Most people eat out several times a week, so the notion of stockpiling food is a foreign concept. Grocery stores operate on the premise that most households only maintain a three-day supply of food, relying on the "just-in-time" delivery system to resupply only when the last of an item is purchased. Problem is, just-in-time could leave your family high and dry at the very moment you need those goods most.
Instructions
1. Keep track of what your family eats on a regular basis, and determine which of those items you could double-up on each time you go shopping.
2. Look for items to add to your stockpile that require little or no preparation. Canned soups, chili, fruits and vegetables are good items to have in a stockpile. Crackers, peanut butter and other foods that don't require cooking are also excellent items to stockpile.
3. Include items for members of your household who may have special needs, including infants, pets and other household members who may have food allergies or chronic conditions such as diabetes.
4. Remember to include water in your stockpile. You should include at least 1 gallon per person per day in your stockpile. You can manage this by buying bottled water or by ensuring that you have the means to collect and purify that amount of water. That means making sure you have water containers, bleach or a means to boil water available even during power outages.
5. Rotate the items in your stockpile so that they don't expire. Use the oldest items first. An easy way to do this is to organize your stockpile by item on your shelves. Each time you store newly purchased items, move the oldest items forward, and place the new items in the back.
6. Contact your doctor and insurance company to make arrangements to have at least a 1-month supply of prescription medications available in your stockpile for each household member who requires them. You should also purchase over-the-counter medications that members of your household regularly rely on.
7. Pay attention to food recalls. With the increasing number of recalls being issued by the Consumer Products Safety Commission and the Food and Drug Administration, it's possible some of the items you have stockpiled may eventually be recalled. Recent recalls include various types of peanut butter, canned hash and seafood.
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