Food Security #
Investing a little time and money in food security buys significant peace of mind. Articles in this section explain what foods to store, and how to preserve them.
- Store-Bought Emergency Foods
- DIY Emergency Food Supply
- Vacuum Sealing
- Canning
- Dehydrating
- Freeze Drying
- Impulse Sealing
- Moisture Meters
- Mylar Bags
Emergency food supplies are commercially available. Food supply kits contain freeze-dried foods with a long shelf life, which are expensive. Because of the cost, and differences in taste, it is important to shop carefully, should you decide to purchase a ready-made food supply.
Many people choose to build their own food supply, rather than purchase an emergency food supply kit. Here's how.
A vacuum sealer removes air from a bag before sealing it. This can significantly extend the freshness of frozen or refrigerated foods. For example, vacuum-sealed meats can last a year or more in your freezer.
Methods of processing food for preservation in airtight jars.
Dehydration removes moisture from food without cooking it. This inhibits the growth of bacteria, allowing the food to stay fresh longer. Dehydrated foods are easier to store, since they shrink in size. In addition, dehydrated foods maintain their nutritional value longer than fresh foods.
With a substantial investment in equipment, you can freeze dry foods at home. This section is about using freeze drying foods for long-term storage.
Impulse sealers make it easy to seal poly bags.
Some people use inexpensive moisture meters to measure the dryness of dehydrated or freeze-dried foods, even though most meters are designed to measure humidity, the dryness of wood, to check for water leaks or the presence of mold.
Mylar bags are great for long-term storage of dry goods such as rice, beans, and flour. Some foods sealed in mylar with an oxygen absorber last over 25 years.