Have i done enough?

[Ladybird60]

Hi
I am new.
Regarding stocking up. I have a lot of tins of soups, beans etc. As lock down approached i built a stock of meats, frozen vegs, fish, pizzas, chips etc - freezer is full. My strategy is i use oldest first and keep replacing as i go. So it never depletes. I keep several loaves of bread frozen.
I venture out for one shopping session each week. I go niwhere else. I get fresh food so i never deplete my main stock. I don't like ready meals. I focus on meat, fish, eggs and vegs. A high level of nutrition is vital to keep us healthy. I am prepared to ration us to one meal a day when shortages begin - i am sure it is only a matter of time.
I realised i must get bottled water so that i will begin building up now. I ordered tins, pouches and dry food for my dog - about 6 months worth. I've got a supply of flour so we could bake bread for a while if need. I am a good cook so i am confident i can use ingredients economically.
I've avoided rice and pasta which in my view are not actually very nutritious.
What else do i need please advise?

[Skean Dhude]

sounds to me like you are doing the right things. I would be careful with your reliance on the freezer unless you have some form a power backup. I would look at what you could do to produce your own food and storing food without electrickery.

[Straight Shooter]

Dried foods , white rice will last years also pasta GET SOME ! Store these either in Glass jars or Mylar bags with a oxygen absorber ( get these from Fresherpack ) eBay or Amazon to seal the bags use. Your iron , lentils red & green off Amazon , peal barley, split peas, haricot beans , dried peas ,and pinto beans .........buy a dehydrator about £35.00 and the book dehydrating bible, this will tell you everything ! .....when you dehydrate food you reduce volume you get loads into a mason jar......you will need some mason jars ! .......do not go nuts .....get what you can when you can ......get the above......weather you think it’s nutritious or not , it’s a must ! Get your head around this lot first .......I’ll be back with more later ......never get overwhelmed just take your time , you will soon be there chick.

[Straight Shooter]

Forgot .....wheat grain ......and a mill to mill it .

[LAC]

Thanks SS about the dehydrator information, something I've been meaning to do for a while now, getting onto to it now, any further information you may have would also appreciate it.

[Straight Shooter]

You are very welcome LAC .....if you need times and heat settings I will gladly tell you these and condition expectations if you have no book......you can increase your food preps with GOOD food and better still dramatically save on shelf space , just for those reasons dehydration is an excellent method to prepare ...almost anything can be done this way ......always try to use the best stuff ....even better if you grow your own veg/fruit plus you do not need bulk in the freezer ....just think in terms of 65% less but the same 100% volume ....you return the volume when you rehydrate .....in any event .....power outages will not be to much of a worry about here ....lol

[Mortblanc]

Rice and pasta are not used for nutrition, they are used to fill you up. Same for bread, potatoes, corn and any other of the basic grains. Maize is not a vegetable, it is a grain.

In fact, bread is about the most useless food you can put in your mouth. That was why it was never rationed during WW2 and they tried to stuff a portion of the "national loaf" into every meal.

Using a high nutrition ration and filling up on the carbs you stretch your expensive and nutritious food longer.

Beans become the best of both worlds. They provide both nutrition and carb intake.

[Straight Shooter]

Exactly MB ! I have no problem eating beans .....only growing enough of them and storing the dried ones .

[LAC]

(19 April 2020, 22:06)Straight Shooter Wrote: You are very welcome LAC .....if you need times and heat settings I will gladly tell you these and condition expectations if you have no book......you can increase your food preps with GOOD food and better still dramatically save on shelf space , just for those reasons dehydration is an excellent method to prepare ...almost anything can be done this way ......always try to use the best stuff ....even better if you grow your own veg/fruit plus you do not need bulk in the freezer ....just think in terms of 65% less but the same 100% volume ....you return the volume when you rehydrate .....in any event .....power outages will not be to much of a worry about here ....lol

SS, is this the book you mentioned?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dehydrator-Bibl...188&sr=1-1

Just a few more questions if you don’t mind? When you mentioned using mason jars, is it also ok to just use glass jars previously used for bought foods like jam and pickled onions which are washed out and cleaned, or is it because the mason jars have a more effective air tight seal?

Also, what makes and models of dehydrators do you recommend?

[Straight Shooter]

Yes LAC that’s the very one ! Yes you can use any glass jar but mason jars do give a good seal And you can replace the seal cap so will last, as to types and makes ...... read the reviews first ....I bought a David James five tray job it’s been excellent and has been worked hard ...and still does.....you can spend big bucks and go bigger but this one does the job for us......back to the glass jars.....the coffee ones are good with the plastic push top, when you get the book have a flic through ......jerky mmmmmmmm leathers mmmmmmmmm and loads more! .