Chapter 8: Storing Food Safely
When it comes to storing food for Doomsday preparations, safety is a crucial element. It would be tragic to survive a global nuclear holocaust only to die from starvation or food poisoning because the food you stockpiled away was not stored properly. Keep in mind that in the event of a disaster, medical assistance may not be readily available should you eat tainted food. To avoid this outcome, let's briefly take a look at a few of the things you should do when storing food.
Safe storage areas are a necessity when storing food for later use. If you have a permanent shelter, like a storm shelter, cave or a cabin you plan to head to when disaster strikes, make sure it is well stocked with food and that your stockpile is secure from thieves and vermin.
Avoid areas with high moisture content when storing canned food as this can lead to rust and other problems. Excess moisture could lead to contamination of your food supply and serious health concerns. In the case of commercially canned foods, it could also lead to the labels being dissolved, creating an interesting game of post-apocalyptic guess what's for dinner. This guessing game is hardly a comfort when you have just survived the end of the world.
Moisture could also create problems with mold and mildew forming on stored food. With certain food products, such as rice, beans and flour, this could destroy your whole food supply and, possibly, make you very sick. Utilize proper storage methods for these dry goods. Sealed five gallon buckets with salt to absorb moisture and dry ice to remove oxygen are highly recommended for preppers seeking to store dry goods for long periods of time. This method keeps the food fresh, free from moisture and the sealed containers do not allow food odors to escape which would attract vermin like mice and insects.
Unless you have a generator or an alternative power supply, do not make frozen or refrigerated foods part of your emergency supply. The reason behind this is simple. In a Doomsday scenario, it is very likely that the entire power grid could be wiped out. Without power to run appliances like refrigerators and deep freezers, the food inside would quickly reach temperatures that would render it unsafe for human consumption. In a matter of a few hours to a few days, the food in your freezer could go from healthy and nutritious to a breeding ground for bacteria. If you have a stocked freezer, use that food first when an emergency strikes before it goes bad.
Plan for the disaster you are likely to experience. Many people who grow their own food in gardens or buy fresh produce at farmer's markets, store this food in glass jars in a process known as canning. Essentially the same process as commercially canned foods, this technique can be used to preserve vegetables, fruits and, even, meats for several years. Unfortunately, glass jars present the very real hazard of breakage. If you live in an area where earthquakes or similar Doomsday events are likely to happen, be certain that glass jars are well cushioned and stored in such a way that they will not be thrown from shelves or smashed together. A large cabinet with a locking door and several shelves that are divided with spacers to keep jars separated is a great way to keep your canned foods safe and easily identifiable.
Rotating your food supply is also an important consideration. There are many people today who have food stockpiles sitting in their shelters that were built back in the time of the Cold War between Russia and the United States of America. Unfortunately for them, if disaster struck today, much of the time and money they spent putting this food aside would be wasted because they did not rotate the supply. If you keep extra food on hand for emergencies, and you should, then checking expiration dates and rotating stock on a regular basis is a necessity. To make this task easier, choose to stock your shelter with foods that you eat now so you can switch out foods from the stockpile on a regular basis to ensure that you will have fresh, safe food when the need comes.
Arguably, the most important rule of food in a survival situation is: do not eat something if you have doubts about it. While an occasional bout of vomiting from eating a questionable left-over isn't likely to kill you in a time when we have access to medicine and doctors, this same mistake could prove fatal in a survival situation where one is already suffering the effects of stress along with limited food and water supplies. If you do not know for certain that the food you are considering is safe to eat, DO NOT eat it. This same rule applies to foraged foods, such as fruits, berries and mushrooms. In many parts of the world, plants grow in the wild that look very tasty (especially if your last meal was several days before) but are highly toxic. If you are in doubt, leave it be.
Another consideration when planning for a Doomsday event is the need for specific tools to assist in food preparation and cooking. Having shelves full of canned goods will serve little purpose if you have no way of opening them. Always keep at least two can openers in your shelter, along with waterproof matches, candles and other supplies. If you have a camp stove or a grill that you intend to use for cooking, keep plenty of fuel on hand. Even a simple set of pots, pans, dishes and cutlery can go a long way towards making a survival situation a lot more comfortable.