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Ways to Preserve Food
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5 Ways To Thrive During A Disaster
Disasters come in all shapes and sizes. Some disasters can come on suddenly or without warning which has a tendency to catch many people off guard. In order to thrive during a disaster, a person must prepare for it earnestly so that when it does happen, he or she has all they need to survive.
Be Prepared
The only way a person is going to thrive when a disaster hits is to start gathering necessary preparedness items beforehand. One of the worst mistakes to make when preparing for a disaster is to wait until the last moment. Since procrastination is common in this society, many will be rushing to the stores to get those precious emergency items as soon as a disaster is imminent. And guess what? When many arrive at the store they will be disappointed when they realize those needed items will be long gone from the store shelves. A essential need for anyone to be fully prepared is medical supplies. Accidents can occur during disasters, and without proper medical supplies, infections can occur.
Knowledge
Without knowledge on how to survive and sustain life, a person will not be able to adapt as easily to a disaster compared to someone who has the necessary skills. Having a well diversified set of disaster skills, and have an understanding of the disaster you are preparing for is the first step in becoming more self sufficient. Additionally, keeping any disaster information organized in order to fall back on if needed is essential. Keep a binder of emergency information near by, as well as emergency information on family members.
Water Filters
Having a ready supply of water is essential when coming head to head with a disaster. Three days without water and a person will come face to face with death. Many people have gallons of water stored away for disasters, but what happens when those water bottles are all gone? A person needs to have available alternative water sources such as rain collection containers, plastic water containers that can be frozen, and water filters to use if the worst case scenario happens. Water treatment such as micropur tablets and bleach are also essential when it comes to water consumption.
Food
Mulitple disaster websites such as the American Red Cross and FEMA suggest that every family should have a 3 day supply of food and water. Food is a basic survival need that must be addressed. Storing food away for short and long term survival will give the family security knowing they can live for a given amount of time. If a person is preparing for long term survival, he or she needs to think about how they will be able to get food to eat. In order to prepare for a long term survival situation, a person must accept the fact, that if a major disaster situation occurred, food will be scarce. Many people who are preparing for long term survival have invested in seeds. Seeds that are heirloom or non-genetically modified are the preferred type of seeds to be stored away.
Non-Electric Appliances and Tools
If a person is gathering items in the case their electricity is disrupted, look for appliances and tools that do not require electricity to work. For example, a camping stove would be an essential appliance to have if a person’s stove is not working. Appliances that have hand cranks are a great investment to add an extra layer of preparedness and security, such as a hand crank meat grinder or wheat grinder to grind food items.
People who want to invest in tools for their home should purchase tools and equipment that can operate in a non-technological environment. The reasoning behind this is because, if a disaster were to hit and the electricity was gone, a person would still be able to complete his or her tasks with these type of tools. These tools and equipment should be of the “traditional sense.” Tools such as gardening tools, mechanic tools, tools and equipment for canning and farming equipment.
Tess Pennington is a leading content contributor for Ready Nutrition, an online information source for those wanting to learn more about disaster preparedness, home safety, how to cope in a disaster situation, and for those wanting to learn how to be more self sustaining. Her career at the American Red Cross left her with years of experience in safety and disaster prepareness.
Natural Ways to Keep Food Fresh Longer
If you are interested in health and diet, you have probably read all the research which points to the benefits of fresh, unprocessed foods. Eating healthier nearly always means opting for fresh fruits, whole grains and unprocessed meats and fish. Unfortunately, choosing foods without preservatives does have a down side – food spoils faster. That is no reason to go back to eating over-processed foods full of chemical preservatives, though. Long before our dependence on chemical preservatives, our mothers knew the secrets to keeping food fresh longer naturally. Here are some tips to help you keep fresh fruits, grains, vegetables, meat and fish fresh longer – the natural way.
General Tips
1. Keep your refrigerator at the right temperature. It should be kept between 38 and 40 F. to keep your foods as fresh as possible without freezing them.
2. Keep your eye on expiration dates when you shop.
3. Do not store highly perishable foods in the refrigerator or freezer door. They are more prone to temperature fluctuation.
4. Moisture promotes rotting and mold. Wipe vegetables and fruits dry before storing and avoid storing in plastic bags.
Fresh Fruits and Vegetables
Vegetables and fruits give off a gas called ethylene as they ripen. The ethylene sets off a chain reaction that causes the release of more ethylene, causing the food to ripen further. When fruits and vegetables are exposed to ethylene, they ripen faster. Some fruits and vegetables give off more ethylene than others – and some of them are more sensitive to ethylene than others.
1. Ethylene producers include apricots, avocados, bananas, cantaloupes, honeydew melons, kiwis, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, peaches, pears, plums, and tomatoes.
2. Fruits and vegetables that are sensitive to the effects of ethylene include: apples, broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, eggplants, green beans, lettuces and other greens, potatoes, summer squash, and watermelons.
3. To keep fresh fruits and vegetables fresh longer, do not store any of the former group n the same drawers as those in the latter group.
4. Store fruits and vegetables in the warmest part of your fridge to preserve flavor.
5. Remove produce from plastic bags before storing. The bags trap the ethylene close to the fruit so that it ripens faster.
6.Wash produce and then dry well before storing. Moisture speeds rotting.
Meats and Eggs
1. Keep fresh meats refrigerated between 38-40 F.
2. Keep meat in original wrapping in refrigerator if you will be using it within two days.
3. Wrap meat in foil or freezer paper before freezing.
4. Make sure that there is plenty of air circulation around meat products in your refrigerator.
5. Store eggs pointed side down.
6. Wrap smoked meats like ham or bacon in a vinegar-soaked cloth.
7. Cool cooked meats quickly and completely before placing them in refrigerator.
Bread and Cereal Products
1. Store fresh bread in a cool, dark, dry place like a cupboard or breadbox.
2. Close the waxed paper inner bag of breakfast cereals tightly to preserve freshness. Better yet, transfer the cereal into a zipper lock plastic bag and put it back in the box.
3. Freeze bread that will not be used within a week. If you freeze artisan breads pre-sliced, you can just take a slice when you need it.
4. Keep soft cookies soft by storing them in a cookie jar or airtight container with a slice of bread.
5. Cut slices from loaf cakes like banana bread and pound cake from the middle instead of the end. After slicing, push the two ends together to reform the ‘loaf’. You don’t leave a cut end to get stale that way.
6. To keep cake moist, store it with half an apple in the container.
Dairy Products and Cheese
1. Store milk in its original container.
2. Do not store milk in the door where temperature is warmer.
3. Put milk back in refrigerator immediately after using.
4. Wrap cheese in waxed paper or plastic, then store in deli drawer.
5. Do not store ice cream in the freezer door. Keep it in the main part of the freezer.
6. Place a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper directly on the surface of the ice cream before storing. It will keep fresh longer.
Miscellaneous
1. Store coffee in an airtight, opaque container to preserver flavor and freshness.
2. Buy coffee in whole bean form and grind enough for one pot at a time.
3. If you buy more coffee than you can use in 3-4 days, store in an airtight container in the freezer/
4. Store avocadoes unbagged in the refrigerator.
5. Store bananas on the counter, unbagged.
6. Berries (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries) should be stored in their plastic container or a resealable plastic bag in the back of the refrigerator.
7. Wrap lettuce in damp paper towels and store in a plastic bag.
Stephanie Larkin is a freelance writer who writes about topics and products concerning food storage such as Green Bags.
Simple Ways To Keep Traveling Food Cool
To reduce risk with perishable food, place a frozen juice box, frozen container of water, or a frozen gel pack in an insulated lunchbox or bag. The beverage will thaw by lunchtime, and the food should still be cool. In addition, some sandwiches can be frozen ahead of time to defrost by lunch. Experiment at home first to see how long it takes your sandwich to thaw. (Bread is a low-moisture product, so there is not much in it to freeze or thaw.)
Do not freeze the sandwich with mayonnaise, lettuce, or tomato slices; they’ll make the sandwich soggy. (Mayonnaise should be sent in single-serving packets.) Pack those ingredients separately in an airtight baggy. They can be added immediately before eating.
Want cheese for lunch? American cheese is a low-moisture food which does not encourage bacterial growth. Freeze the sandwich, leave it frozen until just before leaving home, and it should be fine at lunchtime. A favorite with kids, string cheese is a higher-moisture product and should be kept refrigerated (as the package says). Still, it can be taken for lunch if placed directly on top of a cold pack in an insulated lunch box. It might be a good idea to wrap the cheese and the cold pack together to be sure the cheese stays cold.
When putting perishable or semi-perishable foods into a lunch box, be sure to consider the amount of food versus the size of the frozen item(s) and the temperatures the food will be exposed to outdoors and indoors. Test a sample lunch to see if it actually stays cold for 4 hours with a frozen item inside.
For more information on food storage safety, as well as comprehensive information on the shelf life of hundreds of food products, visit http://shelflifeadvice.com.
Sources:
New Nouveau Brunswick Health: “Hints and Advice for Making Packed Lunches Safe to Eat” http://www.gnb.ca/0053/public_health/pdf/healthy_eating/4841e.pdf
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: “USDA Offers Advice for Packing Safe School Lunches”. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OA/news/1997/school.htm
Susan Brewer, Ph.D. University of Illinois, Department of Food Safety and Human Nutrition
JANIS GUGGENHEIM, a free-lance writer with many years’ experience, has a long-standing interest in food safety and history and an extensive book collection on food-related subjects. For http://shelflifeadvice.com, she has authored product write-ups on canned tomatoes, apple juice, orange juice, flour, and sugar as well as the section on unrefrigerated lunches and some of the book reviews. As a one-time columnist, reporter, and correspondent, she has published many articles and reviews.