[Finn]

My food preps consist of uncooked (rice, corn meal, oat meal,etc), fillers (oils, sugars, honey, etc.), spices & salt, freeze dried, and canned ready to eat stuff. Much of this last category is in #10 cans from places like Costco.

Here is my problem, I am growing concerned that my wife, three boys and I will not be able to finish an entire #10 can of food before it goes bad absent refrigeration. Much less finish two at the same time for items that need to be combined to make complete proteins, for example refried beans and whole kernel corn.

In the heat of summer how long can I expect these sorts of products to last before spoilage makes them more of a liability than an asset?

I suppose once the boys are teenagers, I'll have the opposite worry about getting any myself. Teenage boys do tend to become food inhalation machines.

 

[tortminder]

My food preps consist of uncooked (rice, corn meal, oat meal,etc), fillers (oils, sugars, honey, etc.), spices & salt, freeze dried, and canned ready to eat stuff. Much of this last category is in #10 cans from places like Costco.

Here is my problem, I am growing concerned that my wife, three boys and I will not be able to finish an entire #10 can of food before it goes bad absent refrigeration. Much less finish two at the same time for items that need to be combined to make complete proteins, for example refried beans and whole kernel corn.

In the heat of summer how long can I expect these sorts of products to last before spoilage makes them more of a liability than an asset?

I suppose once the boys are teenagers, I'll have the opposite worry about getting any myself. Teenage boys do tend to become food inhalation machines.

Get ahold of a dehydrator and dehydrate what you can't finish in a couple of days, (an over the fire dehydrator can be made with old screening... an air/sun dehydrator can be made with plastic screening fabric). The corn will be no problem... the refried beans a bit messy, but doable.

Much of my long-term preps are dehydrated products. A good method is to wait until frozen veggies go on sale, (I generally run across carrots, beans, peas, corn, okra, etc at $.79 for a 1lb. pkg). One pound of frozen veggies fit on one of the shelves of my Excaliber. 9lb. of veggies dehydrate down to a one quart jar for me. Frozen fruits also work, (fresh this time of year is affordable). Easier than canning, easier to transport, reconstitutes well and keeps the nutrition.:

 

[MikeK]

Large cans of perishable wet canned food is never a good value. If you can't refrigerate the leftovers in a crisis, it might be smart to start either eating them now, home canning them in smaller jars, or dehydrating them. I strongly suggest against keeping them for food storage, because without refrigeration, you're in that same 2 hour saftey window as any other wet food.

 

[hkgonra]

I know I have 3 teenage boys and we could finish off a #10 can of pork and beans, especially if that was all we had for that meal.

 

[newberrie]

I know I have 3 teenage boys and we could finish off a #10 can of pork and beans, especially if that was all we had for that meal.

Oh, my! I just realized, I'm not prepping for TEOTWAWKI, but for my boys to become teenagers! Okay, so I've got about 10 years to buy land and build a personal storehouse as big as WalMart. At a salary of... (wanders off frantically doing calculations as she puts her 3-year-old and 5-year-old to bed)

 

[Packitup]

(rice, corn meal, oat meal,etc), fillers (oils, sugars, honey, etc.), spices & salt

Those will keep for quite a while after being opened.

 

[2.0Dogs]

You could keep it hot on a stove or oven and eat it a few hours later. Not sure exactly but 140, 150 degrees should keep it safe.

 

[Finn]

(rice, corn meal, oat meal,etc), fillers (oils, sugars, honey, etc.), spices & salt

Those will keep for quite a while after being opened.

Yes they will. But my concern was the ready to eat (wet) varieties.

 

[MikeK]

You could keep it hot on a stove or oven and eat it a few hours later. Not sure exactly but 140, 150 degrees should keep it safe.

140 will keep it safe, but it's sure gonna get mushy over time.

 

[Finn]

Maybe the solution is to have only a single meal a day, but make it a big one.

Rule #1: We open it we eat it. ALL.

Anyone think it reasonable to have a 6 year old subsist on one meal a day?

Anyone?

 

[Finn]

Get ahold of a dehydrator and dehydrate what you can't finish in a couple of days, (an over the fire dehydrator can be made with old screening... an air/sun dehydrator can be made with plastic screening fabric). The corn will be no problem... the refried beans a bit messy, but doable.

I thought about this, but there are a couple of problems. The first is that in suburbia, fuel will probably be in short supply. The second is that the vapor from the dehydrating food will doubtless carry the odor of said food downwind. I might have feral dogs and people showing up for a free meal.

Feral dogs would be alright. Dog is good eats, but feral people can be a tad dangerous. Some of the dogs might even be useful to keep around.

If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man.
- Pudd'nhead Wilson (Mark Twain / Samual Clemens)

 

[tortminder]

Didn't make myself clear

I thought about this, but there are a couple of problems. The first is that in suburbia, fuel will probably be in short supply. The second is that the vapor from the dehydrating food will doubtless carry the odor of said food downwind. I might have feral dogs and people showing up for a free meal.

Feral dogs would be alright. Dog is good eats, but feral people can be a tad dangerous. Some of the dogs might even be useful to keep around.

I didn't make my meaning clear. It would be my suggestion for dehydrate the wet food NOW! It is much easier to store and, as long as you have prepared sufficient water and/or water collection/purification, it will be no problem to reconstitute.:

 

[mia]

Maybe the solution is to have only a single meal a day, but make it a big one.

Rule #1: We open it we eat it. ALL.

Anyone think it reasonable to have a 6 year old subsist on one meal a day?

Anyone?

Jesus, while you still can, ask a european what it was like going through world war two, will you? It'll be an education, I guarantee it.

 

[Nimmer]

I tend to limit my #10 can food storage to fruit mostly pineapple and ketchup/pizza sauce. Both of these items are under $4 and both should last for a day or so without refrigeration.If I am worried about spoilage we would consume quickly. Using these items now is a cost effective way to shop and consume food.

I do also have dehydrated and freeze dried items in #10 cans for long term storage and these items will have a longer shelf life after opening.

As far as the ready to eat meals in a can I prefer the 8-12 small can packs for prepping long term as you have more portion control with less spoilage although at a higher cost. Even in the short term # 10 cans of ready to eat meals would lead to food waste as normally I dont want to eat that much of that type of item for multiple back to back to back meals as I dont care for it all that much and the family wouldnt like it.

 

[HarvestTime]

Yes they will. But my concern was the ready to eat (wet) varieties.

Your dry products well be fine in as cool as area as possible. As far as the wet foods, at this point I would buy the bulk in smaller cans only. As far as long shelf life for many years storage, the wet foods wont last very long(they make them that way so we well keep buying them). They most likely can go a few months past expirations or more!! I would consider getting 1st small can packs and then also consider the buckets with small mylar meals that are good for the long haul. They are much lighter in weight! From what I understand jarring your own wet foods well last many many years compared to the tin can foods. Maybe you could take some of your large bulk wet foods and jar them. That is a guess as Im very new to learning canning! So any pro jar preppers out there, advise welcomed!! Now these thoughts from me are thinking 10yrs or more in a *htf senario and foods needing to last that long! I tend to stock with a variety of different forms of food! Short haul, long haul, and get out of dodge haul quick!!

 

[maggie357]

My old homestead has a concrete trench in a small shack through which flows cold spring water into a creek. If you are lucky enough to have a creek, you could put it in glass jars and sit it down in the creek, or hang it down in a lake.
You could put coals from a fire in a hole in the yard, put the food in a Dutch Oven on top of the coals and bury the entire pot for a meal later. The coals should keep it proper temp for 8-12 hours.
Why not invite a like-minded neighbor, or possibly senior citizens, over for a meal to build rapport? No doubt they would reciprocate sometime if they are able.

 

[congasan]

Yes to Finn, I would think about having a few wild dogs as friends. Feed them and make them your bitches. It would be a great layer of security to have a pack of dogs that are on your side! My old ridgie and best buddie Santos will be under protective custody and will be #1 to guard the vehicle or camp.

 

[HarvestTime]

My old homestead has a concrete trench in a small shack through which flows cold spring water into a creek. If you are lucky enough to have a creek, you could put it in glass jars and sit it down in the creek, or hang it down in a lake.

Wow, am I understanding you write?? You actually have fresh spring water running through at your service at your home?? I live in the desert and that is just a dream come true!!

 

[18alfa]

Never give up!! Ask for help, Alot of good people out here.

 

[Lowdown3]

My food preps consist of uncooked (rice, corn meal, oat meal,etc), fillers (oils, sugars, honey, etc.), spices & salt, freeze dried, and canned ready to eat stuff. Much of this last category is in #10 cans from places like Costco.

Here is my problem, I am growing concerned that my wife, three boys and I will not be able to finish an entire #10 can of food before it goes bad absent refrigeration. Much less finish two at the same time for items that need to be combined to make complete proteins, for example refried beans and whole kernel corn.

In the heat of summer how long can I expect these sorts of products to last before spoilage makes them more of a liability than an asset?

I suppose once the boys are teenagers, I'll have the opposite worry about getting any myself. Teenage boys do tend to become food inhalation machines.

Just to clarify- the #10 cans are WET PACKED, as in like typical grocery store canned foods?

If that's the case, that's one of the main reasons (as well as longevity) that a lot of people don't use them for long term storage.

With dehydrated or freeze dried stuff in #10 cans, you put the plastic lid back on- same size lid as a #10 can of coffee by the way, and for most products, they will sit just fine for six months or more. You might find in a high humidity environment that your fruits and veggies start getting less crisp. They are basically taking some moisture out of the air.

Powdered stuff like milk, tomato and cheese powders, etc. will absorb moisture quickly also.