Preparedness Series: Part 1 Cooking Utensils
It is early Monday morning, and I am sitting here sipping my chai tea, waiting for the fog to burn off, and enjoying the smell of bacon sizzling on the stove. My love pie (my dog Maggie), is sitting at my feet hoping that when I began to eat some of that bacon will find its way to the floor. These are such simple things that we all take for granted. I never stop to think that when I woke up, there might not be fresh eggs, and bacon. I didn’t think about the power it took to operate the stove, the ingredients to make my chai tea, the internet I am using to type this, my computer, my home, and my precious kiddo (my dog!).
While I enjoy these luxuries and will continue to enjoy them for as long as I can (hopefully forever), in the back of my mind I am preparing for the worse. Everyday I turn on the news and listen to reports drone back and forth over the current worsening state of our economy. I worry about the lack of fiscal responsibility in our government, defaulting on our debit, and what that really means for everyone in the United States as we plunge further into a third world economy.
That said I want to have my normal cooking supplies I keep at home but, I want to add to that. Here are questions to ask yourself and family:
1. If I didn’t have power how would I cook and bake?
2. The water supplies is contaminated or no longer suitable for drinking and cooking?
3. Where would I get water?
4. How would I store foods that need to be fresh likes eggs without power?
5. Everything was destroyed in your home how would you eat?
The answers sound easy enough and full of common sense right? Shocked rolled in as I scoured the web for 1 year food storage plans. Only to see many of them only have quickly made food, little nutritional value, and need a microwave or refrigerator to be cooked and stored. What good will this do anyone if there is no power? Its like driving a cross a bridge that says you need a full tank to cross the bridge but you only have half a tank and you hope that you make it all the way across. If that is the case you will surely fail, and may really learn how to enjoy uncooked stove top!
Lets start with the basics: Power & Stove/Oven:
This could happen in storm, natural disaster, or economic depression. I feel that we are blessed with time to prepare, and advanced technology. There are many options available today, that were not available during the great depression. If you still have a home your options will be different than if you don’t have a home.
You still have your home:
Keep in mind right now you have power, and can afford your bill. We often take for granted that we have power to cook with our oven and do dishes after wards. If you still have your home but no power then you may still be able to use your home (depending if you have a single family home, or trailer).
Generator ($139 and up avg. $499):
A generator can be converted to the power source on your house. They will allow you took cook and operate your stove. They are dangerous and can’t be operated inside, and you need to know what your doing when you rewire your houses power source. (Generators will be covered in Power and Fuel Sources).
Solar Power ($50 and up avg. $199):
This will allow you to power your home without costing you anything to operate. If you live in an area with out a lot of Sun or Ambient light than this may not be an option. Panels aren’t as expansive as they use to be and many of them can be installed yourself. Additionally, there
Grill ($20 and up):
A propane grill or charcoal grill for cooking food when you no longer have power. This is great and makes the most sense because grills are portable. If you loose your home you could take your grill (assuming you have a portable one). I recently bought a grill. I’ve always had one because I love to BBQ, nothing taste better than food cooked on the grill. I choose a propane weber grill and kept my small charcoal grill. I did this for two reason 1. I may not always be able to afford propane. I keep two large fuel tanks, and many smaller propane tanks. While these are good for now and will get me through a year + without power. There may come a time when I can no longer afford propane. If that is the case then I have my portable charcoal grill. 2. I’ve stocked up on charcoal. During the great depression many people would go to railroad tracks looking for pieces of left over charcoal. Luckily, for me there are still train tracks where I live that transfer coal.
Sun Oven ($239)
Yes, I wrote that correctly: Sun Oven. I just recently discovered this nifty invention. I am sure you could make it yourself for far less than what it cost to buy it. I would have to ask my dad. He is great at DIY green projects. If are mechanically inclined of course, I am sure you could prepare now and buy for around $300.00. They can reach temperatures between 300 and 400 degrees. I am not sure if you could cook meat in them, I assume you would be able. I would also invest in a meat thermometer if you don’t already have one to make sure everything is fully cooked.
Matches & Wood (Free & Up)
If your family is completely off the grid, no power, fuel, charcoal, propane, etc… One has to eat. You will either learn how to enjoy cold food, or raw food. However, there are just sometimes when that won’t do, and that is when we have to go back to the barebone basics. This has to be done outside, in a wood burning oven, or a over a camp fire. You can collect dry wood, or anything dry that will burn. Remember that trash can have chemicals that are released into the air, and green or wet stuff won’t burn until it is dry. If you have a home and the space then I would invest in an out door wood burning oven, and stockpile the firewood. I would also keep a supply of Waterproof matches, sealed so they can’t get wet.
Pressure Canner / Cooker ($39 – 299)
I’ll be honest, I do not own a pressure canner/cooker. I have found one that I like, and plan on purchasing that for my family. Summers in Mississippi are hot and humid, basically just miserable but great for growing peanuts. I can remember walking into my great grandmothers kitchen on one of my first visits to Mississippi as a young child. She was always cooking something yummy and new. This particular visit I walked in and remember seeing a huge silver pot on the stove blowing steam out. I had to warn Myrtle that her kitchen was going to blow up. She chuckled and explained to me that she was cooking peanuts. I looked at her and told her she was silly, you don’t cook peanuts. She smiled and said they were almost done and when they were she pulled them out of the huge silver pot and I had the yummiest peanuts I had ever had soft and salty. Remembering back on that experience was my first introduction to the pressure canner and a good one.
Pressure canners are great for a number of reason. First you can use it to sterilize glass jar and bottles. With the canners you can also cook tough meats so they are falling off the bone, which is great when you can’t afford the tender cuts of meat that we can now, and when we can’t afford to cook for a long period of time because of a shortage of electricity. You can use a canner to can meat. Yes, you can can meat! I am sure there are many other valuable uses I have not found out yet. I do plan on calling my grandmother and quizzing her.
Manual Can Opener ($.50 -$9.99)
There is no need to explain what this does! Obviously, if the power goes out you won’t be able to use your electric can opener and would need a manual. Also if you can’t afford a high electric bill and need to cut down on use all together here is just one small way you can save some. I would actually keep a couple on hand because I know mine gets dual after about a year, and I have to replace it. I like the cheaper ones better than the expensive ones. Sure they rust, and but they always seem to out last the nice fancy ones. I have no clue why!!
Wheat Grinder
I don’t own one but, I need one! I made the decision to include wheat in my food storage plan so that when I run out of flour, or this or that. I will be able to make my own so that I can still continue to cook and bake for my family. There are many wheat grinders are the market. If your can afford it I would buy an electric one and a manual one. Learn how to use both of them and if your in the position where you have to use it then not only do you know how to use it. Why manual and electric…. I’m spoiled if I have power I want something that is going to make it easy on me to do the work (and I have MS so sometimes manual work is hard). I would keep the manual one on hand because, lets be honest if you don’t have power the electric one won’t do us any good (unless we use our generator). I would say this is a required item sooner rather than later because wheat is one of the easiest plants to grow so even if you didn’t have some in your food storage doesn’t mean you can’t grow, and harvest your own wheat.
The Dutch Oven & Cast Iron Skillet ($34.99 and up):
This is great for wood burning ovens, camp fires, etc.. That way if you don’t have power you can still cook. If your not familiar with a dutch oven they start at $34.99 and go up. I own a cast iron skillet and dutch oven. I love them both. In my skillet I’ve made potatoes eggs, etc… The Dutch oven I’ve made meat loaf, bread, cobblers, chili, stew, and veggies. Basically everything you would need to live off the grid (we use it when we go camping).
Manual Pasta Maker & Drying Rack
Yes, pasta is cheap and to buy now and start stocking up. Not to mention the added bonus of having a unlimited shelf life. However, there is only so much pasta we can and even want to store. Eventually you will run out, and then one day you will be craving spaghetti, and pasta may not be available or it may be very very expensive. I recommend a manual pasta maker, drying rack, and pasta recipes. I got one two years ago and I love it. I’ve made tons of pasta from and dried it and saved it. I like it better plus I can add yummy herbs and spices to it. Which you can’t do when you buy store bought pasta unless that is the kind your buying which is more expensive. This is much cheaper than store bought.
Bread Pans
Bread is a staple in the American house hold, filling, and it goes a long way. You can eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If your cut off then you will want to be able to make your own bread. I own several bread pans in all shapes and sizes. My favorite one is a sandwhich loaf pan. It has a lid on it so that you cook the bread perfectly square just like you buy in the store. To make a loaf of bread it cost about .75 cents. Which is much cheaper then what you buy in the store. So, if your currently having a hard time this is a great way to start saving a few dollars a month (it all adds up!).
Water Filter
Normally we forget about one basic necessity: Water. If your cut off from civilization then you may not be able to get clean water, and if things get truly bad here then the water that comes from the tap may no longer be suitable for drinking. There are a few things you can do such as boiling your water, using aqua tablets, but it is best to get a water filter. The one I want to get is: Katadyn Pocket Water Microfilter you can get water from any source and filter via a reserve osmosis process. That way you can have fresh water for you and your family to drink, bath in, and cook with.
All of these are great to buy now while your family can still afford them. I would also recommend looking on craigslist or backpack people are always giving things away for free you never know what you may get. That way if and when an economic crisis occurs then you will be able to keep your family protected and well feed. If your currently struggling, know you will soon face a lay off, or other major financial changes then it is good to start incorporating this now so you can stretch your dollar out. A recession happens when your neighbor loses his job and a depression happens when you lose your job. Keep this in mind when preparing even if we are only in a recession right now.
