It’s fair to say that many people in the UK are concerned about the future of Brexit and the unknown. Some of them so much so, that they are already stockpiling food and supplies. If you Google “Stockpiling food Brexit” you’ll see news about supermarket food shelves picked clean by shoppers in a prep mode. Your household may not face the consequences, but if you do, and you’re cut off for weeks without food and services, then food, water, and other supplies may be beneficial.
If you’re considering stockpiling food and supplies, then you need to plan ahead. Here are six easy ways to jump-start the process ahead of the Brexit turmoil.
Create a Goal
Before stockpiling anything, you need to set a goal and stick with it. How much do you intend to store? Do you want to save several days of food and supplies? Are you planning for weeks or months?
You should have enough food and water for each member of your family for 72 hours. That includes 1 gallon of water per day per person and canned foods for up to three days. You should also get supplies such as battery-powered or handheld radios, flashlights, and first-aid supplies. But you’ll feel more secure during Brexit if you go beyond the essentials.
With your goal in mind, create a plan for a two-week stockpile. If your budget allows for it, a six- to 12-week supply will provide you with plenty of food and supplies. Start slowly and aim to meet your family’s goals for the next three days. Once you hit that goal, you can adjust your goals to one to two weeks. Then you can stretch it out to weeks, months, and then years.
Store Water Safely
As previously stated, you should store 1 gallon of water per day for each person including any pets. You should at least have two weeks’ worth of water. Water stockpiling should take priority over food. While both are necessary means to survive, people can go much shorter without water, and besides, water has many uses other than proper hydration.
An unopened bottle of water will provide you with safe and reliable water supply. You can also store tap water in your own containers as well. If you choose to stockpile store-bought water, replace it every six months. Read the expiration dates and use it before that time comes, replacing it with a new one in the process.
Purchase Everything at Once
If your budget and home allow for it, purchase a large supply of food and emergency supplies. You can buy large quantities of food and supplies online, big-box stores, and superstores. Examples of items you could purchase include food bars, survival tablets, and emergency food kits.
Invest in Certain Foods
Keep in mind that eating from the same list of stockpile food for several days, weeks, or months can get boring. Contrary to popular belief, most foods are dense in nutritional value, provide plenty of food value, and are tasty and require very little cooking. You’ll also need a can opener in your stockpile. You should invest in certain foods such as canned chili and soups, canned meat, canned vegetables, cereal, dried fruit, multivitamins, nuts and trail mix, peanut butter, powdered milk, sports drinks, and sugar, salt, and pepper.
Buy Dried Foods
Dried foods such as canned food and granola bars will only last for the short term. Stockpiling for several weeks or months means that you should invest in more dried foods such as dehydrated vegetables, dried fruits and grains, and powdered milk. The following list of foods should be enough to feed two adults and two children for up to two weeks. Some of these foods include:
Flavorings such as cooking oils, chocolate, jam, salsa, salt and tea, spices, and yeast.
Proteins such as beans, boxed tofu, canned fish and meat, dried milk, dry cheese, lentils, powdered cheese, and powdered eggs.
Starches like cornmeal, dried potatoes and oatmeal, flour, pasta, popcorn, rice, and sugar.
Vitamin-rich foods such as canned tomatoes and pumpkins, dried fruit and dried vegetables.
This should be enough to make a two-week stockpile. As your budget and time allow, you can include various boxes, increasing the stockpile every two weeks at a time.
Consider Buying in Bulk
To stockpile while on a budget, don’t be afraid to shop around and to compare costs. Club and warehouse stores are great places for buying in bulk. Look for seasonal sales and find out where you can get discounts for bulk items. Some retail chains sell bulk quantities of food such as bread, butter, dehydrated onions and stews, pancakes, and powdered honey. You can also find some tips here.
Rotate Your Stored Foods
To ensure your food is safe and nutritious, know the shelf life of each item. Rotate your foods by including fresh foods to the mix. If they’re prepared and properly stored, then your food can last for a long time. For example, wheat foods such as beans and white rice can last up to 30 years when packaged and stored properly. Dehydrated carrots and non-fat milk can last 20 years. However, vegetable oil should be rotated every year or two.
All in all, there’s a small chance regular people will have to resort to this sort of doomsday prepping. But if, Heaven forbid, you ever do come into an emergency situation, you’ll be thankful for having at least some stash. With things getting real rough, real fast (Ukraine, Syria, Venezuela), it’s a smart move to plan ahead. After all, if you pay for insurance for your home or car, why not consider this as well?
