recipes using stored foods

[Jonesie]

Re: recipes using stored foods

Hi All
If food supplies have to last for 3 to 18 months then canned meat may become a Sunday treat for many families. A lot of jobs will end during a long term quarantine. Incomes could evaporate or become sporadic along with food supplies. .

The canned meat I bought from Aldi's is imported from Brazil.
I read somewhere that Hormel has a cannery overseas also.
During a pandemic, should the ports close and the overseas canneries stop production, this meat will not enter the USA ... or other countries.
And the expiration date on my canned meat, hams, fish and bacon is late 2008 and into 2009.

If you rotate meat, see my spaghetti sauce recipe above. It is great in spaghetti sauce & in canned chili beans also...Campbell's soup too.

I sure hope the Campbell Company is able to can meat for distribution in the USA...Anyone know if they do?
I see that they are actively involved in sponsoring meetings for the pre-pandemic efforts.
We will need more domestic canned meats in the USA. We will, after all, lose most of our overseas markets should the ports close.

Can the Purina canneries switch over from canned pet food to canning meat for human consumption and interstate distribution? (They have a great distribution network.)
I imagine Purina and other pet food canneries will lose demand for pet food when the pandemic hits and pets are abandoned. Canning meats for human consumption could offset their losses.
Some people resort to eating canned pet food when times are tough. Can pet shops sell canned meat for human consumption...inexpensively?

This is a problem that should be addressed. A lack of protein in the diet is a main cause of social unrest.

So buy canned meat NOW if you are able.
If you want meat or fish once a week ... over a 3 year pandemic period ... that is about 150 cans.
(Even I don't have that many cans!)

I was counting on my contacts with local cattlemen, auction houses and butchers for a source of meat, but with no transportation, no phone service and no refrigeration, (and no security on the way home)...I can now see my thinking was flawed.
Talk about lackadaisical...I have only 4 cans of ham!
(Denial again)

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: recipes using stored foods

I'm wondering if we can negotiate with say Plumrose that does canned hams or some other company if they will offer flutrackers a discount on canned meets.

Also you might want to check in the SHARE Programs. That is a organization that you pay so much a month for food (most of it is fresh or frozen) and you also agree to do volunteer work (say sending out flyers on BF or helping with a group) they also agree that if you help someone out in a non-official manner that is counted as well. The amount of food that you receive is a lot and they even give out recipes to go with the food. My mom was involved in that and she received a lot of food including some meat and lots of veggies for I think it was $14 per month and then for the holidays an additional $20 for a FULL holiday dinner. That was back in 1990s. I just checked and it is now $16 per month. you can order more than one order per month if you want to stretch the food supply further.

This is not a charity program but a food club program for persons in all economic situations. I know that Washington DC (where my mom use to live before she died) has a lot of the sites for pick up and it is offered in numerous places all around the country.

What I am thinking is if you can get your ordinary food cheaper through the Share Program or some other food club program or coop then you can use the savings to put towards the prep needs.

Just called around and SHARE is on a local basis with a number of sites throughout the US that I see. The web site is for the Wisconsin branch.

Here are the sites that are currently available. If one is not near you perhaps you might consider helping to start one! I have a feeling that we will be doing much more of this sort of thing if bf hits.

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NC, SC, 406 Deep Creek Road, Fayetteville, NC 28301, 910.485.6923 & 1.800.758.6923
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NC, TN, VA, WV, 644 W. Main St., Radford, VA 24141, 540.633.2850
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VA, Newport News, 9912 Hosier St., Newport News, VA 23601, 757.596.7188
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IL, IN, WI, 13111 W. Silver Spring Dr., Butler, WI 53007, 262.783.2500 & 1.800.548.2124
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MD, DC, PA (S), WV, VA Northern & Newport News, 5170 Lawrence Place, Hyattsville, MD 20781, 301.864.3115 & 1.800.217.4273
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FL & GA, 1405 E. 2nd Ave., Tampa, FL 33605, 813.248.3379 & 1.800.536.3379
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NM, 505.565.9054, Espanol: 505.306.3924
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CO, NE, NM, SD, WY, 9360 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80221, 303.428.0400 & 1.800.933.7427
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CO, 9360 Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80221, 303.428.0400 & 1.800.933.7427
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KA, MO, NE, OK, 215 S.E. Quincy, Topeka, KS 66603-3632, 785.234.6208 & 1.800.SHARE 07
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Iowa, Missouri, Eastern Nebraska, 1102 South 7th Street, Oskaloosa, IA 52577-0328, 641.673.4000 & 1.800.344.1107
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Illinois & Indiana, 1825 NE Adams St., Peoria, IL 61603, 309.637.0282 & 1.800.637.5508
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WA, 4020 South 56th Street, Mail: Suite 100, Street: #103, Tacoma, WA 98409, 1 (877) 570-7757
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CA, 517 West Bradley, El Cajon, CA 92020, 619-590-1692

Hope it helps some folks. I know that the food is very good and their recipes are tasty. Mom got the best recipe for French Onion Soup that well I could NEVER resist. She also got a great on for stir fry veggies. REally miss her cooking.

Here is the web site for the Wisconsin program club:
http://www.sharewi.org/


What is SHARE?

SHARE is a nonprofit food buying club that offers good, nutritious products at reduced cost through a volunteer-run, community-based distribution system. SHARE?s mission is to build and strengthen community through volunteer service.

SHARE Is for Everyone

Anyone who wants to save money on food and help their community can be a member of SHARE. There are no membership fees or eligibility requirements. Click here to find out how easy it is to start saving!

Save Up to 30?50%

As a member of SHARE, you can save up to 30?50% on many of the same products you would find in a supermarket. SHARE can offer amazing savings because SHARE volunteers help sort, package and distribute the food that SHARE buys in bulk for over 20,000 people.

High Quality Food

SHARE offers a wide variety of frozen meats, fresh produce, other grocery items and club-size packages. You pick the food you want every month from SHARE's monthly order form.

SHARE Is Near You

SHARE serves over 200 communities throughout Wisconsin, northern Illinois and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Most likely, SHARE delivers good, nutritious food directly to your community. Click here to find the SHARE site nearest you.

Make Your Community Better

SHARE encourages all forms of volunteer service. Volunteer with your local SHARE food distribution team. Give time to a local community group. Help out at church, a senior center, or in your neighborhood?however you want to make a difference in your community.

Here is the information in Spanish

?Qu? es SHARE?

SHARE es un club de compras de comida que ofrece productos de alta calidad y valor nutritivo a un precio reducido. Funciona a partir de un sistema de distribuci?n basado en la comunidad e impulsado por voluntarios. La misi?n de SHARE es fortalecer la comunidad a trav?s del servicio voluntario.

SHARE es para todos

Cualquier persona quien quiera ahorrar en los gastos de comida y tambi?n ayudar a su comunidad puede participar en SHARE. No hay ning?n requisito de ingreso, y tampoco hay cobros para ser miembro. ?Vea aqu? lo f?cil que es hacerse miembro!

Ahorre desde 30?50%

Como un miembro de SHARE, Ud. puede ahorrar desde 30% a 50% en los mismos art?culos que se venden en los supermercados. SHARE puede ofrecer ahorros tan enormes por dos razones: 1) los voluntarios de SHARE ayudan en el embalaje y distribuci?n de la comida; y 2) SHARE compra la comida por mayor para m?s de 20,000 personas?igual como un club de compras.

Comida de alta calidad

La mayor?a de los art?culos en la hoja de pedido de SHARE son como los que Ud. compra en el supermercado: carnes congeladas, frutas y vegetales frescos, cereales, etc. Usted elige la comida que quiere comprar cada mes con la hoja de pedido.

SHARE est? cerca

SHARE distribuye comida en m?s de 200 comunidades a trav?s de: Wisconsin, el norte de Illinois y la Pen?nsula Superior de Michigan. ?A lo mejor, SHARE distribuye comida deliciosa y nutritiva directamente a su comunidad! Haga clic aqu? para encontrar el sitio de SHARE m?s cercano.

Sacar adelante a su comunidad


SHARE estimula todo tipo de servicio voluntario, pero no es necesario que Ud. sea voluntario para comprar comida con SHARE. Puede ser parte de su equipo de distribuci?n de comida local. Puede donar su tiempo a un grupo voluntario en su comunidad, que no sea SHARE. Quiz?s puede ayudar en la iglesia o en el centro de ancianos local. Tambi?n puede ayudar a una familia en su vecindario.

 

[DRJJ]

Re: recipes using stored foods

How do I preserve Lemon juice and lemon rind?

 

[Gnosis]

Re: recipes using stored foods

Reading all these recipies reminds me why I chose to buy MRE's.........WAY TOO MUCH WORK. That said, how's about eightish for dinner, your place not mine

 

[Laidback Al]

Re: recipes using stored foods

Gnosis, I am not sure I agree with you about MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) being a better choice than preparing and cooking full meals. People who are sheltering in place will have a lot of time on their hands, especially if electronic media infrastructure is down. Planning, preparing, and cooking meals will help while away the hours. The cooking and sharing process might also help family members interact in a positive manner while they are waiting for the food to be ready. Maybe, T Modesto will comment.

I don't think each person opening and eating an individual MRE will foster much of a convivial atmosphere at meal time. Eating and sharing food at meal time with friends and loved ones may be one of the few highlights during a prolonged pandemic.

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: recipes using stored foods

This has been an on-going problem with other places I post. I like to cook. And, I believe it will be important (at least in my house) to keep peoples spirits up any way we can. One of the ways I hope to do that is with food. If you don't cook, or if you are on a budget that makes a shoestring squeak, then the above recipes might not be for you. But, for those of us who have had ample time to prepare or you feel that food will be an important part of making life bearable then this is the thread for you.........and me. lol

DRJJ, you asked about lemon juice and lemon rind. Lemon rind can be grated from any lemons you may currently use then dried either in a warm oven, or in a food dryer. You might even be able to dry them on the counter in your kitchen if the air in your home is very dry. Most homes in winter are very dry because of the forced air heating. The other half of your question is also easily answered. You can buy bottled lemon juice from several companies and it is easily found in most large supermarkets. You can also buy a product that sells dried lemon juice called True Lemon. Albertsons carries this product in my part of the world. I find it near the spice area usually. It has a slightly bitter or re-constituted taste to me so I would only use it for serious prepping. Many people however find the taste just fine.

There is another serious drawback to MREs. They are made for soldiers carrying heavy packs and working long hours at intensive labor. They contain a LOT of calories. You could split one for most people. If you plan to use three a day and not do a lot of hard work you are going to end up gaining a tremendous amount of weight. If you have a house filled with teenagers, boys especially, this might be a wise way to go, but for the rest of us we would need to be very careful about portion size.

Hayboxes work even better if you use a large insulated cooler. We used one for a birthday party I catered a couple of days ago. Cook the meal, put 1-2 inches of newspapers in the bottom, set your pot with a tight lid on the paper then fill with pellets used in pellet stoves, close the lid. The food will stay hot for several hours as long as you don't open the lid. You can also put in partially cooked food and it will continue to cook for hours or overnight. Re-heat the food for safety if you plan on leaving the food overnight. If the food temps go down too far you could end up with some nasty organisms growing. This is a very easy, and heat efficient way to prepare many kinds of foods. Anything that requires long cooking, like beans or whole grain wheat, will cook to perfection with a minimum of fuel.

 

[Amish Country]

Re: recipes using stored foods

About those MRE's.... They may be government surplus and may have been "rotated" out of military storage facilities. So they may not be fresh from the manufacture to you. I am not knocking them. If you have to work and do not have time to dedicate to cooking or extensive or creative prepping but want to put some thing by "Just in case..." hey they may be a perfect fit. They are as my Amish neighbors might say "a little salty" (expensive) when compared to unprocessed dry grains, dried beans and dried pasta.

If flu or some other calamity hits your home during a quarantine it might be a good idea to have some grab and gobble food handy. Food that does not need to heated or fussed with.

As for cheap shelf safe protein: Dried Beans! The whole grain quinwa is also pretty high in protein.

 

[Gnosis]

Re: recipes using stored foods

Gnosis, I am not sure I agree with you about MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) being a better choice than preparing and cooking full meals. People who are sheltering in place will have a lot of time on their hands, especially if electronic media infrastructure is down. Planning, preparing, and cooking meals will help while away the hours. The cooking and sharing process might also help family members interact in a positive manner while they are waiting for the food to be ready. Maybe, T Modesto will comment.

I don't think each person opening and eating an individual MRE will foster much of a convivial atmosphere at meal time. Eating and sharing food at meal time with friends and loved ones may be one of the few highlights during a prolonged pandemic.

No argument there. Good points. I made the decision to make the majority of the stored food MRE's, with canned etc. also available. I liked the idea of high nutrition, simplicity in preparation, good taste for the most part, and if infrastructure really craps out, I can cook/eat without electricity or gas. They are easier to transport if I am bugging out as well.

 

[Gnosis]

Re: recipes using stored foods

About those MRE's.... They may be government surplus and may have been "rotated" out of military storage facilities. So they may not be fresh from the manufacture to you. I am not knocking them. If you have to work and do not have time to dedicate to cooking or extensive or creative prepping but want to put some thing by "Just in case..." hey they may be a perfect fit. They are as my Amish neighbors might say "a little salty" (expensive) when compared to unprocessed dry grains, dried beans and dried pasta.

If flu or some other calamity hits your home during a quarantine it might be a good idea to have some grab and gobble food handy. Food that does not need to heated or fussed with.

As for cheap shelf safe protein: Dried Beans! The whole grain quinwa is also pretty high in protein.

Agreed, and on the aging MRE's, be sure to buy the freshest "lot" possible.
P.S. I lived among the Amish for years and have many friends I miss. The best kind of folks.

 

[Laidback Al]

Re: recipes using stored foods

.... and if infrastructure really craps out, I can cook/eat without electricity or gas. They are easier to transport if I am bugging out as well.

This indeed will be the issue in a populated area. There have been many discussions about masking the smell of cooking food when no one else around you has a fuel source. In that case, MRE will provide the nutrition without advertising your stores and supplies.

 

[DRJJ]

Re: recipes using stored foods

You can buy bottled lemon juice from several companies and it is easily found in most large supermarkets.

I got the lemons off my trees. I love lemons and hate the reconstituted stuff. I thought it might be possible to "can" it....Any receipes? It is acid....

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: recipes using stored foods

"People who are sheltering in place will have a lot of time on their hands, especially if electronic media infrastructure is down. Planning, preparing, and cooking meals will help while away the hours. The cooking and sharing process might also help family members interact in a positive manner while they are waiting for the food to be ready. Maybe, T Modesto will comment."

You are really right on this on. Meal preparation is extremely important in a disaster situation. Absolutely correct about how to spend that time. Also it is a nurturing experience for many. It helps to keep a more routine of life in preparing food that communicates well being. Granted that will be somewhat stressful for those who will not have heating and cooking resources. But in time even that will become a more accustomed manner of preparing food and the comfort level will rise somewhat.

In hospitals after a person has been seriously or even critically ill, one of the major signs of recovery is when the person becomes interested to some degree in their food. Many are eager for the ice chips which is an indication of positive health progress. Some of the most important events of the day in a hospital is the daily menu selection. People take that VERY seriously and wow when the tray does not indicate what was ordered look out! pts can become very upset even cop a nasty attitude but frankly when I was doing my clinicals and residence I was thrilled when a pt was upset with the food. Generally I know when it is getting close to a pt being ready for release when they start to seriously complain about the food. It is a great sign. Food is so important in all stages and facets of life. Many if not most of our celebrations have at some point food association.

In a medical emergency food for comfort will be often very important almost as much as it is for sustainability. The major crunch in attitude will come when food supplies will be not what we are accustomed to. That is when people will become very despondent and depressed. People will be panic struck and desperate when they believe that there is food that they will eat. Look at refugee camps and they are dishing out the porridge. No one seems happy, instead they are weak from hunger and also weak in lack of hope because the food is not a social event any more only a survival issue.

Should the community get to that point then I will become more gravely concern about suicide in large numbers of the population. Food offers hope for many individuals. Another concern that I have is for those who will be sheltering in place alone. The lack of social interaction will be greatest for them and the issues of no community interaction around meal preparation will be highly felt by this group of people. This group has the greater possibility of not wanting or caring about living and it will happen faster for them. There will be a even higher self induced (directly or indirectly) termination of life in this group. This is something that needs to be taken into consideration in community assessment and disaster preparation. Single individuals who have a pet will often do much better because they will have a 'social time' with meal prep even if it is with their dog, cat or bird. In urban areas studies have suggested that elderly single individuals are happier and healthier when they feed the birds at the park every day. They have a social experience with the birds as well as often interactions with others in the park and community. Those who have no or little social interaction have it the hardest. With social distancing and often lack of outside communication ( telephone, radio, TV, internet etc) compounded by the nurturing / social issues surrounding food could have a very heavy toll on many.

Water is a very different issue. Water is a necessity of life and people act much differently about lack of water than with food. It occurs more quickly since water is a must for everyone. More aggressive behavior will occur when there is no or little water.
TM

 

[Shannon Bennett]

Re: recipes using stored foods

My thoughts exactly, T.. There will be little else to do to occupy our time. Cooking together can be a bonding activity. It can also be one of the few positive experiences of quarantine. It can also be a way to build teamwork. Tension will be extremely high for everyone. Some of those who will be sharing confined space will not be used to doing so, and children lack the vocabulary and the social skills to voice their frustration in a socially correct manner. Including them in as many ways as possible will enable them to be team members and not as unwanted burdens. It is also a way for an older member to make themselves valuable. Everyone should have a 'job', and the positions should rotate as much as possible to prevent stagnation. And, it will be critically important to maintain as much normalcy as possible. School for kids even if taught by mom and or dad. News for grandma even it comes from a crank radio rather than a tv. Plan on a project of knitting or woodworking. And yes, learn to cook good tasting meals with your preps now. When the time comes, it will keep everyone's spirits up, help them keep busy, provide educational benefits for kids, and make everyone feel like a member of a winning team.

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: recipes using stored foods

National Voluntary Organizations active In Disaster

This will be a time when everyone will be learning basic cooking skills that many were not taught at home or school for decades. For those that were not taught it will be a challenging but learnable skill. Additionally it will be a good lesson for kids to learn as much as possible about survival issues from cooking and cleaning to gardening (which I am not good at) to everything else. We may be getting back to some solid foundational components of life like living work (gardening, chopping wood, fishing, cleaning house with a broom and dust pan instead of the easy electric vacuum etc.) instead of expensive gyms and day spas to keep us fit and somewhat healthy.

Instead of using the wringer cycle on the washer, I just got a tip from a friend; get a bucket that has the wringer on the side for the string mop (school janitors sue them a lot). You can wring out the clothes with that and then put them on the clothes line to dry. This saves a good 1/3 of the washer time thus less electricity. If we have to wash stuff by hand, some of the hardest part of a hand washing is the wring out f heavy wet clothes. This way you just pull or push the handle and it presses out the excess water from each garment saving time and effort. You can even do your sheets that way with putting in some or all of one sheet in the mop wringer and pressing, the water that is collected can then be used for flushing a toilet or for watering the garden ( it is called gray water). If a person runs out of toilet paper then small squares of cloth can be used as toilet paper and then placed in the mop bucket to soak, once there is a significant amount of cloth they can be wrung out and then washed.

 

[Amish Country]

Re: recipes using stored foods

How about quick and easy deserts? These are inexpensive, have few ingredients, are easy to make and do not require cooking or refrigeration (if eaten immediately). They also do not eat up a lot of your shelf stable supplies for one meal.


Instant pudding. It comes in a variety of flavors
Instant pudding powder
dried of boxed milk
water
Put all ingredients in a clean food safe plastic bag or clean glass jar with a lid, seal it, shake until mixed and serve.

Apple Pie filling and walnuts
1 can - Ready to eat apple pie filling
1/4 cup (or more) walnuts (or topping of our choice)

Open the can and place filling in serving dishes. Top each serving with nuts.

Canned fruit in heavy syrup
Ground cinnamon
Open the can and place fruit and syrup in serving dishes sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

 

[T. ModestoPhD]

Re: recipes using stored foods

OK you made me hungry.
Good ideas. If we have a dessert to look forward to say once a week that would be really helpful on the emotional encouragement. IT would also get the milk we need especially if we do not like the taste that much of powdered milk it will not be noticed in the pudding. The walnuts can replace a protein for a meal as well as be an added extra treat.
The jar or baggie i s a good idea. fr me I think I will use the jar since it can be washed out and reused and there is less danger of the bag opening up for me. Yep I would be the one that would pop the baggie open while mixing.
Thank you
Terrie Modesto

 

[Amish Country]

Re: recipes using stored foods

Pop corn

cooking oil - we usually use olive oil
popcorn kernels
butter (Ghee?)
salt


My family loves pop corn. Our popcorn popper uses about three table spoons of cooking oil and 1/2 cup of pop corn kernels. Different popcorn poppers may call for different proportions or ingredients. Ours is the kind that is a stainless steel pot with a hand crank with gears on top to stir the kernels as they pop. We heat our contraption on the stove over a low heat with the kids cranking the handle until the kernels stop popping. The popped pop corn is then dumped in the biggest bowl we have. In a small sauce pan a few table spoons of butter is melted and then poured over the pop corn and a sprinkling of salt is added. I plan to get some Ghee (canned or bottled, shelf safe clarified butter) for the pantry to use instead of fresh butter. Ghee can usually be found in Indian or middle eastern grocery stores.

We find it a fun, inexpensive treat that helps keep our kids occupied and involved.