Category: Food Storage & Cooking

Two Letters Re: Storing Whiskey For Barter

Mr. Rawles, The letter from Tom R. raised the question of stockpiling alcohol for trade.  While I have no moral opposition to alcohol consumption, and even keep a stock of wine and spirits for my own use, there are some practical drawbacks to stocking alcohol for barter.   First, unless a person has unlimited funds and storage space, it seems foolhardy to stock quantities of items which will not be used or consumed (precious metals excepted) in the normal course of daily post-SHTF activities.   A more rational course of action would be to stock quantities that would be used within the …


Our Daily Bread, by S.W.M.

Wheat, bread and wheat products are a staple among a majority of preppers. Yet improperly prepared bread can be problematic. Celiac disease and gluten intolerance is increasingly more common among Americans. Commercial breads are known to spike blood sugars after eating it, then causing blood sugars to crash, leaving the eater hungry and fatigued. This is a particular problem with diabetics. In a majority of diets bread is often one of the first items either restricted in the diet or removed altogether, due to its contribution to weight gain. From the internet post Naturally Leavened Bread by Jacques de Langre …


Letter Re: Using Pocket Hand Warmers for Storing Food in HDPE Buckets

Jim, A typical small chemical hand warmer packet [that employs an oxidation process] absorbs about 1.25 grams of O². (This was calculated from weighing on a lab scale.) So at 32 grams per mole for O² or 22.4 liters at standard temperature and pressure that is 32/22.4=1.4286 grams of O² per liter. Assuming O² in the air at 20%, a 5 gallon bucket (18.92 liters) would contain 1.4286 x 18.92 x 20% = 5.4 grams of O² It would take roughly 4 packets to absorb the O² in a 5 gallon HDPE bucket at 1.25 grams per packet if the …


Consider The Little Things, by R.P.

I hope some of you know most of these things, but I’m sure most of you won’t know all of these things. I took a camping trip not too long ago where I made one of my favorite childhood camping dishes, the hobo dinner. I’m sure those of you who camp have had it a few times. Put some potatoes and veggies in some aluminum foil and throw it right on the fire. Easy enough. Tastes great. Don’t even need a plate. I, however, am not your average cook. I like to try new things, and I don’t eat plain …


Year One at the New Retreat, by Mrs. R.L.B.

Have you been thinking about leaving the crowded city and moving to a retreat? Perhaps you are weighing many factors, finances, age, leaving friends and family, and work.  But the most important factor you should weigh, is the answer to the question, “If the SHTF, can we survive here?”  If the answer is no, then take the leap and move!  We did!  We sold our San Diego house and finally landed in Washington state, on the west side of the Cascades.  We aimed for the Redoubt, but due to work constraints we could not make that work for us.  So, …


Letter Re: Advice on Family Preparedness

Sir, I’m a suburbs dweller, living about 25 miles out of Milwaukee. I’ve gotten my mom–who lives nearby–into prepping. (Loaning her my copy of your “How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It” book worked!) So what do I do next, to get her farther down the road [to prepping]? I bought her a Kat[adyn water] filter. She has no clue about storage of foods. (We aren’t one of those “canning” families.) I bought myself a bunch of MREs and Mountain House foods, but she can’t afford to [do likewise], since she’s a retired school teacher. …


Pat’s Product Review: Meal Kit Supply MREs

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Back in the day, when I was in the military, we had C Rations or “C-Rats” as they were called, when we were out in the field. And, quite honestly, they were really pretty bad tasting, and lacking in much of anything. I served in the Illinois National Guard, as well as the US Army, and have quite a bit of experience with C-Rats. While in the National Guard, when we went on weekend maneuvers, a bunch of us would bring our own food along. And, we’d bring, cheeses, pepperoni, olives – gourmet foods, instead of eating C-Rats, or on …


Letter Re: Salt Curing for Meat

Jim,This is something I hear from people often: “If things go down I’ll just salt my meat!” My answer, “Really!!!  Do you know how??” So here’s the question I have for you folks, assume we are now at that TEOTWAWKI. How many of you really “KNOW” how to salt the meat you have on? Or how to preserve the meat you may harvest in the future? Everyone knows in the winter, if you’re in a cold climate just hang it, it’ll freeze. They’re right it will! Good Luck carving some for dinner. Don’t believe me? Pull out a pound of …


Letter Re: Gluten Free Foods at COSTCO

Dear Mr. Rawles, I follow you via RSS and have purchases your past archives from Amazon. Following the advice in your blog, I just got done on COSTCO.com purchasing some gluten free meal kits. I find it amazing they have these for people with food allergies and yet at rock bottom prices (even with the non-member surcharge.) I will sleep much better at night for my wife, 17 month old daughter and myself. God Bless you and thank you for your wealth of resources! Thanks! – Andy P. JWR Replies: As I highlighted in the Rawles Gets You Ready Preparedness …


Letter Re: Woodstove Chimney-Mounted Ovens

JWR, I don’t know about the Baker’s Salute Oven (that another reader asked about), but there is a man in Springville, Utah that makes a similar one that can be mounted on a wood burning stove or on a expedition tent stove.  They are much less expensive as he makes them from repurposed propane cylinders and they are called Grover Chimney Ovens.   They cost $205 instead of $539 like the Bake’s Salute Oven but they are not as large inside.   They are a double-walled oven, so the heated gases from the chimney stack surround the oven itself.  I am not …


A Practical Plan for Survival–One Man’s View, by C.L.

When I was very young I would sometime spend rainy days at my grand-mother’s house going through sporting goods catalogs and the Sears catalog making list of items that might be needed during disasters or emergencies. I have no idea why I am wired in such a way that I give a good amount of thought to being prepared. I am no longer a young boy but now I believe making such plans are more important than ever before. The economic situation in our country can only be described as terrifying to anyone who will take the blinders off and …


Spice Up Your Food Storage, by Linda P.

As a wife, mother, cook, and gardener, I find that articles on long term food storage, are basic and practical.  But when I study the recommended lists for storage items, I wince at the lack of thought that goes into flavor, texture and variety. This article is dedicated to those nurturing souls who know that in a TEOTWAWKI situation, a delicious meal will be one of the most simple of earthly comforts that we can provide to keep others healthy and happy.   Although basic food may keep you alive, food fatigue can be a real problem. Variety is the spice of life, and in …


A Voice in the Bean Aisle – Faith and Prepping, by Connie H.

I couldn’t help but notice the white plastic bags that covered the handles of the gas pumps at the corner gas station.  “Out of Gas”, said the sign. No gas on account of a hurricane a long, long way from Springfield, Tennessee.  Fortunately, I had filled my tank earlier in the week and was only there to get ice. But it all seemed fishy to me how a storm so far away would affect us like this. And honestly, a vague sense of worry lingered in the back of my mind until the following day.  The trucks arrived and filled …


New Prize for Writing Contest Round 49

Mayflower Trading Company has kindly donated several prizes to add to the Third Prize package, for Round 49 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest, et sequitur. These are: A Nesco / American Harvest Gardenmaster Dehydrator with an extra set of trays, and the book The Dehydrator Bible. These prizes have a combined value of $210. This brings the combined value of the top three prizes to more than $6,000! Round 49 begins today and will end on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical …


A Year of Starvation: My Experience, by K.S.

Though food shortages and malnutrition are popular discussion topics for preppers, I doubt that many of us have experienced a real, prolonged lack of food. Certainly we’ve all had a day or two – maybe even more, for the gutsy– with minimal or no food, but often those days happen by choice and are for practice, with a set end in sight. How many of us have gone weeks, months, or more on limited rations? How many of us know what to expect and how we’d feel? How many of us are ready for the surprises and challenges that prolonged …