Dehydrated Foods-Cons * Storage time is less than other options.

Storing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

You don't have to dehydrate and/or preserve all your vegetables. Mature potatoes, onions, and hard-sh.e.l.l squashes can last three to four months or longer in a cool (45 to 50 degrees F), dry place. However, there are a few things to keep in mind:* Don't rinse your potatoes before storing them. If you do rinse them, they're more likely to sprout. Potatoes will also sprout as a result of exposure to light or warm temperatures.

* When storing potatoes, put them in a bag (a paper bag will do fine) and throw in half an apple. The apple will absorb moisture and allow the potatoes to last longer.

* While it's good to put half an apple with your potatoes, avoid storing apples with other vegetables. Apples and some other fruits release a gas (ethylene), which causes ripening. Likewise, avoid storing potatoes close to onions because they produce gases that spoil both.

* Sweet potatoes don't last in storage as long as regular potatoes, but they can still last two to three months if stored properly.

* According to studies, fruits and vegetables grown in soil with high potash levels store better and longer than others.

Not all vegetables store the same under the same conditions. For example, carrots, turnips, eggplants, and beets store best under cold and moist conditions. Potatoes, cabbage, and apples like it cool but not too moist. Garlic, onions, and soybeans like it warmer and a bit dryer than most other vegetables, whereas pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and winter squash like staying dry, period. You'll have to experiment and realize that you won't be able to store everything you harvest in the same place.

A good site for finding storage times for foods of all types-fresh, canned, packaged, or frozen-is Still Tasty (http://www.stilltasty.com). It bills itself as the ultimate shelf life guide, and it covers a wide range of foods.

In an emergency worst-case scenario, you can push the storage of many fresh foods out much further. Don 't be fooled by guides that give carrots, for example, a mere seven to 14 days in the refrigerator, even when wrapped in plastic bags. If you're not persnickety, you can handle eating carrots if they 've been stored in a cool spot for a couple months. They will likely be rubbery, but you can boil or fry them up to gather in their vitamins. And if you're sitting around after an emergency, you may have plenty of time to preserve those carrots by canning them, or using them in vinegar or relishes, before they get rubbery. Here are some very general guidelines on how long fresh food can last under optimal storage conditions-just remember it all depends on your own food storage conditions.

* Beets-four to five months * Broccoli-two weeks * Brussels Sprouts-three to five weeks * Cabbage-three to four months * Chinese Cabbage-one to two months * Carrots-two months * Cauliflower-two to four weeks * Celery-two months * Cuc.u.mbers-two to three weeks * Eggplant-two weeks * Jerusalem Artichokes-one to two months * Onions-three to four months * Parsnips-one to two months * Pepper-three to four months * Sweet Potatoes-three to four months * Potatoes-four to six months * Pumpkin-three to four months * Radishes-two to three months * Rutabagas-two to four months * Soybeans-four to six months * Squash-four to six months * Tomatoes-one to two months * Turnips-four to six months The worst environment to store fresh fruits and vegetables is in high temperatures and high humidity. This combination is an excellent growing environment for bacteria, molds, and yeasts. The cooler and dryer you can keep foods, the longer they will last.

A root cellar, if you 're lucky enough to have one or to be able to build one, is perfect for storing fresh food. You can download a PDF on storing food in a root cellar at the Maryland Cooperative Extension web site: http://tinyurl.com/cb8jhm.1 Another excellent resource is the book Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits and Vegetables by Mike and Nancy Bubel.

Root cellars keep foods cool and somewhat damp; while the foods stored in a root cellar don't last as long as they would in a dry cellar, they don't shrivel. Shriveled food can still be quite nutritious. Moldy food should be avoided. As soon as you see a rotting or molding section of any vegetable, get rid of it. Slice off the bad part and eat the rest, or throw it into the compost heap.

MREs-Meals, Ready-to-Eat

As mentioned earlier, a Meal, Ready-to- Eat (MRE) is a lightweight pouch of precooked food. MREs are lightweight because they come in foil pouches instead of cans. They are precooked so they can be eaten cold, or you can dunk them in boiling water or set them next to a small fire for a few minutes and have a hot meal. Some MREs have their own heating systems built in to the packaging.

The military MREs are 2,000 calories per meal. Civilian camping meals don't provide as much actual food value but have the advantage of tasting better. The disadvantage of MREs is the expense. These pouches can be stored for seven years.

Meals, Ready-to-Eat-Pros * Fastest preparation time possible; can be heated quickly.

* You can order them online in minutes and have them delivered to your house. Actual storage time will take under an hour.

Meals, Ready-to-Eat-Cons * Expensive-the most expensive of all the options here.

* Last five to seven years-less than some alternatives.

* Taste may take some getting used to.

Freeze-Dried Food

A variation on MREs is freeze-dried, pre-cooked food canned in nitrogen. These will last pretty much forever. The advantage of freeze-dried nitrogen packed canned foods is they 're good as long as the can is good, they're lightweight because they're freeze dried, they require no cooking because they're precooked, and many people think they taste great, much better than other types of MREs! You can buy these from different suppliers; Mountain House is one of the best-known vendors, found at MountainHouse.com. Mountain House products store well in their pre-packed cases, each containing six cans. You can also buy freeze-dried, pre-cooked food in the camping section of large sporting goods stores.

Did You Know The Food Marketing Inst.i.tute has a fairly long list with many foods and their use by times. You can find it at the Food Marketing Inst.i.tute (FMI) web site: http://tinyurl.com/37flbc.

Freeze-Dried means that the food is held at just above freezing, while in a vacuum chamber. In a vacuum, the moisture is removed quickly, to a point where it is much drier than most other dehydrated foods. Because the food is not allowed to freeze, ice crystals do not form in the cells of the food. It is these ice crystals that can cause frozen foods to loose their texture and become mushy, because the ice crystals rupture the cell walls in the food. Freeze-dried food, when water is added, returns more closely to original freshness than do other dehydrated foods.

Nitrogen-packed foods take it one step farther-almost all of the oxygen in them is replaced with nitrogen. It is the oxygen that causes most foods to spoil, as most microbes and insects require oxygen to live. When this method of preserving food is combined with freeze-drying, the result is food that will keep for very long periods of time and maintain its nutritional value and flavor. There is nothing bad to say about these methods of food preservation except that nitrogen-packed, freeze-dried foods tend to be expensive.

Freeze-Dried Foods-Pros * Easy to store-nitrogen-packed freeze-dried foods can last up to 30 years.

* Simple to prepare-just add water.

* Close to original food taste.

* You can order them online in minutes and have them delivered to your house. Actual storage time will take under an hour.

Freeze-Dried Foods-Cons * More expensive than some alternatives, although less expensive than others.

Emergency Pantry Essentials You Must Have Some people find it hard to get started in food storage. So here's a list of things just to push you down the path. Store as much of each as you have s.p.a.ce for. Buy single-serving sizes whenever possible, because you can't depend on refrigeration after the containers have been opened.

Basic Emergency Food Pantry * Canned or dried meats. Beef jerky or beef sticks are good sources of long-storing protein, as is Spam and canned chicken.

* Canned fish. Canned tuna is an excellent source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.

* Canned beans. If you're a vegetarian and don't (or can't) eat beef, chicken, or fish, remember that canned beans are an excellent source of vegetarian nutrition. However, humans do not have the ability to digest beans well, and in some people this causes a lot of gas. This could add stress to a survival situation, especially in closed s.p.a.ces. So if you're stocking up on beans, you might want to stock some Beano. That's an over-the-counter preparation containing an enzyme that helps your body digest the sugar in beans and some vegetables. Beano is not useful for gas caused by foods other than beans and certain vegetables.

* Canned fruits. Peaches, pears, applesauce, and more are good sources of vitamin C and other nutrients.

* Canned vegetables. Vegetables are also good sources of vitamins.

* Dried fruits.

* Whole grain crackers. These can be used as replacements for bread.

* Peanut b.u.t.ter is a staple and goes well with crackers.

* Nuts. I'm talking whole or cracked almonds, walnuts, cashews, and pecans; they have protein, fiber, and healthful fats.

* Packages of peanut-b.u.t.ter and cheese crackers for snacks.

* Water. In case your regular water supply becomes contaminated, store several bottles of water in your emergency pantry.

* Granola bars.

* Dry cereals.

* Juice boxes. Single-serving-sized juice that doesn't need to be refrigerated is helpful. Choose 100% fruit juices; it's best to avoid ones made primarily of corn syrup.

* Multivitamins. A bottle of multivitamins can help supply any missing nutrients.

* Basic spices. Salt, pepper, oregano, basil, etc.-whatever you like to cook with. Also remember baking soda, baking powder, and other baking essentials if you're going to turn flour into baked goods.

* Paper plates, plastic cups, bowls, and flatware. If you have room, you might also want to store flashlights, fresh batteries, candles, matches, first-aid kits, and any other emergency supplies you may need.

* A nonelectric can opener. Maybe two.

* Bug-Out Bucket. As mentioned earlier, you should have a bucket filled with food you'll take with you should you decide to evacuate your home.

Below is a list of optional food items that you may want to store:* Boxed milk. If you have kids, boxes of milk treated with Ultra High Temperature (UHT) pasteurization are great to stock up on.

* Baby food/formula, as well as diapers and wipes. If you have a baby, these aren't optional at all.

* A camping stove or small grill that you can use in a safe area to heat foods. There might not be room for this in your emergency pantry, but have one ready in case you have to rough it. If you have a camping stove, remember to keep grill utensils and a pot or pan stored with it.

Remember-you have to periodically check the foods in your emergency food pantry, so you don't keep foods that have pa.s.sed their expiration dates. And again, it's good to store only foods you'll eat.

Six Mistakes People Make in Food Storage

Here are six mistakes that people often make when storing food.

1. Not enough variety. Some people rush to store wheat, beans, Spam, salt, and honey-and not much else. But you will get tired of the same foods over and over again. This is called appet.i.te fatigue. Variety is the key to successful food storage. If you are storing for the short term, remember to stockpile snacks you'll eat. In your long-term food storage, remember to put flavorings, including things like soup recipe mix, bullion, onion flakes, crushed garlic, tomato paste, and other ingredients you will add to food you're going to cook, as well as basics like cooking oil and baking powder.

2. No vitamins. A package of good-quality multivitamins doesn't take up much room and is vital, especially when you're under stress. Remember to get separate kids' vitamins if you have children. These can be rotated regularly.

3. No temptation foods. I may be on a diet, but if TSHTF, then I want chocolate, dammit! And cheese. Whatever tantalizes your taste buds-potato chips, Doritos, Cheetos, Hostess Ding Dongs-store some of those in your pantry. If you don't want to be tempted by having them around, seal them in a bucket. They're great for calming yourself down when stress levels are rising. And if you're denying yourself your snacks now for waistline reasons, maybe you'll have something to look forward to if and when the Apocalypse comes.

4. Lack of balance. Buying all your beans at once, and nothing else until next month, is just setting yourself up for disaster if TSHTF in the meantime. Get a one-month supply of everything you need; then you can start adding with large-volume purchases of single items.

5. Improper storage. Sticking a bag of rice in the back of your closet is not proper food storage, except for the insects and rodents that will make a meal of it. Moisture will get anything stored improperly in your garage or cellar. If you use plastic buckets, use a food-grade plastic liner-never trash-can liners, as these are treated with pesticides.

6. Not using your stockpile. Putting all that food away and forgetting about it is just wasting your money. First of all, you won't be able to stomach that stored food if you suddenly switch from whatever you're eating now to your stockpiles. Secondly, it's all too easy for forgotten food stores to go stale, and then go bad, and ultimately, be worthless.

Other Cool Tools You Can Use

Along with your dehydrator and water purifier, here are some other tools and gadgets you may want to consider when undertaking long-term food storage.

Kitchenware. Let's start with hand-operated can openers, cast iron or heavy pots, a kettle, pans, skillets, Dutch ovens, a grate to use over open fire, as well as long-handled cooking utensils (again, for using over an open fire). Also consider saving coffee cans, jars, and other rodent-proof storage containers.

Home vacuum-packaging system. Just like it sounds, these are gadgets that vacuum-pack food. Why would you want to do that? Because it reduces oxygen, which in turn helps foods last longer and retain nutritional value. The better ones seal and shut off automatically. One brand, Food Saver, sold on Amazon.com, gets rave reviews. Food Saver claims to keep food fresh up to five times longer than traditional storage methods like Tupperware or plastic wrap.

Another version, Handi-Vac, is made by Reynolds. Some users say that the Handi-Vac is easier to use than the Food Saver; it's certainly cheaper, and it takes up less counter s.p.a.ce. You'll find both products have their fans. However, Handi-Vac has significantly more negative reviews than Food Saver. You'll have to make your own decision on this one.

Hand-operated wheat grinder/flour mill. I've seen survivalist web sites rave about these, so I'm adding them to the list. But keep in mind:* It's hard to grow enough wheat to feed you and your loved ones in the suburbs.

* This book is based on my outlook, which is that while we could go through some horrific times that could last for months, eventually civilization will return to a semblance of normalcy.

That said, if you're going whole-hog survivalist, and you've moved out to a farm, you might want a wheat grinder. Grinders sell for under $100, but it would make sense to buy the more expensive models. A recent review of grinders came up with two top choices: the Country Living Grain Mill and the Family Grain Mill. Both can be electrified later. Don't fall for a cheap one; you'll get frustrated and it will get thrown in the back of a closet, where it will stay.

Depending on the model, it takes between five and 15 minutes to grind enough flour to make one loaf of bread. A bushel of wheat kernels weighs about 60 pounds, and it will net about 50 pounds of whole wheat flour, enough to provide about 70 loaves of bread. So, if you're going to grow your own wheat, you'll need about five bushels per year for every loaf per day. As I hinted at earlier, grinding wheat is not in my survival plan.

The Joy of Alternative Cooking-Cooking Without Electricity

So you've stored your food. Now, let 's say there's an emergency and the power goes out . . . for a long time. How are you going to cook that food?

You can stock up on MREs with a built-in heating system. Or you can discover the joy of alternative cooking.

The first option is to cook on your gas grill, charcoal grill, or camp stove. You can do it; just remember to use it in a well-ventilated area and keep cooking mitts handy for handling pots over an open flame. But you'd also better stock up on fuel, whether it 's LP gas or charcoal. You probably need at least enough to get you through a week, cooking every meal. A month's supply would be better.