E-Mail 'Food Storage: The Basics, by Pete Thorsen' To A Friend

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1. reminder, propane camp stoves if used in an enclosed area Have to have a vent or an open window to get rid of the fumes, even the regular propane cook stoves all have a vent above them, if you try to use the camp stove in an enclosed area without a fresh air exhaust or open window YOU WILL DIE.

   1. Yeah, the writer mentioned that but also in the context of cooking in your kitchen – which seems to remain non-lethal for around half of America.

   2. I think those of us who have a range hood above our regular stoves could use that as a way to rid ourselves of toxic gasses from propane camp stoves. We do it every day with our gas stoves. Remember, though, some range hoods are not vented to the outdoors. You can determine if your is pretty easily. Those that recirculate vapors but are not outside vented tend to have one or two grilles on their face. All they do is filter the grease out before they send it back into the house.

      1. if you have electricity why not use an electric skillet

   3. “reminder, propane camp stoves if used in an enclosed area Have to have a vent or an open window to get rid of the fumes, even the regular propane cook stoves all have a vent above them, if you try to use the camp stove in an enclosed area without a fresh air exhaust or open window YOU WILL DIE.

      A propane camp stove is exactly the same as a propane kitchen range. The kitchen ranges are not vented. The difference is the kitchen range has 4 burners plus the much larger burner in the oven and sometimes cooks use all of them at the same time.
      Use the camp stove – -you certainly will not die.

2. Pete, thanks for the very professional article. It’s basic and I intend to share with my grown kids to get into the game, get started with their own stocking and provisioning. From a cost perspective, we started with a few Mountain House assorted meal buckets (typically from Costco Online and they go on sale several times a year) and then added tubs of peanut butter and jelly and hard crackers, along with the items you mentioned.

3. Absolutely, rotate rotate rotate. I cannot tell you how many people I have moved and have food storage in canned goods 10 15 20 years old. I’m sure it still edible but it doesn’t take much effort to rotate.
   Also, store what your family will eat. It makes no sense both in dollars and unsatisfied family members to store something that they will not eat in a grid down situation. Or even between jobs or some emergency.

   1. bagman501,
      Right on with the rotation of all food stocks . When we rotate, we prepare a meal or two out of those rotated foods to make sure we like what we have saved and that it has stored well.

4. Where can the storage aids used in the photo be found?

   1. Those are mostly available via Amazon.com or eBay. If you use Amazon, then please start your search with use ANY SurvivalBlog Amazon link, and we’ll get a little piece of the action. Thanks.

      1. Just edited my bookmarks bar link to Amazon to reflect your affiliate link. So maybe you will get all the credit you deserve. Using Brave browser, editing the link is easy enough. As often as I use Amazon, someone should make the affiliate fee, it might as well be you. What I don’t know is, if I save something to my Amazon shopping list to buy later, will you get the credit for the referral?

         1. Yes, if you bookmark something and use that link, we’ll still get our commission. Thanks!

5. Dollar tree has boxed milk for a dollar a quart.
   https://www.dollartree.com/drinks/milk

6. I am curious why you suggested minute rice rather than regular rice? Uncooked rice seems to cook well when added to boiling water, covered, and left to set. It uses no more fuel than minute rice. Just a bit more time. Don’t try this with brown or wild rice.

   1. “I am curious why you suggested minute rice rather than regular rice?”

      The premise was for easy to cook meals and what could be easier than Minute Rice?
      I do agree that regular rice cooks easy too but I just chose Minute Rice for the article.

7. One problem with cans is freezing. In severe weather, if you do not have some source of heat for the house, some of your cans may freeze and burst.

   This happened to a friend of mine. She stored her cans in an unheated porch.

   Earth sheltering may buffer this, but do a test with a container of water first to see if it freezes.

8. Regarding the propane cook stove: One can buy an adapter hose that connects a 20-pound propane bottle to the stove’s 1-pound bottle connector. We have one, and it does not require a regulator. Our hose came from Tractor Supply.

9. Look into making your own Rocket Stove. It is fairly easy to do- Metal shears, gloves, marker, vermiculite, and some cursing can get it done. I made mine out of #10 cans and soup cans. Although they can be made out of cinder blocks, welded steel or other means. I know every school cafeteria gets rid of multiple big cans everyday. Simply ask- I did at my elementary school. They just recycle em anyway. These stoves use small sticks where anyone can find anywhere. Inner city folk would be wise to have one on hand if it all goes down.

   https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwjq-ruJ8vjkAhVHRK0KHUr6BX0QwqsBMAF6BAgJEAk&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhDADCZtVJ9w&usg=AOvVaw1NRuqi84KGmCR9IrjgbmPU

   https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=17&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwidp4qb8fjkAhUMX60KHWU-CFcQwqsBMBB6BAgIECI&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DgQyU4lokVe4&usg=AOvVaw3fFkPXiKXEvNpJdy6MJiIq

10. Yes I agree with rotate rotate rotate just moving houses …sorry not to Idaho …had to throw out several stores food items …stock what you eat …rotate so you have fresh …

11. I’d like to recommend a cookbook called “Cooking with Stored Foods” by Carlene Tejada and Carroll Latham. It not only has recipes, but comprehensive sections on setting up a storage system as well as methods for storing food. I believe it’s out of print but pretty easy to find on Amazon or ebay. The publisher is HPBooks who put out a lot of useful cookbooks. “Make a Mix Cookery” and “More Make a MIx Cookery” are two of their other cookbooks that might be of interest to preppers as well.

12. Just as an FYI: the dollar tree sells irradiated shelf stable milk (low-fat & whole) for a dollar a quart. I’m currently rotating mine & using some that I bought in 2/2015. Other than the cream separating/solidifying & not mixing back in (I got the whole milk) it has worked just fine in cooking & coffee.

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