National Hurricane Preparation Week is almost over. But there is still time to prepare for the hurricane season. It runs from June 1 to November 30.
There are a number of things you should stockpile if a hurricane or other extreme weather event is a possibility where you live. Especially items that disappear in a hurry from stores when a storm is brewing.
They include flashlights and batteries. As well as first-aid kits including pain relievers, cold medicine and bandages. Plus ice chests and feminine hygiene products.
Others are paper towels and toilet paper. And hand sanitizer, anti-bacterial wipes and bleach. Miscellaneous supplies including duct tape and garbage bags also go fast. Plus, of course, bottled water.
Food is No. 1
But the No. 1 item for hurricane preparation is food. Including non-perishable food. Today I want to give you some suggestions about which types of food to stockpile for extreme weather emergencies.
Among the items to be snatched up fast are fruits and vegetables. They provide an incredible amount of vital nutrients you need to survive in an emergency. Most people gravitate toward the fresh produce in an emergency before they spoil.
Fresh produce is first to go, but canned fruits and veggies are second. And while canned fruits and veggies are not as good as dehydrated and freeze-dried foods, they serve their purpose.
It’s easy to see why they go quickly. Their shelf life is decent and you can eat them right out of the can.
Grains and grain-based foods
Other items that will soon be missing from store shelves when a storm is expected are grains and grain-based foods.
These include rice, oats, wheat, barley, cornmeal, pasta, etc. As well as cereals, oatmeal, grits and others.
Some of these items have a pretty long shelf life. And there are many different meals you can prepare with them.
Others such as bread and milk have much shorter shelf lives. But they still get grabbed quickly.
Ready-to-eat foods
Ready-to-eat foods are also good to have on hand when a storm approaches. Food you can eat right out of a jar or package goes swiftly during a crisis.
Granola bars, peanut butter and healthy crackers are a couple of good examples. Plus trail mix, nuts and many more. Others include pre-packed raw vegetables and pre-cut fresh fruits.
Be sure to include healthy drinks in this category. Such as coconut water, green tea and pomegranate juice. As well as orange juice, kombucha, beet juice and cranberry juice.
Another food item to stockpile is meat. We saw during the worst of the coronavirus pandemic that some meat-packing plants had to shut down.
That resulted in meat shortages. But you don’t want to store too much meat if you don’t have a generator to help keep it cold when the power goes out.
Miscellaneous items
Other items that get bought quickly in an emergency may surprise you. Honey is one of them. It has an incredibly long shelf life and is much healthier for you and your family than sugar.
Canola oil is another. It contains important omega-3 fatty acids. It’s used for cooking a wide variety of foods. But there are healthier cooking oils out there. Including organic corn oil and coconut oil. Plus butter or butter powder, olive oil and palm oil.
Coffee and tea may not fly off the shelves as fast as bottled water does. But they are both popular in a crisis. Sleep patterns can be disrupted during a crisis. Caffeinated beverages can keep you awake when you need to be alert.
Even if you don’t drink alcohol or smoke tobacco, it might be worth acquiring some of both. Depending on how long an emergency lasts, people will be willing to barter for them.
Don’t put it off any longer
Weather forecasters are predicting a more active hurricane season than usual for 2021. And an increased number of tornadoes.
Everyone knows the importance of having a stockpile of non-perishable food and other essential items in their home in order to better deal with such emergencies.
Yet only a small percentage of people actually do it. They keep putting it off. And when an actual emergency such as a hurricane starts heading toward them, they rush off to the stores.
But there’s a big problem with this tactic. In many cases, most if not all of the items they want are already gone. Shelves have been stripped bare by others who waited until the last minute.
There’s only one thing to do here that makes sense. And that’s to prepare in advance. Get your emergency supplies now – especially non-perishable food – BEFORE the crisis occurs.
That way you’ll be ready for hurricane season and whatever else Mother Nature throws our way in 2021. And there’s an added benefit – peace of mind others can only dream about.
