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This 'survival discussion' reminds of a 'survival challenge' show a few years back on Discovery channel. The basic course was some starting spot in Australia, and the ending spot several hundred miles away, conveniently enough thru the heart of solid classic 'Outback'.

The rules were simple: any supplies/gear you could carry on your back, with a given time frame from A to B via your own chosen route.

Singles or teams allowed. There were competitors from around the world: young swarthy athletes of various types, hikers, adventurers, runners. Electronic GPS mapping etc allowed. High tech gear of all kinds at choice of the individual in the competition.

While it was looking close for a while, as the days went on, there were a few clear in the lead. The eventual winner IIRC after about a week was a 60+ Bushman, barefoot & with just a walking staff. I don't recall if he even had a knife. He didn't seem to be fazed without freeze dried survival biscuits.
 
Don't forget in all your food preps about what happens a few hours after you eat your food… you'll need something to do your "paperwork". I have a MONSTER case of suitable TP that will last me and the wife about a year… LOL!
I go by one roll per woman per day plus one extra roll per week. For men it's one roll per every two weeks (noting that a half roll will be donated to a female for an "emergency").

One year for my two adult household = (52*8)+(52*0.5) = 52*8.5 = 442 rolls.

That's under normal circumstances. During the great TP panic when I mentioned conserving TP since we didn't know how long it would last. Keeping in mind I never go fewer than three full Costo packs, my wife's usage increased. I should have told her we had too much and needed to use more so she would have then decreased usage.

Factoring that in we would need about 700 rolls to last a year and be on the safe side. If you have a daughter, bump that up to 1,000, and if you have a son add an additional dozen.
 
Cost is not something in my equation. I'm not stockpiling two years worth of food. I stock probably a solid four months worth of food that could be squeaked to 6+ months worst case scenario. I like peak refuel freeze dried food so I keep probably 40 to 60 varying meals around along with peanut butter powder, butter powder and egg powder.I keep tubs of random dry goods that I eat on a regular basis like rice and cornbread mix, Stove top, Mac cheese and of course lots of cake,brownie mix and frosting cause if the world's ending I'm gonna be eating cake. I date the tub and use out of the oldest one as you stock the newest one. Anything I don't end up wanting to eat out of the open tub that's getting close to the expiration date I just donate.
 
Inflation means stocking up now will save you money later.

One thing I do like but haven't invested in yet are canned goods holders you load from the top and remove from the bottom

Imagine shorter sections big enough to hold one case on a shelf, perhaps two layers. I have seen images where the cans can be double stacked just like a magazine to make them shorter or increase capacity. Under the shelf are cases in storage with "best by" dates written with a sharpie

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Due to a lot of dietary restrictions I can not eat a vast majority of the most common foods that are prepped/stocked so we eat mostly fresh foods.
There is this. Especially for older people. Many of whom also have a battery of medicines that they take daily. Which is another thing to think about within the context of this thread. How many preppers have a year or two supply of their daily meds?

One thing I feel should be pointed out is (imo - ymmv) that creating your daily diet around rotatable food is for most people a pretty unhealthy way to eat.

You are much more likely to die from the side effects of a poor diet then the world ending and you being 'set and ready for it'.
If not deadly, deadly boring.

Lastly, I honestly can not fathom how anyone lives on $3 a day in food costs…. I would be hard pressed to make a lunch for that price, if I could even do it. So kudos to those of you that have that figured out, my food bill is one of my highest expenditures.
Maybe if a person relied solely on those sacks of dried beans.

I go by one roll per woman per day plus one extra roll per week. For men it's one roll per every two weeks (noting that a half roll will be donated to a female for an "emergency").
This reinforces my long-held suspicions about TP consumption in my own household.
 
Due to a lot of dietary restrictions I can not eat a vast majority of the most common foods that are prepped/stocked so we eat mostly fresh foods.

I do have a small pantry and a large-ish freezer so barring a long term black out we would be fine if there is another rush on the food stores.

One thing I feel should be pointed out is (imo - ymmv) that creating your daily diet around rotatable food is for most people a pretty unhealthy way to eat.

You are much more likely to die from the side effects of a poor diet then the world ending and you being 'set and ready for it'.

Just my way of thinking - to each their own etc.

Some ideas on foods:

Costco organic coconut oil - large tub:
Other then a massive source of calories for very little cost, it is antibacterial as well as it can be used for so many things that I keep a full tub in the kitchen always. I even heal my tattoos with it - look into it, it's fantastic stuff and room temp stable.

The Kirkland organic creamy peanut butter is some of the best I've ever had but it separates and has to be stirred. No big deal but I have found extended time unopened in the pantry does not do well so it isn't a long term food/brand I would recommend and most of the more commercial peanut butter has a bunch of crop in it that is not all that great for you.

Fat and protein would be my main sources to stock up on personally - carbs are not your friend in the long run but even I keep 50#'s of white jasmine rice in the house but I grew up overseas so it's a staple in our house (used in moderation now).



Lastly, I honestly can not fathom how anyone lives on $3 a day in food costs…. I would be hard pressed to make a lunch for that price, if I could even do it. So kudos to those of you that have that figured out, my food bill is one of my highest expenditures.
"One thing I feel should be pointed out is (imo - ymmv) that creating your daily diet around rotatable food is for most people a pretty unhealthy way to eat."

I suspect that depends on what diet you came from. Before starting my year long weightloss challenge, I was eating lots of frozen pizzas, ice cream, chips, etc. That is why I was 255lbs. Moving to eating mostly rice, pasta, beans, oats and even pop tarts, that can be rotated, is not likely to be worse than my standard diet. We will see how I feel when Dec 1st rolls around. I am hoping for a big boost in energy. While eating very low carb and high protein has allowed me to drop 70+ pounds, I feel like crap. My energy level is about as low as it's ever been. Mood is not good and I am feeling seriously deprived.
 
We like campfire cooking in cast iron particularly a Dutch Oven. Bacon and eggs in a skillet is pretty awesome as well.
If you have no power and those who haven't prepared are likely short, then the less smoke and smell the better.

Pressure cookers, being sealed systems, should give off minimal scent. A smokeless fire is also essential to prevent broadcasting that you may have food.

Here is a great article on how to create a smokeless fire pit out of pavers and also how to dig a Dakota Fire Hole:
 
"One thing I feel should be pointed out is (imo - ymmv) that creating your daily diet around rotatable food is for most people a pretty unhealthy way to eat."

I suspect that depends on what diet you came from. Before starting my year long weightloss challenge, I was eating lots of frozen pizzas, ice cream, chips, etc. That is why I was 255lbs. Moving to eating mostly rice, pasta, beans, oats and even pop tarts, that can be rotated, is not likely to be worse than my standard diet. We will see how I feel when Dec 1st rolls around. I am hoping for a big boost in energy. While eating very low carb and high protein has allowed me to drop 70+ pounds, I feel like crap. My energy level is about as low as it's ever been. Mood is not good and I am feeling seriously deprived.
Increase fat and decrease protein to moderate levels. Use only natural fats like olive oil, coconut oil, butter, and lard. Vegetable, corn, canola oils are heavily processed and have to be bleached so you can tolerate the flavor and then scented to get it past your nose. They also suck for long term storage.

Real peanut butter, the stir type that contains onlt peanuts and salt, is another good choice. Adams is good, but the Kirkland made from Valencia peanuts is awesome. The skippy/Jiff type stuff is highly processed and contains stabilizers and hydrogenated oils. Avoid.

2000 units of vitamin E will help to boost your energy. We "wetsiders" get so little exposure to the sun it's almost essential.
 
The solution to this is a dual fuel camp stove or a gas grill with a side burner
Or twig stoves I've got a couple titanium versions that break down and store flat for backpacking I've even got a Gucci titanium breakdown oven 12"x12"x8"with hinged door. It takes constant babysitting but cornbread is easy even had some pretty good flatbread pizzas come out of it.
 
If you have no power and those who haven't prepared are likely short, then the less smoke and smell the better.

Pressure cookers, being sealed systems, should give off minimal scent. A smokeless fire is also essential to prevent broadcasting that you may have food.

Here is a great article on how to create a smokeless fire pit out of pavers and also how to dig a Dakota Fire Hole:
As I said before, I'm not prepping for the end of the world but I'm willing to use what I have on hand already to make the end as comfortable as possable for me and mine.
 
If you are a store what you eat and eat what you store type.

What types of food are you eating/storing?

What is the average price per calorie you are paying these days to replenish the supply as you consume it?

What percentages of macros (fat, protein & carbs) do you eat/store?

What is the shortest pull date of product you will buy?

How much cubic feet of space does each per person months worth of food take to store?

How do you calculate how much nutrient (vitamins/minerals) values to store?
If you are really interested in this , Those doing this the longest mostly have it down pat. Those would be the LDS church. They require their faithful to have a years worth on hand at all times. They buy in bulk and show how to store it well.
The best they have are calendars with a shopping list that has you buying things from your local store that along with your regular shopping only ad $10 per person per month. At the end of the first calendar year you will have a 3 or 4 month storage. At the end of the 3rd year you begin to rotate those grocery's out so that none are older than 4 years old.
I have found that with pre packaged meals, Some of them I just don't like. With the LDS plan I'm only buying stuff I already eat.
Good Luck, DR
 
If you are really interested in this , Those doing this the longest mostly have it down pat. Those would be the LDS church. They require their faithful to have a years worth on hand at all times. They buy in bulk and show how to store it well.
The best they have are calendars with a shopping list that has you buying things from your local store that along with your regular shopping only ad $10 per person per month. At the end of the first calendar year you will have a 3 or 4 month storage. At the end of the 3rd year you begin to rotate those grocery's out so that none are older than 4 years old.
I have found that with pre packaged meals, Some of them I just don't like. With the LDS plan I'm only buying stuff I already eat.
Good Luck, DR
I don't have room for that much food. Finding room for two months worth will be a struggle.
 
great question; haven't solved the issue for myownself yet
I don't know how many laymen can actually prepare ahead for this. Prescriptions are required for lots of meds, doctors aren't always willing to write them for anything beyond immediate needs. Since the Covid, some have tightened up even more due to shortages here and there. Plus, meds usually have shelf lives. If you go on a cruise to Mexico, you can load up on some antibiotics and other stuff. But be careful, in a country ruled by drug cartels, farmacias can get sniffy about pain killers. And bringing them back to the US may be illegal.

If you do buy supplies of antibiotics from foreign sources, they have a shelf life. You're probably not going to use them and eventually they will be thrown away due to expiration. I guess that's just in the nature of emergency supplies, not applicable to your ordinary daily use meds.
 
Keeping track of vitamins and minerals contained in food storage supplies doesn't appear to be a top priority among respondents so far. I think I will stick with supplements to meet any deficiencies in my diet.

The other two benefits of low calorie vegetables (fiber and water) will be provided elsewhere in diet.
 

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