# Looking for more options and variations



## SurviveNthrive (May 20, 2010)

As I'm exploring new options to my long-term storage food, I'm finding variations of the same thing, such as different sorts of beans, new to me flour and grains, and such. What I'm doing is making sure I actually eat some of the stuff at least once a week and I'm looking for new items. But while I've discovered a whole range of different items for long term storage by checking out different cultures and their foods, I figure some folks here might have some items that most don't store or possibly haven't heard of.

Anyone got something different than the usual beans, rice, grains, honey, pasta, TVP, ramen, somen, freeze dried and dehydrated items that they'd recommend?


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## lotsoflead (Jul 25, 2010)

Jack Daniels


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## Elinor0987 (May 28, 2010)

SurviveNthrive said:


> Anyone got something different than the usual beans, rice, grains, honey, pasta, TVP, ramen, somen, freeze dried and dehydrated items that they'd recommend?


Powdered drink mixes and spices are good to stock up on because of their long shelf life and versatility. In addition to the foods that I'm stocking up on, I also bought a few vintage cookbooks because the recipes are simple and give instructions on how to cook using staple items.


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## Clarice (Aug 19, 2010)

Great idea on the cookbooks, Elinor, I have some from the 1940's.

Lotsoflead I like your idea too.


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## horseman09 (Mar 2, 2010)

Tubs of powdered beef, ham and chicken stock because they can make beans, rice and lots of other meals flavorful and less boring without having access to lots of meat. It is cheap, compact and lasts for ever.

Lots of baking powder because that makes your corn and wheat flours much more versatile and palatable.

Yeast. Rotate regularly.

Powdered eggs. They store sealed in the original can unopened for up to 10 years, they are cheap and they can expand the list of recipees you can use with your flour and baking powder. Very nutritious. Deficient only in vitamin C.

Vitamin C. Vitamin C. Vitamin C. Did I say vitamin C? Absolutely essential. Cheap, too. Stock up -- lots. 

Jerky. Make your own jerky vacpac it and freeze it. Freezing it preserves the flavor, assuming you are not using preservatives. It can then be cut in chunks, soaked and used as a substitute for fresh meat. We find it easier to make jerky by grinding the meat then jerk it. Much easier to make that way and you don't have to use the very best cuts of meat.

Powdered milk. Our experience shows it will last for years if you pack it with 02 absorbers. Again, it greatly expands the list of recipees you can use in conjunction with the stuff above.

Instant potatoes. Cheap, easy to prepare with very little energy and serves as a comfort food too. Make gravy with the meat stock listed above. Use 02absorbers.

Don't forget salt and sugar (lots of both).

Granola. Again, pack with 02 absorbers. Makes a great no-energy (heat/fire) meal in a pinch or as a sweetener source if you mix it with oatmeal. Kids will like their oatmeal more this way too.

Most important -- don't forget a good water source.


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## The_Blob (Dec 24, 2008)

have you checked ethnic markets (especially in poorer areas of a large city, the prices are better) they usually are very happy to help you thumb through there distribution catalogue, that is how I found the brand of cheap (buckwheat) soba noodles which is ideal for those with celiac or just wish to consume less gluten. many authentic 'oriental' foods already come in a preserved state so that is also a consideration when factoring in expense


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## dulcimerlady (Oct 14, 2010)

Butter powder and sour cream powder. Makes things much more versitile.

And it may not be an TEOTWAWKI thing, but more on a personal TSHTF like a job loss - it's really bad to have little to no $$ and only then realize you did not stock up on trash bags. I speak from experience. We had a long time of unemplyment in 2009 and had to use our stores *exclusively* for several months. I learned exactly where the holes in our preps were and where we had done well.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

multi-vitamins, specific vitamins such a b complex, herbal teas some thing for diareah, insect stings, digestive enzymes (especially for LTS food diets) some kind of gentle laxitive , rubbing alchol,iodine . baby wipes (great little reuable wash cloths)


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

I gotta add that learning the local good wild forageing plants will make a great difference to a stored/FD food stocks.
Just think most of the "weeds" in your yard/vacant lots have more vitamin C than an orange and are good for you. There are tons more weedy plants to eat than one even dreamed of if you know what you are looking for. Even blanching huge plants of dandelion with a pot during the summer will make them less bitter and tender and yummy. All the chickweed growing in the yard and the purslane that I have are all edible and quite nice mixed in with rice and other veggie dishes. I often let the purslane grown in my flower pots so I can just snack on the leaves as I wonder the yard.
All the seeds for sprouting in the winter will also be welcome when we have to go back to seasonal eating. If you have the windows lettuce can be grown all year round and cut as baby lettuce- sure not tons of nutrition but it will make things less monotonous.
I know of at least 8 to 10 spots within an hours walking distance that have cattails and they are full of nutrition if you know how to use them.
I also have to put a big +1 for me on the herbs and spices. I have cinnamon sticks in my stock of spices that are more than a couple years old but when I grate them into my pies cookies etc... they are still as nice and fresh as when you open the ground cinnamon. So if you have to store spices try to get them whole and grind only what you need when you need it and they hold their flavor much better. I have even learned to "toast" some of them and then grind for an even better flavor.
There are just so many different things you can do to make your "staple" foods more exotic and flavorful to mix things up, I mean really, who wants to eat the same flavors every day?


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