Every year as hurricane season hits we are reminded of just how volatile the environment is. Whether or not you believe that climate change is man made, you cannot deny that it is real. Many people are beginning to wonder what foods to store for economic collapse. The climate is changing and disasters are on the rise. Hurricanes bust down flood barriers, tornadoes tear up homes, and earthquakes collapse freeways.
Climatologists predict that these natural disasters will continue their upward trend, which likely means we will see a global sea level rise; however, a global sea level rise may not occur within your lifetime. So you have nothing to worry about, right?
Not so fast. Even if sea levels do not rise in your lifetime, as each disaster displaces more people, land and resources will become scarce. Furthermore, a well (or poorly) placed hurricane can wipe out major ports and transportation. This erasure means less easy access to food.
In the event of a natural disaster that makes food difficult to shop for and buy the way we do today, you will need to turn to your own personal stash. The bottom line, then, is that you need a personal stash. The question then becomes what to stock up on for economic collapse.
Best Food to Store for Disaster:
1.Canned Meats.
Protein protein protein. Think of canned tuna (Yes, you can have tuna, just not fresh. That’d be gross.), canned ham, canned chicken, even corned beef hash, anything with protein in it will get you the energy you need to deal with all the other things you’ll be dealing with during an economic collapse.
Most canned meats are nice also because you can eat them straight from the can, you can put them on crackers, or you can heat them up on your gas stove to go with a few side dishes.
For other sources of protein you can store canned or bagged nuts. Just be sure to check expirations dates; rotten peanuts are foul tasting.
2.Canned Beans
You probably will not get a lot of love from your family members or friends while you wait out the worst of a storm or apocalypse if you ingest too many beans. Too bad.
Beans are an excellent source of energy and fiber; having digestive problems is the last thing you want to deal with during economic collapse. Beans can be eaten straight out of a can or heated up in a small pot if you grow tired of eating cold food.
You can mash beans and serve them with chips like a dip. You can add them to meat and canned salsa and make a taco salad. You can even eat them for breakfast with tortillas if you still have some on hand.
3.Canned Vegetables
Yes, yes, even during an apocalypse you still need to eat your greens. Stock up on green beans, spinach, corn, carrots, pretty much any and all vegetables you can find in a can now.
Vegetables are great as sides, as snack, and even as a main meal, mixed in with some canned meat as a casserole and eaten with crackers.
Maintaining a healthy diet is even more important during a life altering event like a natural disaster or economic collapse, or both, than ever. Stress and anxiety levels raise your cholesterol and your blood pressure, and a healthy diet will help you keep your levels under control.
4.Crackers, and other boxed dry goods
Your carbohydrates are going to come largely from boxed goods like crackers, cereals, and chips. Try to be sure you check expiration dates regularly because they do not keep as long as canned goods do.
Also aim for multigrain carbs if you can. If you’re wondering “why multigrain?” refer to #2 above and “digestive problems.” You want to stay regular. Store your boxed dry goods in a cool dry container; their shelf life is much more likely to hold if they are stored properly.
5.Evaporated milk
Dairy is an important part of many people’s diet. It is fortified with vitamins you won’t get in other foods, and the calcium alone is something that will keep your body strong right when you need it most.
As an alternative, you can always go with soy milk or almond milk in shelved containers; they have a decent shelf life. Just be sure they are fortified with all the same vitamins and minerals you will get in good old Vitamin D whole milk. Plus, how else are you going to eat your cereal?
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, authorities tell us to plan to hunker down for at least three days in the even of a natural disaster. The reality is it may be much longer than that. If the hurricanes in the last decade have shown us anything it is that weeks can go by without outside aid. Furthermore, in the event of total economic collapse, you will need to be prepared for much longer than three days.
You will want to have a variety of foods, from meats to veggies to different kinds of crackers and chips. Eating the same food day in and day out is wearing on an already stressed out situation. Set yourself up as best you can with the widest range of storable foods available. You’ll be the talk of the apocalyptic town.
