How much food would you need for a year...

Thats why I plan on going Dawn of the Dead hostile take over of the nearest BJ's if Armageddon ever comes. I'll share with fellow NESrs if you bring your own ammo.[wink]
 
My initial reaction is that whoever came up with this calculator is a moron and has no clue as to what a survival cache needs to be. Examples (I ran a family of 4 no little ones)

52# of "other dairy? WTF is "other dairy" cheese? Sorry, no cheese after the SHTF

12# of jams?
12#of honey
160# of sugar?
Flavored Apples?
Applesauce?
Banana chips?
Mayo?
Salad dressing?

Who the f*** are these guys? Any of you thinking of salad dressing for a stash? Sugar? Flavored f***ing apples!!!!!

No a single piece of meat either.
 
LDS are the MOST experienced group in being prepared there is. As a rule, Mormon family's keep 1 year food supply on hand at all time.

This calculator isn't exactly what most people would store as strictly "survival" foods, but I put it up here as an eye opener as to exactly how much food you will need to last a year.
 
They make some good points and there's some good "food for thought". I think the real question is how much food a family can feasibly store and the sheer costs involved. If you're an "MRE-Head", plan on mortgaging your home to afford a pallet-load. On the other end of the spectrum are the folks with 2-cases in the cellar sitting next to a few jugs of Poland Springs. These people are doomed, unless they've got some serious hunter-killer genes.

For my family, it's all about balance. We buy what we can, when we can. We also have our own garden, can our own veggies and jams and live in an area where we can forage, (short of a local nuclear disaster). I hope North Korea never Nukes Berkshire County... [laugh2] I think much depends on exactly how and what shit hits what fan. I can tell you, that there's no way we could hunker down in the cellar for a whole year on what we have - not close. Eventually, we would have to go out and forage. From where I sit however, there's a year's supply of food right in the woods - from the gray squirrels on the feeders, to the cambium of the trees, to the moss on the rocks and the worms underneath it, right down to the skunk under the back porch. Hell, everything tastes good with garlic powder and tobasco...[smile] If necessary, I'm certain the SOCOM could easily dispatch a milk cow up the road if need be....

I think the best prep is that of the brain. If I spent all my paychecks on MRE's and pouches of freeze-dried eggs and crates of ammo, I suppose I could plan for a disaster that may, (or may not) come. However, reality is that I have bills to pay, mouths to feed and dog food to buy. I also like to get out and enjoy life a little. I have enough realistically to keep us fed for awhile and enough grip on reality that I will likely have to use my brain to survive after that......
 
I share a very similar outlook, Mark. I have a fair stash. More prep for a future, larger garden (that means lots o seeds, rotated annually) and a pretty good stash of dry goods, and means for water and wood.

I do what I can. Could I do more? Sure, but I think I do alot more than some.
 
Cheese is something that is relatively easy to make and is also available in canned form. As for the salad dressing and mayo, it provides needed fats and most importantly flavor to foods that might otherwise be very bland. Jams provide sugar and flavoring. Sugar? You need sugar for a lot of baking and preserving. I have most of this in my stash. You will get sick of wheat berries, rice and mac and cheese very quickly without variety. These items are as much morale boosters as providing necessary nutrients, carbs and fats.
 
You know, I've got piles of the usual stuff (cans, boxes, jugs, cartons, sacks, etc.), but I just looked at my big stack of toilet paper and wondered if I'm the only nutcase stocking up the TP (and keeping a supply in the van too).
 
Taipan01 said:
About the dairy stuff guys, yes you can have it on hand and yes you would want it. There's other places to buy at better prices but just as a one off for your perusale. I am not one with the funds to stock up for a yer though. A while, but not a year.

http://www.mredepot.com/servlet/the-Canned-Meats,-Cheese-&-Butter/Categories
Click to expand...

Me too neither. I have enough rations in main stocks, frozen and MRE's to get my family through a long stretch, but at some point we'll have to forage. Looking out my back window, I see food, food everywhere - you just have to know where to look and what to eat. Earthworm, cambium casserole is not nearly as tasty as crackers and peanutbutter, but when you gotta eat - you gotta eat.....
 
Dan Hurley said:
You know, I've got piles of the usual stuff (cans, boxes, jugs, cartons, sacks, etc.), but I just looked at my big stack of toilet paper and wondered if I'm the only nutcase stocking up the TP (and keeping a supply in the van too).
Click to expand...

You are not alone, my biggest fear is running out of TP[thinking]
 
Dan Hurley said:
You know, I've got piles of the usual stuff (cans, boxes, jugs, cartons, sacks, etc.), but I just looked at my big stack of toilet paper and wondered if I'm the only nutcase stocking up the TP (and keeping a supply in the van too).
Click to expand...

No, you're not alone. Spending any significant time in Europe, the Middle East and/or Asia tends to make you aware of that necessity.

Ken
 
K-DUB said:
TP, paper towels, & baby wipes are all in the stash. I don't want to be stuck looking for 3 shells.
Click to expand...

[rofl] good movie reference! And I'm with you there. I have all the paper products, and a case of the baby wipes from costco as well...
 
No Milk, No Dairy, No Whey!

If its good enough for the US Navy its good enough for me.


On 23 August 1779, the USS Constitution set sail from Boston loaded with 475 officers and men, 48,600 gallons of water, 74,000 cannon shot, 11,500 pounds of black powder and 79,400 gallons of rum. Her mission: to destroy and harass English shipping.
On 6 October, she made Jamaica, took on 826 pounds of flour and 68,300 gallons of rum. Three weeks later the Constitution reached the Azores, where she provisioned with 550 pounds of beef and 6,300 gallons of Portuguese wine.

On 18 November, the ship set sail for England where her crew captured and scuttled 12 English merchant vessels and took aboard their rum.

But the Constitution had run out of shot. Nevertheless, she made her way unarmed up the Firth of Clyde for a night raid. Here her landing party captured a whiskey distillery, transferred 40,000 gallons aboard and headed for home.

On 20 February 1780, the Constitution arrived in Boston with no cannon shot, no food, no powder, no rum, no whiskey. Just 48,600 gallons of water.


Detail analysis:

Length of cruise -- 181 days

Booze consumption -- 2.26 gallons per MAN per day (plus whatever they rescued from the 12 English merchant ships)
 
The best things to have in the worst of times (if you can stay put and keep other people from stealing them) are chickens and rabbits. It's my understanding that if you get 1 male rabbit and 1 female rabbit you will never need to buy meat again! Rabbits and chickens are a lot easier to keep fed than hogs and cattle. Also, eggs are good and don't require refrigeration when they're fresh. The drawbacks are: you need a lot of fuel to cook all that food and if TSHTF because of bird flu you may not want to keep those chickens around too long (I would imagine in that scenario the burning chicken carcasses would light up the night sky)
 
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I have 3 weeks food & water for our family of four, a pond and high-capacity water filter.

We have two Mormon families in our neighborhood - in case of emergency, unlock gun cabinet, remove gun, "harvest" local foods ...[smile]
 
keep your food safe

med_tree_cellar.jpg



It would make a good Cashe' for other things
 

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