Being a prepper takes time, careful planning and hard work. We all want to be able to provide for our families and take care of them in all situations. When it “all goes down” we’ll need clothing, shelter and food.
Food is probably the trickiest of our needs to provide for in SHTF situations. Sure, we can stockpile beans and rice. But, will they be easy to prepare and good to eat? That’s the tricky part.
This is a list of 10 healthy and easy to prepare foods with tips on storing and preparing them.
10) BEANS
Pinto beans are one of the most popular and affordable beans found in grocery stores today. These are easy to prepare and can be prepared quickly and efficiently in a pressure cooker. By soaking the beans overnight with a tbsp of baking soda mixed into the water, the beans can be tender and ready to eat in an hour.
The pressure cooker is essential in the prepper’s arsenal of cookware. It saves time and fuel when cooking. It’s not difficult to operate, either. It does require some knowledge, however. Read the directions well and get to know the pressure cooker before the SHTF. That’s part of prepping.
For those who are new to pressure cooking, after reading the directions, get to know your pressure cooker by using it on the camp stove or the equipment you’ll be cooking on. As you get to know it better, you need to make it a goal to learn the lowest heat setting that the pressure cooker will efficiently cook at once the cooking pressure has been reached.
9) RICE
Rice and beans go well together. Rice is easy to prepare and takes little fuel to do so. It provides carbs for energy and keeps well in sealed jars. It must, however, be sealed well or moths will make their home in it.
8) JERKY
This is one that provides protein. It’s a favorite with most children as well as adults. It’s also something that can be made with some of those whopping fish you catch.
All you need is a dehydrator or the know-how with an ordinary oven. Venison also makes very good jerky. Just season it the way you prefer and dry it out. There’s a good deal on the NESCO FD-37A, Food Dehydrator over on Amazon.
7) TOMATOES
Tomatoes can be dehydrated in the growing season, crumbled up and put into a jar. The powder can re-hydrated to make a paste. The easiest way, however, is to just buy it in the cans. They take up more space, but they’re an essential when it comes to cooking.
You’ll want to make sure you have space for tomatoes in your underground bunker.
6) PASTA
Pasta is an economical starch and easy to keep. Kids and adults love it, and it’s an excellent source of carbs. As with everything in the dry goods category, it must be kept in air tight containers.
5) NUTS
Nuts are also easy to keep. Dry roasted and canned, they can be mixed with other ingredients to make a trail mix or enjoyed by themselves.
4) RAISINS
They’re tasty, will satisfy a sweet tooth, easy to keep and affordable. They’re also healthy and a good source of energy.
3) CRACKERS
These are another good source of carbs. Their shelf life is a little short, so their expiration date should be carefully monitored. They also go well with the next item.
2) CANNED MEATS
Vienna sausage and potted meat turn the stomachs of many, but my children and grandchildren LOVE them. They keep well and have a long shelf-life.
1) POWDERED MILK
This is essential. This one requires a good air-tight container for storage. It should also be monitored and used before its expiration date.
There are many other foods you may want to add to this list such as peanut butter or prunes. The most important thing to remember is to store those things that you and your family will EAT and ENJOY, no matter how much SHTF.
