Category: Food Storage & Cooking

Two Letters Re: Mushrooms: Surviving Survival Food

Dear Editor: The submission by Roy H. on mushrooms bothers me on a survival skills level.   It bothers me because mushrooms are a poor source of calories.  Just 4 calories for the white button kind ranging up to 22 for Portabella mushrooms.  They’re mostly air and spores.  Yes, they have lots of vitamins in them – but I could spend all day foraging for mushrooms and end up expending more calories than I gain.  Let’s assume I find enough to pay me back for finding them, if they’re the white caps we’re familiar with and I spent 1 hour …


Mushrooms: Surviving Survival Food, by Roy H.

I’m not a mushroom expert. But I still gather and safely eat several types of wild mushrooms, and have done so for years. Wild mushrooms are a tasty and nutritious addition to any diet, and the ability to identify and gather a few safe species is a great asset to any set of survival skills. The keys to wild mushroom safety are learning and admitting your limitations, religiously sticking with a few guidelines, and seeking out expert help to increase and enhance your knowledge. Before starting to gather wild mushrooms in your area, read some good books like Mushrooming without …


Letter Re: Feed Corn for Family Food Storage?

James Wesley, I am starting to store food for the future and have some wheat, beans and rice.  I would like to store corn to make into cornmeal, however I haven’t seen any available for this purpose.  I live in the southeast ands there is lots of corn we use to feed deer.  Is this suitable or can I get seed corn from the local feed store?  Any help you can provide would be appreciated.   I read your site each day and have learned a great deal from you and your readers. Thanks, – Gary M. JWR Replies: Unfortunately, …


Letter Re: DIY Food Storage Packing

Sir: I am an avid reader of your blog. This particular article touched a chord and I’d like to suggest one place for a great many staples this person will need to store. I am a Mormon.  The LDS bishop’s storehouse is available to me – however, this same resource is also available to non-members.  I have regularly taken my close non-Mormon friends to the local storehouse in the Sacramento, California region.  The prices I think are on-par with Sam’s Club and they have things that Sam’s Club simply won’t carry. (Wheat is one of those).  Here is a link …


The Truth About Your Local Grocery Store, By Jay M.

I’ve been reading your Blog for a little over a year now and find it very interesting.  Not long ago there was an entry about trying to convince your family about the need to get prepared.  I to have the same issue when trying to get others on board.  They always seem to give me the “RCA dog look” — like I’ve lost my mind. However, I do have the advantage of some work experience that helps.  I’ve worked for a major grocer / big box retailer for the last 25 years.   In that time things have changed an unbelievable …


Letter Re: Relative Costs of Food Storage Approaches

Hi James,   First and foremost thank you for all of your efforts and wonderful guidance in the art of survival.  I am currently about 70 pages into your novel Patriots and I love it!   I have a quick question that I can not seem to get great advice on with regards to food storage.  Is it better (cost effective, overall nutrition, and space saving) to purchase pre-packaged “kits” like eFoodsDirect’s one-year or six-month supply of dehydrated foods, or build your own storage?  I know that most may say get all you can or do both…but if you had …


Preparedness for Families with Infants, by Carla S.

If you have children in your family, preparing for potential SHTF scenarios requires extra consideration. All children will need additional comfort and entertainment to adjust to a survival situation. Fortunately, if your kids are old enough to walk, talk and perform a few basic chores, your special preps for the young ones in your family do not need to be elaborate. Older children are capable of eating the same food as adults, they’re usually potty-trained, and they can help themselves in many situations (e.g. getting dressed, feeding themselves, etc.). However, if a very small infant will be in your responsibility …


David in Israel: Off The Grid Cooking

David in Israel Re: Off The Grid Cooking James: Since storage food for us is just our daily staples bought and stored in bulk we use pressure cookers for most stovetop cooking instead of a regular pot to save time and fuel. There is no reason to waste hours of fuel simmering or stewing and evaporating that heat into steam when you can keep that thermal energy in your pressure cooker and also be done in under an hour by raising the cooking temp to around 250F. I have had the chance to use a Fagor brand pressure cooker and …


Letter Re: Shelf Reliance Storage Foods at Costco

Dear Editor, I know that some preppers are not all that excited about this concept but here goes anyway: Costco has a “deal” right now for a four year supply of food for one person – or one year for four people, divide it as you want – for $3,000 delivered. This is only $2.05 per day to feed each adult. The food itself is all sealed inside #10 (gallon sized) cans and has a shelf life of at least 10 years – maybe 20 years. The variety in the food package is good.  Shelf Reliance in Utah is the source. …


Letter Re: Question on Low Oxygen Food Storage Packing

Mr. Rawles,   I have been looking around and have found sites for procuring nitrogen packed foods as well as read your books on how to do the same. One question keeps popping into mind is this: By using five gallon [HDPE plastic] buckets, once opened how long before the food stuffs go bad? Would it be wiser or more advantageous to pack in smaller containers to as not to risk spoilage?   I have searched your blog but have not been able to find the answer.   Thank you in advance, – James M. JWR Replies: Your question is …


Letter Re: Advice on Stored Food Shelf Lives and Insect Proofing

Mr. Rawles; I see all the news of the economic chaos (bursting budgets, Ireland debt crisis, unemployment, QEII, etc.), just like you showed in your novel [“Patriots”]. (Was it prophetic?) This has me scared spitless, and I’m overwhelmed with all the preps that I have to make, yesterday. My budget is small, since I don’t want to use my credit card for any of this. I really need to get started. Where can I buy food cheaply, in bulk? The supermarket prices seem too high for rice and beans. There is a Sam’s Club [membership] store nearby, and they have …


Using the Grain You Have Stored, by Naomi M.

Grain is a foundational item in food storage, because it is a cheap source of fair-to-good quality calories, and because it has good long-term storage life.  This article will discuss nutritional considerations, health aspects, and specific uses for each grain.             What do we want out of food?  We want energy (calories), building materials (protein and fats & oils), and health-supplying nutrients (vitamins and minerals).  How much grain should we store to supply these needs, or, conversely, how long will our grain storage sustain our life? Calories                        Most sources recommend that a basic year’s supply for one person is …


Constructing an Aboveground “Root Cellar” in Florida, By R.R.L.

First , to tell you a little about myself.  I was a prepper in anticipation of Y2K, had the property, cabin, most of the works and of course nothing happened. (my family thought I was nuts) We all went back to our living.  Unfortunately sold our property, because of an illness.   I never thought of continuing on for future problems.  I was awakened by talking with my brother earlier this year when he told me about SurvivalBlog.  So needless to say I am a prepper once again, but this time my whole family is.  I am preparing my parents home …


Three Letters Re: Off The Grid Cooking

James,   Chino’s article on “Off Grid Cooking” is an excellent article, however what I have found that cuts cooking time way down especially cooking dried beans is using a small pressure cooker. I have used my cooker many times to cook dried beans or even a roast with good results in a matter of about an hour or less of cooking time.  I even tried it over an open campfire with the same results, although that did smoke up the bottom of the pressure cooker.  In the same context I have cooked dried beans in my Dutch Oven by …


Off The Grid Cooking, by Chino

I have seen numerous articles dealing with the type and quantity of food that one should have for long term survival, but I have yet to see anyone address survival cooking. I have been prepping for a few years and I have a pretty good supply of “stuff” including a Svea backpacking stove, a Coleman stove & fuel, camping grill & 1 lb. propane bottles, a butane stove with butane canisters and a wood stove that could double for a cook stove for cooking beans in the winter time.  I thought I was pretty well set to go it alone …