FOOD Stock up advice

So why don't y'all plant herb gardens? The plants grow fast, greenery can be dried, mixtures can be cheaply made, and less incidences of food fatigue as tastes can be changed all the time. You can even make your own pesto. Always the first thing I put in along with a tea garden. Can even be planted in the front yard between existing landscape
 
Last edited:
There's so, so much you can do with powdered milk, besides making milk, of course.

Substitutes for evaporated, sweetened condensed, and buttermilk.
Magic Mix, which is then used for making puddings, cream of ______ soups, and Hamburger Helper type dishes.
SOS Mix, which is then used for all kinds of sauces and soups.
Yogurt
Peanut butter play dough
Survival bars

And a whole lot more. Oh, and you can even use coconut oil in place of the butter in Magic Mix to make it entirely shelf stable.
If you know anything about cheesemaking, the vinegar can be used to coagulate prepared dried milk to make fresh cheeses or paneer. The whey can be used to make ricotta or added to stock to make heartier soups.
 

Catnip

Veteran Member
During the Depression, a worker went to the homes of people who applied for aid. The family had to stand outside while the worker looked over, under, and through every possession, every room, and every outbuilding to make sure they didn't have so much as a can of peas.

The worker told me it was the most shameful job ever, but they had kids to feed too.

Same concept, you get it?
I love peas but nothing tastes worse than canned peas.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Coconut oil will last 'til half past forever! However, it makes everything you cook taste like coconut, and I don't particularly like coconut-flavored hash browns.

A few years back, I bought a small jar of coconut oil to cook with for the first time. I had heard so many good benefits of using it. I fried Cary's eggs in it "one" time, and he wanted to know what I had done to his eggs. I told him I used coconut oil. He let me know right quick that he didn't like coconut flavored eggs. I've not used it to cook with, since.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Commercially canned chicken and fish - ham that doesn't require refrigeration, really hard to find. Pork and turkey I can. Beef? Too expensive. In our house it's a treat.
FYI Pork, Turkey, and BEEF can be had from Keystone, runs about 8.00 a can for the big can. Yes costs more that raw, but this is cooked and canned so there will always be extra cost.

And when I say from Keystone, I mean from Keystone Our ready-to-eat meats make your family meals easier (keystonemeats.com) Granted they only sell by the 12 can case so overall high cost, but individual not so much.

Forget ground beef/hamburger that is way to high priced.

Another thing people always talk about are dried beans. That's something I never eat. Maybe some little white beans for a Portuguese soup I make. And I can't remember the variety.
What do you non been eaters like to store?

I'm definitely going to pick up a couple hundred pounds more flour.
More rice
Instant potatoes
Sugar
Salt
More pasta
Maybe more vinegar, I think I have 10 gallons of white and apple cider.
Some spices.
Definitely meat, that will get vac packed and frozen.

I have plenty of canning supplies so anything can be canned quickly if need be.
Good stuff all. Just remember the duck tape, and swiss army knife.

A couple of things to consider: Individuals have different preferences, and that shouldn't be a problem. Just about everything you might consider in the dry bean section, can be had in the can section.

Rice and beans for every meal will get old quick. You can change it up by adding various spices, but eventually it's still rice and beans.

The main difference between dried beans and canned beans is, for dry beans you have to add water, and maybe some soak time, for canned you don't. You can even heat in the can.

Also remember that if you want to give yourself some meals without meat, veggie meals, then you may need to double or triple up on those cans/bags. Meaning taking the meat out, you will have to replace with something to get full. If, with meat you opened one can of beans, without meat, it may take 3 cans of beans, AND a full pone of cornbread.

You can freeze it or dehydrate it, or can it, all good.

Just some things to consider.
 

Jubilee on Earth

Veteran Member
Grab yourself several cans or corned beef, roast beef, or sausage hash. It’s one of those things that’s tasty, high in protein and sodium (which you will need if you don’t have a bunch of salt put up) and can be cooked with extra potatoes, noodles, rice, or biscuits for a super filling meal.
 

Doc1

Has No Life - Lives on TB
On cooking and storing food:

Having all the food in the world is useless if you can't cook it or store it correctly. You should have multiple methods of doing this. As we move further into our economic devolution, it's going to get harder to buy new appliances or replacement parts for existing ones. If all you have is an electric range, what will you do for cooking if that breaks?

When DW and I look at appliances and food, we always think about contingencies. As a tiny, but recent example our automatic coffee maker just died. No problem; we have an old-fashioned aluminum drip type coffee pot and DW kept up my supply of coffee without so much as a burble (she knows that I turn into an abominable monster without my coffee ;-).

If our electric range dies, we have a single burner electric hotplate (which can get hot enough to melt lead), a propane-fired bar-b-que grill (with a single side burner), a two burner propane camp stove, a propane "crawfish boiler" and our wood burning stove. In other words, redundencies. Same deal with refrigeration. We have a regular refrigerator and two chest freezers in use. As backups, we have two - unplugged - dorm sized refrigerators that we currently use as food storage cabinets, but which can be brought into service if the fridge dies. As a last resort, DW is able to can food which would otherwise spoil.

If the electricity is interrupted, we have a large generator and several inverters which can be used with our vehicles (including our tractors) to produce electricity. This will keep our freezers cold for a very long time.

Every hurricane season the news shows videos of people throwing out countless tons of food because they had no way to store it or save it before it spoiled. As a New Orleans native, I've seen this same scenario play out more times than I can remember. With a little forethought and preps, most of these people could've saved their food.

Storing food is only half the equation; saving it is the other half.

Best
Doc
 

Sicario

The Executor
FYI Pork, Turkey, and BEEF can be had from Keystone, runs about 8.00 a can for the big can. Yes costs more that raw, but this is cooked and canned so there will always be extra cost.

And when I say from Keystone, I mean from Keystone Our ready-to-eat meats make your family meals easier (keystonemeats.com) Granted they only sell by the 12 can case so overall high cost, but individual not so much.

Forget ground beef/hamburger that is way to high priced.
Many items SOLD OUT!
 
If you are near a LDS cannery, they are very willing to teach and share their equipment. Great way to put foodstuffs away for long term storage
 

Shooter

Veteran Member
Has anyone tried the Bristol canned hams, they are 1 pound hams, TODAY they are $3.00 each, can says " sell by 4/17/2026.
water added smoke flavor added, gonna try one for ham and bean soup, gettin chilly here, low tonight mabye 37,
I buy them at a Dollar General store,

 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Many items SOLD OUT!
I did just check the Keystone site and yes they are all sold out.

And I just checked Pleasant Hill Grain and they have the ground beef in stock 147.00 per case of 12 = 12.50 each for the 28 oz size. A bit high, but it can be had. So pay it and have it, or not and sub something cheaper. Tuna is going for .88 a can locally. Everybody has to do what they seem right and willing to do.

Keystone Ground Beef (pleasanthillgrain.com)
 

psychgirl

Has No Life - Lives on TB
So, that keystone brand of canned beef isn’t mushy? It’s chunks of beef? I have one can to experiment with but at these prices I don’t know how many I could buy.
I may just open it to find out how we like it.
 

Sicario

The Executor
I did just check the Keystone site and yes they are all sold out.

And I just checked Pleasant Hill Grain and they have the ground beef in stock 147.00 per case of 12 = 12.50 each for the 28 oz size. A bit high, but it can be had. So pay it and have it, or not and sub something cheaper. Tuna is going for .88 a can locally. Everybody has to do what they seem right and willing to do.

Keystone Ground Beef (pleasanthillgrain.com)
When I stocked up on Keystone Beef it was $5.75/28oz can. :D I'm good.
So, that keystone brand of canned beef isn’t mushy? It’s chunks of beef? I have one can to experiment with but at these prices I don’t know how many I could buy.
I may just open it to find out how we like it.
Chunky. Just like you cooked it yourself. Only ingredients are beef and salt. Good stuff! Never tried their ground beef, but should be excellent as well.
 

SouthernBreeze

Has No Life - Lives on TB
I was surprised to see a new canned meat product on the shelf at our local Walmart the other day. I should have bought a can just to try. If they still have them when I go next, I'll do that. It was canned country sausage patties. I think there were 4 patties per can. I forget who it's made by. Anyone else seen those?
 

summerthyme

Administrator
_______________
So, that keystone brand of canned beef isn’t mushy? It’s chunks of beef? I have one can to experiment with but at these prices I don’t know how many I could buy.
I may just open it to find out how we like it.
Absolutely, do! We love our home canned beef stew, but there is a slightly different taste than before it's canned. I strongly advise people to try one of any new canned item before stocking up...

Summerthyme
 

Terrwyn

Veteran Member
So why don't y'all plant herb gardens? The plants grow fast, greenery can be dried, mixtures can be cheaply made, and less incidences of food fatigue as tastes can be changed all the time. You can even make your own pesto. Always the first thing I put in along with a tea garden. Can even be planted in the front yard between existing landscape
Keep in mind a lot of herbs are invasive and take over everything. I have enough oregano to supply everyone in my town.
The feverfew I have pops up everywhere too.
 

ainitfunny

Saved, to glorify God.
Grab yourself several cans or corned beef, roast beef, or sausage hash. It’s one of those things that’s tasty, high in protein and sodium (which you will need if you don’t have a bunch of salt put up) and can be cooked with extra potatoes, noodles, rice, or biscuits for a super filling meal.
i wanted to make some beef soup so i took a HALF CAN of roast beef hash and a small tator and some baby peeled carrots
, some frozen mixed vegetables ,a onion, and garlic and i had homemade beef soup in about 40 minutes
 

nomifyle

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Has anyone tried the Bristol canned hams, they are 1 pound hams, TODAY they are $3.00 each, can says " sell by 4/17/2026.
water added smoke flavor added, gonna try one for ham and bean soup, gettin chilly here, low tonight mabye 37,
I buy them at a Dollar General store,

I buy them at Walmart.

On cooking and storing food:

Having all the food in the world is useless if you can't cook it or store it correctly. You should have multiple methods of doing this. As we move further into our economic devolution, it's going to get harder to buy new appliances or replacement parts for existing ones. If all you have is an electric range, what will you do for cooking if that breaks?

When DW and I look at appliances and food, we always think about contingencies. As a tiny, but recent example our automatic coffee maker just died. No problem; we have an old-fashioned aluminum drip type coffee pot and DW kept up my supply of coffee without so much as a burble (she knows that I turn into an abominable monster without my coffee ;-).

If our electric range dies, we have a single burner electric hotplate (which can get hot enough to melt lead), a propane-fired bar-b-que grill (with a single side burner), a two burner propane camp stove, a propane "crawfish boiler" and our wood burning stove. In other words, redundencies. Same deal with refrigeration. We have a regular refrigerator and two chest freezers in use. As backups, we have two - unplugged - dorm sized refrigerators that we currently use as food storage cabinets, but which can be brought into service if the fridge dies. As a last resort, DW is able to can food which would otherwise spoil.

If the electricity is interrupted, we have a large generator and several inverters which can be used with our vehicles (including our tractors) to produce electricity. This will keep our freezers cold for a very long time.

Every hurricane season the news shows videos of people throwing out countless tons of food because they had no way to store it or save it before it spoiled. As a New Orleans native, I've seen this same scenario play out more times than I can remember. With a little forethought and preps, most of these people could've saved their food.

Storing food is only half the equation; saving it is the other half.

Best
Doc
Doc you are so correct. We have an electric stove that is useless when the electricity goes out. But we also have my wonderful gas range on my camper porch hooked up to a 250 gallon propane tank. It had been in storage since 2010, but this spring we got it out, changed the oraface from natural gas to propane and it works perfectly. If necessary I can pressure can what is in the 7 freezers (different sizes). That's about the last thing in the world I would want to do, but if forced I would.

In addition to the gas stove, We have a couple of camping stoves, a gas one individual burner and a case of fuel, an electric hot plate, a gas grill, etc. DH plugged in my old cube fridg in the cabin for my brother who will be here tonight, it works fine. Plus the stove in the camper, which is also hooked up to the propane tank.

I think we can manage.

ETA: I look at everything with an eye of will this work if the lights go out. DH does not, he thinks he can go to the store and get what he needs. But he has been buying extra of things, I'm rubbing off on him to some extent,

God is good all the time

Judy
 
Last edited:

nomifyle

Has No Life - Lives on TB
i wanted to make some beef soup so i took a HALF CAN of roast beef hash and a small tator and some baby peeled carrots
, some frozen mixed vegetables ,a onion, and garlic and i had homemade beef soup in about 40 minutes
Sounds good.

God is good all the time

Judy
 
Keep in mind a lot of herbs are invasive and take over everything. I have enough oregano to supply everyone in my town.
The feverfew I have pops up everywhere too.
I plant herbs in 5 gallon pots, cut off the bottoms and then plant them in the garden so they are rather contained. Those that produce roots off runners don't get too far as I clip off the sections and dry them first. Keeps the garden tidy. Babies I give to others with the same advice. I find that mints are most problematic so each is in its own hanging pot. Yes, I have several gallons of oregano but then I prefer Italian seasonings without lots of salt
 

Jubilee on Earth

Veteran Member
One more thing… if you like Mexican flavors, take a trip down your Mexican aisle. This stuff here is the bomb! I bought a bunch for $2.99 some months back. They’re big 30 oz cans. They also have canned tamales. It’s a nice change of pace from canned stews and such.

D2C9C2F3-1526-48D4-AE30-0D6F5DB818DB.jpeg

Also, they have big (or small) cans of hominy down that aisle. We love hominy. It’s a great filler in chowders, stews, corn casserole, soups, and just on its own heated with butter and salt.

0E43B36D-F4C0-4ED0-8376-29E11B12B27B.jpeg
 

Randy in Arizona

Senior Member
Black pepper as pepper CORNS stores indefinitely. GROUND, not so much.
You can find a Black/white/red pepper mix of corns in some grinders as well as some bottles to refill grinders.

IIRC Divers have brought up peppercorns from Roman era shipwrecks in the Mediterranean that were still good.

863
 

anna43

Veteran Member
Yuck factor has been mentioned. To that I say you need to store foods that don't give you the yuck factor or adjust your yuck factor to accept the foods available. Its better to slowly introduce canned veggies and start adjusting your yuck factor than to be in a SHTF situation with no food at the grocery store (never happen right?) and not having any veggies. I really don't care for canned peas and usually use frozen, but I store canned peas because better canned than none. I open a can every once in awhile and eat them. I guess I'm lucky but my yuck factor is pretty limited to hominy and grits.
 

CaryC

Has No Life - Lives on TB
Yea
Yuck factor has been mentioned. To that I say you need to store foods that don't give you the yuck factor or adjust your yuck factor to accept the foods available. Its better to slowly introduce canned veggies and start adjusting your yuck factor than to be in a SHTF situation with no food at the grocery store (never happen right?) and not having any veggies. I really don't care for canned peas and usually use frozen, but I store canned peas because better canned than none. I open a can every once in awhile and eat them. I guess I'm lucky but my yuck factor is pretty limited to hominy and grits.
Yeah I noted Darrell on The Walking Dead eating a snake out of a cooking pit, with dirt on it, and the gag reflex kicked in. I'll probably starve to death now, cuz I won't be able to eat a dead snake with dirt on it. He even had it up in his eyebrows.

Maybe SB can put some Taco seasoning on it.......nope never mind.
 

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
I love peas but nothing tastes worse than canned peas.
See what I mean about differing tastes....

to me, canned peas, eaten cold out of the can, are comfort food. Probably a memory from back as a kid.

Oh..and that commercially canned roast beef? It's good as SOS over toast, or over mashed or baked potatoes. I've even used the Libby brand, which is pretty much "the economy version" and it's edible. The good stuff...Yoder, Werling, Keystone...make excellent stew or soup.

But definitely...buy one can and try it before you load up on anything.
 

Martinhouse

Deceased
Shooter, those Bristol brand canned hams from Dollar General? I don't call them "ham"...I call them "Sp-ham".

They certainly smell like good ham but they are pressed loaves of pieces of ham. I dry heave just looking at things like that - can't help it, just born that way - but my nephew's son has sneaked to their kitchen in the middle of the night and eaten an entire one, and my chickens love them!

When I first bought them they were $2 each, now I think they may be closer to $4 each.
 
A few years back, I bought a small jar of coconut oil to cook with for the first time. I had heard so many good benefits of using it. I fried Cary's eggs in it "one" time, and he wanted to know what I had done to his eggs. I told him I used coconut oil. He let me know right quick that he didn't like coconut flavored eggs. I've not used it to cook with, since.
should have told him they were Hawaiian...........
 

WalknTrot

Veteran Member
Shooter, those Bristol brand canned hams from Dollar General? I don't call them "ham"...I call them "Sp-ham".

They certainly smell like good ham but they are pressed loaves of pieces of ham. I dry heave just looking at things like that - can't help it, just born that way - but my nephew's son has sneaked to their kitchen in the middle of the night and eaten an entire one, and my chickens love them!

When I first bought them they were $2 each, now I think they may be closer to $4 each.
Those little "hams" are a lot like SPAM, and I mostly prefer SPAM to them, but they do make decent pea soup, beans, diced into mac and cheese or sliced and fried/mixed into scrambled eggs for breakfast. Sliced and fried, even make an acceptable sub in a fake BLT.
 
Top