Preparing for disaster, or a simple Ice storm requires that we store food enough to carry us through that time. WE have to decide How much food we need, and What we are preparing for; and make a plan to reach that goal, whatever it is.
A word of caution, Your plan will be different than My plan, because you are preparing for your version of disaster, and I mine. That said, there is a common thread in most SHTF plans.
Image from article:
Here is a good article on prepping:
http://www.prepping-101.com/7-essential-prepper-food-storage-containers/
I mostly agree with this article, with one Caveat, Their MRE is good stance. MREs are not Good food, They are fast, and taste decent, but they are heavily salted, and should be used only once in a while, and are not for long term use.
I Like their position on mason jars and agree with them. Mason Jars are a proven storage system, both for canned food, and dry food. I like the wide mouth jars so I can reach inside to clean them. I also like the Tattler brand lids that can be reused on canned food. I use the single use lids for dry storage, and I am impressed with them.
http://tattlerproducts.com/ ( I have no affiliation with Tattler lids)
Oxygen Absorbers are an obvious need for long term storage use, but for shorter term storage, and dry storage they are not needed. http://oxygenabsorbers.com/ ( I have no affiliation with this company)
I have seen canned tomatoes stored in the dark for two decades that were still okay to eat. The guy who ate them told me they smelled very good, and tasted even better. He ate dozen of quarts after he located them, and told me he was sorry when he ran out.
Expiration dates on food only means that the full nutritional content is no longer there. BUT, small losses do NOT mean that the stored food is bad, only slightly reduced in nutrition. But the tomatoes were enjoyed to the last jar! So remember, rotate your stock, but please think before you throw food out!
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