It’s not uncommon for many to assume that a prepper food storage plan isn’t an important aspect of your prepping awareness. It’s more common to focus on water, the only element guaranteed to determine your fate if our society ever really does come to an end. But the fact is, water will only get you so far. While it is true that without it your survivability is down to just three days, what happens beyond that time?
Food is the second most important item on any prepping list and takes extensive planning to get right. Many people have found out the hard way that it’s not just about storing a few emergency bars and focusing the rest of your time on all the best ways to build up your water supply. At some point, food is going to need to take center stage and unless you have a specific plan in place, it may just be your undoing. Let’s check out some of the fundamental things to consider when preparing your prepper food storage plan.
Location
This is probably one of the most important considerations to keep front of mind. When it comes to storing your food, location is key. If you have a limited amount of space and something happens, where will your entire food supply end up? Imagine storing all your food in your home’s roof cavity due to limited space and a house fires rips through your home. Does that mean the end of your survival chances?
What if you only have a backyard and decide to bury your food supply down the far corner, away from any snooping eyes that might be watching? While it may seem like a good idea at the time, what happens if a flood comes along, effectively destroying your food supply? And then there’s always the option of keeping your food at a friend’s house, or some other location that’s away from your home. Will you have easy access to it, regardless of the circumstances?
The most important point here is to not put all of your eggs into the one basket. Spread things around, keeping some close, and some far. Make sure all food stocks are easily accessible and have enough protection against the elements to ensure their survival and yours.
Short term Storage
When it comes to storing your food, you might consider storing food in things like mylar bags, large-sized storage buckets and more. And while many of these solutions also talk in terms of being safe to eat for the next twenty years, the thing is, it’s all still considered short-term. Why, I hear you ask? Because regardless of what you decide to store, whether it will keep for 1 year, 10 years or 20 years, the supply is limited. It’s not something that will ever renew and thus will eventually run out.
What if a second family comes to stay with you. Now how long will that food last? While the types of foods you store may have long storage lives, they are, in essence, a short-term solution, because eventually, there won’t be any left. It is not a renewable food source and thus, can only be counted on as long as it is available. It is only by thinking long-term solution that you realize that any food stored is only valuable as long as there is an abundance of it. What you need is a food source that replenishes itself.
Long term storage
When you think of a sustainable way of life in a world without our current conveniences, what comes to mind? Is it a beautiful vegetable garden out on a property high up in the mountains? Or an urban fort surrounded by high walls and an underground bunker safely growing your food away from prying eyes? Whichever scenario you aim for, there’s more to making this vision a reality. Long-term food storage is not something that’s viable in the beginning, as it takes time to not only design, but also to maintain.
Depending on the climatic conditions at the time, growing anything requires water and unless you have a steady source already primed, it may not make sense to waste it on something that may not be needed immediately. If it’s animal husbandry you’re considering, remember that they take water and food to sustain. Will you have some to spare?
Final thoughts
A proper food storage plan goes much further than just the list of foods you need in order to survive. It takes into consideration some key aspects, including longevity, sustainability, and urgency. It takes some level-headed planning and if you get it right, will ensure your survival well into the future.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might also want to check out: 10 Types Of Best Canned Food For Survival
