Category: Food Storage & Cooking

Christianity and Physical Preparedness

I occasionally get e-mails from SurvivalBlog readers, asking about how I can justify active preparedness in light of my Christian faith. Some cite the “Lilies of the Field” passage in Matthew 6:25-34: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more …


Two Letters Re: Cooking Aromas and Post-Collapse OPSEC

James: On the subject of limiting cooking aromas, there is a cooking technique that has been catching on lately in this country. Sous Vide cooking, which means “Under Water”, started in France by using food placed in vacuum sealed bags and then placing them in hot water (160-to-185 degrees Fahrenheit) for a long period of time. Here’s a link describing the method: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sous-vide Many recipes can be found on sites such as the one offered by Food Network, or type “Sous Vide Recipes” in the search engine of your preference. This method is used in large food operations, such as …


Letter Re: Turning Your Trinkets Into Storage Food

Dear Mr. Rawles, As I was divesting of the useless flotsam one sees as a hindrance to true preparedness, I was inspired to list my trinkets on eBay. (Now, for all those who have a hatred for eBay [because of their anti-gun policies] , this is a separate issue.) I also have a PayPal account. That is another stumbling block to some. But for those of us who are still making the transition to becoming prepared citizens (from their former place in the herd of sheeple), this may be a very viable opportunity. Please hear me out! So, you sell …


Letter Re: Coping with Changes in Diet when Using Storage Foods

If and when you find yourself tapping into your survival food, consider that the change in diet may have some unexpected effects. As an example, I recently increased my protein intake, then noticed a pain in my foot. I thought at first it was just an injury from training (jumping out of a moving car is a little tricky). Later I realized it might be gout. Four gallons of cherry juice later it’s gone and it set me to thinking, how might my food cache effect me. I think the main concerns with stored food would be as follows: Food …


Letter Re: Do It Yourself Coffee Roasting

After reading some information in SurvivalBlog about roasting green coffee beans I thought I could offer some useful info on the subject, since I’ve been a coffee supplier and roaster for about 10 years. Let’s assume the grid is down—how does one roast coffee? You can do it over an open flame such as a propane burner, or campfire. In the days of cattle drives the cook would roast in a cast iron pot just stirring the beans constantly. If you do that then a peaberry type coffee bean works best because they are more round, and my research tells …


Letter Re: Cooking Aromas and Post-Collapse OPSEC

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Greetings All, SurvivalBlog has, and is, providing great practical information as well a thoughts on just about every aspect overcoming adversity and disastrous conditions. This brain trust provides information on retaining as much privacy as possible in this era of electronic monitoring of everything we purchase, and how to camouflage just about every type of inanimate object. I have noticed one issue that hasn’t been addressed. (Don’t faint!). During a long term situation in particular this one issue can impact any family or group’s safety. So here is the question. How can we best ‘camouflage’ or limit the smell of …


Three Letters Re: What Determines if a Storage Bucket is Food Grade?

Greetings Jim, I have found the folks at the bakery counter at [supermarkets such as] Safeway are willing to give me food grade buckets for free or maybe $1 each. They get frosting five gallons at a time. Once you read the label on that stuff you may never eat store bought cake again! – DAP in Missouri   Jim: I wanted to share the best priced source I have found for Food Grade Buckets. Other than getting them free from food vendors, I haven’t found a price better than $3.99 for five gallon food grade buckets. Lids are $1.09. …


Letter Re: What Determines if a Storage Bucket is Food Grade?

Mr. Rawles, I recently purchased some five gallon buckets at Wal-Mart that I thought would be considered food-grade. I’m afraid these are probably the paint buckets you recently warned against, but I read elsewhere on the web that if there was a “2” inside of the recycle-symbol on the bottom of the bucket, the bucket would be considered food-grade. If these are unsuitable, do you mind going into a little more detail as to why? Thanks, – Ben J. JWR Replies: The number 2 (with the number inside the “chasing arrows” symbol) refers to HDPE, but not all “2” marked …


Letter Re: Food Shortages at COSTCO and Sam’s Club Stores

James, I visited COSTCO store in Woodinville, Washington Saturday morning, right at the store’s opening time. I had my doubts about the reality of the shortages, and needed to shop, anyway, so I thought I’d check it out for myself. They had eight big warehouse guys escorting two pallets of rice out to the showroom floor just about the time I arrived. Six of the eight then stayed with the rice, handing it out to customers as needed. Both pallets were completely sold out by the time I left the store about 45 minutes later. I talked with two of …


Two Letters Re: Food Shortages at COSTCO and Sam’s Club Stores

Sir, Yesterday I went to COSTCO to check out the rice situation (and grab a cheap lunch). Today, a friend said he wanted to go, so being that he doesn’t have a [membership] card I went with him. Not only was all the rice gone except for a few very small bags of some long grain nasty stuff, but where there had been pallets of rice 24 hours earlier, now there was other items (macaroni and cheese and something else). I overheard about a dozen people complaining about the rice situation, and all of them just wanted “a few bags …


The Value of Coupon Clipping in Stocking Up

Our family has always maintained a substantial pantry in addition to our “deep storage” items. One way we keep our pantry stocked is by taking advantage of grocery store sales and using coupons. This does take a bit of time on my part, but definitely pays off in the long run. I utilize www.coupons.com, www.smartsource.com, www.couponbug.com (these sites allow you to print each coupon two times. We have two computers so that = 4 times each) as my mainstays. But recently I have become a reader of MoneySavingMom.com. She posts deals that I would have normally not found on my …


Letter Re: The British Perspective on Food Storage and Preparedness

Dear Sir The two articles linked below detail issues surrounding world food shortages (and possible solutions) from a UK perspective. I thought that they might be of interest to you. Certainly there is increasing concern here about rising food and drink prices and its increasingly becoming part of the national conversation. It seems there are now almost daily broadsheet newspaper articles on the subject and I can categorically state that the UK is now experiencing similar trends to the US, as identified by your readers. Although rationing has not made the news yet, my father – who is a restaurateur …


Food Shortages in the US Underscore the Weakness of JIT Inventory Systems

The mass media is currently in a frenzy about spot shortages of rice, flour, and cooking oil at COSTCO stores. I’ve fielded seven radio interviews in the last couple of days. The only good news is that we set an all-time record yesterday, with 22,217 unique site visits to SurvivalBlog in one day! The rationing situation is getting worse. Several SurvivalBlog readers sent me this: Wal-Mart’s Sam’s Club limits rice purchases. Meanwhile, we read in The Washington Times: Americans hoard food as industry seeks regulations. Josh Gerstein, the reporter that interviewed me for the recent New York Sun piece, just …


Letter Re: Dramatic Increases in Food Prices

Jim: Two months ago you could purchase Almond Nut Butter for around $7.50 per 16 ounce jar. Today the Almond butter is selling for $17.00 per jar. Today Cashew Nut Butter sells for around $11.50 and two months ago it sold for around $6.00 per 16 ounce jar. A clerk at Walmart commented that prices are rising fast. Rosauers Grocery Store in Kalispell, Montana had raised its prices more than 11 percent in February and has raised them again in April, some up to 17%. They blame rising fuel costs. What you purchase today will not cost the same next …


Letter Re: The Food Shortages Are Real–Will There Be Panic Buying Soon?

James, I’ve read the recent article in the New York Sun (Food Rationing Confronts Breadbasket of the World) regarding the [informal] food rationing that has now begun. Everything is starting to unfold quicker than expected, but it is not a huge surprise. I personally own a small and private operation (cash only) which sells large amounts of bulk food storage for those who have their eyes open and are awake to what’s going on which is not many. We generally move large quantities of bagged and cleaned Wheat, lentils, soup peas, flax seed and all other manner of legumes( beans) …