Stocking up on tinned stuff?

vtsnowedin · Post by **vtsnowedin** » 19 Feb 2011, 20:55

postie wrote: ah.. there's the question!

Presuming we had about a weeks worth of stuff in the house.. the 5 boxes wouldn't really last us more than 2 weeks. There's 4 of us living here btw. 2 adults, 2 kids.

If it really was a case of TSHTF, then I guess you'd ration yourself quiet severely and we might be able to eke the supplies out a bit longer.

(It's roughly 20 cans of stuff to a box)

Rationing will extend it but if there is a complete breakdown of the normal supply line you may find yourself feeding extra family neighbors and friends which you can't turn away. One thing balances the other somewhat but there is no way to know for sure what you might need. Having some is worlds better then having none. I'm reminded of a expatriated Vietnamese family that kept two large glass jars full of rice at all times. They considered it a years ration in an emergency. Boring but cheap and it stores well. I don't want to eat that much rice as that would be about 125 pounds but one five gallon pail full makes quite an anchor to your supply list. Another with flour or pasta and a third with oatmeal and you have weeks of food if needed.

featherstick · Post by **featherstick** » 20 Feb 2011, 19:49

Postie the loft is not the best place to store canned food - the temperature variations can damage the tins and degrade the contents.

I've been reading a bit of survival literature recently, and realise I don't have enough carbohydrate stored. People who survived Antarctic winters in a snowhut, living on blubber, would dream of biscuits and potatoes.

Post by **adam2** » 21 Feb 2011, 19:29

featherstick wrote:Postie the loft is not the best place to store canned food - the temperature variations can damage the tins and degrade the contents.

I've been reading a bit of survival literature recently, and realise I don't have enough carbohydrate stored. People who survived Antarctic winters in a snowhut, living on blubber, would dream of biscuits and potatoes.

A loft is indeed non-optimum due to the probable extremes of temperature.
But for short term storage, up to the date on the can, I would not worry. The dates on the cans allow for normal storage, perhaps in a room with cooking appliances and considerable daily temperature changes.
If keeping goods past the date on the can, then it would be best to find somwhere with a lower and more steady temperature.
A cellar or basement is good if reliably dry.
An old non functioning chest freezer can be used, being insulated it protects against extremes of temperature.

Post by **adam2** » 22 Feb 2011, 15:08

Has anyone tried these ? as part of a stockpile, website seems a bit short on technical data re shelflife.
http://www.rachelaaron.net/soylent/soyryb.html

snow hope · Post by **snow hope** » 22 Feb 2011, 17:02

Hmmm, that site might be a "just for fun" site me thinks....

madibe · Post by **madibe** » 22 Feb 2011, 23:42

Hmmm, that site might be a "just for fun" site me thinks....

For the moment

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 23 Feb 2011, 17:38

I always thought that stocking up on tinned food was a bit of a joke really because peak oil was likely to be a slow grind down.

Now, however, it's looking more and more like we're going to get a short sustained piece of hyperinflation in which having 6 months of tins might be a good idea.

On the other hand there's also a non-zero and increasing chance that we might see an even scarier alex-scarrow event or worse an on-the-beach event because of what's going on in the ME.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 23 Feb 2011, 21:46

There's also the possibility of temporary disruptions due to badly-maintained infrastructure. That's the reason for the (admittedly modest) food stash here at Chateau Renewable.

DominicJ · Post by **DominicJ** » 24 Feb 2011, 09:02

FC
I dont expect to survive P/O, but I've cut my shopping bill in half, which has been handy these past couple of months.
Obviously, I'm quickly depleting my food stores, but theres a limit to how many outside occurance events that can hit me in three months.

the_lyniezian · Post by **the_lyniezian** » 24 Feb 2011, 14:31

You know... just today in Lidl I was somehow wondering about the possibility of stocking up on stuff, what with the situation in the ME and North Africa... sometimes I do that, but have in the past argued that it's either pointless or somehow wrong. Maybe it might be prudent I wonder... though I also wonder what with no job, is it a good idea when it might be wasting money, and where would I put it (too much clutter)?

Post by **kenneal - lagger** » 24 Feb 2011, 14:41

the_lyniezian wrote:You know... just today in Lidl I was somehow wondering about the possibility of stocking up on stuff, what with the situation in the ME and North Africa... sometimes I do that, but have in the past argued that it's either pointless or somehow wrong. Maybe it might be prudent I wonder... though I also wonder what with no job, is it a good idea when it might be wasting money, and where would I put it (too much clutter)?

Even a few days/weeks worth of food stored would be useful. You won't be wasting money because it is non perishable and you will eat it, but just a few weeks after you bought it - it must be rotated. God told Moses to stock up for hard times so shouldn't you follow His suit.

RenewableCandy · Post by **RenewableCandy** » 24 Feb 2011, 19:19

Ah Moses...sensible chap he was, and an expert on food hygene to boot.

the_lyniezian · Post by **the_lyniezian** » 24 Feb 2011, 23:22

kenneal wrote:
the_lyniezian wrote:You know... just today in Lidl I was somehow wondering about the possibility of stocking up on stuff, what with the situation in the ME and North Africa... sometimes I do that, but have in the past argued that it's either pointless or somehow wrong. Maybe it might be prudent I wonder... though I also wonder what with no job, is it a good idea when it might be wasting money, and where would I put it (too much clutter)?
Even a few days/weeks worth of food stored would be useful. You won't be wasting money because it is non perishable and you will eat it, but just a few weeks after you bought it - it must be rotated. God told Moses to stock up for hard times so shouldn't you follow His suit.

Well, I don't know about Moses, I think you might be thinking of Joseph there. But anyway, I suppose it is a Biblical example, if a very specific case of direction by God in a specific situation- and are we who are christians to depend in other ways on God? As I said, David Wilkerson thought otherwise, though his prophetic record isn't perfect.

I would like to hope at least keeping a reasonably well-stocked cupboard with at least a couple of weeks in reserve might be a good idea, though what that then means in practice... is extra room required?

fifthcolumn · Post by **fifthcolumn** » 24 Feb 2011, 23:51

DominicJ wrote:FC
I dont expect to survive P/O, but I've cut my shopping bill in half, which has been handy these past couple of months.
Obviously, I'm quickly depleting my food stores, but theres a limit to how many outside occurance events that can hit me in three months.

Dom, are you kidding me mate? When did you become a doomer?

lurker · Post by **lurker** » 25 Feb 2011, 00:35

No ones mentioned homemade jams pickles & chutney?

Im still eating damson jelly from 2004 vintage.

I don't have any tins stocked piled though mostly fruit & veg stuff in a chest freezer no good if the power goes down.

Do have 4 full sacks of spuds left though enough to last till the next crop i hopefully if they don't all sprout.

Have enough apple juice to last many months coz lidl was doing a 1/2 price deal so bought 10 crates.

180 of litres apple juice in think should last ages!