# A few thoughts on eating what you store



## Zanazaz (Feb 14, 2012)

I'm sure almost everyone here has heard this phrase:

Store what you eat, and eat what you store. Or some variation of this phrase...

Anyway, I was wondering, how many of you do this? One of the reasons I ask is that I'm currently staying with my mom, and she stocked up on some canned chicked. I discovered that I CAN NOT stand the stuff. I consider it vile. The taste is bad, as well as the texture, and the smell...blech. Not sure there is anything I can do to the stuff to make it palatable, at least for me. I think I could probably be starving, and turn up my nose at it. I've tried it twice, so I don't think it's a bad can, but perhaps maybe a bad lot? Perhaps I should start storing it in "live" form? : Because I do love me some chicken.

I don't have trouble eating any other canned meat. Even Vienna Sausages. Of course I LOVE SPAM, and need to start stocking up on it. It's versatile as well as tasty.

I know some long term foods should be kept back due to the expense of some of types of it, but shouldn't it be used periodicaly so you and your family can get used to it? Some people do balk at a sudden change in diet.

This also gives you a chance to try different recipes, and really learn what works best. If your long term food storage consists mainly of beans and rice then NOW'S the time to learn what all you can do with it. Learn how to cook it in different ways, and in different situations.

One thing I learned to do is after I finish off a pot of pinto beans, I can cook some Ramen noodles in the leftover bean water. It's different, and kind of good. Plus, if theres a few beans left over it just adds a little extra to the Ramen Noodle & Bean water! If you don't have much water left over just add water to what's left.

Remember appetite fatigue can and does occur. Variety is truly the best spice.

Anyway, I'm sure I am "preaching" to the choir here, but they say repitition is the mother of learning. No one should ever stop learning.


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## AlabamaGal (Dec 27, 2011)

Eating from your storage is one of those leaps people have to take when they are ready to go from stock-up mode to maintenance mode. Once you do you find all kinds of things you are storing too much of, should be storing at all, or should be storing more. It's hard if you've been subconsciously taking the grocery store for granted. I do shop once a month or so, but I make myself keep something for at least a month before I eat it -- which sounds silly when I write it but it keeps me from impulse buying.

I grow most of my own fresh food, but even making the leap to ONLY eating seasonal food or ONLY eating local food can be a shock. Just switching to food only made in the US can throw a real kink in your view of a menu.

Yeah, I think canned chicken is nasty, too. Except home-canned chicken from local pasture-raised birds. It's awesome.
And the tuna in those envelopes? Ick. Canned tuna isn't great but the envelopes and 2x and price and just plain nasty.


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## GaryS (Nov 15, 2011)

I'm not a fan of canned meat of any kind...tuna excepted, but I don't eat much meat anymore. For stocking up, I prefer the freeze dried products. The meat at least has a hint of taste that replicates fresh.


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## Zanazaz (Feb 14, 2012)

AlabamaGal you make some good points. So many are slaves to fast food, or easily prepared meals, that cooking in the home has almost dissappeared for most. Just open the box, bag, can, and heat it up. These people are going to be in for a surprise when their fave fast food is no longer available.

Even people who think they are ready really need to do some trial runs. ( If they haven't already. ) Even if it's only eating your stored food, and cooking it in the way you would in an emergency. How many people can even bake bread anymore? What if the power is out? Storing food is only part of the equation.

I remember one time when a lady was in the break room at a place I was temporary employee. She was going to open a can of soup for lunch, and the electric can opener was not working, and there wasn't a manual one. I pulled out my wallet, got out my trusty P-38, washed it, and then opened the can for her. She was surprised and grateful. Lucky for her I was prepared, otherwise NO SOUP FOR HER!


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## Zanazaz (Feb 14, 2012)

*Canned Meat*

I like the Spam! Canned ham is good as well. Canned tuna I can eat straight out of the can. Sometimes I spice it up with salsa, etc. I use canned salmon to make patties with, but a steady diet of it would grow tiresome.

That's about all the canned meat I've tried. Are there some I may be missing?


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## kyhoti (Nov 16, 2008)

The way we prepare our stores may be different in a power-less world. Most of the bread fixings we have work as well on a griddle as cakes as they do in the oven. We've been storing muffin mixes as quick comfort food; just add water and bake/griddle. Since most of our cooking will occur indoors (at first anyways), the heat build-up from an oven will just not work in the summer. In the winter, that's a whole different story: we will condense our living space and use the fireplace to bake and heat!


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

Zanazaz, just don't eat the canned chicken. It sounds like you're not a picky person, and that there's lots of other things you do like and eat. Just cross canned chicken off your list. You'll get enough variety with all the other stuff you eat. If someone else has stored up canned chicken, then when the time comes simply say "enjoy" and get yourself something else to eat!


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## Zanazaz (Feb 14, 2012)

gypsysue said:


> Zanazaz, just don't eat the canned chicken. It sounds like you're not a picky person, and that there's lots of other things you do like and eat. Just cross canned chicken off your list. You'll get enough variety with all the other stuff you eat. If someone else has stored up canned chicken, then when the time comes simply say "enjoy" and get yourself something else to eat!


Yeah, I won't be buying that brand of canned chicken ( Members Mark ). I may try a different brand.

I will just about eat anything. The one thing I absolutely will not eat is PB&J sandwiches. I had a bad experience as a kid with the stuff. I can just smell the stuff and get sick to my stomach. I'm fine with peanut butter alone, or jelly on toast, but not together.

I find that as I get older I get less and less picky about what I will eat.


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## gypsysue (Mar 27, 2010)

I know what you mean, Zanazaz. I'll eat things now that I wouldn't touch 10 or 20 years ago! 

The sandwich I hated as a child (and still hate), and that my mom kept putting in my lunch was Jelly and margarine on bread. UGH! Or Peanut butter and margarine on bread. Yuck. Awful combinations!

You could try a can of another brand of canned chicken. We've bought canned chicken at Costco and found it pretty good. The canned chicken from Dollar Tree looks like pulpy canned dog food. It tastes "okay". Not good, just okay. There's also a difference in whether the canned chicken is "white meat" or mixed white and dark meat. If you prefer white meat, make sure your canned meat is also white meat. The canned chicken from Kroger and Wal-mart is better than the Dollar store but not as good as Costco's.

I'd only buy one can of any particular kind, until you find one you like.


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## Davarm (Oct 22, 2011)

I was never a big fan of canned chicken but found that when I canned it myself, it seemed pretty good. I think it was a mental thing more than a real taste issue. 

Home canned chicken breast seems to make better chicken salad, and the "Mc-Chicken" patties suggested by gypsysue and Emerald are a "keepers" also and the legs and thighs makes pretty good chicken and dumplings.

If you are set up for canning, try canning it yourself before you write it off for your preps.


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