by Kellene Bishop

Filling your preparedness pantry doesn't have to cost a bucket load of money. photo c/o www.mcdowelltech.edu

While perusing advertisements for “emergency preparedness” supplies, I saw some pretty hefty price tags just for a year’s worth of food. This doesn’t count the bucket loads of money that one could spend on other gadgets like a solar oven, pressure cooker, first aid supplies, etc. So, let’s get real.  What can a person with only a few hundred bucks a year do to increase their state of preparedness?  Well, here are a few of my suggestions.

First and foremost, spend your money in order of prioritization.  Stick to the priorities. If you’re starting from scratch, review the 10 Areas of Preparedness. Remember that such a list is a prioritized one.  The higher up an area is on the list, the sooner you’ll be confronted with it in need or crisis scenario.  This also means that areas of preparedness further down the list will essentially be at the mercy of your preparedness level on areas of higher prioritization.

The first area is Spiritual preparedness. Fortunately, that area doesn’t require much in the form of funds to implement.

The next area is Mental Preparedness. You could spend a bit of money in that area in the form of books and classes, but a great deal of knowledge, thus mental preparedness, can be provided to you via the library and the internet. 

Physical preparedness is a must in completing the Ten Areas of Preparedness

The next area is Physical preparedness.  Again, this is an area that does not necessarily require money but rather a consciousness effort to get your body in better health. This does not need to come at the cost of expensive supplements and gym memberships.

The next area is Medical Preparedness.  Remember, that this are may require you some preliminary funds in terms of first aid supplies for you and your family and then for others. But keep in mind that providing medical care for you and your family is the first priority. So only spend enough money to take care of that first and foremost.  I have found that with coupons I have been able to acquire a boatload of medical supplies for free or very cheap. Also, in the vein of Medical Preparedness I have taken advantage of whatever free community classes I can that teach CPR, and other areas of commonly necessary medical knowledge. As I review my medical supplies, including medication alternatives, I know that I’ve spent very little by making use of coupons and alternative medical options.

Be sure your 72 hour kit is packed and ready to go. photo c/o coolshadesails.com

The next area is Clothing/Shelter Preparedness.  Most of you are already starting out with some kind of shelter complete with bedding and clothing. So you can usually check that off the list. However, I also recommend folks having a weather-appropriate change of clothes that they can grab and go in a hurry if necessary.  I can assure you that when I created such outfits, I didn’t take them from my existing wardrobe. Instead, I went to the thrift stores and purchased complete outfits for very, very cheap. I then store those outfits in my “get up and go quickly” supplies. That way I’m never stuck with “just the clothes on my back.”  Along with that though is alternative shelter such as blankets and a pup tent for a “get up and go quickly” scenario. Again, these were obtained very cheaply thanks to army surplus and thrift stores.

cheap sources for fuel, such as butane and alcohol complete your preparedness pantry.

Fuel comes next. This is an area in which you can’t cut corners on. As such I would recommend focusing the majority of your available funds in this particular area.  While you will be able to get much of the equipment at an army surplus store, you will need to purchase your fuel via mainstream venues like the rest of us. However, there are less expensive forms of fuel than others such as butane and isopropyl alcohol. I’ve been able to stock up on my cans of butane as cheaply as $1.27 each.  And I’ve been able to get my butane stoves as cheaply as $12 each.  We also have recently purchased lanterns for only $1.97 each!  The key is to keep your eyes open for the equipment you need. Compare prices. If you have the appropriate heating and light equipment, getting a 55 gallon barrel of isopropyl alcohol delivered to your home is very economical and you can keep it outside since it won’t freeze.  See? This is why mental preparedness comes before these other areas-so that you can use these kinds of ideas.

After fuel finally comes your Water Preparedness.  Water is obviously an affordable commodity. There are plenty of corners you can cut. You don’t have to be a purchaser of 2 liter bottles of soda pop to obtain plenty of those kinds of containers from neighbors and friends.  Simply get the used containers from others, wash them out well, and fill them up and store them.  No money necessary.

Then there’s the Food Preparedness.  The most affordable way to have a sufficient amount of food cheaply is to simply utilize coupons in your regular shopping so that you can purchase more of it—at least this is definitely what I’ve discovered to be the case. If you’re one of those people who read this, though, and say that couponing takes too much time, or that you can’t get all that you want with coupons, I recommend that you search on the articles that I’ve

Freeze-Dried Foods are tasty, nutritious, have a long shelf life, and are a real asset to your preparedness pantry.

previously written about couponing. I assure you that there’s very little food stuffs that I haven’t been able to purchase free or cheap. Also keep in mind that freeze-dried produce is actually less expensive than fresh produce, not to mention cleaner, more convenient, lasts longer, etc.  If all you want to do though is to buy some food items and forget it, then I would recommend purchasing whole wheat, sprouts, a quality powdered milk, salt, and a quality honey. None of these items should break the bank if you are prudent in your selections of them. If you spend money on no other food, I would recommend that you at least have these five.

After the Food Preparedness area then you have the areas of Financial Preparedness and Communication. These areas aren’t so much a cost to you as they are disciplines, and perhaps a Ham Radio license.  What I’m trying to get at is that preparedness doesn’t need to cost you much more money than you are already spending living your days. See? Everyday preparedness not only works better, but it costs a heck of a lot less money.

(By the way, Five Star Preparedness has a Group Buy on Raw Honey this month. Just go to www.fivestarpreparedness.com/GroupBuy).

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by Kellene Bishop

The fact of the matter is, no law enforcement, government, or rescuer group can prepare a community. It all starts with you—the true first responders.

Just in the last 5 years alone, nearly a billion dollars has been spent throughout our nation upgrading and retrofitting buildings and structures so that previous disasters are not repeated.  And yet not a single dime is being spent on preparing the people in order to avoid defeating responses to disasters.

Case in point: Many of you may not know, or may have forgotten that the World Trade Center was attacked in 1993. All kinds of studies were done afterwards as to how to make the buildings and the perimeter safer—ten thousand pound planters placed strategically around the outside, pictures of truck drivers taken for all deliveries and bomb-sniffing dogs were employed—yet NOTHING was done to make the people safer. In spite of many fire marshals expressing grave concerns about their lack of training after the 1993 WTC attack, nothing changed in training the people. Two-thirds of the on site fire marshals didn’t even know where the stairwells were at the WTC in 1993. That statistic did not change prior to 9/11 either. In fact 45 percent of the workers at the WTC did not even know the buildings had stairwells! Many of the critical human decisions that cost lives as a result of the 1993 attack were repeated verbatim during the 9/11 attacks. Hundreds more people would have survived 9/11 had they been trained WHERE the stairwells were, how to use the connecting hallways, and to actually take an immediate response in evacuating the building instead of doing nothing.  Yes, I realize in hindsight that the thought of someone doing nothing after the first plane hit is unthinkable; but indeed, hundreds of individuals did absolutely that–nothing. Equipment and structures have been altered all over the U.S. as a result of 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the I-35W bridge collapsing, but there have been absolutely NO concerted efforts to educate people.

So, what can you do about this? Get yourself educated on the 10 Areas of Preparedness—particularly the first three areas, Spiritual, Mental, and Physical. I have been studying human responses to natural disasters nearly at a PhD level lately. Just in the last two weeks alone I’ve feasted on three hefty books on the subject. If I could summarize the most significant reoccurring theme in everything I’ve read, it is that human beings need to better mentally prepare for these kinds of events. (Of course there aren’t a lot of lay mans books that discuss spiritual preparedness, but that’s simply an indicator of a whole ‘nother issue.)

If the community won’t open their doors to educate you, don’t just sit there and complain—invite the community to come to you! Hold parties in your home in which you discuss what needs to be done as a group in the event of major disasters. I have frequently held “Preparedness Parties” in which I prepared yummy meals made right out of the pantry, handed out recipes, and we discuss specific preparedness topics. And yes, I’ve even created some games that help hit a point home that are entertaining, funny, and memorable.  They are evenings of fun and socializing, not gloom and doom. As such, the things discussed are more memorable and more likely to be acted upon. I once even had a Ladies Night Pampered Preparedness Party in which we played games, got paraffin wax treatments on our hands and lots of yummy food to eat.  (The house was full of women who wanted the hand treatments. Hee hee. Don’t you just love how bribery works?)

Here’s an idea for a game. Do you remember ever playing the game Pit? Well, I created a similar game. I created a bunch of cards with various supplies on them, including spiritual strength and physical strength. I also included some luxury items such as a generator, heated shower, etc.; then as the guests arrive, I had them select 10 cards blindly.  During the course of the first hour of the party they traded what they had in excess in order to try and get what they needed to be perfectly prepared.  It’s a real eye opener. So many people actually gota tad bit stressed out because they aren’t able to trade enough for food or water. And they found the generator or shower was useless without some of the more critical items. They also discovered that they’d rather not have to trade for items because they have no way of knowing what items others will have. So they’d just assume be proactive in having the item on hand initially for peace of mind.

I also did another game in which they are given a recipe which they have no doubt ever made before. And they are given only a few short minutes in which they have to create the recipe and make it edible. They are also given a pressure cooker in which they have to make the meal.  (Most folks have never used a pressure cooker before)  And lastly, they are only given a few other tools to use such as only a quarter cup measuring cup, one spoon, one fork, and a pitcher. So here they have a foreign recipe, foreign ingredients, and alien tools.   Once the timer starts, chaos ensues. Food is flying. Folks are even panicking.  It’d be quite funny if it wasn’t such a real representation of what can happen if people don’t better prepare with their tools and what they intend to eat in a survival scenario. Oh, yeah. And they learn a lot about “panicked communication.”

Push your community to offer realistic training for all community members and especially push your community leaders to TRAIN the so-called “rescuers” for major disasters. I was appalled to hear of a fireman in my community who completely dismissed a question raised by one of his students during CERT training. The student asked the question “What about during an EMP?”  The cocky fireman quipped back “That’s not a life threatening event.”  Can I just tell you that when I heard that my blood boiled?  An EMP is NOT a life-threatening event–REALLY?  Exactly how is the elimination of life lines, refrigeration, oxygen machines, surgical machines, automobiles (including emergency vehicles) classified, then??  A carnival??

Another way you can better prepare is to watch movies and read books that actively engage your mind in which you play a part in–such “what-if” scenarios. All of the successful Olympians will tell you that they run the race mentally before they run it physically.  That’s important for all of us to do in being suitable prepared. I recommend “Red Dawn”, the “Jericho” television series (you’ll have to rent it), “2012” (it gives great perspective, but very little “story”), “Twister” (in surround sound is awesome!) and “The Day After Tomorrow” for some movies to learn from.

When it comes to better preparing your community, it’s important that you understand that you can’t ride out a disaster alone. There are all kinds of logistical problems with that. Even the most brutal gangs of today know that lesson. Whether you like it or not, the community you end up in during a disaster is going to be the community you fully rely on.  Thus it does you no good to isolate yourself from them.  You’re better off trying to improve the people around you through education and interaction one step at a time.  You don’t need to start with the whole community at first. Start with your neighbors; then a larger block, etc. etc. until you’ve created a nice, strong nucleus of educated, like-minded people.  You don’t need to be the brains behind the education either. You can call on expert resources. And you don’t need to spend any money or meeting rooms and supplies.  Libraries usually offer their facilities for free and your community center sure as heck should be able to handle that as well. What you CAN do though is be the fuel behind the push for the community to get educated. So, no more excuses. Do it. And do it now.

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Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop

by Kellene Bishop

A great deal of my articles attempt to be a conversation between myself and those who haven’t quite got on the preparedness bandwagon.  However, today I’d like to address those of you who have begun your preparedness efforts in earnest in hopes that I might add just a bit of redirection for you (If it’s necessary, of course).

Consider your picky eaters, allergies, and recipes when filling your preparedness pantry photo c/o digitallydelicious.files.wordpress.com

I hope that those of you who are actually going through the time, effort, and expense to be more independent are not doing so only to find yourself miserable when the time comes to rely on your efforts. What I mean by that is that many of you, by your own choice—more so than by financial circumstances—have set aside items that are intended to assist you during a crisis that you already know you’re going to despise when the time comes where you’ll have to use them.  As an over-the-top example, I actually had a woman come up to me and tell me she has a year’s supply of wheat, but that she is severely allergic to wheat.  I asked her, “how long have you had your wheat?  How long have you had these allergies?”  She informed me that the wheat was about 8 years old and her allergies are about 10 years old.  I will spare you the details of the rest of that conversation. Yes, this is a bit in the extreme offense against common sense, but I use this example because for some of you it’s more appropriate than you think.

Let’s say that you have a great varied supply of food, fuel, and other essentials on hand.  Let’s look closer at them.  So, you’ve got 3 cases of Ramen noodles.  Does the thought of eating Ramen noodles make you happy?  I mean really, happy?  Or does the anticipation of having to live off of what you’ve got stored in your basement make you cringe?  How about that solar oven you have stored away that you’ve never used yet?  Does the anticipation of having to use that thing make your cringe?

Are you cringing at the thought of actually having to USE your food storage? photo c/o blog.jdubrecords.org/

Here’s my point, if you aren’t emotionally satisfied with the tools and supplies that you are intending to use when things get tough, then you are certainly not going to be your same-old competent self in the midst of turmoil.  Your mental strength is too powerful and too important to be at the mercy of some prelude shortsightedness.  If doing “just enough” to cross something off of your list doesn’t work for your emotional peace of mind today, it’s NOT going to provide you with some much needed emotional strength when things are tough.

Here’s an alternative example. Power’s out. Pipes are frozen. Eight feet of snow on the ground. No problem.  Grab the remote controlled long-life battery lamps, pull out the butane stove, make a scrumptious Thai Coconut Curry chicken in your pressure cooker with rice, have everyone settle down in front of the Lil Buddy Heater which doesn’t require any ventilation, and play a rallying game of “Shoots and Ladders.” Afterwards pull out the graham crackers and peanut butter, with a little bit of milk that your family enjoys, read a

Have an enjoyable evening with your family--even during an emergency scenario. photo c/o wonderfuloldgames.com/

bedtime story by lamplight. Make sure everyone goes to the bathroom using your biodegradable Chemsan bags rigged on your toilet, and tuck everyone in to their beds which have comfortably been made on cots and blow up mattresses. Diffuse a little bit of lavender oil to help everyone rest peacefully. Then you go and enjoy a hot eucalyptus shower with your propane heated shower in your portable “privacy hut”—positioned just outside the back door. Afterwards, you snuggle down in your flannel PJ’s and read that fictional book you’ve been hoping to get to all of this time. Enjoy the comfortable family respite.

No, I haven’t been sniffing the fairy dust.  Sure not every moment can be this great amidst a serious challenge. But it would sure stink if you didn’t even have the capability of making it that way simply because you prepared to be miserable. You need to PLAN for great moments. You need to plan for comfort food. You need to plan for happiness.  If the thought of using your preparedness supplies makes you more stressed and strung out with worry, then you are going about it all wrong. I’m telling you, the opposite is very real. You can actually look forward to such a time of challenge knowing that all will be well. Such knowledge will bring peace and comfort and sanity to you and your loved ones. You literally have a choice. Prepare to be miserable or prepare to be comfortable.

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Copyright 2010 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to www.PreparednessPro.com & Kellene Bishop.

By Kellene Bishop

Hand-held beater by Propert

I have to admit, I love gadgets that make my life easier. I’m always on the lookout for preparedness type gadgets that will make my life easier even in a “survival mode.” I figure you might as well make use of the technological advances we have now to survive without traditional technology later. So here’s a list of some of my favorite “gadgets.” You can do an internet search to find any of these items.

A Hand-Held Beater: This is one like your mom used to use before the electric beaters came along. Storing eggs is great, but you won’t want to exert the energy necessary to beat them with a whisk. So invest in a quality hand beater or two now.

Bosch Hand-Held Crank: This is a handy dandy gadget that I simply put on the top of my Bosch bowl and then hand crank the bowl in the event I don’t have power. It allows me to still benefit with the kneading attachments of the Bosch and knead my bread without having to exert tons of energy. I couldn’t believe it when I saw it, but I knew I had to have one when I did!

This is alfalfa, broccoli, and mixed sprouts in the Kitchen Sprouter

3 Tray Kitchen Crop Sprouter

3 Tray Kitchen Sprouter: This is made by Victorio. It is AWESOME from sprouting. Instead of having to rinse and drain carefully, all I do is spread the sprouts out evenly on one of the three trays, fill the very top of the gidget/gadget with water and then the proprietary system trickles the waters down through each of the tray levels, ending at the bottom one where it pools all of the excess water far away from the sprouts. I simply repeat this twice a day. As you may know, properly draining your sprouts is important to their proper growth. The watering in this case is gravity fed, so I’m always in “drain mode” every time I use it.  I can grow three different sprouts at a time or a lot of one. I LOVE this thing!

Solar Oven: Duh! Like you didn’t expect me to mention this? You all know how in love I am with a solar oven. No fuel, no hassle, perfect tasting food every time and it replaces my need for a canner and a dehydrator. Invest in a commercial quality one so that it can handle cooking multiple meals a day for the long term.

A Mason Jar FoodSaver attachment: This attachment allows me to save dried foods for 3 to 5 years in a Mason jar. I store foods like chocolate chips, brown rice, Snickers bars, almonds, coconut, etc. with this type of item and I presume that I will still want to do so in the future as well. While I use it with my Foodsaver now while the electricity is aplenty, I can still use it with a tire pump without the electricity in the future. Simply reverse the direction that you’re pumping the air so that it sucks the air instead of pumps it.

A Hand Grinder/Flaker: When making a choice as to which hand-grinder you want to have be sure that you find out how many cranks it will take you to make a full cup. I prefer the ones that have a “stone grinder” on them. I’ve compared these to others and it “only” takes 100 cranks for a cup of flour, whereas the smaller ones grinding mechanism, such as those found on the Grain Mill model, requires over 7 minutes of cranking just for a cup of flour. That’s a lot of exerted physical energy. Getting a model that will also act as a flaker is great for making flour or flaked pieces out of dried sprouts, beans, and groats.

Bucket Wrench

Bucket Lid Wrench: This isn’t about preserving fingernails. It’s about making a job a hundred times easier. Spend the $5 bucks to get yourself the green or red plastic wrench that allows you to simply pop off the lids on your round or square buckets. I use mine all the time!

Solar Powered Battery Recharger: Obviously the success of this gadget is in purchasing rechargeable batteries. But it’s worth the cost difference to me since I can let the sun continually recharge them. It’s virtually impossible in my mind to store enough batteries that I would use for a full year otherwise. 

Pressure Cooker: Kuhn Rikon all the way baby. This is the ONLY brand I recommend. I can buy cheap cuts of meat and cook them in the pressure cooker and you would have thought I slaved away all day after a small fraction of that time. Also it rehydrates freezer burned meats. Taking advantage of it’s inherent heat retention, all I have to do is bring it up to full pressure, then remove it from the heat, wrap it up in towels and it will retain it’s heat for a full hour…cooking all along the way. As a result, cooking on the weekdays when I’m swamped is SO easy, and cooking in a survival mode won’t require me to store oodles and oodles of fuel. (By the way, I have three of these and have used them all at one time on several occasions when I’m making a “big fancy meal” that’s intended to impress but I don’t’ want it to zap my energy.)

Asian Cook Stove: These little puppies run on a simple can of butane. There are tons of them out there with different names, but I just call them the little Asian cook stoves. (The brand I have is called “Joy Cook”  You can get them $15-$20 bucks. They fold up in their own little black case and they are super light. I have a few of them on hand in the event I’m using all three of my pressure cookers.

Indoor Safe Propane Heater: This is a great option to heat your home without having to ventilate your home. (kind of defeats the purpose of heating your home while having to let cold air come inside, eh?) It’s specially made for that purpose and is called the Big Buddy or The Little Buddy. Bottom line it uses a special canister of propane and it’s indoors safe.

4 Gallon Buckets photo c/o Five Star Preparedness

Square Buckets: It’s not secret that I LOVE these. And while they may be simplistic, I still consider them a “gadget.” I not only store my items in them, but I also keep a few on hand in case I need to send someone on their way with some provisions.

Berkey Water Filter: Ok. I’ll admit, this isn’t the cheapest water filter out there, but it’s my favorite. This is my kind of “bling.” folks. (Thank heavens my hubby knows it too!) They are gravity fed. And they can be used to literally purify water—including non-potable and otherwise unhealthy water. It reduces chemicals, nitrates, and heavy metals as well. They use carbon to filter which is highly effective without the need of electricity etc. I recommend using it INSTEAD of your typical water cooler. It may be a bit more pricey, but imagine the money you’ll save instead of buying bottled water all the time. There are quite a few models to choose from. I like the big stainless steel one so that I don’t have to constantly be concerned with making drinking water.

BlastMatch Fire Starter: This is kind of a cool gizmo. All you do is forcibly pound this against cement or a rock. Strike it near whatever it is you want to light.  It sends sparks out from the friction of the tool and the surface and you can easily light your fire

Magnesium: I know this may be a lot like the previous mentioned gadget, but I just can’t control myself sometimes. Hee hee  I have this uncanny fear that I won’t be able to start a fire when I need one. A few flecks of magnesium will light up and burn even in a wet environment. My husband keeps one on him regularly. You simply use a pocket knife to strip off a few flecks and then light it. Voila. You’ve got what you need.

So, here’s my list that I can think of right off the top of my head.  At least it will give you a few things to ask Santa for this year…that is assuming that you’ve been behaving yourself.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

If you think beans are gross, you're in for a surprise! Photo c/o wiredrive.com

Having beans in your pantry isn’t appealing to a lot of people. Mostly though it’s because the thought of eating them exclusively long-term causes them to prefer death. So allow me to fill you in on some of the basic information about cooking with beans, storing them, sprouting them, etc.

Believe it or not but beans can be a comfort food. A study conducted at Weber State University showed that when eaten in a thick soup-like or paste consistency, beans have a positive effect on the endorphins and serotonin produced in the body. And yes, the rumors are true, you CAN make really yummy cookies, brownies and fudge with beans! So imagine what the endorphin levels may be in that kind of combination?

Beans are also incredibly nutritious. Most beans only contain 2-3% fat. They not only don’t have any cholesterol, but they actually help to lower your cholesterol levels because of their rich source of fiber. They are also high in protein, Vitamin B, good carbohydrates, and iron.

The cost of beans has held rather steady over the last two decades for consumers. Even today a serving of beans can be as low as 10 cents compared to several times that amount for cheese or meats. If you’re able, buy bulk beans instead of pre-packaged ones. Doing so will save you about 70%.

Brightly colored beans photo c/o tippinthescales.wordpress.com

When you buy beans, check the quality of them. They should be clean, brightly colored and rather uniform in size with no visible damage. Cracked or chipped beans indicate a low quality product. When you clean the beans, just give them a look over for any dirt or pebbles.

Because we eat so many refined foods, our bodies don’t regularly have the enzymes to properly digest beans and grains. So be sure to explore the use of the following tips when consuming them.

• Sprout your beans. They are much easier for your body to assimilate when you ingest them this way as they shed off some of the gaseous components during the sprouting process. As you may have read previously, sprouting compounds the nutritional value of any seed, nut, whole grain or legume by as much as 600%! Remember also that when you sprout your beans, they become more of a vegetable rather than a bit starchy.  One 50 pound bag of beans will provide a family of four with one vegetable serving for a whole year if you sprout them! (1 tablespoon of beans yields about ¼ to ½ pound of veggies.)
• Slow cook or pressure cook your beans. Cooking dry beans thoroughly is also important to being able to digest them properly.
• Consume beans regularly several times a week. Start with small portions if you’re not used to it. Eating beans actually supplies your body with the necessary enzymes over time to be able to eat them more regularly.
• Cook your beans with a bit of oil. This will help prevent the frothing of them while they cook so that you can cook them at a higher heat.
• Soak your beans, if only for 30 minutes before cooking. Even a soak of only a half-hour will compound the nutritional benefits. You can do a “quick soak method” by adding 6 cups of water to one pound of beans. Bring it to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover and then let stand for one hour. Drain the water, add new water and then cook as you would normally.

When cooking your beans, keep in mind the seasoning strategy. You’ll actually get more flavor if you wait until they are just a bit soft before adding your seasoning. If you add the seasoning too early in the boiling water, you won’t get the permeated flavoring that you’re looking for. But if you add your seasonings freshly at the point in which the beans are a bit soft, they are better able to absorb the full, undiluted strength of the seasoning. Also, embrace using cloves when cooking beans. While such a combination may sound unusual, it’s actually a great marriage of flavors that I think you’ll enjoy.

Photo c/o Jud Burkett, The Spectrum

When considering how much beans to have on hand for a year’s supply for your family, plan on a minimum of 1 pound per person per day. However, this amount includes your other fruits and vegetables (fresh, dehydrated, freeze dried, etc).  Considering that beans can easily be converted into a nutritious vegetable (via sprouting), I tend to lean heavily on the side of more beans in my pantry rather than canned vegetables. Remember, canned veggies contain only 40% of their original nutrition and then depletes over time. However, if stored below 70 degrees in a tightly covered container in a dry place, beans will keep indefinitely. When you expose them to high temperatures and humidity, the necessary cooking time will increase. But will not destroy them. However, concerns with this can be alleviated if you’ll simply use your beans regularly and thus rotate your food.

To help you enjoy them a bit more, I’m providing you with a couple recipes. I hope you enjoy them!

Pinto Bean Fudge

Mash together the following ingredients:

1 cup of soft pinto beans
¼ to ½ cup milk (you want the consistency of mashed potatoes
1 T. vanilla

In a double boiler melt 6 ounces of unsweetened chocolate and 6 T. butter.  Pour the chocolate mixture into the bean mixture.  Stir until slightly thickened. Work in 2 pounds of powdered sugar. Knead with hands and then spread on a slightly buttered pan. Refrigerate. Makes 3 ½ lbs. you can also add nuts. Enjoy!

Ranchero Beans

5 cups water                                       
1 onion, quartered
1 clove garlic; peeled                         
1 carrot peeled and cut into chunks
2 C dry pinto beans (washed)            
Sprinkle of cayenne pepper
½ t. ginger                                          
½ t. salt
1 t. honey                                           
1 cup salsa or mild taco sauce

In a blender place 1 cup of water, onion, garlic, and carrot. Pulse until vegetables are finely chopped. Place vegetables and 4 cups of water, beans, cayenne, and ginger in a 5-6 quart pan. Cover and cook for 8 hours or overnight in a 200 degree oven. Add salt, honey and salsa. Return to oven for at least one hour, and up to 4 hours. (To cook in a slow cooker, cook on high for 8 hours.) Add seasoning and cook on low as desired.  

To adapt this recipe to refried beans, simply mash and then use. Add a bit of chili powder to taste as well. To convert into chili beans, simply add 1 ½ ounce package of chili seasoning mix, 16 ounces of canned tomatoes and ½ lb. of ground beef. Mix and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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Slow and steady wins the race! Photo c/o redbrownandblue.com

By Kellene Bishop

Time’s a wastin’. Getting prepared takes a concerted effort on a regular basis. However, it doesn’t take require loads of money or fancy contraptions. It takes action. The good news is that even though I’m not surrounded with a particular need for preparedness right now, I’m still amply rewarded when I do a little something to improve my family’s state of readiness. I find that each activity I do and every effort I make in this regard increases my level of peace, confidence, and assurance substantially. Here are some ideas as to what you can do this weekend to be better prepared. Just pick one or even a couple of these activities and improve your readiness factor!

• Organize an area of food storage. Just one area, such as soups, pastas, wheat, sugar, etc.
• Run your family through a fire drill in the home 
  

  Fire Drill photo c/o njfamily.com

• Learn how to grow sprouts
• Learn how to use a solar oven
• Try making dinner on your butane stove
• Learn how to use a pressure cooker
• Bottle butter
• Go fishing (Yes, ladies, that IS a preparedness skill)
• Learn how to make a candle out of a tuna can
• Make fire without a match (preferably NOT in your home.)
• Cook in your Dutch Oven
• Learn CPR
• Fill those water barrels
• Make notes on your laundry detergent, toothpaste, and toilet paper so that you know how long they actually last your family. (This way you know how much you need for a year)
• Burn/cut up a credit card
• Learn how to make bread
• Sanitize your home including doorknobs, cupboard doors, refrigerator handles, air vents, and telephones
• Try some powdered milk and find one that you like
• Read for a half hour on Preparedness Pro to learn something new
• Preserve your favorite dry foods with a FoodSaver 
  

  FoodSaver photo c/o foodsaverblog.com

• Do a financial analysis of how you can allocate a bit more money each month towards eliminating debt
• Make sure your family knows how to turn off the gas line to your home
• Identify where all of your other water sources are
• Attend a self-defense class
• Attend a couponing class
• Read the U.S. Constitution (Yup, becoming familiar with this is an act of preparedness in defense of foreign or domestic enemies.)
• Practice target shooting at a range
• Teach your family a “gathering plan”
• Get your Concealed Firearm Permit
• Learn how to use come common essential oils
• Learn how to put up your tent all by yourself
• Wax some hard cheese
• Preserve some eggs
• Go camping
• Go for a 5 mile walk with the family
• Learn a new recipe that you can make from what’s readily available in your pantry.

Bacon Potatoes in Garlic Cream Sauce

1 C. evaporated milk
1 ½ T. cornstarch
1 T. minced garlic (I prefer mine from the jar that’s in oil)
1 T. butter
1/8 t. salt
1 t. dried rosemary
1 T. of real bacon bits, or bacon flavored TVP
Two 15-ounce cans of whole potatoes, drained

Whisk the cornstarch into the milk until it is dissolved. Add the butter, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary and bacon. Bring to a low boil and stir until thickened (This will take about 3 minutes.) Add the canned potatoes and cook for another 5 minutes—or until no longer hard. This side dish serves 4 nicely or you can also add some fried Spam and a drained can of corn and make it a main dish.

So which preparedness activity are you going to do this weekend?

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Natural Disaster photo c/o history.com

Typically when I mention emergency preparedness to someone they automatically think of “food storage” or “the Mormons.”  Unfortunately, a focus on either will not save your family in a time of crisis.  There are actually ten vital areas to being prepared for an emergency whether it be a natural disaster, act of war or financial collapse.  Food is only one component that we’ve addressed recently.  So let’s take a look at all 10 areas of being prepared.

I’m listing them for you in the area of importance.

1. Component of Emergency Preparedness #1: Spiritual. This category has everything to do with your belief system.  It’s where you draw on peace even in the midst of chaos.  It’s also where you draw on knowledge and understanding of that which is to come.  Your spiritual preparedness needs to be fed on a regular basis.  It will be incredibly invaluable in a time of great need, such as a catastrophic emergency.  If your spiritual preparedness is lacking, not much else you focus on will be of benefit to you.
2. Component of Emergency Preparedness #2: Mental. This category has to do with your knowledge level, skills, and mental rehearsals for chaotic scenarios.  This area requires constant nourishment, education, and deliberate thought.  Unless you mentally prepare for a situation such as self-defense, or mass chaos, or the fact that all hell can really break loose, then you will be physically and emotionally paralyzed from being a leader and a protector to anyone, let alone your family and loved ones.  The mental preparation is what prepares you in spite of the crazy looks and comments you get from friends and loved ones.  Immerse yourself in movies, books, and conversations relevant to emergency preparedness (see #5).  Expose yourself to as much learning experiences as you are able.  Work that mental muscle as much as possible.  It will serve you well in a time of crisis as well as long-term survival.
   The key to your mental preparedness is Attitude, Skills, and Knowledge. Fortunately all three of these aspects can be obtained without monetary cost as there’s so much available through classes and online.
3. Component of Emergency Preparedness #3: Physical. This area covers a great deal.  Physical preparedness has to do with your physical strength and ability to maximize your physical strength, such as the
   

   Exercise photo c/o healthspablog.org

   use of wagons or wheel barrels, your ability to protect yourself and your family, as well as planning for any necessary travel needs.  Keep in mind that your physical strength will be your primary asset when it comes to travel.  Since most of us aren’t trained extensively in military tactics and maneuvers, firearms are a key consideration for physical self-defense.  Make sure you have tools like small wagons, bikes, wheel barrels, etc.  You can strengthen your physical preparedness by adjusting your diet now to avoid foods that impede your performance or you won’t have access to later.  And no, I’m not going to rattle them off because you already know what you’re doing wrong in that regard.  Exercise is critical for your physical preparedness as well.  You will inevitably be called upon to be more physical in your survival efforts in an emergency.  Perhaps you will need to trek 30 miles.  Or perhaps you will need to do some heavy lifting to create a suitable shelter.  You will also need to function without air conditioning or heat like you’re accustomed to.  Take precautions now so that you are better physically prepared later.

4. Component of Emergency Preparedness #4: Medical. This includes having what you need for first-aid, solutions for your existing medical needs, as well as sanitation.  First-aid needs includes bandages, a field surgical kit, pain relievers, herbs and essential oils, as well as the knowledge to use such items.  Your existing medical needs will be a challenge since most individuals can’t get a year’s supply of prescription medicines.  If I were you, I would make sure to study up on alternative options available, such as herbal nutrition, essential oils, homeopathic care, etc.  Recently, as a result of my goal to be more prepared medically, I set a goal to eliminate all of my prescription drugs.  I started the New Year with seven prescriptions on my nightstand, and I’m now down to one.  The most recent I was able to get rid of was my thyroid medicine by incorporating quality nutrition products into my diet instead of my thyroid medicine.  While my doctor wasn’t happy with the approach, he did acquiesce just this last Friday that my blood tests showed that I was no longer in need of my thyroid medicine!  I feel much more independent and capable now.  While I can’t supply a years worth of pharmaceuticals safely, I sure can keep a year’s supply of various nutritional products.  (Just FYI, I elect to use Reliv products.  No, I don’t sell them but you can locate them easily online.)
   As far as sanitation is concerned, you have to be sure you’ve thought this one through.  Digging a hole out in your back yard will not do.  You’ve got to have the chemicals on hand to break down the waste.  I assure you that if the hole in the back yard was everyone’s strategy, everyone within a 50 mile radius will be dead within 30 days!  The holes have to be dug deep.  Plan on using some type of a disposal breakdown chemical regularly.  Disposing of the waste, keeping it covered, and minimizing its location and effect on everything else around you will be critical in a time of emergency.  Understand that this aspect of preparation will not be simple.  You should expect a lot of diarrhea initially as a result of stress, different foods, and drinking less liquids.
5. Component of Emergency Preparedness #5: Clothing/Shelter. This category is a higher priority than food and water.  Many folks really overlook this critical area.  While being able to survive in your own home is ideal, it’s not necessarily possible for a myriad of different reasons.  Be sure that you’ve got SPARE clothing available for all of your children’s ages and have it readily accessible.  This may mean you need to go to a local thrift store and purchase clothes for a year in advance of your children’s sizes right now.  Sturdy shoes will be critical—especially if you have to walk long distances to get to safety.  Also, be mindful of your clothing and your shelter accommodating either warm or cold weather.  Be sure to have hats and gloves for everyone—spares so that there’s no chance of them “getting lost” in the event of a crisis.   Even if you are able to survive in your present dwelling, be sure you have tools on hand to reinforce it, such as hammers, nails, sheeting, duct tape, and even some plywood.  (My preferred sheeting is purchased at Costco.  It’s twice as thick as others, you get twice as much, and it’s less expensive.)  Be sure that you don’t have to rely on electricity and batteries for the use of your tools as well in the event of a solar flare or an EMP attack.
6. Component of Emergency Preparedness #6: Water. Let me be perfectly clear on this.  A two week supply of water is NOT sufficient.  That’s short-term.  I hardly EVER address short-term preparedness in my articles, and am almost always focusing on long term.  As overwhelming as it may sound, you need one gallon of
   

   Water Barrel Storage photo c/o homelandpreparedness.com

   water, per person, per day.  That’s 365 gallons per person.  Yes, that’s a lot of barrels.  But that’s just the MINIMUM.  You’ll be using water for drinking, cooking, cleaning, sanitation, and bathing.  There are a myriad of different ways to conserve water, but you’ll want to employ those even if you do have the 365 gallons per person.  Water is the only thing that will keep your organs functioning properly.  You need water just as much in the cold as you do in the heat.  Your kidneys process hundreds of gallons worth of water each day.  You do not want to treat your kidneys like a teenager treats their oil filter, right?  You’ve got to continue to give your organs new water in order that they will not shut down.  Your body uses flavored water very differently than it does real water.  You use more energy to benefit from the flavored water than you do just straight water.  In addition to storing enough water, I also store a lot of paper goods that I can use that won’t require cleaning afterwards.  I also store cleansing cloths.
   You don’t need to treat your water before storing it if you’re using tap water.  Plan on treating it afterwards if necessary (8 drops of Chlorox for each gallon of water).  You can rotate your water once every 5 years and be just fine.  Stale water can taste a LOT better if you simply aerate it—such as pouring it back and forth from one container to another before serving.

7. Component of Emergency Preparedness #7: Food. As I’ve shared in the last 8 part series, be familiar with the food that you’ve stored, be prepared to cook it without electricity, and be sure that it’s nutritious.  90 days of food is SHORT-TERM.  It’s not the end result.  One year of food supply for your family is absolutely necessary.  Also be sure that you have all of the tools on hand you will need that don’t require electricity.  Be sure you have nothing in your equipment stores that you have not used yet.  (In other words, don’t just buy that solar oven and put it in your basement.  Use it.)
8. Component of Emergency Preparedness #8: Fuel. Your fuel should be usable on as many tools as possible, and every responsible member of the family should be familiar with its use.  I store butane for my small oven, propane for the grill, and kerosene for my lights, heaters, and another stove.  I also have some
   

   Butane Stove photo c/o manventureoutpost.com

   charcoal and some wood for other forms of cooking.  I’ve experimented with my cooking fuel coupled with my pressure cooker and have learned that I can cook 2 meals a day for 3 weeks on one can of butane.  It’s critical that you know how much fuel you need for your family.  It’s also critical you know that the lights you’re relying on can actually put out enough light.  We bought these “100 hour candles” only to discover one night that they barely put off enough light for us to see the match and the wick so that we could light the next one.  I recommend to all of my clients to try a day or two without electrical lighting.  I also recommend that they go a whole week without using any electricity to prepare their food—including the refrigerator.

9. Component of Emergency Preparedness #9: Financial.  Financial preparation isn’t just about having debt.  Most of us will have a mortgage if nothing else.  I recommend my clients pay their utilities and their taxes in advance whenever possible.  It’s also critical that you have goods with which to trade such as wheat, sugar, and other stores that will be in high demand.  Anything more than $500 cash on hand is a waste, in my opinion, as a crisis will quickly make money worthless.  If you don’t already have what you need, you will NOT be able to buy it amidst a mob of crazy people who are unprepared. 
10. Component of Emergency Preparedness #10: Communication. All of the other areas of preparedness I discussed are focused on you and your family.  This is the only area of preparedness that focuses on reaching out to others.  In order to be prepared for communication in an emergency, you should have a very specific plan of communication with you family and friends.  You should have a specific point of gathering agree upon for everyone to meet in the event of a disaster.  Additionally, plan on other forms of communication such as a HAM radio, accompanied by the license and skill to operate.  Also plan on good old fashioned message delivery.  (Another good reason to employ physical preparedness.)  Being able to coordinate with the outside world will become important during and after your initial crisis reaction.

Don’t get overwhelmed with all of this.  Just put it on your radar and start chipping away at it.  Look for opportunities to learn and strengthen your spiritual and mental preparedness first and foremost.  Everything else will appropriately follow.

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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No, You’re Not Crazy

By Kellene Bishop

Do you have a skeptical spouse?

How to influence that skeptical spouse when it comes to emergency preparedness efforts is a query I hear frequently in my line of work.  I affectionately call it the “$64 million dollar question.”  Surprisingly, the question isn’t dominated by one particular sex or the other, either.  I guess both men and women are equally skeptical when it comes to this topic.  Obviously, it is tough to have one member of the family focused on something so important without the support of knowledge, enthusiasm and additional expertise from the other.  Being on the same page for this sort of thing boils down to more than just being able to “share in a hobby”—it’s literally lifesaving.  That’s why I address this query with some very specific and deliberate strategies.

1. Money.  Money is usually the number one reason why a spouse is not on board with food storage acquisition.  The minute you go out and put a bunch of money on a credit card to obtain some emergency preparedness supplies, you’ve created a valid barrier.  Even if your spouse was on board with preparedness, that shouldn’t be an acceptable action.  Be just as prudent in acquiring your supplies as you are in the fact that you DO prepare for a rainy day.  I assure you that when you come home with a couple bags of emergency preparedness supplies and are able to tell your spouse that you got them for nearly free or cheap, you will have successfully taken down one of their most strident objections.  Just as many divorces ultimately end as the result of a disagreement about finances, emergency preparedness efforts are thwarted the same way.  If you are prudent and consistent in your preparedness efforts, you’ll be able to prepare without starting World War III in your home.
2. USE and Familiarity.  Any spouse would be understandably frustrated to have their partner bring home a relatively large or significant investment such as a solar oven, a pressure cooker, a Glock handgun, etc., only to have it collect dust and take up valuable space.  No purchase you make for emergency preparedness should be disconnected or “foreign” to you.  You should incorporate it in your life on a regular basis.  It’s really not so much about “emergency preparedness” as it is just plain “preparedness.”  For example, I have a lot of folks who attend my “Bring on the Sun” solar oven class and tell me that they have owned one for ages but never knew how to use it.  Obviously they bought it “for emergencies.”  Argh!  That makes me cringe.  I have to wonder how their spouse felt about tripping over this big lug of inconvenience that was purchased “just in case the aliens attack.”  If you don’t use it folks, it’s no help to you and it doesn’t get attached to a realistic scenario in your spouses mind.  When you can present a delicious meal that was prepared in your pressure cooker, for example, the doubting spouse will simply see the meal as a yummy, simple, and efficient way of cooking—not another expense for a “fantasy ‘what if’ scenario” that they don’t believe will actually occur.  If the use of your tools and preparedness supplies is sporadic, it sends the wrong message to the doubters in your life about your level of commitment to preparedness.  If you’re committed enough to use money out of your family budget to acquire it, then you really should be serious enough to utilize and be familiar with the item as well. 
   

   Pressure canner for canning meat

   I have the luxury of being equally yoked with my husband in our emergency preparedness efforts, but I can assure you that if I were to ask him to get me something that costs more than 50 bucks, I darn well better be prepared to show him the WHY I would like such a tool, and then immediately use it when it comes into the home.  For example, he bought me a large pressure canner for our anniversary recently.  I made sure that I was canning meat that very weekend, showed him how easy it was, and then followed up with making a couple of yummy meals from the results of that canning.  You can bet that he didn’t feel like the purchase was a waste.  (Especially now that I brought home over $50 of FREE steak to can this weekend. :))  If you bring home that handgun, be prepared to practice with it and participate in as many classes as you can.  If you purchase the Food Saver, start using it.  I think you get my point.  (By the way, I’ve discovered that the best bang for your buck on a Food Saver is ONLINE at Costco.  The Food Saver comes with all of the necessary attachments, plus the bags for only $78 bucks, including shipping.  Even in comparison to Ebay, that’s a great deal.) 

3. Education.  Use every opportunity to factually educate your spouse—not preach to them.  For example, make a scrumptious casserole or brisket in your solar oven.  When you present it to your spouse and family for dinner, tell them how easy it was and how it didn’t require any electricity.  You don’t even need to mention the word “preparedness.”  The dots will get connected eventually so that you don’t have to translate everything into plans for an emergency.  If you aren’t able to spend the money on something until your spouse is “converted”, then borrow someone else’s and demonstrate it for them.  You’ll be better off mentally for having used it successfully, and you’ll be better for putting your mind in the position of a student, then a teacher.  It’s a win/win situation with this approach.  In order to properly educate those around you, be sure to be fully educated yourself so that your “teachings” aren’t just theory or supposition.  They are much more readily accepted when delivered this way.
4. Patience.  Your own preparedness efforts take patience and faith.  The same holds true in educating the doubters in your life.  Patience is usually only fortified by consistency.  If the doubting spouse in your life sees a crack in your resolve, they tend to go after it mercilessly.  Make your plan and then execute it with the resources that you have available to you.  Be patient and faithful that those around you will receive their own enlightenment about preparedness little by little as well.  Your example will go a very long way in helping them to understand and internalize for themselves the importance of this mindset.  
5. 

   Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank

   Immersion.  A lot of folks believe that “doomsday” will never come.  They have heard about it for so long that they are just plain tired of hearing it and being beat up by it.  In other words, it’s not a reality to them at all.  To the unbeliever, it’s just a fantasy created by the makers of bottled water, camp stoves, and generators.  One of the easiest ways to educate someone on the reality of preparedness is to help “immerse” them in a world in which such may be needed.  Movies, books, and even “hypothetical questions” like “what do you think we would do if…” are very helpful in educating the mind of someone who may not “get it.”  As I’ve shared previously, I loved the books Alas, Babylon by Pat Frank, One Second After by William Forstchen, Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse by James Rawles, among many others.  These are enjoyable books but also enlightening, causing even the most educated “prepper” to consider the reality of areas or possibilities that they may have missed previously.  I also have found the right movies to work towards this purpose as well, such as “Independence Day,” “Twister,” “Outbreak,” “Red Dawn,” etc.  These tactics are beneficial to those who need to mentally expose themselves to the possibility of unexpected events, but they are also great ways to strengthen your mental preparedness, too, as you find yourself mulling over what you’ve read or viewed and ask yourself “What would I do if…?” kinds of questions.

   Clearly I wouldn’t be a preparedness pro instructor if I didn’t also encourage you to take advantage of various classes offered to help you and your family better prepare for disasters.  CERT training for example, doesn’t have to be about handling “the end of the world.”  It can simply be about being a better asset to a community.  But it will also go a long way in helping to transition the mind and the heart of resistant “preppers.”

    Obviously, getting those you love and care for on board with preparedness is an important task.  Unfortunately there isn’t a quick fix for it.  Your efforts will need to be informed, consistent, prudent, and patient.  But I can assure you that by using these efforts, you have the best chance of being successful.  Good luck!

UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Series

• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 1 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 2 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 3 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 4 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 5 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 6 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 7 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 8 of 8

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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By Kellene Bishop

Here’s one simple tip so you never have to worry about HOW to cook what’s in your food storage. 

Many folks just plain don’t know how to cook with their food storage.  When I hear this, I ask people why they’re storing foods that are unfamiliar to them or their family?  Sure there are ideal lists which include long lasting grains and legumes, but if you’re not using such ingredients now to feed your family with, it’s not going to be helpful to them in an emergency.

Think for just a moment what kind of chaos a financial collapse, an earthquake, an act of war, or some other kind of disaster could bring into your life.  Do you really want to complicate things by adding more stress into your life by consuming “foreign foods”?  You and your family are going to crave as much “normalcy” as possible.  Unless you’re already serving your family “Boston Baked Wheat” you don’t want to try it out on them while they are being quarantined for 90 days as the result of a flu pandemic.  In fact, it is exactly these kinds of times that you will want to provide the most comforting favorites for your family.  But…yes, there is a but…

Part of being prepared is being ready to live off of foods which are most nourishing and longer lasting than what your diet may currently consist of in your household.  (To this end I implore parents of picky eaters—or spouses of such—to do all they can to get them to embrace more nourishing foods.)  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are great now.  But how will they be when you have to make the bread from scratch?  Will your family even touch them?  Don’t panic.  Just start learning the lost art of bread making now.  I can tell you from experience that it’s a heck of a lot more rewarding than besting someone at an online game of Scrabble.  

Try sprouts on a meat sandwich! Photo c/o scanwiches.com

Slowly introduce your family to new things.  For example, my husband, who I can’t get to eat a vegetable unless it’s on a slab of beef, has agreed to try and start putting sprouts on his meat sandwiches.  Why?  Because I am trying to get him used to eating this easy and widely accessible source of nutrition so when we are in the midst of an emergency, he can handle it—not only emotionally, but physically as well.  Being ready to live off those foods doesn’t involve just having the appetite for them.  We need to be prepared to use them and work with them as well.  If you’ve never tried sprouting, don’t think that the sprouter you’ve got in the basement is going to do much for you in a time of crisis.  Using it under such circumstances will only cause you more stress due to its unfamiliarity and you’ll avoid it at all costs. 

You also need to get your body accustomed to eating such foods.  In fact, if most people attempted to go from their existing diet to one containing whole wheat at the majority of their meals, they would actually DIE inside of 30 days due to the dehydration and diarrhea their body would experience in so drastic a dietary change.  This is one reason why I counsel people to store what they eat—at least a 90 day supply—and then work on introducing other, more stable storage foods, into their diet along the way.  Yes, it’s a lot less expensive to store a year’s supply of wheat, legumes, honey, and powdered milk as opposed to the ingredients for your favorite casseroles, Navajo Tacos, and brownie mixes.  But I assure you that those items won’t get used for much of anything if you haven’t already familiarized your family with them prior to a disaster.  So be sure to have at least 90 days of the familiar and then work on familiarizing your family with other foods that will have a great shelf-life in your home.  Remember, stress alters the mind.  It races the heart.  It breaks down the immune system.  If you’re in a quarantine situation, for example, can you really afford to expose anyone in your family to any of these physical stresses simply because you weren’t prepared with a realistic menu for them?  Perhaps now you may better understand why I go to great lengths to learn how to make bread, sprout, store M&Ms, make sour cream out of powdered milk, wax my own cheese, store eggs long-term, and create recipes out of what’s on my shelves, etc.  I do it in anticipation of a situation in which food and nourishment will be a comfort to the mind and the spirit, not just sustain life.  (And yes, there are indeed those times in which M&Ms sustain me. )

I’ve been asked how I remember where all of my food storage is since it’s scattered all around the house.  I remember because I’m always in it—except when I’m on that blasted diet.  I’m always using what I store.  I’m rotating it.  (In fact I have a Mason jar full—er, half full—of almond M&Ms next to me on my desk as I write this.)  Other than the years supply of MREs we have stored in the back of the basement, there’s not a single nutritional item in my home that is “uncommon” to me.  If you have anything that’s uncommon to you in your food storage, it’s nearly useless.

Point being, no one should have trouble cooking with their food storage, because their food storage should contain what they are already consuming and thus what they are already familiar in preparing.  Practice making your food in a Dutch Oven, or in a pressure cooker over a small butane stove, or in a solar oven.  Go to classes to learn how to make the essentials.  They are usually free.  Go through cook books and experiment with “less than fresh” items as substitutes in recipes, such as canned chicken for frozen, canned green beans for fresh, etc.  Find out from your family what their absolute favorite meals are and then find the most efficient way to stock the items for those meals.  We’re not in the dark ages here, folks.  Cooking with your food storage doesn’t have to involve an Indian dance and an archaic tool for grinding your flour.  Even without the luxury of electricity, we still will have the benefit of the luxury of knowledge and technology galore. 

Keep in mind that in a previous article I wrote, I recommended that folks start their food storage by storing their food in “meals” as opposed to “pounds of items.”  In other words, if your family loves waffles, then be sure you have the makings for waffles.  If you have such ingredients sufficient to make them 12 times, then you only have to come up with 29 other meals.  (Or less, depending on how often you want to eat waffles.  I recommend coming up with a great variety for your family though so that they don’t suffer from “appetite fatigue.”)

It all boils down to this: Store what you eat and eat what you store.

UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Series

• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 1 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 2 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 3 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 4 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 5 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 6 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 7 of 8
• UNDERwhelmed in Food Storage Part 8 of 8

Copyright 2009 Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.  All rights reserved.  You are welcome to repost this information so long as it is credited to Preparedness Pro & Kellene Bishop.

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