5 Gal emergency bucket-o-food. What would you put in yours?

[NM_Shooter]

I got to thinking that I'd like to have some emergency rations, and wondered what I'd put in it. 

Here's what I'm thinking:

Each "unit" would be a 5gallon home depot bucket with a lid.  Contents vacuum packed in individual bags.  Shelf life of 2 years.  Stored indoors in a controlled climate.  No ammo, medications, currency, just food.

Here's what I'm thinking...

5lbs beans
5 lbs rice
3 lbs pasta
1lb Cajun seasoning
1/2 lb salt
1/4 lb pepper
2lb sugar (can you vac-pack sugar?)
2lb flour
2lb dried potatoes
10 packages yeast (can you vac-pack yeast?)
1lb dehydrated milk
pint of honey

wish I knew where to get dehydrated foods in bulk, such as spaghetti sauce, chili sauce, mac and cheese powder, etc.

What else?

[NM_Shooter]

Hoo boy.  Jackpot.

http://www.internet-grocer.net/dehydrtd.htm

probably need some bouillon, and some of these neat dried veggies / fruits / instant juice too.

[peternap]

Matches, a can of sterno, coffee if you drink it, water purifier, $50.00 cash, knife, dried fruit and Pepto Bismol (You never know).

[glenn kangiser]

The LDS Church will sell dried foods in various forms to anybody at their cost - for 30 year storage most of the food is in #10 cans.  We combine our order with Whitlock's wife, Flutterby and reorder every 2 months.  It takes a few weeks for them to get the orders ready.

Their suggestions 
http://www.providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,1706-1,00.html

http://www.providentliving.org/content/display/0,11666,8133-1-4352-1,00.html

PDF form and pricing direct link - pricing may vary a bit per market fluctuations.  We have so far only found minimal variation up or down.   All products we have tried have been top quality. 

http://www.providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/120132_HSOrderForm_US_JAN_09_pdf.pdf

The lady there told me they would rather sell to anybody that wants to take care of themselves and plan ahead in advance than to worry about it when it is too late.  There has never been any pressure on me to join their church.  Just nice people with an eye on the future and who genuinely care about helping others in my opinion.

We probably have close to 1000 lbs of various foods and grains so far and building - most for 30 years storage.  They have bulk also. First vertical row on form is  #10 cans . middle pouch-  Last bulk.  Pouches and bulk are shorter periods I believe.

I found info on the pouches but not storage time.  Just longer term.

http://providentliving.org/pfw/multimedia/files/pfw/pdf/92987_FoilPouchStorageInstructionsv3_pdf.pdf

[NM_Shooter]

The LDS Church will sell dried foods in various forms to anybody at their cost - for 30 year storage most of the food is in #10 cans.  We combine our order with Whitlock's wife, Flutterby and reorder every 2 months.  It takes a few weeks for them to get the orders ready.

Good data Glenn, I just called a local LDS distribution center, and they confirmed that they will sell to the general public.  I was told that I needed to contact the "Bishop's Storehouse".  I called them, and it sounds as though they are only open a few hours a week.  I am going to drop by and check them out this weekend. 

-f-

[MountainDon]

peanut butter

[glenn kangiser]

That's great, Frank.  The one here opens 2 days a week.  The stuff comes in nice labled cases with instructions on the boxes.  The refried beans are the same as Taco Bell - the potato pearls are perfect mashed potatoes in about 3 minutes with just hot water but shorter term storage - potato flakes for long term.

[muldoon]

you might want to look at some nutrition and health sites to get an idea what your body needs on a daily basis and try to work around that while focusing on things you already use (so you know how to cook & season it), and things you like (because food fatigue is very real). 

I dont see any oils in your list, which is necessary part of a diet.  peanut butter is good for this too. 
Also, you might want to consider a few bottles of vitamin C, or multivitamin. 
Since your skipping fresh vegetables, a way to get lycopene, antioxidents, (tea perhaps?).  again read up on nutrition. 

If you need emergency food, odds are great you also need your body strong and healthy. 

-- yes, you can vac-u-pac sugar and yeast. 
-- instead of flour, perhaps raw wheat and a mill.  it will store far longer and you get more usable nutrients from it. winter red wheat will hold up a long long time. 

--
the home depot buckets are ok, but you might be better off getting one with a good seal. 
If you fill up a bucket just put the top on very loose, dont press down.  plunk a chunk of dry ice in the bucket - this releases carbon dioxide which is heavier than oxygen.  This forces the oxygen out of the bucket and replaces it.  (Like a tub filling with water and overflowing).  Once it has finished offgassing place the lid down firmly and seal it.  You'll have removed the oxygen which removes the possibility of oxidation.  This greatly enhances shelf life because the microorganisms that drive decomposing and degrading require oxygen to live. 

[glenn kangiser]

BK mentioned Gamma seal to turn Homer's buckets air tight - SG has them.  http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/cb.aspx?a=266012

[NM_Shooter]

Okay... small jar of p-nut butter (hopefully the salmonella free kind), and some olive oil too.  Vitamins for sure then.  Definitely M&Ms. 

I'm looking for a basic 60 day supply for emergencies.

Seems like tobacco might be a good thing to have to trade.  Can you vacuum pack that, or does it make it useless?

(I know... I'm starting to sound more and more like Glenn)

[glenn kangiser]

I was wondering how long it would take...

[MountainDon]

add some assortment of spices to break up the flavor boredom...
dried oniond or onion powder
ditto garlic
curry, etc.

[Don_P]

Canned barley malt and freeze dried brewers yeast and hops. I will of course entertain trade offers for lesser goods.

[Squirl]

How many 5 gallon buckets are you looking for for 60 days supply?

It depends on what you think the emergency is.  I would have a natural disaster bucket good for a few days first.  The logic being that in a natural disaster you have a few days or a week or two of getting to a new location.  Most people are more likely to face a natural disaster (happens all over the country a few times a year) than the complete collapse of society where we have switched to barter. (Has never happened in the history of the U.S.)

In that I would pack high calorie no cook foods.  Crackers, PB, Nutrition bars, granola, Instant oatmeal, canned meat, candy bars.  Things that can be eaten on the move with little or no heat or electricity.

In my area the usual natural disasters are floods and blizzards, it is usually never dry enough for wildfires and there aren't any earthquakes or tornadoes.  

[MountainDon]

It depends on what you think the emergency is.  I would have a natural disaster bucket

That's what my previously mentioned collection has been aimed at. More or less ready to eat, economical foods. Includes a bunch of granola type power bars.

[wildbil]

If it were just me I had to worry about...

As many cans of baked beans as possible , a big wooden spoon, and some matches. That will keep me as long as anyone elses bucket. From then out I'll trust in my rifle for food(nothings better than fresh venison, beef, human).

[tesa]

interesting topic, being a lifelong resident of hurricane country, i was raised to be prepared

the first 5 years i lived on my own, my mother came over every june 1st with a box of suppleis

one thing was always in that box, chewable kids vitamins

she's a nurse, and she always said that if something were to happen, you'd want
to stay as healthy as possible, so she'd get me vitamins

to this day, every june, when i check my hurricane box, i buy fresh vitamins

i know its expensive, but that dehydrated stuff they sell to backpackers is great too!

i had some on hand during ike, and it wasn't too bad!

also, i do, every year, pack something sweet and yummy, the kids were thrilled during ike,
when i opened up a box of recees peanut butter cups! they thought they were in heaven

just a little something thats fun, and good

i also buy cans of fruit, i had about 6 cans of dole tropical fruit that i put in the cooler, it was
sweet, delicious, and nourishing, plus very juicy, and broke up the dullness of drinking water for
5 days

the kids and the grown ups liked that, as we fed 5 neighbors during ike

neighbors, who, i might add, didn't prepare, who thought they'd go to the store the next
day, and generally blew off any thoughts of having supplies to hand, well, except for the 5
cases of beer, yup, 5 cases of beer and three gallons of water for a family of 5, the next day
they spent two hours drivin' around lookin' for ice, cause their beer was gettin' hot

fools

i bet come next hurricane season, they have a different idea about being prepared

we do alot of camping, and i've always been a fan of real power bars, not the ones that are more
sugar than nourishment, but i buy cliff bars, and such, ones with real value, read the labels, and
find ones with good amounts of protein

tesa

[Redoverfarm]

Frank sounds like a buisness oppurtunity to me.  Develope a couple mixes and market your product. 

[Daddymem]

Shelf Reliance President's Day Sale-15% off case lots and free shipping on $199
http://www.shelfreliance.com/

might help fill up a bucket. 

[Windpower]

I agree tesa

if money is not a problem go for the freeze dried meals

the shelf life is over 10 years they tell me

my wife is a big fan of cliff bars too

spot on with the vitamins (spend a little more and get good ones from a health food store probably in the $60 a bottle range)

MRE's are ok too (well they probably won't kill you anyway, at least not right away, well they are cheap and could keep you alive maybe)


A variety of items here including those spin on lids -- which are really nice btw

http://beprepared.com/Default.asp?bhcd2=1234612984

If you are going to store food in plastic buckets get food grade so it will taste OK and won't risk being poisoned with toxins from cheap plastic -- buy new (2 or 3 bucks ) or make friends with a restaurant owner and get their cast offs

http://www.freezedryguy.com/index.html

I think it depends on what and where you are storing for

If you think you will have to bug out due to a hurricane for example -- definitely go for light and easy to fiix --- hard to beat freeze dried there (you absolutely must have a good water filter too -- they make back packer versions that can filter water from virtually any fresh water source with safety)

If you think there is going to be a shortage of food this year (yes I think it is quite likely)
and you want to just hunker down at home -- go for rice and beans supplimented with good canned food (home canned is great -we put up 60 quarts of tomatoes and 30 quarts of beans last summer)

peanut butter is about the most concentrated source of calories there is ....


For home water I can highly recomend the Doulton water filters ( I can hear mine dripping in the kitchen as I type)  Available here

http://www.jmccanneyscience.com/DoultonWaterFilterInformationSub-Page.HTM

I used to recomend the "black Berkey" that is widely available but unfortunately the quality is pretty bad lately, and they are not cheap -- cannot recomend them anymore

The Doulton filters better and doesn't plug easily -- top notch

[MountainDon]

Sardines!!! I forgot about the cans of sardines I have stocked. Great source of protein, plus oils, not heavy on the sodium, and they keep forever. Best before dates are usually 3 years or so off in the future. You can even get them canned with green chile's  and Louisiana hot sauce or tomato sauce.

[considerations]

2lb sugar (can you vac-pack sugar?) yes, but mostly it just needs to stay dry.

yeast is best preserved by freezing.

Here is where I've found the best prices so far.

http://www.internet-grocer.net/index.htm

[Windpower]

internet grocer added to favorites

thanks

[southernsis]

Just found this site for emergency food.

http://www.efoodsdirect.com

[Homegrown Tomatoes]

I second what Don said about sardines, except that I would go with dried anchovies.  These are readily available at Japanese/Korean markets, they last forever, and they are highly nutritious and flavorful.  You can make a good-tasting soup base with them as well as eating them straight or frying them with a little soy sauce and a pinch of sugar and sesame.  I prefer the smaller ones (around one inch long) because I don't feel like they're staring me down when I'm eating them, but the larger ones taste good too.  A lot of Asian markets also sell things like dried fish, root veggies, etc., that are really good for storage.  We always keep some dried squash and fish on hand, and with a little onion and potato, you have a fairly tasty and nourishing soup.  Seaweed is another good one.  Dried seaweed lasts forever, and cook it in soup and you've got an anti-coagulant soup that tastes great (good news for those on blood thinners if they run out of meds when everything goes nuts.   )   Another thing, get to know what wild plants are edible in your area and when they are available.  Make a habit of harvesting some every year so that you know where to find them and how to prep them... then when all heck breaks loose you could be eating delicacies like morel mushrooms, wild berries and nuts, or if worse comes to worse, poke salad.