PREP Prepping for the next round of Corona Virus.(Or topping thing off)

[packyderms_wife]

Beets? you sound like Mrs. Waterdog.

Yes, beets, I've used four cans in the past week, three of which I pickled, and one I opened, drained, and cut the slices smaller and used on a salad with some black beans I drained, home-canned chicken breast, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomato, etc. It was really good, even OC liked it, oh and sunflower seeds. Didn't have much in the way of lettuce though.

So I guess I really need to buy four cans of beets, not one.

 

[waterdog]

Yes, beets, I've used four cans in the past week, three of which I pickled, and one I opened, drained, and cut the slices smaller and used on a salad with some black beans I drained, home-canned chicken breast, cucumbers, bell peppers, tomato, etc. It was really good, even OC liked it, oh and sunflower seeds. Didn't have much in the way of lettuce though.

So I guess I really need to buy four cans of beets, not one.

WE like them too. been buying lots of canned goods online (Walmart,Amazon). Just got more English peas and almond milk yesterday. Delivered to the front porch.

 

[dvo]

Was doing our periodic grocery trip today at the local Meijer. Pains me to say that paper products were very thin. Reminded me of the panic a few months ago. Could be they haven’t restocked that isle for some days. But, I wonder if the panic isn’t on again? Other than disinfectant products, rice and beans, the grocery was well stocked.

 

[Tristan]

Yes, I agree. I'll be very happy if the "second wave" is a myth and fall turns out to be mostly normal, but I'm not counting on that

If the "Second Wave" turns out to be myth, if the "Riots after the Election" fizzle, then you'll be sitting pretty as far as inflation goes anyway.

Kind of a no-lose proposition, I guess.

 

[jed turtle]

Pressure treated lumber re-appeared at Home Depot today, but plywood prices have started to jump. I can grow food and trees, but making plywood is a whole different ballgame and I consider it one of the most useful inventions of the last 100 years!

 

[Ellie]

A few days ago, here in central Texas, the media was reporting that paper towels and TP were being limited to 2 items at the area HEB's. I am not certain what brought it about, but I backfilled my supplies.

 

[prudentwatcher]

I never let my preps run down and I have added a lot in the last six weeks or so. My grocery bill has been high, but we haven't gone out to eat, so it works out. I just added more canned goods and things like flour, sugar and oats today. And meat was on sale, so I bought meat to portion out and package for the freezer (large standing one), which is also stuffed.

But I have also purchased clothing, shoes, pet food and litter, plastic bags, hobby supplies, more first aid type stuff--just really getting us ready in ALL areas. I buy a little here and there, from different stores, from online sources, never enough to draw attention to myself. Keep it gray. Keep it quiet. But get it done.

 

[Loretta Van Riet]

I haven't been able to replenish the holes in my Mountain House stash. There are a few varieties available, but not the ones I'm interested in. Also...in my area the price of one can of Spam is $3.49!

Haven't found wipes in a canister for 3 months. Paper goods are getting spotty, again.

Last week I purchased 3 pairs of shoes. I'm not a big shoe shopper and I wear a hard to find size.
I'm just afraid of not finding sturdy footwear for my job in the future.

 

[Mary Contrary]

Canned soup will be gold. It's a solid meal (soup with meat) and you can eat it right out of the can if needed. It will last many years past the best buy date.

This is our main food supply. I believe freezers full of food will go bad once they shut off our power.

Then bullets to protect the soup is needed.

Glad you mentioned canned soup cuz i never buy it. I'm gonna buy a lot now.

 

[summerthyme]

Glad you mentioned canned soup cuz i never buy it. I'm gonna buy a lot now.

Why would you buy "a lot" of something you never eat now?

Summerthyme

 

[Terrwyn]

Glad you mentioned canned soup cuz i never buy it. I'm gonna buy a lot now.

We eat quite a bit of soup but even so just keep an eye on the date and donate to the food pantry. Ours wont take anything past the date.

 

[jed turtle]

We eat quite a bit of soup but even so just keep an eye on the date and donate to the food pantry. Ours wont take anything past the date.

Still have some from y2k... figure in a famine I can trade it for labor

 

[Millwright]

Most canned soup is buying and storing a lot of water.

Yes, there is a convenience factor, but how often is it worth it?

Look at the dry mixes instead.

Cream of ________, are the ones (canned) that are really useful. You can do them yourself, but it's a pain.

 

[WalknTrot]

Canned soup - loaded with salt and not a lot of food value. To make a meal of it, you prolly have to pour it over rice or something more substantial that needs cooking anyway. Make your own if you have cooking capabilities.

Sure, the canned stuff for when you are sick, or CAN'T cook in a bug-out or gone-to-ground situation...but really...soup has been around as long as humans have mastered fire. It can be made out of nearly anything that doesn't run away.

 

[Jeff B.]

Great advice from the OP.

Solid responses from the board, as you would expect (or me anyway...)

Like many, I'd encourage everyone to take what may be a respite to re-assess and then restock and change as necessary. We're making a focused effort to turn the items in the freezers and then add new. I've gone through the inside pantry and need to do so again. Having "on hand" items turned what for some was an emergency into a "ho-hum" event. We periodically need like many to refresh perishables. Our small garden area is adding some to our meals and I'm looking at what to add to the pantry to allow for scarcity in milk, butter, cheese, etc...

Think through what you had covered and what you didn't. Then address the weaknesses. This isn't over IMO.

Jeff B.

 

[1-12020]

Canned soup - loaded with salt and not a lot of food value. To make a meal of it, you prolly have to pour it over rice or something more substantial that needs cooking anyway. Make your own if you have cooking capabilities.

Sure, the canned stuff for when you are sick, or CAN'T cook in a bug-out or gone-to-ground situation...but really...soup has been around as long as humans have mastered fire. It can be made out of nearly anything that doesn't run away.

That's what I plan on doing. Adding the soup to rice will make meals go a bit longer. I only buy the soups with some sort of solid meat protein.

 

[ssonb]

What I came to realise was that the push for JIT inventories is just a way to control the food, The deplorables grow and produce the food the government and powerbrokers control distribution. If things get real bad you can be sure that the food stocks will be delivered to who need it most!?!?

 

[summerthyme]

We used to eat a lot of Campbell's soup (I grew up eating it, although my mom slso made really incredible homemade soup)... the bean with bacon was "comfort food" for me for years. But the quality kept declining (too much salt, too much water, less and less meat in the vegetable beef or chicken varieties), and the prices keep climbing (I remember when tomato or chicken noodle used to go on sale for 5/$1).... and I was able to can homemade soup made from fresh, organic, homegrown ingredients for about 25% of the cost.

I use a "clone" recipe for their Manhattan clam chowder that is out of this world... loaded with big chunks of home grown potatoes, in a spicy tomato broth from our own tomatoes. I buy a few food service sized cans of clams and then, in late summer when all the produce is at it's peak,mand the potatoes start coming, I can up 10 gallons or so.

Same with a few gallons of my Country Tomato soup... the recipe is posted here, somewhere. I never liked canned tomato soup... it was just bland and yuck. But then I discovered this recipe... holy cow! Completely different! And if you make it from some heirloom tomatoes, the flavor just about explodes your taste buds! I also use it as a sauce for stuffed peppers and other winter dishes...

There is also a clone recipe for Campbell's vegetable beef soup out there... again, made from fresh garden veggies and good beef, it can be a meal in itself.

None of them are difficult to make, and the pressure canning process is simple. I find it easiest to make huge quantities once a year in season (I once figured out that a 5 gallon kettle of Manhattan clam chowder, made with all purchased ingredients at supermarket prices, would cost about $200. Using canned clams and home grown ingredients... $20!) But you can make smaller batches throughout the year and just can a single canner load (7 pints or quarts) of leftovers... and it will add up.

Plus, you can use as much or as little salt as you like, you won't have any MSG or preservatives... why not make the effort?

Now, if someone can find a clone recipe for Campbell's bean with bacon soup... post it! Please!

Summerthyme

 

[hiwall]

Because I have to eat gluten-free, only a few canned soups can I eat. I often add some rice to the soup to make it more filling.

 

[Faroe]

Agree about soup. There are more nutrient dense foods that you can find in a can.
We stack cans of sardines. We also eat them frequently.
Check ingredients. Some of the tomato sauce based cans are loaded with sugar (around here, that can has a mermaid on it). There are other brands that also pack more fish in the can.

Also, consider coconut milk (again, check ingredients!) you are looking for high quality fat. Quality protein and fats will see you through a crisis, and you won't need to eat large amounts. Canned ghee and coconut milk don't need a freezer for long term storage.

 

[Terrwyn]

Agree about soup. There are more nutrient dense foods that you can find in a can.
We stack cans of sardines. We also eat them frequently.
Check ingredients. Some of the tomato sauce based cans are loaded with sugar (around here, that can has a mermaid on it). There are other brands that also pack more fish in the can.

Also, consider coconut milk (again, check ingredients!) you are looking for high quality fat. Quality protein and fats will see you through a crisis, and you won't need to eat large amounts. Canned ghee and coconut milk don't need a freezer for long term storage.

Thanks for the reminder about ghee, I had forgot about it.

 

[SouthernBreeze]

The only canned soups that I buy are of the "cream of...." variety. I use those in several different recipes. All other soups and stews, I make from scratch...... I keep a good stock of canned milk in case fresh whole milk isn't available.

 

[coalcracker]

Most canned soup is buying and storing a lot of water.

Yes, there is a convenience factor, but how often is it worth it?

Look at the dry mixes instead.

Cream of ________, are the ones (canned) that are really useful. You can do them yourself, but it's a pain.

Good point.

It's interesting how canned goods could be a liability to someone who has limited storage space, yet having that additional stored water could be advantageous to those who have the space to store it, too.

The salt content could also be viewed as good or bad depending upon one's circumstances.

We are all headed into interesting times for sure.

 

[Miracle]

Finally pretty well satisfied with most of the food preps , just added a simple pump along side my electric well pump, checking a can from each dehydrated food type to be sure the're still good , thermal scope ordered to add for better night vision capabilities.., plenty additional everyday supplies added like tp -- a month before the big rush .. Only thing a little disconcerting was the white rice canned with oxygen absorbers had a rancid smell .. was really shocked .. rinsed and tastes fine and smell goes away after just sitting out open for a while.. Another was the strong smell of the red feather butter around 10 years old-- like a cross between old socks and parmesan cheese .. Tastes fine though after spreading.. May need to eat up that case and restock ... Other than that -- can't think of much more to do...

 

[hiwall]

Also, consider coconut milk (again, check ingredients!) you are looking for high quality fat. Quality protein and fats will see you through a crisis, and you won't need to eat large amounts. Canned ghee and coconut milk don't need a freezer for long term storage.

+1
I often use canned coconut milk when baking.

 

[foreverkeeps]

Watch "Investigative journalist Harry Vox warns against coming lockdowns & quarantines...in 2014" on YouTube

View: https://youtu.be/zpB_GqAfro4

Are you helen of
destroy with the boycott Israel tshirt?

 

[helen]

Are you helen of
destroy with the boycott Israel tshirt?

Since I haven't a clue, that would be no.

 

[Blacknarwhal]

Glad you mentioned canned soup cuz i never buy it. I'm gonna buy a lot now.

Canned soup is a wonderful alternative. Late fall through early spring, that's lunch every day for me. Your ability to customize canned soup is limited only by your imagination; add rice, beans, canned mushrooms, any of a hundred spices, and you make a whole new meal.

 

[bbbuddy]

I stock certain Campbells chunky soups. Chicken gumbo, jambalaya, and spicy Thai !

Saute sliced or slivered almonds in butter, add and saute chopped onion and bell peppers, then add chucks of precooked chicken, sliced up hotdogs, or Lil Smokies, soup and a little cornstarch to thicken, ladle it over rice (which I usually cook with either powdered chicken or tomato broth), and you've got an easy flavorful filling meal.

Rice in the instant pot is ready by the time the rest of it is sauteed in the skillet.

One can soup and one dry cup rice makes enough for both of us. DH gets about 2/3 to my 1/3, lol.

 

[Profit of Doom]

We eat quite a bit of soup but even so just keep an eye on the date and donate to the food pantry. Ours wont take anything past the date.

Ours will, but more importantly, you can still eat it. We easily go a couple of years over.

 

[Profit of Doom]

Most canned soup is buying and storing a lot of water.

Yes, there is a convenience factor, but how often is it worth it?

Look at the dry mixes instead.

Cream of ________, are the ones (canned) that are really useful. You can do them yourself, but it's a pain.

Bear Creek makes a 1/2 gallon batch, but it’s up to about $5 now. Still, that’s about 4 cans. Ditto on pouring it over rice and/beans.

 

[jazzy]

i lean towards campbells cream of mushroom---you can make Anything taste ok with a can of cream of mushroom dumped on it. but beware--i learned a hard lesson buying some cheap knockoffs. noting beats the original. cream of chicken or celery is ok too---but the bean with bacon is heavenly especially with an old fashioned grilled cheese sandwich.

 

[Great Northwet]

That's what I plan on doing. Adding the soup to rice will make meals go a bit longer. I only buy the soups with some sort of solid meat protein.

I do the same but only use Basmati, it;s more expensive, but you get what you pay for.

 

[john70]

As for food, I continue to stock canned soups. They are so versatile in tough situations. Probably won't be able to eat all them. Certainly won't get to them all before their expiration dates, but that's ok.

Food insurance. I am not upset when I pay for car insurance and end up not using it. It's "just in case," right?

For the upcoming winter....

I've also stocked up on a lot of wood for my emergency cook stove. Plan is to boil some rice and beans then pour soup over it. Complete protein and sufficient calories. I plan to add some sprouts as well. I think I'll call it GDWM (Grid Down Winter Mix).

I HAVE HEARD THAT MOST CANNED SOUPS ARE STILL GOOD OVER 3 WEEKS PAST their expiration dates

 

[hiwall]

Bear Creek makes many dry soups. They store a very long time. Their chilli soup is tasty and is a good base to make your own chilli.

 

[coloradohermit]

"I HAVE HEARD THAT MOST CANNED SOUPS ARE STILL GOOD OVER 3 WEEKS PAST their expiration dates "
Canned food does not expire. When I volunteered at a local emergency food pantry, we had USDA guidelines about what we could give out past the best by date. Cans intact high acid foods like tomatoes could be given out for 1 year past the best by date. Cans intact low acid foods like chicken noodle soup could be given out for 5 years past the best by date. These foods may loose a little texture and nutritional value, but they do not expire. Things we couldn't give out went into a box that the volunteers could take and I took and ate many canned foods past their recommended dates.

 

[Jubilee on Earth]

One additional thing to consider is meat. If indeed things get bad in the fall, meat is going to go scarce again and probably spike up even higher. We have a neighbor that sells farm beef by the cow. He takes orders for a half or quarter cow and when he gets one whole cow sold, he takes it to the processor. We bought a quarter from him back in the spring, and it was so good (and so inexpensive) that immediately afterward I gave him another deposit for an additional quarter to be processed in December. I texted him the other day asking, just out if curiosity, how backed up the processing plants were. He said that the orders he’s taking now won’t be processed until next April.

So just be mindful. If you see meat on sale, buy it and stock it up in your freezer.

 

[tiredude]

Glad you mentioned canned soup cuz i never buy it. I'm gonna buy a lot now.

Wal mart has the best price on 'chunky' soups ...… can find it for 1.49 in some places....... same can two miles away is 2.79. Soup is a good bet.

 

[tiredude]

One additional thing to consider is meat. If indeed things get bad in the fall, meat is going to go scarce again and probably spike up even higher. We have a neighbor that sells farm beef by the cow. He takes orders for a half or quarter cow and when he gets one whole cow sold, he takes it to the processor. We bought a quarter from him back in the spring, and it was so good (and so inexpensive) that immediately afterward I gave him another deposit for an additional quarter to be processed in December. I texted him the other day asking, just out if curiosity, how backed up the processing plants were. He said that the orders he’s taking now won’t be processed until next April.

So just be mindful. If you see meat on sale, buy it and stock it up in your freezer.

I have just witnessed (my own history) yesterday...…. really nice top sirloin was CHEAPER than 80/20 hamburger!!

 

[L.A.B.]

I've decided to go ahead and keep the extra 10lbs I've put on during lockdown. Will keep me warmer during the nasty Ohio winter, and if it's a choice between feeding my kids and feeding myself, my kids come first.

Don’t forget your non-luxury reduced intake Of food. If your kid’s are kid’s, they still require mom & dad in the game if they are too young to take to task the predators out there.

I watch my wife who at 53 is twice the warrior of her 26.5 year old male. Different situation for sure.

Her practical value is about 2.5 to 3:1 over her millennial. Our 1st bonding in 9-years the young man and I, was on the 4th.

He had calc’ed out his usual manner ‘The dodger plan’ of avoiding the work around the free fun for his time, vs. the servitude of Boomer’s and ol’ GenX.

I texted him, during his Speed Racer 3-hour car ride, “I’m not your Chef, you will only eat what you personally cook on the mesquite charcoal grill today.”

At age nine I worked one summer with mom building brick planters, a brick patio floor, and mom did the deck and stairs that sat above the 24’ diameter pool the family installed together.

Folks want to turn this nation around forever in 38 years. Raise em Spartan style, not Turbine Helicopter Mommie Style. I kid you not.