just in case food

[sundial]

I've been thinking alot lately of stocking up on foods with a long shelf life. Since I live near the epicenter of a major fault line and with so many tremors in the news lately, I figured now is the time to start stocking up.

I came across the Mountain House freeze dried meals at Wallyworld and hubby and I tried it and we both give it a thumbs up. I went back and bought 2 other flavors and noted that there was a limited choice of flavors available in my area so I started checking online sources that provide food storage kits. There are several sources that offer kits but I found this one in particular to be helpful in offering video reviews of freeze dried and dehydrated foods:

http://www.theepicenter.com/freeze_d...ehydrated.html

A few other online sources for food storage kits:

http://www.thereadystore.com/
http://www.nitro-pak.com/
http://beprepared.com/
http://www.survival-warehouse.com/

If you have a Costco nearby, I believe they sell food storage items. I'm planning for at least 3 months worth of food that I can store with a minimal amount of space compared to canned goods. And many of these foods have a 7-10, even 30 year shelf life. All you need is hot water and you'll have a good, balanced meal in 10 minutes. Having been through a nasty ice storm I've learned that I need to be prepared with at least 2 weeks of rations at minimum. If the big earthquake should hit it could be a really bad situation and the disaster plan is essentially every man for himself. Hopefully I won't need the food but if I do, I'll be in a better position than being unprepared. And besides, I can take these with me on my bike packing journeys.

[bmccasland]

Make sure you have a water source, and a method to heat the water as well, in your emergency supply kit. Having lived through a few hurricanes, where the tap water wasn't potable for a couple of weeks (after the city was opened to return), it's important to have a water supply too. I wound up raiding my "hurricane" water when my water main line broken last spring. At least I had drinking water.
Know how you plan to heat the water - what kind of fuel will you need. Propane? Is your camp stove in working order? Do you own a camp stove?
My sister has learned that boiling water over a charcoal grill in the winter isn't much fun (she didn't own a camp stove, does now).
Which reminds me, I need to go get some propane for my camp stove, the movers found my stash in my camp box and wouldn't tansport it. Spoil sports.

Thanks for the dried food sources. I kind of got tired of MREs.

[sundial]

Beth, good idea. We do have a camp stove and a BBQ grill that runs on propane as well as my gas stove. I am thinking of getting a Berkley travel water filtration system in case we have to bug out in the worst case scenario.

[PamNY]

Thanks for the food ideas.

I have a Trangia alcohol stove -- because the fuel is safer/easier for me to store in an apartment. I would use the Trangia indoors, briefly, in a shelter-in-place situation.

[Zen]

I have a coke can/denatured alcohol stove

[tulip]

I have a woodstove, but if I were in a big earthquake and my house fell down, I guess that wouldn't be very useful. But it's great when the power goes out because of the ice storms we get.

I don't stock up on tons of food, but it's something I've thought about from time to time.

[malkin]

I'm doomed in a disaster.
I hope you survivors will give me a proper burial.

[tzvia]

I bought a big water heater, so can shut off the water after an earthquake and use that as my drinking supply. Done that before, works well. Also have those tablets and a filter system in case I need to get water from a local stream. And yes, I know where the rabbits and deer are, and have suitable rifles for both, in case I need to trek up the local hills for food. With a good sized pantry that I rotate, and lots of canned goods, I think I can last a bit after a quake, provided the house is in good enough shape to enter it, that is. Got the camping gear too, and can walk over to a public park a block away, and camp there. Lots of rabbits just so happen to live way at the back, where it butts up against the Santa Monica mountains conservancy.

Provided we just lose power and the house stands, I had my electrician setup a breaker that allows me to attach my generator to my house to run the refrigerators (got two).

Yea, water is the big problem. If we have a quake in the middle of summer big enough to damage the aqueduct, there will be riots within a few days. No way on earth the state or fed can get enough water to L.A. to satisfy the survivors, with freeways collapsed, airports damaged, and riots happening. It will make Katrina look like a pimple on a elephant.

[bmccasland]

You learn the difference between drinking water and bathing water.

Everyone should have on hand, food for a couple of days that are shelf stable - and rotate them. For most folks - that would be cans of soups / stews / chili, canned fruit, crackers, peanut (or other nut) butter. Just think of protein, fruits and vegies. And water. Don't forget the drinking water. A source to heat besides your normal utilities, although just because the way it's delivered, if you have natural gas - you will probably still have it in bad weather. In an earthquake, all bets are off. And if you smell gas, don't light a match.

[sundial]

Tzvia, I did like you and had an electrician install an outlet to hook up the generator in case we need it. Also have a small, portable generator for when we need to camp out.

Beth, I remember a geologist saying that many gas lines will float up at the top and burst, causing fires. In our region we are essentially sitting on quicksand and artesian wells. So I'll either sink to China or float to a nearby state.

Malkin, how about a funeral like that on LOST?

[malkin]

Malkin, how about a funeral like that on LOST?

I don't know the details of Lost, after being lost myself after the first couple episodes. I promise not to complain, no matter what you do.

[PamNY]

Also remember extra food for pets -- which I'm really bad at, since the store I use delivers in about 30 minutes, and I abuse that privilege.

[GLC1968]

Also remember extra food for pets -- which I'm really bad at, since the store I use delivers in about 30 minutes, and I abuse that privilege.

This is our downfalling. We stock up, then use it, then stock up, then use it, then stock up, etc. Depending on when the disaster happens in our pet food cycle, we could be good for a few months or totally screwed. Luckily, all of our pets are good at foraging and we can make due if necessary.

We also figured out which disasters we want to be prepared for and which ones we'll just ride out (since all can be quite different). Living in the 'ring of fire' if things get REALLY bad, we expect to be amongst the first to go in a blaze of lava and rock...so we don't prepare for big earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, massive floods or 'end of the physical world' scenarios. Small weather issues are no problem (blizzards, tornadoes, drought, light flooding). Man-made disasters (peak oil, crashed grid, nuclear war)? We are covered.

[Pedal Wench]

Not much to add but we exclusively use Mountain House foods for camping/emergency meals. We even bring them on our bike tours when waiting in line at restaurants isn't appealling. Love the Turkey Tettrazzini and any of the chicken dishes.