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Food

 Copyright © June 17, 2022 by Robert Wayne Atkins, P.E.
All Rights Reserved.

Introduction

Food and water have always, always, always been the two most important things that people must have in order to survive from one year to the next.

In the USA, and in a few other countries, many people take food and water for granted. Since food and water have always been easily acquired during their entire lives, there is no reason why these people should expect food and water to become "unavailable" in the near future.

However, in the USA the current long-term drought conditions in many, many areas is causing some people to appreciate water just a little more than they have in the past.

Each family will need to address the water issue in a way that is reasonable for that family.

This article will take a close look at food.

Discussion

Emergency Food This article will assume that you know that food is essential to the continued survival of your family.

A variety of different foods that have extremely long shelf lives and that do not need to be refrigerated or frozen are still available at most grocery stores. However, most of these foods cost more today than they did a few weeks ago. And a few weeks from now they will cost a lot more than they do today.

If diesel continues to become more expensive, then the price of diesel will increase the grocery store price of food in four ways:
  1. Most farms use a significant amount of diesel to plow their fields, to plant their seeds, and to keep the weeds from taking over their fields after they have sown their seeds.
  2. Most farms use a significant amount of diesel to harvest their crops and to initially process their crops.
  3. Diesel fuel is used to move the recently grown crops to a food processing facility.
  4. Diesel fuel is used by the transportation industry to move the food from the processing facilities to the distribution centers, and from the distribution centers to the grocery store where you buy your food.
Our paychecks, and our social security checks, have not changed. But prices have gone up across the board and most of us now have less money to spend of food.

The purpose of the following information is to help you use whatever money that you now spend on food in the best way possible.

This article will summarize some information about food that appears in some of my other articles, and in some of my books, into one place so that you can more easily see the big picture as it relates to food.

Food

Please allow me to begin by asking you the following question: At what time in the future do you intend to stop buying food?

After you have answered that question in your own mind then you may be able to better appreciate the information that follows.

We all currently spend some of our money on food. However, our food purchases should be guided by the following two facts:
  1. Your family will need to eat on a regular basis this week.
  2. Your family will need to eat on a regular basis for the rest of their lives.
Buying more food than your family can eat this week is not a waste of money if you intentionally purchase some foods for an emergency food reserve and your family does not eat that food immediately just because it is available.

If the emergency food that you purchase has a really long shelf life then you could gradually eat that food as part of your normal meals if life returns to normal in the years ahead. In other words, any money you spend on emergency food would not be a waste of money because your family could always gradually eat that food one day in the future.

Any emergency food items that you purchase should meet the following criteria:
  1. It is something you and your family enjoy eating.
  2. It could become part of a balanced and nutritious meal.
  3. It does not need to be refrigerated or frozen.
  4. It is affordable.
  5. It contains a lot of calories and nutrition (vitamins, minerals, etc.).
  6. It has a long shelf life.

Reasonable Food Safety Precautions

  1. Do not buy dented cans of food or canned foods that show any sign of aging such as rust on the outside of the can, or labels that show visible signs of aging.
  2. If you do not protect the exterior of the cans from the natural moisture and humidity in the air then the cans will gradually rust and the food inside will be lost. One easy way to protect a case of canned foods from moisture and humidity is to place the entire case of food inside a standard kitchen sized garbage bag and then carefully force all the air out of the bag and either twist tie it closed or tape the bag down tight against itself so air and humidity cannot enter the bag easily.
  3. Some canned foods are packed in water and the moisture in those cans may find a weak spot on the inside coating of the can and gradually eat its way through the can. If this happens then you will need to discard the entire can of food.
  4. High acidic foods, such as tomatoes, will gradually eat right through the can. However, some canning companies use a special coating inside their high acidic food cans to help minimize this problem.
  5. When selecting moisture packed canned foods, purchase and open one of the cans and then carefully examine the inside coating of the can to determine if the canning company is using a quality coating on the inside of their cans. If you are satisfied with the coating on the inside of the can then you could purchase additional quantities of that food item for long-term food storage.
  6. If a can of food appears to be expanded around its center section (bulging) then it probably contains poisonous toxins. Do not open the can. Instead dispose of the can safely. If necessary, bury the unopened can at least one foot under the ground.
  7. Before opening a can always rinse the top of the can with clean water and then dry the water off the can.
  8. Before using any item that has been in storage for a long time, open it and then carefully examine it. It should look okay and it should smell okay. If it doesn't look and smell okay then it is probably not safe to eat. Never, never eat any food that has an offensive or unusual odor, or that has something growing on it.
  9. Boiling a food item before you eat it, or cooking it until its internal temperature exceeds at least 200ºF (93ºC), will kill almost every harmful microorganism that might be present in the food item. Therefore all canned meats and all canned vegetables and soups should be cooked at a high temperature before eating them.

Food Storage

Storage Area: You should carefully consider where you will keep your emergency food stored for the following reasons:
  1. It takes a reasonable amount of space to store a one-year supply of food.
  2. It will take a significant amount of time and effort to move all your food between locations.
  3. The food should not be located where it may be accidentally discovered by anyone.
  4. Absolutely no one, except your spouse, should know about your emergency food reserves.
  5. The food needs to be stored in a temperature controlled environment for a variety of reasons.
  6. If a disaster unfolds rapidly and unexpectedly then you will need to be able to get to your food without drawing any special attention to your family.
If possible, store food at temperatures between 40ºF to 70°F (4.4°C to 21.1°C). A higher storage temperature will shorten the shelf life, reduce the vitamins and other nutrients, and change the taste of the food.

A Suitable Environment for Long-Term Food Storage

The following variables have a direct impact on how long food can be stored before it becomes unacceptable for human consumption:
  1. Rodents: Rodents can seriously damage or destroy a family's emergency food supplies. Therefore some reasonable method of rodent control should be used in the food storage area. If you use baited mouse traps and rat traps then you should check those traps on a regular basis, and safely discard the bodies of any dead rodents you find, and replace the old bait with fresh bait.

  2. Air Movement: Food containers should be stacked so air can circulate between the stacks of food. Food containers should not be placed in direct contact with the floor or with the walls in the storage area. This is especially true if the area has a cement floor. Containers should be stacked on pallets or on boards a little above the floor, and the stacks should be at least one inch from a wall, and each stack should be one inch from another stack of food. This will permit the normal circulation of air between the stacks of food. This will minimize moisture absorption from the floor or wall, and it will minimize heat gain through the floor or wall.

  3. Light: Food should be stored in a dark area in the absence of artificial light and sunlight, except when you are in the food storage area for brief periods of time. Sunlight should not enter the area where your food is stored. The sun will raise the temperature inside the storage area. If sunshine makes contact with your food storage containers then the sun will heat the containers and this will reduce the shelf life of the food inside the containers.

  4. Moisture: Some canned foods are packed in water. Water packed canned foods can be stored for several years and they will still be safe to eat. On the other hand, dry foods have most of the moisture removed from the food. Dry food should be stored inside a suitable container and the oxygen should be removed from that container.

  5. Oxygen: Oxygen reduces the shelf life of food. There are four ways that oxygen can be removed from a food storage container:

    • Nitrogen: Some commercially packed long-term storage food is inside a container that is filled with nitrogen instead of air.
    • Carbon Dioxide: Dry ice can be placed in the bottom of a food storage bucket and then dry food can be placed on top of the dry ice in the bucket. As the dry ice gradually evaporates it releases carbon dioxide and drives the air out of the bucket. Then the lid can be placed on the bucket. If you use dry ice then place at least one oxygen absorber packet in the top of the container before you seal the container.
    • Oxygen Absorber Packets: Oxygen absorber packets can be placed on top of the food in a food storage container before it is sealed. The packets will absorb most of the oxygen inside the container. However, the correct number of oxygen absorber packets must be used based on the size of the container to properly control oxygen inside that container. Oxygen absorber packets are usually sold several packets per package. When you open a package all the packets immediately begin absorbing oxygen. Therefore you must have your food containers ready to receive those packets immediately or some of your oxygen absorber packets will be wasted.
    • Vacuum Sealing: Food can be vacuum sealed in a plastic container or in a vacuum storage bag. Since all the oxygen will be removed, oxygen absorber packets will not be needed.

    The food storage container must have a lid (or vacuum seal) that forms an air tight seal with the container so fresh air cannot enter the container and cause spoilage.
    If any one of the above four methods is used to remove the oxygen then the following benefits will be achieved:

    • Any tiny insect eggs that may be present on the food will die due to the lack of oxygen and this will eliminate a potential future insect infestation problem.
    • Oxygen and light are the primary causes of food losing its color. Oxygen also causes the oils in some foods to become rancid. Eliminating the oxygen minimizes these two problems.
    • The edible shelf life of the food will be significantly extended.

  6. Temperature: The shelf life of food is significantly impacted by the temperature inside the area where the food is stored. The following table shows the approximate average shelf life of long-term storage food at different storage temperatures:

    TemperatureShelf Life
    40°F (4.4°C)38 Years
    50°F (10.0°C)30 Years
    60°F (15.5°C)20 Years
    70°F (21.1°C)10 Years
    80°F (26.7°C)5 Years
    90°F (32.2°C)2.9 Years

    Important Temperature Information: Long-term storage food is normally advertised to last 20 to 30 years in storage. However, if you read the fine print you will discover that the advertised shelf life is based on a specific storage temperature. If you are not able to store your food at the recommended temperature then your food will not attain the advertised shelf life.

Shelf Lives of a Few Specific Foods

The following list of foods have an indefinite shelf life if the food is sealed in an oxygen free atmosphere, kept dry, stored in a dark place, and it is not exposed to high heat.
If possible the foods should be stored in a temperature controlled environment between 40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (or 4°C to 21°C).
If these conditions can be met then the following foods will still be edible many, many decades from now:
  1. Salt.
  2. Baking Soda.
  3. Cornstarch.
  4. Cream of Tartar.
  5. Granulated Sugar.
  6. Brown Sugar.
  7. Confectioners Sugar.
  8. Vanilla Extract.
  9. Wheat Berries.
  10. Honey. (Note: If the honey begins to crystallize into sugar then put the jar of honey into some very warm or hot water, but not boiling water, and the honey will gradually melt back into a honey consistency.)
Note: You can make fresh baking powder by mixing 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar. However, don't make fresh baking powder until you need some for a recipe and only make enough for that recipe.

The following foods will still be edible for up to 30 years if all the above conditions are met and therefore the following foods are highly recommended if your family enjoys eating the following foods. If your family refuses to eat one or more of the following foods then do not buy the foods your family will not eat.
  1. White Rice. (Approximately 1,500 calories per pound.)
  2. Potato Flakes. (Approximately 1,700 calories per pound but read the nutrition label on the brand you are considering.)
  3. Rolled Oats. (Approximately 1,700 calories per pound.)
  4. Dry Pasta (Spaghetti and Macaroni.) (Approximately 1,600 calories per pound). (This is a wheat or bread substitute and it can help prevent appetite fatigue. Canned pasta is also an option and some canned pastas include meat.)
  5. Dried Corn Kernels. (Can be planted to grow fresh corn, can be ground into cornmeal, can be heated in a frying pan and parched, can be rehydrated in boiling water for about 10 minutes until it swells and it is soft like fresh corn.)
  6. Canned Meats. (Spam, canned hams, roast beef, tuna, salmon, mackerel, chicken, pork, Vienna sausage, hamburger, chili with beans, roast beef hash, beef stew.)
  7. Canned Vegetables and Beans. (Beans contain protein and they are a meat substitute. Read the nutrition label and focus on canned vegetables that have a lot of calories. For some people, a can of mixed vegetables may be a good option.)
  8. Canned Jars of Jelly or Jam or Preserves. (Please don't underestimate the value of a few sweets for the prevention of appetite fatigue. Hard candies, such as peppermints, are also an option. If you vacuum seal the hard candy then it will remain fresh for many years.)
Instant Nonfat Powdered Milk will last up to 20 years if properly stored.

Indefinite Shelf Life: Indefinite does not mean infinite. Infinite means forever and no food lasts forever. Indefinite means undetermined. In other words, when the food shelf life test was terminated the food item being tested was still edible and there was nothing wrong with it. Therefore the shelf life test could not put a specific expiration date on that food item and it was simply labeled as having an "indefinite" or undetermined shelf life.

National Brands or Generic Brands

If you have a very limited amount of money to invest in emergency food, then generic brands or store brands will usually be the best value. However, there may be exceptions when a national brand is on sale at a local grocery store.

The quality of all food must meet the standards that have been established for that food. However, the taste or flavor of a generic brand of food may or may not be acceptable to your family. This is usually not a problem with a food such as canned beans, canned corn, or canned peas because the food in the can does not have any spices or ingredients added to the food. However, some canned foods do have a very unique flavor depending on which company processed the food. For example, the flavor of chili with beans can be significantly different depending on who prepared and canned the food. And some foods, such as canned roast beef with gravy, may contain more water and less gravy and less meat, than a different brand of canned roast beef with gravy. Therefore it is usually a good idea to only buy one can of any brand that you are interested in and take it home and serve it to your family. If you family likes it then you can buy more of that specific item canned by that company. But if you family gags on it then you should not buy any more of that specific item canned by that company.

At the current time Walmart has stores conveniently located all over the USA. And the Walmart "Great Value" brand is usually excellent quality and it is usually the lowest priced item that you can find anywhere. And most of the "Great Value" brand canned foods have a good flavor. Examples would be the "Great Value" brand of canned beans and the "Great Value" brand of dry pastas and the "Great Value" brand of white rice. However, my family does not like the flavor of the "Great Value" brand chili with beans. And the "Great Value" brand roast beef with gravy has a reasonable taste but it has more watery gravy in the can and less meat. Before you invest your money in any brand of food you should buy one container and serve it to your family.

Conclusion

Starving Man Many people in the USA, and in a few other countries, believe that famine and starvation only affect people in poor countries.

However, during the Great Depression of the 1930s famine and starvation impacted people in every country on the face of the earth. In most countries the children were the first people to die. Children were abandoned by their parents and they slowly starved to death on the streets where they begged and begged and begged everyone who passed by to please give them something, anything, to eat. Government owned trucks would drive down the streets about once a day and they would pick up the dead bodies of the children who had died and those children would be buried in mass graves and they would be immediately forgotten by everyone except God.

Famine and starvation significantly changes a country and the people who survive in that country.

Since the year 2008 I have mentioned that feeding a pet during a really serious famine is not a good idea. I frequently read posts on other forums where some people have already purchased a one-year supply of pet food for their family pet. If a little child begs their parents for something to eat, even dog food, but the parents have no food and that little child slowly starves to death, then how will that family feel when they see a neighbor family that has a well-fed pet? What do you think will happen one night to the family that has the well-fed pet? What do you think might happen to the family with a well-fed pet if another family decides that they do not want their little child to die of starvation?

Please give some serious thought to how you will spend whatever money you currently have available to spend on food. The future survival of your family may depend on the decisions you make today.

May God Bless,
Grandpappy.

Grandpappy's e-mail address is: RobertWayneAtkins@hotmail.com

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