I am a visual person.  I have to see or read something in order for me to grasp it.  I mean, you can talk till you're blue in the face and most of the time its gonna go in one ear and out the other – that is unless I see it.

So, when I began my quest, after hearing time and time again that should there be a catastrophic event that we would need survival food for at least a year if not more, I was a little blown away with how much food this actually is.

For one person, and I'm just talking about the basics here, no meats, fruits, or veggies, you would need 25 lbs of flour. As a point of reference, just one of those flour sacks you pick up at the grocery store to make cookies is 5 lbs.  So, if my math is correct (which at times is questionable) we would need five sacks of flour.  Not so bad right?

On to rice.

You would need 50 lbs of rice.  And, unless you have the patience of Job to cart fifty 1 lb bags of rice around in your shopping cart, I'd opt to do my shopping for large quantities like this at one of those big box stores where you can buy in bulk.  This way, you can grab three 20 lb bags of rice and it’s done.  And a whole lot easier to stack.

Next, 150 lbs of wheat grain. Why? Well, should the distribution centers go down and the trucking system become paralyzed, if you want bread, you will have to make your own and, cereals (pancakes).  So, again think big box store for this purchase as well.

To get an ideal of what kinds of basics I am referring to here is a list I’ve made:

Wheat, flour, rice, corn meal, pasta, oats, shortening, vegetable oil, peanut butter, salad dressing, beans, lentils, dry soup mixes, honey, sugar, brown sugar, molasses, corn syrup, jams, baking powder, baking soda, yeast, salt, spices to name a few. (Grant it there are some things, depending on your likes and dislikes that you would add or subtract.).

As you can see, most of these basic items needed in a survival situation, will be used to create what we have become accustom to purchasing, such as breads, cookies, and cakes.

My suggestion to you is begin buying these basic items a little at a time and start storing them.  This way it won’t be such a daunting and expensive task.  Also, the next time you have a hankering for a cookie, a piece of pie or some bread, get out the old cook book and make it yourself.  Practice, practice, practice.

Note to self: Pull out the old 'home economics' book and brush up on measurements, weights and baking times.' 

- Survivor Jane

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