A Stay Alive Blueprint

Table of Contents
WhenDisasterStrikes.................................................................................................... 3
StrategicPlanning.......................................................................................................... 4
AlwaysMessingThingsUp ............................................................................................ 5
AndThenMoreIntervention......................................................................................... 6
WhatstheShelfLife?.................................................................................................... 7
CanIt ............................................................................................................................. 9
OtherPantryItems ...................................................................................................... 10
ShouldYouBuyinBulk? .............................................................................................. 11
SurvivalistLiving .......................................................................................................... 11
YourOwnGarden ........................................................................................................ 12
HuntingforFood ......................................................................................................... 12
CanYouEatYourDogsFood?..................................................................................... 13
SpecialtyFoodsforSurvival......................................................................................... 14
FoodforBarter ............................................................................................................ 15
LowPricedFoods......................................................................................................... 16
SurvivalThroughtheAges ........................................................................................... 16
MoretoEatThanWheat ............................................................................................. 17
StoreIt ......................................................................................................................... 18
BuyingLocally .............................................................................................................. 19
BuyingGrainsOnline ................................................................................................... 21
WhattodowithUnprocessedFoods .......................................................................... 21
AFineGrind ................................................................................................................. 22
Sprouting ..................................................................................................................... 22
ItsNevertooLatetoStart .......................................................................................... 24
FamilyNeeds ............................................................................................................... 24
LongerShelfLife .......................................................................................................... 25
QuantitiesHowMuch? ............................................................................................. 25
WheretoBuyUnprocessedFoods .............................................................................. 26
AlternativeCookingMethods...................................................................................... 27
ImportanceofWater ................................................................................................... 28
DontWaitAnyLonger ................................................................................................ 28
StockpileChecklist ....................................................................................................... 30

When Disaster Strikes

It doesnt take long for the shelves at the grocery store to become empty soon
afteradisaster.Orevenbefore,iftheresenoughofawarning.Withinhours,basic
itemslikewater,bread,ormilkcanliterallydisappear.Thinkabouthowspoiledwe
are as Americans. A typical run to the supermarket and we come home with just
aboutanythingandeverythingwecouldwant.Regardlessofwhattheseasonis,we
canhavefreshstrawberries,oranges,peppersagain,justaboutanythingallyear
round!

Now think about it a little more. How is it possible that someone in Illinois can
enjoy strawberries in the winter? And a family in Alabama can bake delicious
homemade bread with wheat from out west? Rarely, do we think about the
transportationanddeliverysystemsthatmakesuchthingspossible.Wehavegotten
so used to having an enormous variety of food at our fingertips that its hard to
imagine anything less. But what if, for some reason, those delivery trucks never
madeittoourstores?

HaveyoueverbeentothestorethenightbeforeThanksgiving?Therearecertain
things that you just cant buy because theyre simply not there! Not even one!
Everyonewentshoppingforthesameingredientsforthesamefavoritedish.Evena
dayortwoaftertheholidaytheinventoryisntreplenished.Doyouknowwhy?

Because the typical grocery store has only a three day supply of food. That
meansthatifsomethingdelayedthedeliverytruckfrombringinginanewsupply,the
store would only have enough inventory in stock for three days. And its very
possiblethatitcouldbeevenlessthanthat!Especiallyifeveryoneisinpanicmode!

Therehaverecentlybeenmentionsofapossiblefoodshortagerighthereinthe
goodolUSA!HowlongwillitbebeforetheaverageAmericanconsumerstartsto
think more about this? Is it possible that people will start panicking and hoarding
basic grocery items? Without strategic planning, we could very well see food
suppliesdisappearwithinhoursifthereeverwasapanic.

Put this book down for a moment. Go take a peek in your cupboards or your
pantry. So? If today brought food shortages.and you couldnt get to the grocery
store.wouldyoubeabletogetby?Forafewdays?Forafewweeks?Whatabout
evenlongeramonthortwo?Again,wetendtotakeforgrantedbeingabletorun
uptothestoretogetafewthingswhenweneedthem.Butwhatifwecouldntdo
thatbecause,whatweneededwasntthere?

Nowimaginewhatwouldhappenifgrocerystoreshelveswereemptyacrossthe
nation.Theaveragefamilyprobablydoesnthaveenoughfoodonhandtolastmore
thanaweek.Ifyouliveinanareawherehurricanesarecommon,youmighthave
already learned how to prepare for scenarios that would cause a shortage of food.
Andyouveprobablyseenhowcertainitemstendtovanishquicklywhenpeopleare
worried.

Ifsuchafoodcrisisweretooccur,wouldyoubepreparedtofeedyourfamilyfor
however long it took before the problems were resolved? What if it lasted longer
thanafewweeks?Dontthinksuchathingcouldhappen?Well,wearecurrently
facing the biggest economic disaster our country has ever seen. Anything seems
possibleatthispoint.

With that being said, the ball is in your court. Its up to you to take the
responsibilitytokeepyourfamilyfedifsuchasituationdoesarise.

Strategic Planning
Dont lose hope! The purpose of this handbook is to help you plan for such an
occasion. You can take the advice in these pages, act upon them, and keep your
familysafeandfed!Andyoumightevenhaveenoughtosharewithothersinyour
neighborhood.Anddontworryitdoesnthavetoemptyyourbankaccount!Youll
be surprised at how far you can stretch your dollars (even in a time of economic
disaster)!

The time to start planning is NOW! The secret to successful preparation is

stocking your pantry while the stores are plentifully supplied. Its important to
purchasetheitemsyoullneedbeforepanicsetsin.Otherwiseitstoolate.Youllbe
inthesameboataseveryoneelserushingtogetwhateveryoucan.

Itwouldalsobewisetohaveanawarenessofhoworwheretogetadditionalfood
just in case the problems arent fixed after a few days. You can imagine the
widespreadpanicthatwouldoccurifgrocerystoresthroughoutAmericawereunable
toprovideeventhemostbasicoffoodstohundredsofthousandsofpeople.

Another disadvantage when disaster is on the horizon, and after it strikes, is a

significant increase in price. Even in the absence of a crisis, with huge financial
bailoutsbeingshoveddownourthroats,inflationbringsaboutrisingcostsallonits
own.So,youwanttostockupbeforepricesskyrocket.

Always Messing Things Up

You have to admit, whether its responding to hurricane damage or trying to fix
our economy, the government is always messing things up. Yet, regardless of
previousfailures,theycantresistanopportunitytotrytosaveus.Thoseeliteand
elected(andappointed)fewknowwhatsgoodfortherestofus!Trustus,theysay,
wereactinginyourbestinterest(astheycontinuetopourbucketsofwateroverour
drowningnation).

Seriously though, we need only take a look at Hurricane Katrina. It was an

embarrassingreminderofwhatswrongwiththegovernmentassaviormentality.
Itseemsasiftheonlypeopletheyareinterestedinsavingarethemselves(alongwith
thosewhopaytoplay.)Theyareslowandinefficient.Doyouhonestlythinkthatif
ourcountryexperiencedafoodcrisisthatgovernmentinterventionwouldresultina
speedyrecovery?

Whatif,inapossiblecrisis,thegovernmentactuallymakesthesituationworse?
YoumightbethinkingYeah,Iagreewiththeirbumblinginabilitytohelpwhenits
neededthemost,buttoactuallyworsenthings?Howcanthatbe?Withmoreand
more attention drawn to corrupt government officials, wouldnt it be very possible
forthemtotakewhattheywantedandinturngiveitthosewhoneedit.Orwhatif
theydecidetowarehousesuppliesagain,actinginthebestinterestofthepeople?

LookatwhathappenedduringtheGreatDepression.Theywerekillinglivestock
and destroying crops while people were STARVING! What madness! Thats
governmentinterventionforyou.

Andtheresnoreasontobelievethatifsomethinghappenedrightnowitwouldbe
anybetter.

Stillnotconvinced?TakealookatPresidentialExecutiveOrders.Regardlessofthe
factthatitsunconstitutional,whatdosuchorderslooklikeatatimeofcrisis?The
government can confiscate any excess and surplus real and personal property.
Personalproperty?Anythingofyourscouldbelegallytaken:food,gold,guns,and
ammo(andwhateverelsewouldbenefitthoseinauthority).

Ofcourse,wehopeitdoesntcometothis.Butitdoesnthurttohavethesekinds
ofpossibilitiesinthebackofyourmind.Youhavetobeabletoprotectyourfamily
fromofficialswho,unconstitutionally,makelawsthatdomoreharmthangood.You
donthavetooutrightdisobeybutyoucanplaysmart.

And Then More Intervention

Just when you think the government cant mess things up anymore than they
alreadyhavetheysomehowmanagetodojustthat.Theycanthelpit;itslikethe
touch of Midas; but instead of gold we get ruin. So, what does more intervention
looklikeintheeventofafoodcrisis?Well,heretheycometosavethedaywithan
attemptatcontrollingwhatsmadeavailableandatwhatprice.

With a government that is becoming more and more controlling, it wouldnt be

surprising to have homes searched and excess food (or whatever else they think
wouldbeforthegreatergood)confiscated.Youneedtobepreparedforthistypeof
situation.

Dontadvertisetothoseinyourneighborhoodwhatyouredoingorabouttodo.
Its better to later share than have someone steal or alert authorities to your
stockpile. Plan where you can store things (possibly out of sight in case home
inspectionsbecomethenorm).Itsalwaysbettertopreparefortheworstthantobe
unprepared.(Needsomeextraideasonsecretstorage?Therearebooksavailable
oncreatingandusinghidingplacesthroughoutyourhome.)

Whats the Shelf Life?

When people are thinking, for the first time, of stockpiling, they usually wonder
aboutshelflifehowlongfooditemswilllastintheirpantry.Noteverythinglasts
forever.Somepeoplearentphasedbytheexpirationdateprovidedtherearent
livingthingscrawlingaround(andImsuretherearepeopleouttherewhowouldnt
bebotheredbythateither!)butitsimportanttorememberthattheoldersomething
ismeansthatthenutritionalvaluemightnotbeasgreatasitusedtobe.

Rotatingyourstockpileofpantrygoods(thosewithlessshelflife)isagoodhabit
togetinto.Thatwayyoureplacetheitemsthathavebeensittingtherethelongest
with newer items and theres less throwing away food thats gone bad. However,
youmaydecidetoinvestinfoodsthathavelongershelflifesothatyoudonthaveto
worrysomuchaboutperiodicrotating.(Onesuggestion,forrotating,istowritethe
purchasedatesomewhereonthecanorboxsoyouknowwhenitstimetorotate.)

The advantage of longer shelf life items is that youll spend less time replacing
them. You can put them on the shelf and not have to worry about them until its
timetousethem!Fortunately,thefoodsthatlastlongercostless.Youdonthaveto
spendafortunetoestablishadecentsizedstockpile.Andyoucanprobablyaffordto
spendalittlemorejustincaseyouhavetosharewithyourneighbors.

Herearesomecommonpantryitemsandtheirshelflife:

FoodItemBaking
ShelfLife
Allpurposeflour
12monthsunopened,68monthsopened
WholeWheatflour
12monthsunopened,6monthsopened(ifrefrigerated)
Granulatedsugar
2yearsunopened,6monthsopened
Brownsugar
4monthsunopened,4monthsopened
Confectionerssugar
18monthsunopened
Solidshortening
8monthsunopened,3monthsopened
Cocoa
2yearsunopened,1yearopened
BakingSoda
18monthsunopened,6monthsopened
BakingPowder
6monthsunopened,3monthsopened
Cornstarch
18months
Spices
Wholespices
24years
Groundspices
23years
Paprika
23years(ifrefrigerated)
CayennePepper
23years(ifrefrigerated)
CannedGoods(loweracidfoodshavealongershelflife)
Tomatoproducts
12yearsunopened
FruitJuices
12yearsunopened
Soups
35yearsunopened
Meats
24yearsunopened
Gravy
35yearsunopened
Vegetables
34yearsunopened
OtherItems
Pastadried(noeggs)
2yearsunopened,1yearopened
Pastadried(witheggs) 2yearsunopened,12monthsopened
SaladDressings
1yearunopened,3monthsopened(inrefrigerator)
Honey
1year
GroundCoffee
1yearunopened,2weeksopened(inrefrigerator)
InstantCoffee
1yearunopened,3monthsopened
BottledWater
2yearsunopened,3monthsopened
JamsandJellies
1yearunopened,6monthsopened(inrefrigerator)
PeanutButter
69monthsunopened,23monthsopened

Remember,thesearesuggestedshelflives.Commonsense,andagoodnose,will
tellyouwhensomethingneedstobethrownout!

Can It
Cannedfoods,asyouveprobablyguessed,areperfectforstockpiling.Thestudies
doneoncannedfoodarereallyquiteremarkable.Forinstance,inastudyarticledby
theFDAoncannedfoodsfoundfrom100yearsago,despitethelackoffreshsmell
and appearance, the chemists determined that there was no microbial growth and
thecontentsweresafetoeat.

Fruits and vegetables are filled with the vitamins, minerals, and fiber that are
essential to our well being. You would think that fresh produce would win, hands
down,againstcannedfoodwhenitcomestothenutritionalvalue.However,canned
goodscomeprettydarnclosecomparedtofresh.OtherthansomelossofVitaminC,
due to heat processing, studies have shown stable levels of the nutrients found in
cannedfoods.

Surprised?Whatdoweknowaboutcanning?Well,itsoneofthesafestwaysto
preservefood.Thehighheatprocesskillsthemicroorganismsthatareresponsible
forfoodborneillnesses.Andtherearenopreservatives.Thesuggestedshelflifeofa
cannedgoodistwoyears.Youcaneitherloaduponcannedgoodsfromthestore
oryoucanlearntocanyourownproducegrownfromyourowngarden.Dontknow
howtocan?Itseasytolearn!ThereareDVDsthatcanteachyouthislonglostskill
youllbecanninglikeaproinnotime.(Checkoutwww.foodshortageusa.com)

The only disadvantage to canned food, whether its your own or bought, is the
heavinessofthecontaineranddifficultythatcomeswhenrotatingyoursupply.You
alsoneedquiteabitofstoragespacetostockpileenoughjarsorcanstofeedyour
family (and dont forget a little extra just in case you need to share with your
neighbors). There is also the possibility that, after a crisis, if authorities were
confiscatingsupplies,thecannedfoodwouldbethefirsttogosimplybecausethey
wouldbethehardesttohide.

Other Pantry Items

Thereareplentyofotheritemsthatcanbestoredinyourpantryandusedinan
emergency. While suggested shelf life for some of these products was given
previously, its important to remember, when it comes to your pantry items, the
properenvironmentandstorageneededforalongershelflife:Acooltemperature,
outoflight,andtightlysealed.Letstakealookatsomeoftheotherpantryitems
youshouldconsiderhavingonhand.

Powderedmilk
Bouilloncubes
Cereals
Nuts
Driedfruits/jerky
Vegetableoils
Lard/Crisco
Seasonings/spices
Flour
Sugar/whiteandbrown

Dontforgetpastaproducts.Abasicpastadishcanbewhippedupinnotimeand
withfewingredients.Spaghetti,macaroni,rotini;theseareinexpensivewaystofeed
your family. Plus, as mentioned earlier, they have a shelf life for up to two years
whenunopened.

Itwouldbegoodtonote;withallofyouritems,regardlessofshelflife,thatyou
getinthehabitofwritingthedateofwhenyoupurchasedthefooditemsomewhere
onthecontainer.Thiscanreallyhelpwhenrotatingyoursupplyandhelpyouuseup
theolderitemsfirst.

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Should You Buy in Bulk?

Warehousestores,likeSamsorCostcos,aregreatplacestobuyitemslikebeans,
rice,flour,etc.Whenyoupurchasebulkitemsyouusuallygetmoreforyourmoney.
Youmightwanttoconsiderpurchasinglargeamountsoffoodfromastorethatyou
arent a frequent visitor to. Or you might want to accumulate items for your
stockpilegraduallyoveraperiodoftimeratherthanallatonce.

Keepingalowprofilecouldbethedifferencetokeepingyourfoodorbeingforced
to share with the local authorities. Remember, stores can track your purchases
when you use a credit card. It may be your best bet to pay in cash when making
purchasesforyourstockpile.Trytostayofftheradar.

Survivalist Living
HaveyoueverwatchedanepisodeofManvs.Wild?Youknow,wheretheydrop
off the guy somewhere by helicopter and leave him (well, except for the camera
crew). Throughout the episode, he explains survivalist tips and techniques as he
treks across a desert or tries to cross snowladen territories. He eats bugs, lizards,
snakes,buildsshelterswithwhateverhecanfindandalwaysstressestheimportance
offindingawatersource;typicalsurvivalguystuff.

So,whilewatchinganepisodelikethatfromthecomfortofmyownhomeisafun
waytopass30minutes,itsnotanythingIdliketotryanytimesoon.Imsureafew
daysofitwouldntbesobadbutitwouldquicklyloseitsappeal.Unlessyouconsider
yourselfasurvivalistandreallyknowhowtoliveofftheland,itsprobablynotthe
bestroutetogounlessyouabsolutelyhaveto.Itsmucheasiertoprepareaheadof
timebycreatingastockpileandgrowingyourownfoods.

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Your Own Garden

The best, and most practical, way to live off of the land is to have your own
garden. If youre already an avid gardener, this is no big deal. But for those who
donthaveaclueaboutgrowingtheirownproduce,itcanbealittleoverwhelming.
Take a look around your yard and think about where the best place to grow food
wouldbe.Choosetheareathatgetsthemostsun.

Onethingtoconsider,ifyoureturningapartofyouryardintoagardenforthe
firsttime,istheamountofchemicalsyouarecurrentlyusinginthatarea.Youmight
want to stop applying herbicides or insecticides. Sometimes these chemicals can
makefordifficultgrowing.Anotheroption,ifyoudontwanttodigupyouryard,is
touseraisedbeds.Andforevenmorevariety,youcouldalwaysplantberrybushes
orfruittreesonyourproperty.

Itmightnothurttoreaduponwhichwildplantscanbeeaten(justincase).This
couldbeafunfamilyactivity,learningtoidentifyedibleweeds.Ifyoureallywantto
beprepared,youcouldstudyuponthemedicinalpurposesofherbsandotherplants
andgrowthemaswell.

Therearelotsofbooksavailableonthesubjectofplantingyourowngardenand
usingherbs.Infact,thereisaSurvivalSeedBankthatcanbepurchased.Itsareally
neat concept, for those who do garden and those who dont. There are enough
seeds to plant a full acre! Plus, they are heirloom seeds which means you can
harvesttheseedsfromthisyearscroptousefornextyear!Formoreinformationon
howyoucanorderoneofthesecrisisfoodbanks,gotowww.survivalseedbank.com.

Youdontwanttobeforcedtolearnaboutthesethingsbecauseofacrisis.Learn
aboutthembeforemakeitpartofyoureverydaylife.

Hunting for Food

Unlessyouhuntasapastime,thisisnotaneasywayofacquiringfood.Anddont
forget the cleaning and preparation part. For those not accustomed to doing such
tasks,itmighttakesomepracticeandanunsettledstomach!

12

If the times call for hunting for your own source of meat, this will depend on
whereyouliveandwhatyouhaveaccessto.Youmightwanttotakeadvantageof
thenexthuntingseasonbyfindingsomeonewhoknowswhattheyredoingandhave
themteachyouthebasics.

Herearesomebasictipsforbeginnerhunters:

1. Youneedtohaveafirearm.Ifyoudontalreadyhaveone,nowsthetime.
2. Ifyourenotusedtofiringagun,takeagunsafetycourse.
3. Makesureyouuseafirearmthatisappropriateforwhatyourehunting.(You
dontwanttoblowuptherabbit)
4. Practiceshooting.Gotoyourlocalshootingrangeandhittargetaftertarget.
5. Dont forget other necessary tools a knife is used to field dress the game.
Game cleaning kits are available online or at most stores that carry hunting
items.
6. Readabookortwoabouthuntingandfielddressing.Searchonlinethereare
tonsofmaterialsoutthere.

Justlikealloftheotherthingstalkedaboutinthishandbook,youshouldprepare
nowandgetsomeexperienceunderyourbelt.Youdontwanttohaveyourfamilys
survivaldependentonhowquicklyyoucanpickupanewskillduringacrisis

Can You Eat Your Dogs Food?

Sure your dog gets an occasional scrap or two from your table, but what about
sharingwhatsathistable?Youwouldneverevenconsidereatingyourdogsfood
onanormalday,butwhatifthatsalltherewas?Dogfoodisprettycheap.Butisit
safe?

Youd have to take a look at the products label. Remember, that an animals
digestivesystemisdifferentthanahumans.Someofthethingstheycanconsume
would make us sick. And if the label says meat products theres no telling what
thatmeans.ImnotsureIwanttoknow.

13

Maybeyoushouldstartpurchasingamoregrainbaseddogfoodjustincaseyou
shouldhavetoshareamealwithyouranimalfriend!Seriously,dontforgetyourpet
whenyourestockpiling.Havesomeextrabagsinstorage.

Specialty Foods for Survival

Youcanpurchasesurvivalkitswhicharespecificallydesignedforemergencies.
Theycontainlongshelflifefoodsandarepackedtolastforuptoamonth(different
brands may vary). There are several websites that sell food survival kits keep in
mind, prices might start rising as more people become concerned about a possible
foodcrisissoifyoureinterested,youdbetteractnow.

What can you expect from the more expensive already prepared survival foods?
Mostofthefoodsarefreezedriedallyouhavetodoisaddwater.Theycomein
cansandcanhavea30yearshelflife!Ifmoneyisntanoptionforyou,youcanget
gourmetmeals(forbreakfast,lunch,anddinner)forawholeyearforaround$3,000.

Otherfoodsaredehydrated.Somewouldsaytheadvantageoffreezedriedfoods
isthattheyretainthetexture,freshness,andnutrients,resultinginabetteroverall
taste. However, youll have to take into consideration the amount of water youll
need to prepare these meals. Make sure you store additional water for your meal
preparation.

AnotheroptionwouldbeMREs(MealsReadytoEat).Theseweredevelopedfor
theUSArmy.Youcaneatthemealsrightoutofthepackage.MREscanbepurchased
atcampingstoresandmilitarysurplusstores.MakesuretheMREsyoupurchaseare
legitimatecivilianproductsandnotstolenmilitarymeals!Youmightgetintrouble
forthatifyourhomeevergetsinspected.

OnedisadvantageaboutMREs;becausetheyarepackedinwater(oroil)theyare
aheavierproduct.Plus,theyarenotverycostefficient.Youcouldfeedmorepeople
for your money using unprocessed foods. And remember, these meals follow the
same rules as other pantry items when it comes to storage conditions, cooler
temperaturesandkeepoutoflight.

14

Food for Barter

Letstakealookatsomeotherfoodproductsthatcanbepurchasedforuseduring
an emergency. They are fairly inexpensive and can be stored for a long period of
time.Sincetheseitemscouldbehardertoacquireduringacrisis,theycouldbeused
asbarteringitems.

Candy(almost100%sugar)
Cocoa
Coffee
Grain
Honey
Salt
Spices
Sugar
Tea
Tobacco

These sorts of items could become very valuable during a time of emergency
when the supply runs really low. One of the best things about stocking up on the
aboveitemsisthatifyoudontusethemforbarteryoucanusethemyourself!

Dontforgettheimportanceofsaltasastockpileitem!Especiallywhenyoustart
to prepare unprocessed foods for your meals, youll appreciate having some salt
around!Salthasalongshelflifejustkeepitdry!

Sugar and spices will come in handy, too! Dried spices dont spoil, but they do
diminishinstrength.Ifkeptinairtightcontainers;wholespicescanlastupto4years
andgroundspicesfor2to3years.Leafyherbscanlastbetween1and3years.

Ifthereisnosmelltossit.Abitoffragranceleftandyoucanstilluseit,justuse
moreofitthancalledforintherecipe.Abidebygoodstorage(cool,dry,anddark)
andyourspicesandherbswilllastforquitesometime.

15

Ifyoudontmakeyourownbread,youprobablydontkeepalotofdryyeaston
hand.Thisisanotheritemthatcouldbeagreatbarteringtool.Youcanbuypackets
or jars (the jars should be refrigerated, though, after opening). Who knows, you
mightstartproducingloavesoffreshbreadforyourneighborhood!

Low Priced Foods

Whenfooditems,suchasgrainsandbeans,arenotgroundorcrackedtheyhave
analmostunlimitedshelflife.Likesomanyothergoods,theproperdrystorageis
needed.Buyinggrainsorbeansbythebucket(6gallonorless)isareallyinexpensive
wayofstockinguponusefulfood.Thinkaboutit.Thereslittleworkthatgoesinto
it.thegrainsareharvested,dried,putincontainers,andprettymucharereadyto
selljustlikethat.Thatexplainswhytheyaresoinexpensive.

Thosewhoareinthehabitofbakingtheirownbreadbuygrainsbythebucketand
milltheamountneededwhenneeded.Itsagreatwaytohaveonhandenoughto
feedalargeamountofpeopleforminimumexpense.

Letssayyoubuya6gallonbucketofwheat.Youcandecidehowyouwanttouse
it. Want some cereal? Crack it. Want bread? Grind it into flour to make breads,
cakes,orpastas.Theresnothingquitelikefreshbreadespecially,whentheflour
hasjustbeenground.Andifyoudontknowhow,thismightbeagreattimetostart
learning!

Survival Through the Ages

Isnt it amazing how unprocessed foods, such as grain, can last for such a long
time?RememberthefaminethousandsofyearsagoinEgypt?HowdidJosephsave
EgyptBystorehousingenormousamountsofgrain!Didyouknowthatafteryears
ofstorage,youcansproutwheatkernelsorevenplantthem?Whatincrediblefood
wheatis!
While meat can be a great source of protein, its not the only way to get life
sustainingamounts.Infact,wheatcontainstheeightessentialaminoacidsrequired
tosynthesizecompleteproteins.Sure,thelevelsarelowerinwheat(thaninmeat)
butthefactis,theyarestillthere.

16

Theidealsituationwouldallowforacombinationofgrainandmeat.But,ifyou
hadtogoafewdays,maybeweeks,withoutmeatyoucouldsurviveongrainsand
legumes. Unfortunately, grain doesnt have as much of the vitamin or mineral
contentthatyourbodyneeds.Becauseofthis,itwouldbewisetomakesureyou
stockuponthevitaminandmineralsupplementsthatyoucurrentlytake.

(Thisisnotintendedtobeanutritionalhandbook,soforfurtherinformationyoull
havetodomoreindepthresearch)

More to Eat Than Wheat

Dontthinkyourelimitedtowheatinanemergencysituation.Thereareseveral
other unprocessed foods that offer the same benefits. Here are the more popular
ones:

Barley
Corn
DriedBeans
Oats
Soybeans

Thesefoodscanlastandlastaslongastheyarestoredproperly(coolanddry).

Dontforgetthatthesearealsoyummyforpests.Taketheextraefforttokeep
these foods from being ruined by insects or mice (or even larger vermin). Plastic
containers are difficult for furry friends to penetrate; however, the key to keeping
insectsoutistokeepoxygenoutofthecontainers.

17

Store It
Its not as hard to build up a grain/legume supply as you might think. The only
concernabouthavinglargecontainersandplentyofsuppliesonhandwouldbe,and
we hope this will never happen, government confiscation during an emergency
situation.Remember,creditcardpurchasescanbesearchedbyauthorities.Ifyou
arebuyinglargerthannormalquantities,youmightwanttoconsiderpayingincash.

Ifyoureallywanttostayundertheradar,youmightwanttogetananimalortwo
aslivestock.Thatwayyourgrainpurchasescouldbeusedprimarilyforfeedingyour
animalswhilesimultaneouslyaddingtoyourstockpile.

Purchasing grains locally can be cheaper but that means the packing would
probably be up to you. You would need containers that are designed for food
storageaswellasmoistureproof.Theallaroundbestcontainerwouldbea6gallon
bucket.Youcanbuythesebucketsatyourlocalhardwareorpaintstore.

Where do you plan on storing your grains? An ideal temperature would be

somewherebetween45and65degreesFahrenheit.Also,keepyourcontainersoff
oftheconcretefloororground(ifyourestoringtheminyourgarageorshed).Lay
some boards down to stack the containers upon. Another tip when storing large
quantitiesofgrainistomarkthecontainerwiththedatewhenyoufillit.Rotateyour
containers, using the oldest grains first. And dont stack the containers to closely
togetheryoudontwantthemtosweat.

Pests were mentioned earlier as a threat to your supply. The easiest way to
combatthisproblem:

Dryicefrozencarbondioxidegas.Thisisdeadlytopestsbecauseitprevents
theanimalfromgettingoxygenaveryeffectivemethod.Becautiouswhen
handling dry ice itll freeze your skin upon contact. (If youre unsure about
where to buy dry ice, you can search online or in the phone book. Check
weldingsupplystoresoricecreamparlors.)

Dryicecomesbytheblockorinpellets.Youmightfindthatpelletsareeasier
to work with. Make sure you use heavy gloves and the proper tools when
handlingdryice.

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Onceyouhaveyour6galloncontainerfilledwithgrain,layofapoundofdry
iceontop.Presstheliddowngentlyenoughsothatsomeoftheairisallowed
to escape. After the dry ice has evaporated (this can be anywhere from 25
hours)sealthecontainer.

Youllwanttokeepacloseeyeontheprocessbecauseyoudontwantanyair
togetbackintothecontainerbeforeitssealed.Ifyousealitprematurely,the
bucketcansplitorthelidpopoff.Anyadultsorlarvalinsectsinthecontainer
willdiefromthelackofoxygen.Itmaytakealongerperiodoftimeforeggs
andpupaetodie.

(NOTE: Do not let children or pets near dry ice and never use in a closed
room.)

You dont want moisture getting into any of your containers of food. So youll
need to be aware of the conditions and provide the driest environment possible.
Whenyoupurchaseyourgrainmakesurethatitsbeendriedcompletely.Ifyoubuy
gainshortlyafteritsbeenharvested,youllhavetobesuretodryitbeforestoringit.
Alwayssmellthegrainbeforebuying,orusing,tomakesureithasntgonebad.

If you do have a supply of grain that needs moisture to be drawn out, you can
consider using silica gel packs. You can try to buy these at local supply stores or
hardware stores. If you are unable to find them, check out Desiccare, Inc.
(www.desiccare.com) They are a manufacturing company of moisture control
products.Theyhavealargerangeofproducts;withsomeinnovativeitemsforthe
home.Theydontlisttheirpricesonlinesoyoullhavetogivethemacalltoplacean
orderwiththem.

Buying Locally
Youmighttrytopurchaseyourgrainsfromalocalcoop.Thiscanbeagreatplace
ifyoureinterestedinbuyingthingslocallygrownaswellasothersuppliesthatcould
beusedforfarmrelatedissues(animalsandcrops).Itmightbeinyourbestinterest
to not let on that youre storehousing for a crisis or that the animal feed youre
buyingmightbeusedforhumanconsumptioninanemergency.

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Weallknowhowthesethingsendup.Whenthegovernmentfindsoutthatmore
andmorepeoplearebuyinggrain,theyllbesuretoimposeahighersalestaxorput
a limit on how much you can buy. Plus, federal agencies might start paying closer
attentiontothehumanuseofproductsthatareintendedforanimals.

Itmightbehardertoacquiregrainsthroughafeedstoresimplybecauseproducts
arepackagedandmarketedtowardsspecificanimalsratherthanageneralmixture.
Also,someplacesaddsupplementstothefeedsothattheanimalsarentlackingin
essentials.Suspicionmightbearousedwhenyourebuyinglargequantitiesofgrain
butnotoptingfortheadditionalsupplements.Ifyoucanfindafeedstoreorcoop
thatdoesntaskmanyquestions,takeyourbusinessthere.

Or you could just act like you dont know any better pretend youre a hobby
farmertryingtogoallnaturalforyouranimals.Inthiscase,itwontbesobadif
they try to take advantage of you by letting you buy too much. The more grain
youreintentonpurchasingtheharderitwillbetohidewhatyouretryingtodo.

Youcanloadthegrainsinthebackofapickuptruck(theycanbebaggedfirstif
youdlike)andonceyougethomeyoullhavetotakethenecessarystepsforstoring
them properly. If you dont have the privacy of living in the country, you should
probablypullintoyourgaragetounload.Youdontwantnoseyneighborstryingto
figureoutwhatyouredoing.

Takecaretocleanupthedustafteritsettles.Nottoomanypeopleareawarethat
flour dust can be explosive meaning, you would want to be extra careful that a
spark doesnt ignite the dust. Especially after grinding your own wheat, be sure to
cleanupallofthedustafterwards.

Ifyoudontfeelcomfortablevisitingthelocalcooporfeedstore,becomefriends
with a farmer. They probably wouldnt mind selling you a load or two from their
harvest. Plus, this is a relationship that could really come in handy if they have
livestockthattheybutcher,youmightbeabletopurchasesomeofthatmeatandfill
yourfreezer.

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Buying Grains Online

There are numerous websites that sell grains or legumes (or just about anything
else that you want to store). The advantage of purchasing online is that all of the
hardworkisalreadydone.Yousimplypickoutwhatandhowmuch.Ifyouchoose
larger quantities, they come in 5 or 6 gallon pails and most of them are already
oxygenfree.Soyoudonthavetoworryabouthandlingdryiceorothermethodsof
pestcontrol.

Thisalsogivesyouthefreedomtobuyinsmallerquantitiesfirstandthenyoucan
determinewhatyoureallywanttostoremoreofinlargeramounts.Buyingonlineis
also great for the unprocessed food beginner. There are some really great
websites that have nice pictures and descriptions of all their products as well as
usefulinformationsuchaspreparationandrecipes.

What to do with Unprocessed Foods

One of the best things about having unprocessed foods in storage, like grains or
legumes for example, is that you can choose how you want to process it and what
you want to use it for. Add a little meat and make a protein bulked soup with
legumes;putinalittlewheatorriceanditturnsintoanevenmorenutritiousmeal

Youcantakesomewheatandboilittouseforabreakfastcerealoruseitinadish
asasubstituteforrice.Ifyousproutlegumesorwheatyoucanusethemforasalad
(alongwithsomeofyourhomegrownveggies).Soybeanscanbeusedtomakeyour
ownsoymilk.Andhowaboutfreshbreadmadewithfreshlygroundflour?Yum!

Purchasing grain in bulk requires a mill to process it. These items can be pretty
priceybutwellworththeinvestment.Youllhavetodecidewhichproductisbest
suitedforyourneedsaswellasyourbudget.Considerwhatyouplanongrindingand
whenyouplanonusingit.

Anelectricmillmakesgrindinggrainsoeasy theyarepopularbecauseoftheir
speedandefficiency!Ifyoureconcernedaboutemergencyuse,likeincasesofno
power,youllwanttomakesureyouhaveageneratoravailablesothatyoucanstill
useit.(Asolargeneratorwouldbeperfectforsomethinglikethis.)

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A good electric mill starts around $200.00. Other disadvantages about electric
mills: they are loud compared to a hand mill and they produce flour dust. A hand
crankedmillcanbelessexpensive;youcanfindabasiconeforalittleunder$100.
However,therearehandmillsthatarejustasexpensiveas,ifnotmore,electricmills.
With a hand mill you can grind anything! They even allow you to grind grains that
tendtobeoily(likeflaxseed).Anotheradvantageisthatyoucancrackthegrains;an
electricmillisunabletodothat.Theonlydownsidewiththehandmillisthatyou(or
anotherfamilymember)havetodothework.

A Fine Grind
Remember,thefineryougrindthegrain,thelessofalaxativeeffectithas.Assilly
asthatsounds,thereisareasonthisismentioned.Wearesousedtoeatinghighly
processed,refinedflourssowhenyouswitchtocoarserwholewheatflouryourbody
will need to adjust. You can begin with finer flour and gradually switch to a more
courseflour.Ifyouarefeedingbabiesandyoungchildren,youllwanttomakesure
that they are consuming a finely ground flour to prevent any problems with
digestion.

Sprouting
Another way to use your grains or legumes is to sprout them. Here are some of
theseedsandbeansyoucansprout:
Alfalfa
Barley
Chickpeas
Corn
Fenugreek
Lentils
Mungbeans
Peas
Pumpkin
Wheat

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Thehealthbenefitsthatcomefromeatingsproutsareamazing!Theyareayear
roundsourceofVitaminC,carotenoidA,aswellasBvitamins.Byconsumingthem,
youareconsistentlygettingahighvolumeofvitamins.Unlikevegetablesandfruits,
whichbegintolosetheirnutritionalvalueaftertheyrepicked,sproutsremainfullof
vitamincontentandevencontinueslowgrowthafterbeingharvested.

Howdoyougoaboutsprouting?Well,itsaloteasierthanyouthink!

Youllneedalargejar.Keepinmindthatsproutedseedshavealargervolume6
to8timesthandryseeds.(Youhavetoaccountforthatwhenyouconsiderthesize
of your jar.) Do not use seeds that are packaged for gardens. They might be
chemically treated and the germination rate will be slower. Purchase good quality
seedsandgothroughandremoveanydamagedonesbeforeplacingtheminthejar.
Youcanmeasure,foraquartcontainer,about4tablespoonsofseeds.

Placetheseedsinthejar,fillwithwater,andsoak.(Cheeseclothworkswellasa
coveringforthejarsinceitallowsairflow.)Thesizeofseedwilldeterminehowlong
theyshouldsoak;smallerseedsfivehours,mediumsizedseedseighthours,and
grains and legumes 10 to 12 hours. After the soaking time is completed, drain the
waterandrinseofftheseeds.

Afterrinsing,placethejarinacool,darkplace.Rinseanddraintheseedstwice
everyday.Withintwodays,thesproutingshouldoccur.Dontletthesproutssitin
waterthiswillcausethemtorot.Whentherearetinygreenleavesatthetips,and
the sprouts are about two to three inches long, this is the best time for flavor and
nutritional value to eat them. Refrigerate them to retain freshness and nutritional
valueandtheyshouldbeeatenwithinafewdays.

Sprouts are an excellent and inexpensive way to acquire a high concentration of

vitamins, minerals, and enzymes. You can toss them in a salad, make them into a
bread (cakelike), add them to soup; regardless of how you choose to use them
youllbenefitgreatlyhealthwiseanditllevenbefunforthekids!

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Its Never too Late to Start

Dontworryifyouveneverstoredyourownwheatorlegumesbefore.Itsnever
too late to learn how to properly store, process, and cook with your unprocessed
foods. In fact, it can become a fun family activity. There are tons of resources
availabletoguideyou.Experimentwithrecipes,learnhowtogrindyourownwheat,
teachthekiddoshowtosproutifyoustarttomakeitapartofyoureveryday(or
weekend) life then when a time of crisis comes youll be prepared because its
becomeyourwayoflife.

Remembertokeeponhandvariousseasonings,spices,oilsalloftheextrasthat
addtheoomphinmakingadeliciousmeal.Stockupontheitemsyouusethemost
orlearnhowtogrowandmakeyourown.

Family Needs
Whendeterminingwhatyoushouldbeaddingtoyourstockpile,yourfirstpriority
shouldbewhatwillyourfamilyneed.Takeintoconsiderationthingslike;formula
ordiapers(ifyouhaveaninfant),diabeticneeds,lowsodiumfoods,anythingthatisa
specialneed.

Its important, in families with children, to stock up on food items they like and
needfornutritionalvalue.Amilksubstitutewouldcomeinhandy.Powderedmilk
has a shorter shelf life once opened while cans of evaporated milk last longer.
Peanutbutterandjellyarealwaysgoodthingstostockupon,too.

Again,ifyoustartadjustingyoureatinghabitsnow,therewillbelesstogetused
tolateriftherecomesatimewhenyoucantjustrunuptothestoreandgrabwhat
youneed.

Dontforgettheneedsofyourpets!Stockuponbagsoffood,treatsandchew
toys. Any medicines they need or flea treatments would also be good to have on
hand.Besuretokeepupontheirvaccinationsandrabiesshots.

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Longer Shelf Life

Thenumberoneconditionforestablishingalongershelflifeisacooltemperature.
Dependingonwhereyoulivewillaffecthowandwhereyoustoreyourfood.Ifyou
live where it is cooler, and even below freezing for several months, you should be
abletostoreyourgoodsinthegarageorshed,ifyouneedto.However,ifyoulivein
anareawhereitgetsreallyhot,youllwanttomakesurethatproductsarekeptcool
whichmaymeanairconditioned.

Remember to write the dates of purchase on your food items so you can rotate
themanduseaccordingtoage.Storeopenedboxesorbagsinairtightcontainersto
preventoxygenandinsectsfromgettingtothecontents.

Quantities How Much?

Planningonhowmuchtostorecanbealittleoverwhelming.Anaverageperson
can do quite well on 2,000 calories a day. If, during an emergency, you are
performingtasksthatincreaseyourdailyactivity(walkingorbikingtowork,working
inagarden,processingmoreofyourownfood,etc)thenyouwouldwanttoincrease
yourcalorieintakeforadequateenergyandtomaintainweight.

Youll also want to make sure that everyone is getting enough protein. When
thingsgettoughandyoufindyourselfdoingmorephysicalworkthanyoureusedto,
your muscles will need that protein to rebuild until they are conditioned for the
additionalworkload.Children,especially,needproteinfortheirgrowingbodies.

Youmaywanttoplanonproviding3,000caloriesforeachpersoneachday.Ifyou
useupthatmuchfoodperdayfine,youplannedforit.Andifyoudontgreat,
theresmoreinstorage!AtthispointyoureprobablythinkingOkay,great.Buthow
doIcalculatethatintoactualfoodamounts?

Itsveryunlikelythatyoullwanttokeepayearsworthoffoodinstorage.Most
peoplejustdonthavetheroomtokeepthatmuchfoodaround.Whileitdepends
completelyonyourbudgetandyourpersonalgoals,a3monthsupplyseemslikea
reasonableamountoffoodtostore.

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When determining how much food per person, some suggest one six gallon
containerperpersonforonemonth.So,ifyouhaveafamilyoffour,youwouldwant
four sixgallon containers of wheat for one month. There is a website designed to
calculate the amount of food for you. All you have to do is enter the number of
adults and children keep in mind, their calculations are for 12 months. That
websiteiswww.thefoodguys.com/foodcalc.html.

If you figure a ratio of grain to legumes at 4 to 1, this would be a good ballpark

figure for how many containers of legumes you should store. So, for every one
containerofbeansyoushouldhavefourcontainersofgrain.

Where to Buy Unprocessed Foods

There are several choices on where you can purchase large amounts of
unprocessedfoods.Yourdecisionwillbemadeonwhatsimportanttoyou;maybe
itsbuyinglocally,maybeitsfindingthelowestprice,ormaybeyoujustwantagood
productwiththeleastamountofworkonyourend.

If you decide to buy locally, youll want to locate a coop or find a farmer whos
willingtosellsomeofhisharvest.Thismethodmightrequireeitherhavingorrenting
a truck or paying for delivery; it would depend on how much grain you are
purchasing.Plus,ifyoupurchaseatruckloadyouwouldneedthespacetostoreallof
it.Andthenyouwouldhavetoconsiderhowtoprotectthatsupplyfrompests.This
mightnotbetheeasiestrouteforsomeonewholivesinanurbanareaunless,you
arewillingtopackageitincontainersafteryoupurchaseit.

Byfar,theeasiestwaytopurchaseyourgrainsisonline.Theproductsyouorder
will come in packaged containers and you simply store them until you need them.
You also dont have to worry about pests because of the plastic and the lack of
oxygenwillkillanybugs.Mostwebsitessellnumeroustypesofgrain,aswellasany
otherunprocessedfoodsthatyouwouldwanttohaveinstorage.

Youcantakethetimetoresearchandfindthelowestpricessothatyoucansavea
fewdollarsoryoucanorderfromacompanythathasproductsinstockandcanship
rightaway.Sometimesyoujustwanttogetsomethingrightaway.

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Alternative Cooking Methods

Anotheraspectthatrequiresconsiderationis,intheeventofacrisis,howwould
youcookyourmeals?Iftheutilitycompanieswereshutdownforafewdays(maybe
longer),whattypeoffuelwouldyouneedtocreatetheheatnecessarytohaveahot
mealortobakesomebread?Youneedtohaveamethodofemergencyheat.Keep
in mind its a good idea to be familiar with how to use (and cook) with this
alternativeheatsourcebeforeanemergencyoccurs.

Acampingstovecanbegoodforemergencies.Youllhavetodecidewhichtypeof
fuelyouwanttoworkwith.Somestovesrunonpropanetanks(similartoagasgrill)
which means youll want to have additional tanks in storage. Other stoves run on
gasoline this option requires careful care because youll have to store extra gas.
There are additional items that could come in handy, such as; Colemans propane
crockpotandpropaneoven.

Woodfueledstovescanbeusedjustanywhere.Youwantastovethatisdesigned
fordirectingtheheatupwardmakingitmoreefficientforcookingon.Thesetypesof
stoves arent limited to wood as its fuel source. You can use other flammable
materials;woodchips,paper,twigs,grass.

There is another cookstove available that allows you to use propane, wood,
charcoal whatever you have on hand. Its called the Crisis Cooker (
www.crisiscooker.com).Anunbelievablywellinsulatedunit,youcancookjustabout
anywhere,onanysurface,withoutanyworriesaboutcauseddamage.Itproducesa
remarkableamountofheatandwitha25lbbagofcharcoalyoucancooktwomeals
a day for up to 3 weeks (this might vary depending on how big of a crowd youre
cookingfor).Thepointisthismightbethemosteconomicalandefficientwayto
cookinanemergency.

Always remember when using units designed for the outdoors that you keep
themoutdoors!

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Importance of Water
Most people are on city water. Turning on your faucet for bathing, cooking, or
washing clothes or dishes is something we take for granted. But in a time of
emergency,orifthewaterplantinyourareagoesdown,whereareyougoingtoget
yourwater?Haveyouthoughtaboutthat?

Youmightwanttogetyourfamilyinthehabitofconservingwater.Maybehave
periodic days where everyone takes super short showers or bathing with minimal
water.Comingupwithashorttermplan,suchasusingpaperplates,canbehelpful
aswell.

Youshouldalsoconsiderdifferentwaystostorewater.Largecontainers,15,30or
55gallondrums,canbepurchased.Youwouldprobablyneedanemergencysiphon
togetthewateroutasyouneedit.Storedwaterneedstobekeptoutoflightand
necessary precautions should be made to keep harmful bacteria from growing.
Water filtration and purification kits can be purchased to ensure that your water
sourcesremainsafe.

Dont Wait Any Longer

You wouldnt have read through this if you werent concerned about a possible
crisis.Thetimetostartpreparingisnowdontwaitanylonger!Noharmcancome
frombeingprepared.Inthecaseofanemergency,youllbeready.

Dontprocrastinateanylonger.Withtheunstablenessofourcountryseconomy,
thedollaronthebrinkofcollapse,whoknowswhatthenextyearwillbring.Makea
listofitemsthatyouneedtostartstockpiling.Prioritizethatlistaccordingtoyour
familysneedandgeographiclocationbuythemostimportantthingsfirst.

Anotherpieceofadvicedontleteveryoneknowwhatyouredoing.Unlessitsa
verytrustedfriendorfamilymember,keepyourgrowingstockpileasecret.Beginto
accumulatethoseitemsthathavelongshelflives.

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Dontlookatitaswastedmoney.Thisisaninvestmentonethatcouldsavethe
livesofyourfamilyandpossiblyyourneighbors.Notonlywillyoubeabletoprovide
foodbutyoullhaveitemsthatcouldbebarteredifneeded.Nowisthetimetostart
planning!

Thishandbookwasdesigned,notasacomprehensiveguide,butasawaytoget
youthinkingmoreaboutwhatyoushoulddotoprepareforanemergency.Asteerin
therightdirection,ifyouwill.MostAmericansdontthinkenoughaboutWhatif.
Well,itstimetogoevenfurtherthanthinkingaboutititstimetoact.Goodluck!

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Stockpile Checklist
Baking/CookingEssentials
BakingPowder
BakingSoda
Yeast
Salt
Vinegar
Dairy
DryMilk
EvaporatedMilk

FatsandOils
VegetableOil
Shortening
SaladDressing
PeanutButter

Grains/Legumes
Barley
HardWheat(whiteorred)
QuickRolledOats
PintoBeans
BrownRice
GrainCereal
SoyBeans
Splitpeas
DrySoupMix

Seasonings/Spices
Pepper
ChiliPowder
OnionFlakes
Garlic
BouillonCubes
Cinnamon

Sugars
Honey
WhiteSugar
BrownSugar
Jams/Jellies
FlavoredGelatin
Flavoredpowdereddrinks

Water
Water
Filter/PurificationKit
StorageBarrel/othercontainers

AdditionalPantryItems
Pastas
TomatoSauce
Instantpotatoes
#10sizecansofvariousfruitsand
vegetables
Bagsofdriedfruit
Coffee/Tea
Condiments
Bleach

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