikipedia. Grains. Wikipedia. Peanut Butter. Wikipedia.
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