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Flour does not last as long as some other staple items. White rice, oatmeal, and honey are said to have an indefinite shelf life. Next in line are things like dried beans/lentils and dry pasta, which can last for years.
The article below also mentions powdered milk as having an indefinite shelf life, which I haven't seen before.
Be sure and rotate your supplies. I take out as much as I can use in 6 months and leave the rest in the container with the oxygen absorber. I am planning to get a food saver with the canning attachment.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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With any storage program...
"Store what you eat/use and eat/use what you store" (rotate, rotate, rotate)
Rice is a good resource for something to eat, but without water, you can not make it edible, so you need water in storage. Next, once you make it edible, you need some salt to season whatever you eat with it or just add some salt to your rice. So now you need to add salt to your storage items. Then comes the question, what are you going to eat with the cooked rice... you get the gist...! Make a Plan and follow through!
Now do the same with the pasta, and whatever else you think you need to "survive" a short period of shortages.
While on the subject of surviving, have you thought about how to cook the stuff you have stored?
Are you on electricity alone or do you have gas available? I am in an all-electric home so I have a portable 9000-watt power supply on dual fuels. So I have gasoline (a few jugs, but multiple propane gas bottles) Gasoline does not last a long time, especially the alcohol added kind. It absorbs water and thus goes bad in a few weeks or months. So I use the gasoline in my car after a few weeks and refill the jugs. The propane bottles I can use for BBQ and also for added heat for personal use. I have a heater that fits on top of the propane bottles.
Learn how to "cold smoke" fish and meat. That stuff, when "properly stored" will last for a long time.
I made a cold smoker from a broken down dishwasher...
I have a non-working water heater right before my regular water heater, so I have almost 100 gallons of freshwater available at all times.
When you store in 5-gallon jugs, make sure you can open them with your bare hands after you close them... There are special tools to open those jugs, but you will never find them where you kept them!
Plenty of old posts about this subject and do not forget to have some cash on hand for emergency times.
Have you noted that big box stores are reducing their shelf space? Now it does not look like they have empty shelves!
Again, create a plan and follow thru!
How many people do you need to feed, for how long.
I don't plan on being here in 25 years. I am wanting a way to keep the bugs out. These jars are big pickle jars.
You may already have bugs in the items you are storing. So, don't get upset if you see bugs in a year or two. The bugs are edible, and add protein. Something I learned living overseas in third world countries...
How many people do you need to feed, for how long.
Just two of us and our dogs. We have already stored up spices, hot sauces, canned goods, peanut butter, etc...Now we are moving on to pasta, rice and beans. We have always stored up water because because of hurricanes.
Location: God's Gift to Mankind for flying anything
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WRM20
You may already have bugs in the items you are storing. So, don't get upset if you see bugs in a year or two. The bugs are edible, and add protein. Something I learned living overseas in third world countries...
To remove bugs from rice or beans or flour, spread out over a large container, like a baking plate or something like that. The height of the layer of rice or beans should be as thin as possible.
Now put a white sheet over the stuff and place it in the sun.
Check once and a while and remove the bugs which have gone up to the white sheet.
If you end up with bugs or weevils, keep in mind that they were already in it when the item was processed.
To remove bugs from rice or beans or flour, spread out over a large container, like a baking plate or something like that. The height of the layer of rice or beans should be as thin as possible.
Now put a white sheet over the stuff and place it in the sun.
Check once and a while and remove the bugs which have gone up to the white sheet.
If you end up with bugs or weevils, keep in mind that they were already in it when the item was processed.
I use mylar bags set into 5 gallon buckets with dessicant packs and O2 absorbers thrown in. I fill to just under the top of the bucket and fold the mylar bag over a few times and seal things with gorilla tape I check a can at random every 5 years or so and everything's fine. I did the same with beans but used No. 10 cans (When the Bishops store sold empty cans & let you can your own items.) and waxed the tops of the cans to prevent corrosion.
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I am wanting a way to keep the bugs out. These jars are big pickle jars.
