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How to Stay Healthy and Eat Right During Quarantine or Natural Disaster
Despite the appearance of bare shelves in some American grocery stores, the world probably isn’t going to end anytime soon. But that’s no reason to avoid stocking up on quality non-perishable foods that are high in nutrition and taste great. While bulk rice and beans are always a healthy and highly profitable investment, there are plenty of other options to keep you and your household satisfied in an emergency.
How to store and store emergency food
To some extent, storing food in bulk for emergencies is not that different from storing food for everyday use. In some ways it’s easier because ideally most of your emergency supplies will be canned, dried or vacuum sealed.
The first thing to do is to use your perishables first. Cooking what’s left in your fridge is the first step, followed by using the contents of your freezer. If you already have a lot of cold food, a few bags of dry ice combined with blankets outside your freezer and refrigerator can add several days to the life of the food inside. Keep a spare thermometer in all your cold food storages to ensure the temperature does not exceed 40 degrees.
When storing non-perishable foods, remember to keep them cool and dry. Avoid leaving anything directly on the ground to minimize moisture and pest contamination. Pay special attention to canned foods and discard them if the can is bulging or dented. Bloated and dented cans are a potential sign of dangerous foodborne illness. Have hard-sided plastic containers on hand with sealed lids to extend the shelf life of packaged foods like cookies or crackers.
Always maintain cleanliness outside your food storage area. Government experts agree this is particularly important in the event of a disaster – when services such as electricity, drinking water and garbage collection could be compromised. Keep your living and eating areas swept and clean and never store trash inside, even if it is relatively clean; pests like rodents and bugs like to munch on cardboard and starchy glue almost as much as real food.
What types of emergency food to store
Remember to choose foods that you and your household will actually prepare and eat. If you don’t have the means or the will to make bread, no amount of flour will help you. Also pay attention to the macronutrient content like sugar and salt. Although delicious, many canned foods (soup and chili, for example) contain alarming levels of salt, and it’s harder to exercise and burn off excess calories if you’re mostly stuck at home. .
It is important to rotate your emergency food stock. You don’t want to gather a stockpile of food and let it sit undisturbed for months or years. Always use what you have well before its expiration date and replace it with fresh supplies. This ensures your stock is always ready to go when the next hurricane or viral pandemic hits.
The best emergency foods to buy
Nature Valley Granola Bars
These classic crunchy snacks are high in fiber and made with whole grain oats and a little less excess sugar than many other granola bars.
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No Salt Added Hormel Chicken Chunks
Made from real white meat and stored in water, this canned chicken is a great way to retain the protein you need without overdoing your salt levels.
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White Albacore No Salt Added Starkist
It’s arguably the tastiest canned tuna on the market and a long-time staple for budget preps.
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Minute Multigrain Blend
A combination of brown rice, red rice, wild rice (which isn’t really rice), and quinoa, this easy-to-cook whole-grain product is packed with nutrients and fiber and is ready in minutes.
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Amy’s Low Sodium Lentil Soup
Although dried lentils and seasonings are a little more budget-friendly, it’s nice to have some pre-made canned soups on hand for an easy dinner party.
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Nutstop.com High Energy Trail Mix
It’s simple, affordable, and full of nutrients and energy. In fact, trail mix is (unsurprisingly) the most popular food among weight-conscious and cost-conscious minimalist backpackers, who tend to know a thing or two about survival tactics.
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Mountain House Freeze-Dried Beef Stew
Taking inspiration from backpackers, it’s one of the leading brand’s most popular flavors. Other delicious options include Chicken & Rice, Chili Mac and, probably most recommended, Beef Stroganoff. Keep in mind that they are quite expensive, but also quite tasty.
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Augason Farms Lunch and Dinner Variety Bucket
If you’d rather not do the meal planning yourself, consider this sealed variety pack of long-lasting meals developed specifically for emergency use.
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Dried Pinto Beans
Dried beans are probably the most nutrient dense foods on the planet for their money. Just make sure you always cook them well, because undercooked beans can and will make you sick.
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their buying decisions, saving them time and money.
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