Food And Water For Thought

If you have doubts on the safety of a canned product, check to see if it has a “use by” or “best by” date printed or stamped on it. If there is no date, the product should be discarded after six months. I keep dry beans on hand, because they are an excellent source of protein, if you have the water to cook them and they can be stored indefinitely if sealed containers are used and they are kept in a cool and dry place.

Recommended foods by the Red Cross include:
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables. Be sure to include a manual can opener
Canned juices, milk and soup if powdered, store extra water.
High-energy foods, such as peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars and trail mix.
Comfort foods, such as hard candy, sweetened cereals, candy bars and cookies.
Instant coffee, tea bags.
Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons on special diets, if necessary.
Compressed food bars. They store well, are lightweight, taste good and are nutritious.
Trail mix. It is available as a prepackaged product or you can assemble it on your own.
Dried foods. They can be nutritious and satisfying, but have some have a lot of salt content, which promotes thirst. Read the label.
Freeze-dried foods. They are tasty and lightweight, but will need water for reconstitution.
Instant Meals. Cups of noodles or cups of soup are a good addition, although they need water for reconstitution.
Snack-sized canned goods. Good because they generally have pull-top lids or twist-open keys.
Prepackaged beverages. Those in foil packets and foil-lined boxes are suitable because they are tightly sealed and will keep for a long time.

Food Options to Avoid:
Commercially dehydrated foods. They can require a great deal of water for reconstitution and extra effort in preparation.
Bottled foods. They are generally too heavy and bulky, and break easily.
Meal-sized canned foods. They are usually bulky and heavy.
Whole grains, beans, pasta. Preparation could be complicated under the circumstances of a disaster.

In a natural disaster or emergency situation most rescues will occur within a few days or things will simply get back to normal, unless the situation is widespread or there has been a heavy loss of life. Keep in mind that most of us have sufficient food in our cupboards, refrigerator or freezer to survive for a week or two, so concentrate your efforts on water procurement. Rotate your water supplies ever six months and remember the alternate places to find water, as well as the various treatment methods to insure it’s safe to drink. Also keep a close eye on how long you’ve have your food stuffs in storage and rotate your foods so you always use the oldest foods first.

Take care and I’ll see you on the trails of America!

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