Category: Food Storage & Cooking

Jim: I just came from a Costco in Coeur d’Alene Idaho. I spotted an interesting item on the end cap near the bread isle, 275 servings of individual food packs in a white plastic bucket. 20 year shelf life. Just boil in water for 20 minute. It has the same packaging that you’d expect from a vendor like Ready Made Resources. This from a food packaging company out of Orem, Utah. The price for 275 servings is $109.99. It is labeled ‘Survival Food’, item #104893 so you may want to inquire at your Costco. In each bucket there are 55 …

Jim, Great work on your “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course! For folks wanting to keep beer in their long-term storage supply, the “blue” variety of Chimay (a dark ale made by Trappist monks in Belgium) will store nicely for upwards of 15 years. Even better, my local Costco (in Texas) sells the 750 ml bottles with corks. Regards, – MP

Jim- You absolutely must alert your readers to Hillbilly Housewife. Be sure the Memsahib reads “Apron Evangelism.” Hey, I read it, so you can read it too–it’s a wonderful observation on housewifery. I guarantee you and your readers will be hooked on this clever woman’s ideas. ‘Nuff said; I’m going back to her web site for more reading! – B.B. JWR Replies: Great stuff! Thanks for the recommendation. I’ve just added her site and her blog to our Links page. OBTW, the site also has instructions on making do-it-yourself ladies supplies.

Jim: Excellent information on storing dry goods for long-term. I have just a bit of advice to all out there: use foods from you stores in your every-day life. I’m not advocating depleting your stores; rather consuming and replacing them as part of your daily life, thus rotating your stock as well. (This is recommended, however, ONLY after you have acquired your long-term goal (i.e.one year supply, two, etc.). You will benefit in at least four distinct ways from this:1.) your stores will always have a maximum useful shelf-life, as they will constantly be rotated; 2.) you will probably experience …

From what I’ve heard letters and e-mails, most SurvivalBlog readers already have a food storage program, but most of them would like to move on to the next step: buying and storing foods in bulk. To save money you will probably want to buy rice, wheat, and beans in 50 pound sacks. Sacks are problematic, since what you really want is a vermin-proof, moisture proof container that is air tight and preferably evacuated of oxygen. Those are the keys to true long term shelf life, and none of them are provided by a cloth, paper, or woven plastic sack. The …

Mr. Rawles, My the Lord bless and keep you and yours. In response to your mention of the Japanese bread in a can. I found [a similar] canned bread locally (through a friend in West Virginia) at a “Martins Grocery store.” They are mostly a Northeastern U.S. operation. The canned bread is made by B&M (the same company that makes the beans) for about $2.65 a can if I remember right. Tried the Bread and Raisins and it must be kept moist and it is best (IMO) warm and with butter. It is very good, but I have no idea …

Jim, Something just occurred to me as far as an overlooked essential: food plates and bowls. The glass mixes (Corelle, etc) are far better than the stoneware for cleanliness and durability, but they can still be broken. I found out recently that the cheap, media tie-in dishes that extol Disney and various other children’s movies are not only unbreakable plastic, but are immune to gun cleaning solvent–I used an old one, figuring to throw it away when done. But a quick rinse with a dab of soap and it was clean–impervious to the chemical, not even the cartoon image was …

Jim, Here is a source for MRE crackers which seem to last forever! Cracker Seller I ate a pack of crackers last summer during a camp out/ range building weekend, and they were from 1993. Still were crisp and tasty. – Tom