Food Alternatives

Hi everyone!

I’d like to thank Tom for letting me write a guest post I hope you’ll all appreciate!

For those of you that don’t know me,I live in arizona.Yes,it’s hot.Yes it’s dry.Yes,it’s miserable this time of year.Yes,my garden has gone away for the most part.I’m into food storage rather than the gun’s and ammo,so I’d like to add a few point’s we may not have considered.

We’ve all seen the common thread about rice,bean’s and wheat.Get as much as you can,store what you can,how to store it,so on.Sure,all of this could give you a pretty much healthy meal,but for how long?

Rice and bean’s will give you enough fiber,I assume,but how many recipe’s can you make out of them?And the wheat need’s a wheat mill for anything.Got the yeast,milk,egg’s and such for bread?

One of my personal favorite’s is to cook rice with some boullion,and toss in veggie’s,(dehydrated,of course).Sort of a homemade rice pilaf or something.That assume’s you stocked up on boullion.

I’ll be honest…I’m lazy.I’m a single guy now,so if,when,should I need to bug out,which is my last option,I’ll be doing everything by myself.I don’t want to split wood,haul water, or hunt all day,then get to camp and grind wheat.Maybe I’m spoiled by modern society,wanting instant food,but after a long day,who could blame a person?

So let’s look at thing’s beside’s the rice,wheat and bean’s.We all have been buying spam,tuna,or treet,or those danish canned ham.All good stuff,but getting a bit pricey lately.You could can or dehydrate your own meat,but then you have the cost of jar’s and lid’s to factor in also.It add’s variety,but fragile to bug out with.But what option’s do we have?

Easy!!!!

Almost anything can be dehydrated,and if you don’t,why not? It’s easy! No,I don’t bother with simple stuff like celery,as the powder is easier to store,and cheaper.I only do the stuff I can’t grow,or won’t in az.

So,we have rice ,bean’s and wheat,and spam.This diet will get old real fast,especially if you have kid’s.How do we mix it up a bit?

Maybe some dehydrated scrambled egg’s,dehydrated fried potato’s,and corned beef hash for breakfast? Can’s of store brand corn beef hash is cheaper than Spam!

Blueberry pancake’s? Those lil boxes of Jiffy mix,or bisquick.Just add water!

Bisquick can be used for bread,muffin’s,you name it,anything flour can be used for,and less work.

Got kid’s? How about canned ravioli,or spaggetti?Kid’s love it,and it’s a meal in itself.Pop tart’s will last as long as a twinkie,I think,and just as tasty.

I went shopping last night,got the sale ad’s,so,stock up on the sale’s,right? I’ll give you my shopping list.

2 pound bag’s of rice, .49 cent’s

Bologna, .49 cent’s

Sliced imitation cheese, .49 cent’s

Chicken leg quarter’s, .29 a pound,in 10 lb bag

Granted,these are refridgerator,or cooler item’s,but if frozen before a bugout,they will last a week.

Right there is enough for a family of 4 for a week! Sure,depending on your appetite.But let’s look at a few other thing’s. Oatmeal.Make oatmeal,cookie’s,use to add a filler to meal’s,as it absorb’s the grease.

I never see a mention of pasta.Macaroni and cheese.Sure,you can make it at home,but why,if it’s on sale for .50 a pound?Spaggetti sauce for 1.19 a can,why make it?

Got fruit? You’ll need fruit,fresh,dehydrated,or frozen.Got to have a well balanced diet.Maybe juice.

I hope you see my concept here.Think outside the bean’s,rice and wheat. It may not be as cheap,but it will be a lot faster,easier,and in the long run,more nutricious.And if nothing else,it will give an an occasional comfort food.

Thank you for your time!

Dean in Az