Modern Self-Reliance

Teaching Homesteading and Preparedness Skills

8 Steps to Evaluating your Food Preparedness for Power Outages

4 Comments

8 Steps to Evaluating your Food Preparedness for Power Outages

Power outages can happen at anytime, and most of us today rely on the constant flow. (The spice must flow! #lettingMyNerdOut #Dune)

In case you missed the first one, this is the second piece in our Power Outage Series, check out our first article:

5 Steps to Evaluating Water Security during a Power Outage.

Hopefully, as the power goes out, you look to your food pantry and know you are well stocked. You have canned goods, dry goods and maybe even One-Month Food Stash for Less Than $150 stored away. How do you do plan to cook or heat those items?

Food Preparations During Power Outages

Step 1: What about items in the freezer?

First things first. Eat the ice cream. No seriously, don't actually open your freezer until you feel it's starting to melt. It will take some time before items in your freezer thaw and keeping the door shut will extend this time. If there is snow outside, great! The world is your ice box!

Step 2: What items will go bad first without a refrigerator?

Take a mental review of items in your fridge that will go bad quickly without being cold; milk, bread, delicate veggies, etc. This will change with your climate and season, in some regions bread on the counter will be fine for a week. I remember walking into the kitchen in my friends' Texas home in the summer and finding the bread in the refrigerator, it would spoil quickly otherwise. Eat this food first before it goes bad.

Step 3: How is your current cooking device powered?

If you have a gas stove top or wood stove, then you will have heating methods already. However if you use an electric stove top, crockpot (my favorite one, but it doesn't work without power) or oven then you will be out of luck. Without a generator for power, you will have to find other ways to cook and prepare your meals.

Step 4: Can you cook or heat meals outside?

A summer thunder storm rolls in and knocks the power out. As the storm clouds clear, it's dinner time and a great time for a BBQ. You could try cooking meals on a grill outside or cook over a real fire. There are also solar ovens that provide the means to cook food without power outside, here is an example of one but they seem kinda pricey to me. If you live in a place where this is not possible, or don't want to draw attention to your food, you may have to cook inside.

Step 5: Can you cook meals inside?

A small portable camp stove (I personally have this one) with one burner could heat foods without power. I recommend this Butane camp stove that is compact and relatively inexpensive. You may want to crack the window and have a battery operated detector to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning from camp stoves. If you chose to invest in a camp stove, be sure to store the fuel canisters as well.

Step 6: What do you have pots to cook your meals in?

Now that you are switching from a stove top to a fire, are you pots durable enough to take the direct contact with fire. Cheap pots from the thrift store could be a simple way to have extra pots in case one gets burned beyond use over the fire. The other option is investing in cast iron pots and pans that won't get damaged under high heat.

Step 7: When you planned your food storage, did you include foods that need to be cooked or just heated?

Canned and pre-cooked foods that just need to be heated will require much less fuel than items like pasta that needs to be cooked in boiling water. Reducing the need for actually cooking food will make your fuel source last longer. I outline my food storage plan that includes mostly food that need to be heated rather than cooked, check out my plan here.

Step 8: What items in your home don't require heating at all?

Stock up on protein bars, crackers, jam, peanut butter, jerky, nuts, jellybeans and other items that can be eaten straight from the package. These items eliminate the need for cooking entirely and the need for cooking fuel. In general these items also don't need to be refrigerated and won't go back sitting in your pantry waiting for a power outage.

Steps to Take Today

1. Evaluate your food storage and consider how you plan to cook each item.
2. Invest in the skills to cook over a fire, fireplace, or grill.
3. Invest in a small camp stove for indoor cooking if needed. (Don't forget the fuel!)

In Conclusion

Cooking during a power outage can be difficult for those living in apartments without gas stoves, fireplaces, fire pits or gas grills. A simple camp stove can solve your food preparation problem. Focus on foods that require heating, not cooking, bonus if they can be eaten raw. Sleep well, knowing you family is prepared to handle food preparation in the event of a power outage.

What are you plans for food during a power outage? How do you plan to cook food in your apartment or home? Thanks for reading!

Did you know this is the second article in our Power Outage Series? Check out the others:
  1. 5 Steps to Evaluating Water Security during a Power Outage
  2. 7 Steps for Maintaining Proper Sanitation during Power Outage
  3. 7 Steps for Heating Your Home During a Power Outage
  4. 7 Steps for Evaluating Lighting Options During Power Outage

7-Day Power Outage Series

Are you nervous about your family's ability to withstand a power outage?
Increase your home's resiliency to brave the storm.

We'll send you Information + Easy Action Steps Each Day, slowing building your family's skills and supplies for greater safety in your home.

No one like spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by Kit
Food security during a power outage.
5 Steps to Evaluating Water Security during a Power Outage

Leave a Comment

5 Steps to Evaluating Water Security during a Power Outage

Power outages can occur at any time. A truck could take out a telephone pole or a hurricanes could knock out a whole power transfer station. A power outage could last a few hours, a few days or a few weeks.

Is your family ready with enough to survive a power outage? If a flood takes out the power, you may be faced with the irony of being surrounded by water and yet not a drop to drink.

Water Considerations during Power Outages

#1 Is your water system robust to a power outage?

If you are connected to city water, likely the pipes will maintain pressure for a few days. Especially if you live below the water tower to central water facilities. If you expect the pressure to hold for a short period, try to store as much water as you can before the pressure gives out.

One option is to fill a WaterBOB, a liner for your bathtub to fill it was clean drinkable water. These water bladders can hold 100 gallons of water; enough drinking water for 25 days for a family of 4. They are inexpensive and can be found here: Water Bob.

#2 Is your hot water system electric?

The power outage may not affect your water supply however it may effect your ability to heat the water. Perhaps it is tied into the heating system of the house. Either way, hot water might be a luxury.

#3 Do you have a manual way to pump the water?

If you rely on a well, a power outage means the pump is no longer operational.  A back-up generator could provide the power to pump water for a short period of time.

Try to pump as much water as you can hold then turn the generator off. The WaterBob mentioned above could hold 100 gallons in your bathtub. You never know how long the power outage will last, and will need to ration the generator's fuel.

#4 If you water becomes contaminated, do you have a power-free way to purify it?

Boiling all your drinking water sounds like a good idea, but in a power outage you will need to conserve fuel as well. A water filter like the family LifeStraw or community LifeStraw could provide clean drinking and cooking water during power outages.

These filters are expensive, but the small Sawyer filter can provide drinking water for your family at a much lower cost.

#5 Do you have enough water stored to last a few days?

To prepare for a water crisis, try to store at least 3 days worth of water for your family. Water can be stored in recycled juice or soda bottles or in specially designed containers for small apartments: water bricks. Aim for 1 gallon a day per person for drinking and cooking.

Actions this week:

  1. Evaluate your water situation if the power goes out.
  2. Store 3 days worth of water. (1 gallon per person per day)
  3. Invest in a water filter even just the small Sawyer filter.

In Conclusion

Water is a valuable resource and abundant most of the time. We may think nothing of going to the sink and getting clean fresh drinking water. During a power outage, that ability may be hindered. Having a plan to provide clean drinking water for your family will give you insurance again the next local power outage. Create a plan today and sleep better tonight, knowing your family is protected.

For other water storage recommendations, check out:

Water Storage for Today, This Month and This Year.

Did you miss our other articles in the power outage series?

  1. 5 Steps to Evaluating Water Security during a Power Outage
  2. 8 Steps to Evaluating Food Preparedness for Power Outages
  3. 7 Steps for Maintaining Proper Sanitation during Power Outage
  4. 7 Steps for Heating Your Home During a Power Outage

Are you prepared with enough water to weather a local power outage? How about a long term power outage? Share your tips as well.

7-Day Power Outage Series

Are you nervous about your family's ability to withstand a power outage?
Increase your home's resiliency to brave the storm.

We'll send you Information + Easy Action Steps Each Day, slowing building your family's skills and supplies for greater safety in your home.

No one like spam. Unsubscribe at any time. Powered by Kit
Water security in times of power outages. Are you prepared?
6-Month Preparedness Supplies Rotation Checklist

Leave a Comment

6-Month Preparedness Supplies Rotation Checklist

Prepping supplies don’t last forever. Food can go bad, tools can rust, items can be taken from the stock and not replaced, or needs can change.

It can be hard to keep up with all the inventory; food expiration dates, water rotation times, medication usage. In our household, each month we have one area that we check on.

It usually takes less than an hour to check through the stock and add the needed items to our next shopping list. One hour a month keeps our supplies fresh.

I will share today our 6-month rotation plan. I mark my google calendar with an event and on the first of the month I get a reminder of which category to check for the month.

Why 6-month plan?

  • Home canned goods last for about a year, commercially canned foods can last longer but not all food items have yearlong expiration dates.
  • We live in a small apartment, some items make more sense to stock a smaller amount of and restock more often as we don’t have too much space. (For example, a year’s supply of toilet paper would be hard to find space for but 6-months’ worth we can handle.)
  • A 6-month supply is cheaper than a 1-year supply. For those on a tight budget, finding extra cash for prepping can be hard. If you come to your band-aides for example and find you didn't need any in the last 6-months, you can buy your normal 6-month supply again. Now you have doubled your supply, without stressing your bank account too much. It makes a nice incrementally way to stock up.

January and July – Car Supplies

We spend a lot of time in our cars, and I am almost always with my car. I drive to work, drive home, drive to friends, drive to the store, you get the point. I see it as a priority to ensure my car is in the best functioning condition and fully stocked with what is supposed to be in there.

We start the checklist in January, as for colder climates the weather is starting to get pretty snowy so it's a good time to check up on winter gear. For July, it's the turn of the seasons, and prepping for summer fun.

Twice a year, check your car for summer or winter gear:

  1. Check fluids (quart of oil, windshield wiper fluid, coolant, brake, funnels)
  2. Check for spare clothes, blankets, gloves etc
  3. Check for a knife (I love this one), hand warmers, shovel, snow brush, sunscreen, trash bags and other random survival items
  4. Jumper cables, spare tire, jack, crow bar, air pump
  5. Check for hammock or tent or sleeping bags or blankets

Car Questions to Ask Yourself

Am I prepared for any roadside emergencies I could expect in my area? Is there a safe way to carry water? Check out ----- 35 Items You Need To Put in Your Car Right Now---- for a complete list of what I store in my car.

February and August – 72hr Bag + Information

The 72-hr bag is a backpack with everything you need for 3 days. It could be grabbed on the way out the door during evacuations or it could be kept in your car for when you can't make it back home.

Information is the important details of your life that would be hard to do business without: SSN, medical insurance, car insurance, etc.

72-hr bag

  1. Restock missing items
  2. Pare down to the essentials you NEED to survive for 72-hours
  3. Replace expired items (MRE's, protein bars, etc)

Information

  1. Copies of important information on hand (USB drive + paper)
    • Insurance numbers (car, medical, home, etc)
    • Credit card information
    • SSN, Passport #, birth certifcate
    • Driver license #
    • Primary Care Physician's name/phone
    • Emergency contacts (family, friends, etc)
    • Medications and allergy information
    • Pet vaccination report, identification, pictures
  2. Cash on hand ($100 at least in small bills)

Questions for 72hr bag and Information:

How can I keep my 72-hr bag light but complete? Check out ----- 4 Steps to Building a Better 72-Hr Bag ---- to see what I keep in mine. How much cash should I have on hand? What information is critical to know that would be difficult to find if I wasn't at home? See: 21 Important Pieces of Information to Gather for Your Family's Reference

March and September – Water Supply + Cleaning

We are know you need water to live. Cleaning supplies are handy when water is scarce. Stocking both allow you to save your water for drinking cooking and your life from a dirty mess.

Water Supply

  1. Store at least 1 gal per person per day for 3 days (6 gallons at least for 2 people)
  2. Store your favorite Gatorade mix, instant coffee, tea, other water flavorings if you usually drink them
  3. Consider Water purification tablets + filters (I recommend the Lifestraw or the Family LifeStraw)

Cleaning and Sanitation

  1. Bleach
  2. White Vinegar
  3. Trash bags
  4. Gloves

Questions about Water and Sanitation

How much water do I have space to store? Do we have enough supplies to handle a sanitation crisis? Can I handle no running toilet water? I talk about both here:

  1.  Water Storage for Today, This Month and This Year
  2. 7 Steps for Maintaining Proper Sanitation during Power Outage
  3. 5 Steps to Evaluating Water Security during a Power Outage

October and April - First Aid and EDC

Your first aid kit is bound to get used the most, as you take items you need over the months. Replacing used band aides and allergy medications are top reasons we check our first aid kit every six months.

EDC is every day carry: The items you keep in your pockets or purse that you always have with you. These items also can get used, lost or misplaced over time. Be sure to check that you have what you think you have.

Standard Medicine Cabinet

  1. Painkiller / Anti-inflammatory
  2. Anti-Diarrhea / ingestion
  3. Cough Drops
  4. Cough Syrup / cold medications
  5. Allergy medications

Homemade First Aid Kit (or this pre-made one)

  1. Anti-itch cream
  2. Anti-bacterial cream
  3. Band-Aids / Bandages
  4. Sanitizer / alcohol wipes
  5. Sun burn relief
  6. Tweezers / scissors / thermometer

EDC – Every Day Carry

  1. Fire starter
  2. Flashlight
  3. Compact first aid kit
  4. Knife
  5. Painkiller

First Aid and EDC Questions:

Medicine Cabinet: What other medications do you use on a monthly basis? What is a 6-month supply of those items?

First Aid: Where else should you plan to keep a first aid kit (like this one)? Check out ------ 3 Extra Places for a First Aid Kit ------

EDC: What are the absolute essential to always carry on me? 9 Steps to Planning Your Every Day Carry Items

November and May – Food

A man's gotta eat. Food storage can be as simple as canned goods or more complicated rice and beans sealed in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. But we often steal from our canned good supplies and need to reminder to check it has what it should.

Short-Term Food Storage

  1. Check food storage for expired items
  2. Rotate older items by replacing with new items
  3. Replace items never used for more common ones
  4. Have a way to cook without electricity like a Butane stove and fuel canisters (no-power cooking method)

Food Questions:

Is this 1-month supply of food things we normally eat? Are there items we normally eat that are not included? I cover what’s in my compact food storage for one person for a month.

  1. One-Month Food Stash for Less Than $150
  2. 8 Steps to Evaluating your Food Preparedness for Power Outages

December and June – Paper Products

While we touched on sanitation when checking our cleaning supplies paper products can also reduce the amount of water needed. Toilet paper is as much a comfort item as it is a convenience and sanitation item.

Bathroom

  1. Extra toilet paper
  2. Tampons/ Pads
  3. Razors
  4. Shampoo/ Soap

Kitchen

  1. Extra Paper towels
  2. Paper plates + cutlery
  3. Napkins + wet wipes

Paper Product Questions:

Is this enough for the 1-month food supply so you don’t have to wash dishes? Do we use them and have to supply more than this? Learn more:

7 Steps for Maintaining Proper Sanitation during Power Outage

In Conclusion

At Modern Self-Reliance, we hope to share what works for us in the hopes it helps other people become more prepared, organized and self-reliant.

Did you find this helpful? What others things do you check regularly? Thanks for reading our work.

Want to learn more?

  1. 10 Ways I Reduce Household Waste
  2. 7 Tips on Bugging-In for Urban Preppers
  3. 8 Tips When Taking a Loved One to the ER

Join the Modern Self-Reliance Community

What you'll get:

  • Homesteading how-to's like canning and cooking
  • Disaster planning and preparedness advice
  • Honest reviews of hands-on learning classes
What you won't get: Spam emails. Unsubscribe anytime. Powered by Kit
Month to month prepping.
This blog does not share personal information with third parties nor do we store any information about your visit to this blog other than to analyze and optimize your content and reading experience through the use of cookies. You can turn off the use of cookies at anytime by changing your specific browser settings. We are not responsible for republished content from this blog on other blogs or websites without our permission. This privacy policy is subject to change without notice and was last updated on Feb 17, 2017.