# 11 Prep Items That Almost Never Go Bad



## IrritatedWithUS

*Honey*

Honey never really goes bad. In a tomb in Egypt 3,000 years ago, honey was found and was still edible. If there are temperature fluctuations and sunlight, then the consistency and color can change. Many honey harvesters say that when honey crystallizes, then it can be re-heated and used just like fresh honey. Because of honey's low water content, microorganisms do not like the environment.

Uses: curing, baking, medicinal, wine (mead)

*Salt
*
Although salt is prone to absorbing moisture, it's shelf life is indefinite. This indispensable mineral will be a valuable commodity in a long term disaster and will be a essential bartering item.

Uses: curing, preservative, cooking, cleaning, medicinal, tanning hides

*Sugar*

Life would be so boring without sugar. Much like salt, sugar is also prone to absorbing moisture, but this problem can be eradicated by adding some rice granules into the storage container.

Uses: sweetener for beverages, breads, cakes, preservative, curing, gardening, insecticide (equal parts of sugar and baking powder will kill cockroaches).

*Wheat*

Wheat is a major part of the diet for over 1/3 of the world. This popular staple supplies 20% of daily calories to a majority of the world population. Besides being a high carbohydrate food, wheat contains valuable protein, minerals, and vita*mins. Wheat protein, when balanced by other foods that supply certain amino acids such as lysine, is an efficient source of protein. If stored properly, wheat can last a long, long time.

Uses: baking, making alcohol, livestock feed, leavening agent

*Dried corn*

Essentially, dried corn can be substituted for any recipe that calls for fresh corn. Our ancestors began drying corn because of it's short lived season. To extend the shelf life of corn, it has to be preserved by drying it out so it can be used later in the year.

Uses: soups, cornmeal, livestock feed, hominy and grits, heating source (do a search for corn burning fireplaces).

*Baking soda*

This multi-purpose prep is a must have for long term storage.

Uses: teeth cleaner, household cleaner, dish cleaner, laundry detergent booster, leavening agent for baked goods, tarnish remover

*Instant coffee, tea, and cocoa*

Adding these to your long term storage will not only add a variety to just drinking water, but will also lift morale. Instant coffee is high vacuum freeze dried. So, as long as it is not introduced to moisture, then it will last. Storage life for all teas and cocoas can be extended by using desiccant packets or oxygen absorbing packets, and by repackaging the items with a vacuum sealing.

Uses: beverages, flavor additions to baked goods

*Non-carbonated soft drinks*

Although many of us prefer carbonated beverages, over time the sugars break down and the drink flavor is altered. Non-carbonated beverages stand a longer test of time. And, as long as the bottles are stored in optimum conditions, they will last. Non-carbonated beverages include: vitamin water, Gatorade, juices, bottled water.

Uses: beverages, flavor additions to baked goods

*White rice*

White rice is a major staple item that preppers like to put away because it's a great source for calories, cheap and has a long shelf life. If properly stored this popular food staple can last 30 years or more.

Uses: breakfast meal, addition to soups, side dishes, alternative to wheat flour

*Bouillon products*

Because bouillon products contain large amounts of salt, the product is preserved. However, over time, the taste of the bouillon could be altered. If storing bouillon cubes, it would be best repackage them using a food sealer or sealed in mylar bags.

Uses: flavoring dishes

*Powdered milk - in nitrogen packed cans*

Powdered milk can last indefinitely, however, it is advised to prolong it's shelf life by either repackaging it for longer term storage, or placing it in the freezer. If the powdered milk develops an odor or has turned a yellowish tint, it's time to discard.

Uses: beverage, dessert, ingredient for certain breads, addition to soup and baked goods.

ARE YOU PREPPED? Check out these preparation calculators provided by Ready Nutrition: Essential Prepping Calculators | Ready Nutrition


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## BizzyB

To expand upon the non-carbonated beverage category, Gatorade and similar electrolyte+sucrose sports drink mixes are excellent items to have for first aid and home-pharmacy purposes. Fluid and electrolyte replenishment is critical for cases of diarrhea (of which there are many, many causes), viruses, heat injuries, etc. Good stuff to have around.


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## worldengineer

To expand on BizzyB, all powdered drink mixes that can be stored are a useful and tasty to add to water. To escape boring water every day.

I would also add Pepper to the list, a very tasty and it has a spicy flavor. 
Use aluminum cans to store beverages, as plastic containers are porous and will absorb flavors and smells if left to their on.

Pickling packets would also be a good prep.


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## LincTex

worldengineer said:


> I would also add Pepper to the list, a very tasty and it has a spicy flavor.


As long as it is stored pepper corns... ground pepper doesn't keep. 
Keep a pepper mill or two stored with the pepper corns.


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## nkjones1

Just as a correction, i know for a fact that gatorade goes bad. don't know why or how long it takes but it separates and if you drink it it will make you sick. Happened to about 20 guys I served with in Iraq. You'd probably be better off buying the gatorade powder to mix with water. It'd store better anyway. Hope this helps.


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## sailaway

I'm currently eating a plastic jar of Kroger peanut butter that is 2 years beyond its shelf life, still tastes good. The jar is a little crunchy & chewy though.


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## LincTex

nkjones1 said:


> You'd probably be better off buying the gatorade powder to mix with water. It'd store better anyway.


The powder cakes up a bit and gets hard, and gets darker in color (oxidizes?)
....But I doubt that will ruin it. If you can vac pack some in mylar bags, it would probably last forever.
Will make weird water taste better, too.


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## TrackerRat

nkjones1 said:


> Just as a correction, i know for a fact that gatorade goes bad. don't know why or how long it takes but it separates and if you drink it it will make you sick. Happened to about 20 guys I served with in Iraq. You'd probably be better off buying the gatorade powder to mix with water. It'd store better anyway. Hope this helps.


could that be because it was stored in heat and/or direct sunlight?


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## azurevirus

I drink alot of Minute Made lemonade in the cans...wonder how that would do


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## Ezmerelda

Speaking of baking soda...

Can heat degrade baking soda to the point that it is no longer useful for cooking? 

I have been purchasing the Large bags from Sam's since last fall and need to know if I need to move it out of the attic now that the weather is warming up.


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## Jason

Just as another option to the non carbonated drinks, a friend at work just turned me on to MiO liquid water enhancers. They're like drink powder, but a liquid you shoot into your water and it's ready to go, no stirring required. I've only had the fruit punch but my friend has tried them all and likes all but the sweet tea.

They come in these little silver guitar pick shaped bottles, about 2 inches high. Great for long term storage because they're small and really concentrated- the bottle says each 1.62 oz bottle is good for 24 eight ounce servings. The one I got is sugar free-not sure if they all are.

Not trying to hawk a product here but I'd never heard of these before this week and wanted to pass along what I think will be a good addition to many people's long term stores.


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## retief

According to Univ of Utah, here heat isnt as much a bother as moisture. So keep the soda dry!


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## Ezmerelda

retief said:


> According to Univ of Utah, here heat isnt as much a bother as moisture. So keep the soda dry!


Thanks, Retief! That's a very useful site. :2thumb:


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## Emerald

Jason said:


> Just as another option to the non carbonated drinks, a friend at work just turned me on to MiO liquid water enhancers. They're like drink powder, but a liquid you shoot into your water and it's ready to go, no stirring required. I've only had the fruit punch but my friend has tried them all and likes all but the sweet tea.
> 
> They come in these little silver guitar pick shaped bottles, about 2 inches high. Great for long term storage because they're small and really concentrated- the bottle says each 1.62 oz bottle is good for 24 eight ounce servings. The one I got is sugar free-not sure if they all are.
> 
> Not trying to hawk a product here but I'd never heard of these before this week and wanted to pass along what I think will be a good addition to many people's long term stores.


I got a bottle of Mio for free in the mail from a promotion online. They are good tasting and it does use the one artificial sweetener that doesn't bother me as much. I have tons of $1 off coupons for it and found that while meijer stores have it for $3.99 each the walmart next door has them for $3.49 each. So if I get a few more of them I am going to head to wallyworld.
They are all sugar free using splenda.


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## goshengirl

retief said:


> According to Univ of Utah, here heat isnt as much a bother as moisture. So keep the soda dry!


Thanks for the info! (and thanks Ezmerelda for asking - I've stocked up on those same bags  )


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## Magus

You forgot sanitary pads.those things can close one hell of a wound,I've seen it!
Guys,forget the macho crap,buy a case today!the darn things can close a sucking chest wound!


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## IrritatedWithUS

Magus said:


> You forgot sanitary pads.those things can close one hell of a wound,I've seen it!
> Guys,forget the macho crap,buy a case today!the darn things can close a sucking chest wound!


Good to know...LOL


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## stayingthegame

*pads are for blood and fluids*

as my DH says " all chest wounds suck ":2thumb::2thumb: just remember to to cover gunshot wounds to the chest with a piece of plastic or mylar and tape on three sides. If the shot was clear through , then tape the back on all four sides and the front on three. Remember what the ladies' pads are for. (Blood is blood)


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## LincTex

stayingthegame said:


> If the shot was clear through , then tape the back on all four sides and the front on three.


 I wonder how that makes a difference?


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## IrritatedWithUS

I've heard the same story for YEARS that my great-grandmother cut off her finger on an old washer machine and there was no doctor and my grandma watched her sew her finger back on with a thread and needle without even a tear or gasp...


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## BillM

*Vent*



LincTex said:


> I wonder how that makes a difference?


With a sucking chest wound the lung can collapse because you are pulling air through the wound insted of your wind pipe.

Every time you inhale you pull blood into your lung.

Creating a vent allows you to inhale air through your wind pipe and allows blood to relive through the wound when you exhale thus preventing it from collecting between the chest wall and the lung and thus collapsing the lung.

That is why you don't tape all four sides.


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## LincTex

That is interesting, Bill M. Thank you.


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## tsrwivey

BizzyB said:


> To expand upon the non-carbonated beverage category, Gatorade and similar electrolyte+sucrose sports drink mixes are excellent items to have for first aid and home-pharmacy purposes. Fluid and electrolyte replenishment is critical for cases of diarrhea (of which there are many, many causes), viruses, heat injuries, etc. Good stuff to have around.


:gaah::ranton: NO NO NO Do NOT give sports drinks to people with diarrhea! It has way too much sugar & will make the diarrhea worse! This can be life threatening! Give them Pedialyte or a generic equivalent. It has the right amounts of minerals, sugar, & water. It's about the proportions of the ingredients NOT the ingredients themselves. Fluid & electrolyte balance is complicated & delicate. It doesn't take much to throw a monkey wrench into it & when it's out of balance bad things happen, they happen fast & they happen in multiple systems simultaneously, a domino effect. A kid can die in 24 hours with diarrhea. :rantoff:


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## stayingthegame

*gunshot wounds*

the reason for taping the back four sides is to seal the hole is so that the air is trapped. the front is tapped on only three sides so that the air trapped in the lung area can escape out. the mylar or plastic will tend to seal the lung area from outside air. we breath because of the vacuum that forms when the diaphragm pulls down. if air gets around the lungs then they will not expand and fill with air. when the lungs expand any air from the gunshot will (may) be pushed out through the wound.


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## LincTex

tsrwivey said:


> Give them Pedialyte or a generic equivalent. It has the right amounts of minerals, sugar, & water. It's about the proportions of the ingredients NOT the ingredients themselves.


Does anyone have a home recipe for making such said electrolyte? A pinch of salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, etc?


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## LincTex

Ahhhh..... google is my friend:

"For times when you or your little one has a stomach bug and you either can’t leave home or want to save some money, try these homemade versions of Pedialyte."

Homemade Pedialyte Recipe 

Things You’ll Need:
4 cups water (makes one quart)
1/2 tsp baking soda 
3 Tbsp sugar or honey 
1/2 tsp salt 
Basic Recipe: Mix all ingredients together and sip on as desired. Refrigerate if a cold drink is prefered.

Flavored Recipe: Add 1/2 packet of Kool-aid to Basic Recipe.
Orange Juice Recipe: Add the soda and salt to orange juice mixed with water.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

=================================================
Homemade Electrolyte Solution Recipe (lower sugar)

2 quarts water
1 teaspoon baking soda
7 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh-squeezed or bottled orange juice

Directions:
Stir all the ingredients in the water until they are completely dissolved. The solution can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days, or for a treat to tempt a child it can be made into popsicles (an ice cube tray and toothpicks work well if you don’t have a popsicle mold).

Options:
Add a squeeze of lemon juice or more orange juice to each serving if desired for flavor (but just enough for flavor because juice has a lot of sugar and can make diarrhea worse).


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## Magus

BillM said:


> With a sucking chest wound the lung can collapse because you are pulling air through the wound insted of your wind pipe.
> 
> Every time you inhale you pull blood into your lung.
> 
> Creating a vent allows you to inhale air through your wind pipe and allows blood to relive through the wound when you exhale thus preventing it from collecting between the chest wall and the lung and thus collapsing the lung.
> 
> That is why you don't tape all four sides.


Yes,but as they swell up,they partially restrict the air flow similar to the garbage bag and duct tape method,just more sanitary.


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## auntievintage

*Baking Soda & vinegar*

I've recently decided that baking soda is one of the more useful prep items. I've used only baking soda for washing for 5 months now and I'll never go back. (btw- I'm a woman with long hair who dresses professionally every day) As a paste, is great to exfoliate, leaving skin soft. For hair, it's better for long term than anything I've ever used. I use 2 tbsp in 4 cups of hot water to scrub the scalp and rinse with a dilution of 1 tbsp vinegar to 4 cups water to rinse (the acid will cause the scales on your hair to lay flat leaving your hair tangle-free and silky). It is fantastic in a low-water situation as you can scrub your body, removing oils and dirt and literally leave it on your body as it will fall off as it dries without any adverse effect. The salts also take care of small scratches and help to prevent infection (although it stings if you just came from the brier patch). If you have vinegar as well you can also control the Ph of just about anything... add to this the other 101 uses for the two and they become a must-have. Plan on 25lbs./year/person for washing ($12), less for someone with short hair.


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## ditzyjan56

auntievintage said:


> I've recently decided that baking soda is one of the more useful prep items. I've used only baking soda for washing for 5 months now and I'll never go back. (btw- I'm a woman with long hair who dresses professionally every day) As a paste, is great to exfoliate, leaving skin soft. For hair, it's better for long term than anything I've ever used. I use 2 tbsp in 4 cups of hot water to scrub the scalp and rinse with a dilution of 1 tbsp vinegar to 4 cups water to rinse (the acid will cause the scales on your hair to lay flat leaving your hair tangle-free and silky). It is fantastic in a low-water situation as you can scrub your body, removing oils and dirt and literally leave it on your body as it will fall off as it dries without any adverse effect. The salts also take care of small scratches and help to prevent infection (although it stings if you just came from the brier patch). If you have vinegar as well you can also control the Ph of just about anything... add to this the other 101 uses for the two and they become a must-have. Plan on 25lbs./year/person for washing ($12), less for someone with short hair.


This is good to know, I will try it this week. I love the may uses of baking soda and of vinegar.


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## Possumfam

auntievintage said:


> I've recently decided that baking soda is one of the more useful prep items. I've used only baking soda for washing for 5 months now and I'll never go back. (btw- I'm a woman with long hair who dresses professionally every day) As a paste, is great to exfoliate, leaving skin soft. For hair, it's better for long term than anything I've ever used. I use 2 tbsp in 4 cups of hot water to scrub the scalp and rinse with a dilution of 1 tbsp vinegar to 4 cups water to rinse (the acid will cause the scales on your hair to lay flat leaving your hair tangle-free and silky). It is fantastic in a low-water situation as you can scrub your body, removing oils and dirt and literally leave it on your body as it will fall off as it dries without any adverse effect. The salts also take care of small scratches and help to prevent infection (although it stings if you just came from the brier patch). If you have vinegar as well you can also control the Ph of just about anything... add to this the other 101 uses for the two and they become a must-have. Plan on 25lbs./year/person for washing ($12), less for someone with short hair.


Ditto - haven't used shampoo in years, use it for bathing and face washing, brushing teeth, even make our own homemade deodorant. Actually, we use more of it in the bathroom than we do in the kitchen. However, those w/ sensitive skin may find it a bit irritating. If so, try diluting it - soda water.


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