How To Be Prepared For The End Times – Part 2

See the bottom of this page for a Spiritual support video

Part 2

See the bottom of this page for a Spiritual support video

Planning

Make a plan that makes sense for you and your family. Decide on the important things and begin. If you are budget conscious, acquire things a little at a time. Make choices at the grocery store. Instead of buying the name brand, maybe consider the store brand and buy 2. Most stores have buy-one, get-one offers. Coupons can be very helpful and often there are ‘free’ offers.

Network with your family, congregation, and like-minded neighbors. We are collectively smarter than our individual selves. Research for yourself. Go online and find expert advice. There is a lot of noise out there. Some people offering advice are self-serving. Pray for God’s discernment to guide you.

Some of us have learned lessons, and sometimes it’s what not to do.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

“Plan the work. Work the plan.”

Preface

This isn’t an easy subject. Most of us have spent the bulk of our lives with conveniences such as steady electricity, clean running water, major appliances, automobiles, and an increasingly larger service industry. The greatest threat to our survival comes from our normal standard of living. We have had the luxury of moving about freely and enjoying much of what modern life has to offer. To have all of that interrupted will come as a major shock. We have recent history of hurricanes, earthquakes, major forest fires, floods, and tornados upon which we have seen humanity suffer here in the US. To some extent we rely on organizations such as the American Red Cross, FEMA, and faith-based charities to ease the loss and suffering. How much can we rely if the emergency is greater than 1 city or 1 state?

It is better that you are knowledgeable and prepared. We tend to fear what we don’t know. Knowledge is the best asset you have. Read, learn, try, and repeat until you have it mastered. Write down what is important based on your needs and how you will meet those needs. By having a plan that is well thought out with contingencies, you simply have to put it into action when the time comes. Decisions are easier when you are calm, relaxed, and have time to think.

We are creatures of mind, body, and spirit. Mentally we have to visualize ourselves getting through any ordeal we find ourselves in. I listened to Philip Gans, a holocaust survivor, talk about keeping hope alive by looking forward to the time when he and his father would be out of the concentration camp. Much like we’ve learned in the healing services, our mind has the power to unlock so much potential via the Holy Spirit that lives within us. “I can do this!” has to be your motto. Additionally, our bodies have grown soft. Exercise is important, now, so that your options, later, are increased. Our bodies have a natural fight or flight mechanism built in that increases blood flow and adrenaline when we need it. A strong body gives you the best chance to not only survive, but thrive during an emergency. Think of the Amish. They live without electricity, walk wherever they go, and make their own food and clothes. They are happy and healthy and can distinguish between needs and wants.

If your home (shelter) is compromised, obviously that becomes higher in importance than other needs. Have plans in place that include contingencies. In other words, have a Plan A, Plan B, and a Plan C. Be adaptive to your situation and take advantage of opportunities where you find them. Your ability to think clearly and act will put you at an advantage over others competing for the same resources. Make a plan that fits you and your family.

Food

NOTICE that you are reading this on your computer. Notice that in order to get further information you go onto the Internet. It is Urgent that you print out this and every other section NOW while you still have electricity. Get a 3 ring binder and place all important info by section in the binder. Do it NOW!

If the food supply in your area were suddenly interrupted, what would you do?

You may have a certain amount of short-term foods. Many things normally stored in a refrigerator or freezer will spoil without electricity to keep them cold. Do you have enough food in your pantry to last you and your family for more than 2-3 weeks?

In an emergency, eat things that will spoil first. You should eat things in the refrigerator first, then the freezer, then fruits and vegetables, then dried foods. Avoid opening the refrigerator/freezer often. Do you have a generator that could supply electricity to a refrigerator/freezer during short term emergencies? Although a generator is very useful during a short term power outage, it will be ineffective if fuel cannot be acquired to run the generator. How much fuel do you have? Do you have a plan to ration the fuel in your cars and fuel cans or will you need the fuel in your car to execute your bug out plan to your alternate location? These are things you need to consider while developing your plan. Food will run out quickly in urban areas and there will be increasing competition for food and resources. You must have a plan for long term food replacement or you must be willing and have a plan to move to a location that has resources to support you and your family. The rule for food preparation is that you must have enough food to support your family until you can replace that food. It doesn’t rain food every few weeks so you must have a plan to grow food or hunt it. You must have enough food stored to feed your family in order for you to start growing your own or hunting it.

Many people go to the store once a week (or more). You probably don’t think of that “extra” food as survival food, but that extra can be the beginning of your food storage pantry. The food in your pantry may help you get by for a short period of time if you can’t get to the store. A three-day supply of short-term “food storage” in the pantry is typical for most households.

How do I build up my food supply?

If you live in an apartment or townhome, building up a food supply is also compounded by lack of space. Think about building up at least a week’s supply of short-term foods you can throw into the cupboard. Look for ways to consolidate items to create space. Maybe consider selling or donating some items no longer used. Consider the importance of having emergency food versus the clutter. If you are budget conscious, acquire things a little at a time. Make choices at the grocery store. Instead of buying the name brand, maybe consider the store brand and buy 2. Most stores have buy-one, get-one offers. Coupons can be very helpful and often there are ‘free’ offers. Look at labels to see how much shelf life something has. Choose items that are pasteurized and do not require refrigeration (at least until opened).

Which items do you have that require microwave heating to cook? Those will have less value in an emergency.

CALORIES COUNT

Calories are a crucial factor in your food storage planning. To determine your family’s food storage needs, think first in terms of calories per person per day, and then in terms of nutrients (protein, vitamins and minerals) provided—and finally, in terms of cost per serving. Measuring servings isn’t reliable because a cup of orange drink, a cup of beef stroganoff, a tablespoon of butter, and a quarter teaspoon of salt all count as a “serving.” Depending upon the food choices, a person could consume three servings a day and only get 600 calories!

In high-stress situations we require more calories than usual to operate in peak condition. According to the government’s dietary guidelines, under normal situations most adults need around 2,000 to 2,600 calories per day—more if very active or highly stressed. Children usually need 1,500 to 1,600 calories per day.

Why?

Stress can have more powerful effects on the human body than is often thought, producing changes in the function of the endocrine system and therefore on the hormones the body produces. A craving for carbohydrates is a common response to stress hormones, as sugar is the quickest way to replenish muscles that would have been needed in the fight or flight response. Sometimes we eat for comfort. The mind can contribute to the amount and type of food we choose to eat. Higher carbs give a higher sense of satisfaction and we often learn to satisfy stress with comfort foods.

Stress can also have the opposite effect which is to shut down desire to eat. Serious ongoing stress can lead to anxiety, which can often trigger unintentional weight loss. Anxiety can lead to a loss of appetite, abdominal pains, or a feeling of fullness soon after beginning to eat, resulting in less food intake.

What about multi-vitamins?

Yes. These are very valuable to keep on hand particularly if you food options are limited. Supplements, such as Vitamin C, are also good to have around.

Long-term food supply

What is the difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated?

A lot of people use the terms dehydrated and freeze-dried like they are the same thing. However, there are some major differences between dehydrated and freeze-dried food storage.

With any type of food preservation, moisture needs to be removed from the food. The most common way to do this is by dehydrating.

Modern day dehydration isn’t complex. Machines circulate hot and dry air across the food. This removes much of the water. The moist air is then dried so that water continues to be removed. The temperatures are high enough to remove water but not high enough to cook the food. Dehydrated food is usually withered and harder.

The freeze-drying process is a relatively modern preservation process. Freeze-drying isn’t something you can do at home without high-tech machinery.

Freeze-drying is a fairly simple process too. The food is placed on large racks inside of a vacuum chamber. The temperature is lowered to below freezing and then raised rapidly to above boiling. The process is so fast that it removes the moisture from the food without destroying the structure.

The Main Differences between freeze-dried and dehydrated foods

Moisture Content. The main objective with food preservation is to remove the moisture so that the food doesn’t decompose, grow mold, etc. Dehydration removes about 90-95 percent of the moisture content while freeze drying removes about 98-99 percent.
Freeze-dried foods will have a longer average shelf life.
Freeze-dried foods retain the vast majority of the vitamins and minerals found in the original food.
Freeze-dried foods have a better appearance
Dehydrated foods will require cooking. Many times, they will also require some type of seasoning. This means that you’ll need to spend time boiling the product in hot water and letting it cook. However, with freeze-dried foods, you just need to add water. Adding either hot water or cold water will get the job done depending on what you’re eating. Freeze-dried foods will usually be ready to eat in less than 5 minutes.
Weight is another difference. Freeze-dried foods are going to weigh a lot less than dehydrated foods.
Dehydrated foods are going to be cheaper than freeze-dried

Self-Reliance

100 years ago, people living outside of a city had to rely on their own skills to provide enough food for themselves and their families. Food sources consisted of what could be farmed, raised, fished, hunted, or gathered. Milk was made into cheese and berries were converted into jellies and preserves. Much like you would see today if you visited an Amish farm.

Hunting

Most of us live in urban and suburban environments. Hunting live game is somewhat impractical as there are few animals within walking distance. If you are able to hunt, most likely your weapon of choice would be a gun (shotgun or a rifle) or a bow with arrows. Florida has an abundance of birds, such as ibis and ducks, that offer a food choice for a few that are close enough, and a good enough shot!

Within Hillsborough County, Florida there are no public hunting grounds but there are public hunting lands within 60 miles and the local area is filled with eatable animals. In a large scale emergency, if you live in a highly urban area you might be required to go on a hunting trip several miles from your home in order to bring back food for your family. You may have to walk 10-20 miles or more to hunt. Then you might be required to carry that animal back to your family. In order to do that, you will need a weapon, skills to live in the field on your hunt, ability to clean and skin your harvest, and the skills to dry or smoke your meat so it will last the trip home and provide for your family for several days after your return. You must also think about your family’s security while you are away. This is where a network of people are extremely helpful. This is the way our country operated for several hundred years and was the norm. It is also the way Native Americans lived just over 100 years ago.

Hunting is not a skill easily learned and usually takes practice, time and effort. It also requires tools such as a firearm or bow to harvest the animal and a knife to clean and prepare the animal.

There are great resources available if one is unfamiliar with hunting or want to learn more if you are an avid hunter. A Good place to start is the link below which is an article from American Hunter magazine titled “25 Things Every Hunter Should Know”:

http://www.americanhunter.org/wp-content/uploads/Webcontent/pdf/2009-6/200964-25things.pdf

Magazines such as American Hunter, Field and Stream and Outdoor Life are great resources and one should consider a subscription to learn how to hunt, fish and trap. All three magazines also have informative websites. Outdoor Life also has a section dedicated to survival information.

Trapping

If you had traps, what would you catch that you would eat? Best option might be squirrel? Would you consider eating raccoon, opossum, or armadillo? These all have a risk of carrying a disease. You can make improvised traps/snares from wire or rope. You can also make improvised traps from sticks, rocks, and branches. You can also prepare ahead of time and use large rodent traps or raccoon/varmint traps that are usually available at home improvement stores. One trap will not suffice. Usually traps are set in multiples along game trails. This is called a trap line. The trapper must remember where he set the traps and return along the trap line regularly to glean the harvest and also to ensure other predators don’t steal the harvest. You also want your traps to be concealed from other humans or else they will steal the harvest as well.

Fishing

A simple $20 rod and spinning reel combo from a sporting goods store along with some simple lures such as jigs with plastic swim baits can go a long way to provide food on the table. Add some split shot waits, bobbers, various hooks, and a few artificial swim baits and you can have a fishing kit for under $100. You will also need a filet knife.

Let’s say you are close enough to walk to a fishing spot and have equipment where you could fish. If someone sees you walking with a string of fish, how likely would you be stopped/attacked and the fish taken from you? Of course, you could eat the fish on the spot, but that means carrying other items with you which might attract attention.

Gathering

Gathering options might also be limited, even if you live next to a nature preserve. Would you be able to find blackberry or raspberry plants? Would you know rhubarb or edible mushrooms when you see them? Some things that look like food, like berries, are actually poisonous. Research now as there are plenty of books on the subject.

What about cows?

Florida has a lot of cows. If you managed to get a rope around one, where would you take it? And, let’s not forget, it’s not yours. How many of us know a dairy farmer within walking distance that would allow you to get your own milk?

What about orchards and farms?

Is fruit from a nursery or orchard fair to take? What about crops from an abandoned field? Would you be willing to get close enough to ask if you can buy or trade? Do you even know where these places are and are they within walking distance?

Fish, hunt, trap and gather with buddies. Buddies also secure the home front when others are on harvest trips. You need to think like a Native American or colonial community would think.

Canning

The concept of canning is simple: When food is processed in jars at extremely high temperatures for a long period of time, the heat kills microorganisms and deactivates enzymes that could cause the food to spoil. The heating process also drives air from the jar, creating a vacuum seal as the food cools. This prevents air, and the microorganisms it contains, from entering the jar and contaminating the food.

There are two types of canned foods: raw pack — uncooked food put into jars and processed; and hot pack — food that is heated before it is put into jars.

If you don’t already have the equipment, it might be more worthwhile to buy dehydrated or freeze-dried food.

Sprouting Seeds

Sprouting is the practice of germinating seeds to be eaten raw or cooked. Sprouting seeds unlocks calcium, magnesium, iron, copper, and zinc which make it possible for you to absorb these nutrients. Germination also produces vitamin C and increases B vitamin content. This can be done inside your home year round without any special lighting.

Farming

So, could I plant my own seeds?

Sure, you could plant seeds, but where? Could you walk to it? How much land do you need to grow enough to feed you? Would these plants attract any attention from people or critters? You could grow a small number of things on your patio, but would the effort be worth it?

What about raising animals?

Chickens can be a source of eggs/meat. In an urban or suburban setting, raising chickens can be impractical, but not impossible. Silky chickens are well known to be a good species of chicken to raise in an urban environment. Some space is required and the chickens need shelter (coop) and a constant source of water and food. The chickens would have to be protected from predators and desperate people. Chickens make a little bit of noise, but not nearly as much as a rooster. Fresh eggs could sustain you for a long time and could be traded with someone you trust.

How many butchers do you know?

Even if you had an animal, such as a pig, chicken, or cow, how would you get it to someone who could slaughter and prepare it like you would have found it in the grocery store? Do you know how to clean and process the animal for consumption? Do you know how to smoke or dry the meat so nothing goes to waste and can be eaten several weeks later?

Foraging for Edible Plants

http://beprepared.com/insight/13423/survival-101-foraging-for-edible-plants/?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_term=National&utm_

campaign=emer0428%20-%20INEM2404&utm_content=Final&sc=EMAIL&oc=INEM2404b

Foraging Rules

If you’re new to foraging, you’ll want to establish some rules before you start looking for edible plants. For example, most people know that some mushrooms can be poisonous, so one of your rules might be to stay away from all mushrooms if you don’t know what’s poisonous and what’s not.

Foraging rules will keep you healthy and safe if you have to find wild plants to eat. Here are a couple of rules to get you started. Once you start foraging, you can add more of your own.

Never eat anything if you’re not 100% sure of what it is.
Be careful of where you forage (make sure you know the landscape, holes, threats, rivers, etc.).
Stick with a few items you’re familiar with rather than spending hours searching for new plant species that might be dangerous.
Memorize a few different types of edible plants common to your area (grasses are common enough plants to most areas, so if you get lost in the woods out of your home state, you know that grass is one plant you can count on.)
Consult a field guide for preparation and cooking instructions for the plants (what if there’s a part of the plant that is inedible? You’ll want to know what to cut off and what to keep).
Watch out for animals.
Let someone know where you’re going before you go out foraging.

Some of these rules might apply more once you know what to look for, but it’s good to have a couple of rules in mind before you go.

Areas to Look for Edible Plants

Since many edible plants are classified as weeds you can start looking for plants in your lawn or other areas that are regularly cleared like parks and fields. Also, depending on the region of the United States you live in, edible plants will grow in different areas of the landscape.

Generally, in humid regions, most of your edible plants will be found in a sunny area or clearing. In drier climates, your wild plants will be found near water sources.

Also, if you’re out in the woods or an unknown place, look for plants that are growing in abundance. Stay away from plants that you may only see one or two of in the area. If a plant is growing in large abundance, it is more likely to be non-toxic and edible. However, before eating that plant, always perform theuniversal edibility test (a test to determine if a plant will make you sick or not) on any plants you are not 100% sure of.

For a more detailed guide of where to find plants, you can purchase a plant guide specific to your state. Also,The Sense of Survival gives great tips about finding and preparing edible plants.

How to Avoid Deadly Plants

The Art of Manliness gives eight features of poisonous plants to watch out for:

Milky or discolored sap
Spines, fine hairs, or thorns
Beans, bulbs, or seeds inside pods
Bitter or soapy taste
Dill, carrot, parsnip, or parsley-like foliage
“Almond” scent in the woody parts and leaves
Grain heads with pink, purplish, or black spurs
Three-leaved growth pattern

Warning: The tricky thing about edible plants is that a lot of them have similar characteristics to poisonous ones, but they are still edible. Some plants even have parts that are ok to eat and other parts that are toxic. This is why it’s important to have a field guide to identify plants.

If you find a plant you think is edible but aren’t sure, you can test whether it’s poisonous or not by performing the Universal Edibility Test.

5 Edible Plants to Know

Dandelion: Flower, leaves, stem, and root are all edible. Flowers taste best as a bud or at a barely-open stage in salads or sautéed in butter. The leaves (best young, in early spring) are highly nutritious, good in salads or stir-fry. The root (best in winter) needs to be parboiled (partially cooked in boiling water), then drained and boiled again until tender.

Grasses: all grasses are edible, but it’s best to chew the leaves, swallow the juice, and spit out the tough fibers. Where the base of the leaves meets the root, there’s a small, white part called the corm, which can be roasted and eaten like potatoes.

Cattails:the roots, shoots, and pollen heads are edible. For tips on eating cattail pollen, check out these great tips from the “Hunger and Thirst” Blog.

GooseFoot: belongs to the same family as spinach, chard, and beets. The leaves of such varieties as “Lamb’s Quarters” are gathered and cooked as a vegetable. The seeds are called “quinoa,” a gluten-free grain-alternative quickly increasing in popularity as a cereal, side dish, or bread ingredient.

Prickly Pear:this cactus-like plant grows from one to eight feet in height, and needs warm, dry, rocky soil. The pads resemble thick leaves and bear tufts of tiny, barbed bristles that are hard to see and harder to remove from the skin, so approach this plant with gloves and tongs! Using tongs, swish the fruit in water to remove the spines, and then carefully remove any remaining ones with a knife or peeler. The pads can be sliced and cooked for a vegetable (Nopalitos). The nutritious fruit can be used to make nectar, juice, jelly, candy, or pie. The branches can be roasted and peeled to get to edible pulp inside, and the seeds, parched and pulverized, are a good thickening agent.

What is Aquaponics and should you incorporate it into your preparedness plans?

Aquaponics is the practice of raising fish and vegetables together in a symbiotic relationship. In other words, it is the practice of raising fish in a tank and using the fish waste to fertilize the plants. The way it works is the water from the fish tank is pumped through the grow beds, where the beneficial bacteria convert the ammonia from the fish water into nitrites and then into nitrates that the plants feed on. The plants, in turn, filter out the ammonia, which is harmful to the fish; the water is then pumped back into the tank as clean, aerated water.

Aquaponics requires a pump and the fish die within a day or so if the pump stops as the oxygen in the water is used up.) Hydroponics is more realistic and can be manually maintained under emergency conditions.

What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is a subset of hydroculture and is a method of growing plants using mineral nutrient solutions in water. Almost any terrestrial plan will grow, with roots suspended, in a water/mineral solution.

MRE’s

MRE stands for Meal Ready to Eat. Popularized by the military, MRE’s have transitioned to civilian use and come a long way from a perception of something you wouldn’t dream of eating to something you would. MRE’s are nutritious and convenient emergency meals. Little or no heating required. Great for emergency use. Having a supply of MREs is a great way to eat hearty pre-cooked foods, crucial for a quick meal during an emergency. Stored in metalized pouches, they warm up quickly and easily open to enjoy. The on-the-go convenience of MREs makes them ideal for any emergency kit. You can also rotate these MRE meals into your camping, backpacking, or everyday meal planning.

Can’t I just pre-position supplies somewhere?

The first problem is the amount of preparation required to store something outside your home. The elements and insect problem would have to be solved. Next is location. Where can you put something where you are sure no one will take it? Third, how are you going to get to your stash in an emergency?

What if someone knows I have food?

It depends how desperate they are. The best advice is to let no one know you have food or emergency supplies. You may have to forcibly defend what you have.

How do I choose where to get dehydrated or freeze-dried foods?

Order some samples and try them! One brand that has a large following is Mountain House. Another is Wise Food Storage.
Check online reviews
Ask around
Check the website FAQs

Are you planning to cook?

Ingredients are less than for prepared recipes. So you could buy lots of ingredients and cook if you have plenty of heat source. Do you have an outdoor oven? Do you have utensils, pots, and pans that can take the heat from direct flame?

What about seasonings, oil, butter?

If you’re planning to cook, these are essential items. If you plan to eat game animals, seasonings are a must. Powdered butter is an option available for purchase.

What about vitamins?

Multi-vitamins are an excellent idea and have a reasonable shelf life.

Do you have a pet? When the dog food runs out then what will you do with your pet. Before you turn your nose up at the conversation, most of us do have pets. Pets are great, especially large dogs because they do provide a level of security to your family. However, there may come a time when tough choices must be made. 50lbs of meat is not something to scoff at or waste. Personally, eating the pet sounds more appealing than eating the cat or dog food. I recently heard a holocaust survivor give his testimony. Even after survivors were liberated and the war was over, there were still hard times in Europe. It came down to eating pets and they were thankful for the meal. I pray it never comes down to those choices for our family but you should be “prepared” to make those tough choices.

How do I safeguard my food source?

We will address this in a future section.

Bread

There are many benefits to grinding your own wheat to make bread. The flour we get in the store has lost much (not all) nutritional value. To make a yeast bread, you will need hard red or hard white wheat. To grind the flour you will want to have a manual mill. The manual mills will work when the lights go out; but will take longer, more effort, and produce a coarser flour. Cookbooks and recipes can be found on Breadbeckers.com. The ingredients for bread can be mixed in a large bowl, AND the dough can be kneaded by hand. BUT, few people will take the time to make a lot of bread, by hand.

http://www.homesteadharvest.com/article8.html

What’s in a Grain?

To understand the benefits associated with milling grain, you need to understand what comprises a whole grain. There are three main layers: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.

• The bran is the outer layer where all the roughage that helps move unwanted poisons and toxins through your system is found. The bran also contains numerous vitamins, minerals, and proteins.

• The germ is the health center of the grain, overflowing with vitamins B and E, as well as unsaturated fat and protein.

• The endosperm is the starchy white center.

Whole grains contain almost 90% of all the vitamins, minerals, and protein you’ll ever need. However, commercially milled products don’t offer you those nutrients. Why? Once milled, the oils found in the bran and germ oxidize and turn rancid within 72 hours. So for commercial purposes, both the bran and germ—and all the nutrients contained within them—must be removed in order to give products a shelf life.

Health Benefits

Although the nation is currently experiencing low-carb mania, fresh whole grain products are in fact good for you. They are low in fat, high in protein, and provide energy for your muscles and body.

High fiber found in whole grains helps in the management of obesity, diabetes, hemorrhoids, stroke, and heart attacks. Eating whole-grain foods on a regular basis has been shown to decrease risk for heart disease and high cholesterol levels, and is also thought to lower the risk of breast and colon cancer.

When milling your own flour, you’re able to mill only the amount you need, so nothing goes to waste and you are left with fresh-tasting flour.

How do I bake bread without electricity?

The best option may be an outdoor oven. These can be purchased commercially as well as do-it-yourself (DIY) options. If baking bread during an emergency is something you want to explore, start now and practice until you have it perfected.

Honey

Honey is more than just a sweetener. It is also an incredible survival food and medicine chest all in one.

Known throughout history for its health merits, honey is a broad spectrum healer. Heart disease, high cholesterol, influenza, wounds and infections respond well to this common golden liquid. Honey is one of the most outstanding survival foods that can stock a pantry. When stored in an airtight container and kept cool and dry, the shelf life of honey is remarkable — it does not turn rancid, ever. In fact, archeologists have found jars of honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that are still fit for human consumption. When selecting honey, it is important to focus on raw, organic and unfiltered varieties for the most bioactive properties. In addition, by using honey that comes from your own local area, this remarkable substance can help with allergies too. You should be aware that China has been sending counterfeit honey to the US market that is really corn syrup and other incorrect ingredients.

Can Opener!

The power is out and you don’t want that to get in the way of food preparation. That’s great, but you will need the tools, such as hand mixers, whisks, and don’t forget a manual can opener! While there are some battery powered options, the safest is to find devices that are powered by hand. Look around your kitchen and see what items you use regularly and are electric. What would you miss?

Final food for thought

You can survive 3 weeks without food.

Besides water, food is the most important item on your emergency preparation plan. Start now to gather the items you need. Look at expiration dates, nutritional value, calories, and preparation methods to help decide what is best for you and your family. Canned goods, dry pasta, bulk grains (rice) and beans, dehydrated foods, and freeze-dried foods are good items that can be stored a long time. Rotate your supplies as necessary so that nothing is wasted due to expiration. Get in the habit of not loading your freezer full of things that will melt and spoil. Pasteurized items in the refrigerator will still keep for a while once the power goes out depending on when you opened it. Try some food and drinks that you can enjoy at room temperature. Some drink mixes (including milk) are sold as a powder; just add water. It’s better to learn now which things are only acceptable hot or cold and start making choices about what to keep on hand. Purchasing food is just one piece of the puzzle. Foods that you can gather or raise outside your home can extend the duration of your supplies. What tools, implements, or weapons do you need? And, lastly, get ideas from like-minded people. You may have items (or skills) that someone else needs or vice-versa. We are collectively smarter than we are as individuals.

Bible rules for what you can eat.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Leviticus+11&version=NLT