Jim,
When I was in Costco this week, I noticed that they had Organic Coconut Oil. This coconut oil is a good storage fat because it is very shelf-stable. The manufacturer says it has a shelf life of two years, but a friend of mine told me that she had some that she stored in her basement for 6 years, and when she used it it was just fine.
Coconut oil is definitely healthier for you than Crisco (which is hydrogenated vegetable oil) or hydrogenated lard (the lard you commonly find in the grocery store); we’ve all heard about the health issues associated with hydrogenated fats. Coconut oil is very heat-stable, and can be used for high-temperature cooking. It can also be used as a skin moisturizer, and it has anti-fungal and anti-bacterial properties.
It seems like an ideal storage item! – L.A.
JWR Replies: The health benefits of coconut oil are well known. I highly recommended it. In my Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness Course [1] I described the quandary that many preppers face: Fats and oils are essential for nutrition, but they generally don’t store well. It is easy to find foods that store for a decade or more, but not so for fats and oils. The good news is shelf life of olive oil and coconut oil can be extended to ten years or perhaps more by storing them in a chest freezer.