[Proyas]

Hello everyone,

I have been assembling a basic BoB and also have been stockpiling a little bit of food. My goal is to get together enough equipment and food to be able to survive 2 weeks. Perpetual, off-the-grid survival is something I don't focus on.

I'll post some pics of my BoB later when I'm finished, but right now, I need a little help assembling a proper amount of food. Obviously, food for emergency situations must be non-perishable and have a shelf life of a couple years. I have bought a couple cans of Armour Treet (SPAM, but cheaper!) and I think I will round it out at like 7 cans.

Canned beans will probably also get stockpiled, and I am also probably going to get a bag of rice.

A couple questions: How long does it take for rice to expire? (didn't see any expiration dates on the bags at the grocery store)

What are some very simple recipes for improving the taste of rice without adding any salt or sugar? (already have enough sodium from the canned goods)

Why does everyone rave about rice and beans?

What major stores sell potassium iodide pills?

Thanks.

 

[silentmaster101]

http://www.majorsurplus.com/Potassium-Iodate-Ki03-170mg-60-Tablet-Bottle-P14344.aspx

best source for them cheap i can find.

 

[test]

I think a lot of us stock rice and beans for a couple of reasons...
1. price - bulk rice and beans are cheaper than the same weight canned/boxed.
2. rice=carbs=energy...filling and can expand a cheap meal into something bulkier
3. bean=fiber=energy...same as rice - can expand your meal
4. long term storage
5. healthier compared to prepared canned goods and convenience meals (less preservatives, sodium, no msg, etc.)

If you're lacking meat (protein), a whole grain (wheat) plus beans equals a complete protein. You can grind dry beans to add to other foods (or sneak into other foods) to get the nutritional value and not have to live off rice and beans forever

Trust me...we are not having beans and rice for every meal!

 

[iron sight]

good answer Kellinga!!
what is the best kind of meat for storage/trail rations?
ive tried to make jerky but what would last the longest SHTF?
jerky is good for BOB proyas i think!!

 

[RedinKY]

Kellinga!! Grinding beans to sneak it in food!! BRILLIANT! My husband wouldn't eat beans unless he was starving but that's a great way to give it to him without him knowing now. I love them. THANKS for a great idea!!!

 

[CraigorPam]

What are some very simple recipes for improving the taste of rice without adding any salt or sugar?

I am DETRMINED to find some dry milk and make up some more of this recipe:
http://www.cookingcache.com/soupsand/creamofwhateversoup2.shtml?rdid=rc1
HAVING TROUBLE FINDING THE DRY MILK !! arrrgghh.
If using low sodium bouillon in that recipe, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I have high hopes of using this little nugget to add variety to my own meager emergency rice meals, for flavor and creaminess.
Usually, I'll double or triple this recipe, and have even given it as gifts !
Simply nclude some home-dried mushrooms, or whatever, in a pretty jar, and voila !
Must remember to include instructions, tho.. hehe.
(long story :rofl: )

 

[kimr]

I am DETRMINED to find some dry milk and make up some more of this recipe:
http://www.cookingcache.com/soupsand/creamofwhateversoup2.shtml?rdid=rc1
HAVING TROUBLE FINDING THE DRY MILK !! arrrgghh.
If using low sodium bouillon in that recipe, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

I have high hopes of using this little nugget to add variety to my own meager emergency rice meals, for flavor and creaminess.
Usually, I'll double or triple this recipe, and have even given it as gifts !
Simply nclude some home-dried mushrooms, or whatever, in a pretty jar, and voila !
Must remember to include instructions, tho.. hehe.
(long story :rofl: )

Why are you having problems finding dry milk? Is it a special kind?

 

[CraigorPam]

I'm not really certain why the milk has proven scarce; maybe I just end up at the stores when the last box is heading out the door.
Waiting for payday to start hunting (and hopefully stocking up) again.
No need for any special kind, actually.

 

[chrisday4064]

Normal rice is quite plain and boring if you eat it on it's own.
So you can either eat basmati or brown rice. These taste better and you can eat a bowl of it on it's own as a meal in a BO situation.

Another tip is to have some tomatoes either tinned or freshly cooked on the rice this gives a really good tasting dish that is cheap and easy to carry.

 

[Texas mom]

Rice and beans are a complete protein, as well.

And, yeah, rice alone can be very boring, but with a serving of beans on top of the rice, it can be very yummy. Make sure you have salt, garlic powder, onion powder and/or dried onions to flavor the beans. Chicken or beef bullion cubes can also add some flavor.

 

[MOS19K]

You're trying to store food to last you a relatively short period, two weeks. This is a good start that you can expand upon as you see fit and finances allow. As to what you should store, well that's really up to you. Store foods that you like. Yeah that sounds so obvious but a lot of folks think they have to store SPAM and Tuna when they don't like either. You can get just about any meat you can think of in canned form. Same goes for other items. If you don't like beans then don't get them. If you prefer pasta to rice then buy the pasta. Walk down the canned goods aisle at your local supermarket and see what they have that you like. Make a list of these items and see how many complete meals you can create, then go back and buy them. Remember you don't have to by everything at once. One or two extra cans every week or so will have you at your goal in a short time without hurting your pocketbook.

Don't make a bad situation worse by having to eat foods you don't enjoy.

 

[MOS19K]

Rice and beans are a complete protein, as well.

And, yeah, rice alone can be very boring, but with a serving of beans on top of the rice, it can be very yummy. Make sure you have salt, garlic powder, onion powder and/or dried onions to flavor the beans. Chicken or beef bullion cubes can also add some flavor.

Careful with bullion cubes they are basically just flavored salt cubes, nothing wrong with that just keep it in mind. You can sauté some onions and garlic in olive oil and then cook the rice in the same pot. You can add any herbs that you like to the rice as it cooks. Think of rice as a blank page, it'll take on the flavor of whatever you add. Personally I cook my rice with chicken stock instead of water. You can go to the ethnic aisle and buy seasoning called Sazon made by Goya. Add this to your 2 cups rice then cook, I'll add a few cans of cut Vienna Sausages, easily feeds 3-4 people.

 

[Texas mom]

If I'm not cooking out of dried stores, I can do a thousand things with beans and rice.

 

[test]

S.O.S. the standard soldiers breakfast . Instead of the shingle try rice.
Try some chipped beef ( we keep a lot in our pantry) start with milk , canned or powdered, some flour to thicken ,add the beef, salt and pepper to taste.
Pour over rice and your in business. Add a dash of hot sauce and your eatting good.

 

[silentmaster101]

well if you live by a lake, then i have a treat for you, i am a huge advocate of these, and people make them many different ways, but cattail biscuits.

i take cattails and pull them appart until you have a downish consistancy, then take oatmeal and some sugar, and a little bit of salt and mix them up with water to get a dough. you can, ,and i suggest you do, use condensed or powdered milk to make them taste better, and cinnamon if you have it. then you just bake them up. also save a little condensed or powdered milk, mis it with the proper amount of water and coat the top of the biscuits with it then top with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. they make awesome treats, full of fiber and other goodies. 5-6 cattails and 2 cups of oatmeal can make a good amount. also if you want to make them stick together better add some flour.

if you are a true survivalist, you should already have buckets of oatmeal, salt, sugar, flour and cans of condensed or powdered milk. also you can use some honey too if you want a bit more flavor.

 

[birdman]

well if you live by a lake, then i have a treat for you, i am a huge advocate of these, and people make them many different ways, but cattail biscuits.

i take cattails and pull them appart until you have a downish consistancy, then take oatmeal and some sugar, and a little bit of salt and mix them up with water to get a dough. you can, ,and i suggest you do, use condensed or powdered milk to make them taste better, and cinnamon if you have it. then you just bake them up. also save a little condensed or powdered milk, mis it with the proper amount of water and coat the top of the biscuits with it then top with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. they make awesome treats, full of fiber and other goodies. 5-6 cattails and 2 cups of oatmeal can make a good amount. also if you want to make them stick together better add some flour.

if you are a true survivalist, you should already have buckets of oatmeal, salt, sugar, flour and cans of condensed or powdered milk. also you can use some honey too if you want a bit more flavor.

Are you advocating eating the brown tops to the cattail (the part we shred to start a fire?) I've heard of using the roots of the cattail as a starch (potato substitute) but never before have I heard of someone eating the tops... What does it taste like?

Allan

 

[Swamp Shuck]

Are you advocating eating the brown tops to the cattail (the part we shred to start a fire?) I've heard of using the roots of the cattail as a starch (potato substitute) but never before have I heard of someone eating the tops... What does it taste like?

Allan

The brown tops are the female flower. The very easy to harvest male flower comes in late spring/early summer. It is a yellow spike over the at that time green cattail heads. The roots do produce starch but it takes a bit of work to do this. The male flower heads are easy to harvest. Just turn a plasic bag inside out, put your hand in it and strip off the yellow tops. Within an hour you will have more than enough flour collected for days worth of eating. It does need to be sifted to get the bugs out but what the hey, they're extra protein anyway.:

I cook the female cattail heads too, green to be eaten with butter like corn on the cob and later pulled apart to be eaten like cereal.


blt

 

[silentmaster101]

The brown tops are the female flower. The very easy to harvest male flower comes in late spring/early summer. It is a yellow spike over the at that time green cattail heads. The roots do produce starch but it takes a bit of work to do this. The male flower heads are easy to harvest. Just turn a plasic bag inside out, put your hand in it and strip off the yellow tops. Within an hour you will have more than enough flour collected for days worth of eating. It does need to be sifted to get the bugs out but what the hey, they're extra protein anyway.:

I cook the female cattail heads too, green to be eaten with butter like corn on the cob and later pulled apart to be eaten like cereal.


blt

yeah my favorite way is always to mix them with oatmeal in one way or another. as hot or cold cereal mixed with cattails is great.

also i have tried the corn on the cob method, and i have to say it is tasty.

 

[4294]

In the original post you asked about where to find Potassium Iodide. FYI, assuming you need it for radioactivity issues, there's lot's of info out there that simply painting a small patch of regular old iodine on the skin will provide enough for for thyroid blocking.

 

[silentmaster101]

Are you advocating eating the brown tops to the cattail (the part we shred to start a fire?) I've heard of using the roots of the cattail as a starch (potato substitute) but never before have I heard of someone eating the tops... What does it taste like?

Allan

you can eat that part too, and it is not quite as good as the male flower, but they are both edible parts.

if you follow my recipe, you will get something the consistency of a biscuit, but with the flavor and texture of a cinnamon oatmeal cookie.

also they do not taste much different when stale so they can keep for a good amount of time.


thats the best part of cattails, you can eat pretty much the entire plant, and they grow like weeds.

another method that can be used is to wrap the root in tinfoil and add some butter or water and throw it in hot coals for an hour or so, then eat like a potato.