Shopping for Emergency Meals
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ส.ค. 2023
- We spend some time in our local grocery store buying canned goods and other items to make up 3 days of meals for a family of four without using any of our current food storage. This turned out to be a challenge for us!
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Another thought as this is a theoretical exercise. If the grid went down and you had to stay home for 3 days, you wouldn’t break out your awesome bins with your 3 days of shelf stable food. First you would eat the fresh food in your fridge and on your counter. Drink the milk, eat the bread, bananas, etc. Then you would eat food from your freezer. The last things you would start eating are the shelf stable foods.
Oh Pam! You seemed so out of your comfort zone! But thank you for doing this. I am severely handicapped and live on disability. I can only shop and cook like this (struggle with lifting heavy pans and chopping foods ). So, putting yourself in my place, you have my respect. Please please continue this series.
May God bless you in your efforts and bring you success. Love to you!
I love the “real world” shopping. It’s a rude, eye opening shock isn’t it? I’m really looking forward to how this experiment develops. Before retiring I worked with clients who shopped this way. I have great empathy for how much anxiety they must be feeling as prices climb higher and higher.
For me personally, this video reinforces my eternal gratitude that I have home canned and dehydrated food on hand. Your clear instructions and explanation of the science demystified those processes for me. Thank you, thank you, thank you, to you and Jim for providing these channels and your website! You bless us with your time and efforts.
Ditto! ❤
Couldn't agree more! I also had similar experience with clients, who often had difficulty grasping the idea that shopping with a budget and "cooking from scratch" wasn't hard to do and would save them literally hundreds (if not thousands) on their grocery bills.
@@californiadreamer2580 Worked in social services too and so many didn't have the gift of parents who taught them how to cook from scratch- sad.
I am one of those that prepare both by store shopping and doing things by scratch. It's the best of both worlds and something we should all know if possible. Yes, things are very expensive and it's only going to get worse
This is exactly how I prepare. I work a more than 40 hour a week job and drive a considerable distance to get there. I do a lot of canning, freezing, and dehydrating but I also shop sales and purchase items regularly at the grocery for food storage. Prices are absolutely ridiculous but I persevere. We all must persevere.
Same but I only buy when organic items are on sale. One of my kids has a severe intolerance to any coloring, preserving chemical! Just bought Amy’s canned soups for $1.12 at Rite Aid! Never thought sbout checking their food isle. And still have about a year of expiration date.
^^^ Yep.
I think this segment (and all the helpful comments) is going to be very valuable to many people. Thanks Jim and Pam!
I raised by kids prepping from the grocery store. We moved a lot so I never got into pressure canning until covid hit. Really all I ever canned was jam. I always had lots of rice and pastas. Cream of chicken and cream of mushroom soups can make so many different things. One of my kids favorites was what we call “cheater curry” this is just cream of soup with canned meat, veg and curry spices. We searched this over rice and the kids loved it. I cooked most things from scratch but I always had this kind of stuff on the shelves for quick meals and in our 72 hour kit. Cream of soups are not the healthiest but they are endless possibilities in a can. 😄
You are so right about canned cream soup. Take a tough pace of meat cream of mushroom soup in slow cooker and it will be grate soo tinder .
Rose Red shopping to Led Zeppelin! Made my day! Love it!
Right? 😂
And the Ramones!
The first thing I noticed in the store was Led Zep coming over the PA! Pretty awesome!
Ha that's what I thought too!
😂😆 probably get a © strike
I gave my college student a simple prep for power outages (she has access to a grill outside). Canned chili and canned potatoes, rice and beans and tomatoes, oatmeal with peanut butter, canned fruit, pasta and sauce, peanuts and raisins, evaporated milk, bottled water, instant coffee. When the power went out for over a week she was able to feed her friends
What a good idea, we have our 1st grandbaby going off to college in a few weeks. We live states away, but hmmm makes me think I am going to bubble wrap a few more jars of canned items for her 1st delivery from us
My son leaves next weekend for college. I did the same thing(even though he’s living in the dorm) We lived in the mountains, 25-30 mins to town, lost power, snowed in for days, etc. Shopped in bulk all his life, prepped to live off grid(bc we did up to 9 days once)& continued even after moving to town. We’ve always prepared him for crisis situations. He knows to hunker down with his supplies & wait until his dad can get to him. He’s 2.5 hours away.
thats funny you mention that because I'm moving my daughter and her friend on Saturday. I've purchased her some preps to put back and had convos with them about power outages and being prepared.
@@bwhite495 yep. Biggest thing I told him, he has all he needs to hunker down until my husband gets to him. If a major crisis happens, we have a plan.
@@chrissyfrancis8952 Same, when she was in the dorms I made sure she had protein bars/shakes, canned fruit, pb and tuna to last at least a week
Canned chicken can be added to your Broccoli Chicken Pasta, Fry the Spam in thin slices and it like ham to stuffing or pasta, Tuna Noodle Casserole with some Cream of Mushroom soup. Seriously, you can add any of the canned meats, salmon, etc to those rice and pasta packages. Thanks for going through this for those people who don't know what to do.
SPAM comes in many varieties now. We like the canned bacon diced and fried then add to eggs, salad, soup etc. SPAM Turkey is good too. We've used it for turkey and rice, turkey noodle soup, turkey with mashed potatoes, diced in salad, etc. One can can easily be used in 2 to 3 different dishes.
You can make potato soup with one package of instant potatoes and non fat milk.
Our names are very close...LOL
I bought canned chili meat without beans. It gives you a meat that can go with various pastas and rice. Emergency rations are not about gourmet meals, but palatable food that meets caloric needs.
Even if we don't agree with what you buy it gives us ideas for our own plans.
I could do this with my eyes closed, I got 6 kids and 11 grandkids. Love you guys.
Alaska Granny groups & pkgs meal combos into ziplock bags. So she may pack the corned beef with potatoes & any other non-perishable into the bag for quick meal ideas. Patara suggests that people pick up 5 extra canned goods each shopping trip that go towards building a prepper pantry (for those struggling to create one instantly).
I can tell you watch the same YT channels that I do! Well, at least three of them.😊👍
Appalachia Homestead is Patara for those looking for her channel.
#1 Bisquick is very versatile. You can make: pancakes, biscuits, doughboy on a stick over the fire, crumb topping for over canned pie filling for a quick dessert, dumplings, wraps for Vienna sausages... #2 A small can of shortening or lard. #3 Garbanzo beans in a can. #4 Rice #5 A 1 quart size packet of dry milk. #6 A plastic container of dried veggies (in spice section) to add to rice or soup. #6 A container of dried chopped onion and /or garlic (also in spice section). #7 Condiment packets- mustard, catsup, soy sauce, mayo, salad dressing, etc. saved from take out or fast food purchases. #8 Peanut butter. #9 Rice cakes or crackers. #10 Boston Brown bread in a can. #11 Beanie weenies in a can. #12 A can of bread crumbs. #13 Ramen noodles. #14 Small jar of jelly or jam. #15 Canned meat sandwich spread (leftover cold pancakes for your "sandwich bread") #16 A 1 pound canned ham.
Excellent! I'm writing this down. Thank you.
Love that you use Bisquik! I just made a pot of chicken and dumplings using broth, Bisquik mixed with milk into dough for the dumplings, and a can of chicken.
I agree with all of your suggestions! There are many other things that can be added but obviously Pam and Jim are a little out of their comfort/knowledge level. I’d also never “stock up” from a traditional grocery store at regular prices; even some sale prices are questionable. Good of them to give this a shot though.
The corn beef can be fried with a little garlic plus the onions, some of the tomatoes season spices to taste and served on rice. Adding a can of whole kernel corn takes it up another level. You could use the Libby sausage with the potatoes for a Bangers & Mash knockoff or with the spaghetti w/sauce. I would’ve picked up a few cans of soup and broth, tuna, salmon - both of which can also go with rice or pasta - vegs like broccoli, mushrooms, green beans for sides or as a salad; powdered milk, sugar/sweetener, cereal (oatmeal, barley, granola), flour and/or cornmeal for porridge, dumplings, pancakes, crumb toppings; salt, pepper, water … the list is endless.
Yum. I use Bisquik very rarely. However, I make up a mix with my scratch biscuit recipe by combining the dry ingredients and cutting in the fat. I store it in a container in the fridge. I add dry milk to the dry ingredients so all I need is water when I make the biscuits. The next time I get Bisquik I''ll save the recipes on the box.@@beckysmith6551
I've been disabled for several years and unable to go to the store so my husband does all the shopping. I almost fell over seeing the prices recently. Beyond ridiculous!
Now might be a good time to ask your subscribers who have prepped from the grocery store to share meal ideas. Welcome to the other side of life.
I think you and Jim had no idea how much value is in your teaching. Your preparedness inspires. I know you will come up with a hybrid set up for others to be prepared, Thank you!
I’m 74 and on fixed income (social security) and every time I go shopping I get so discouraged. I have a list and eat pretty much the same things each week, but I find that I am having to put items back (or not get them at all) because the prices keep going up. I was standing in front of the meat counter and a lady about the same age as I looked at each other and we just shook our heads…I said, “guess I won’t be getting that this week…just too darned expensive”. She agreed and sadly we both walked away.
If you want some steak, please buy it once in a while. Splurge now, since beef will be more scarce next year ❤
I get it. Terribly high prices. It’s pretty depressing. I’ve gotten more creative- Just to share- homemade refried bean tacos, mushrooms fried w garlic & butter & then put over pasta and top with Parmesan cheese. Another idea is a baked potato topped with chili & cheese. My brother and I also like creamed tuna on toast. You probably have lots of ideas that you haven’t thought about. ❤
This is what happens with rigged electl0ns.
Prayers for you, sksteffy.
This isn’t right. Our seniors shouldn’t have to be going without. When I hear that the inflation is down or very low I think well you haven’t been to the store. I’m praying for you and those in your situation. I’m 62 and know I’m soon going to be where you are. 😢
Our rule is "just add water" or "heat and eat". In a very simple 3-day box I have: oatmeal packets, a couple of cans of fruit (w/pop tops), a jar of PB, vacuum packets of chicken or tuna salad and a box of crackers, box of pasta and canned pasta sauce, a packet of dried refried beans and some tortillas, as well as a few comfort snack foods. I'd also probably get a family-size dried soup packet of some sort to go with whatever is left in the stash for day three.
Great tips. Thanks for sharing.
This just makes me smile! Almost all of my prepping is from the grocery store. I am a single, elderly woman that lives in small apartment so having my own garden is impossible, although I do some container gardening and herb growing. I do can and dehydrate as I am able. I have researched a lot of recipes to make meals from canned items. You can even do chicken pot pies on the stove top, or butane stove, if necessary. Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Me too.
When i lived in an apartment i grew things on my deck and windowsills on tables and used grow lites in lamps. Might not got the biggest harvests but i still had fresh veggies.
Your story mimics mine! I am in your same situation. Made me feel I wasn't alone! I have tried container gardening and growing herbs as well. Keep up the good work and I will too!
@@susantreadwell1770❤❤❤
@@coloradopackratprepper❤❤❤
From what you selected
1. Canned chicken mixed into the stuffing, served with mashed potatoes and green beans.
2. Some stores carry canned hamburger or beef to mix into chili
3. Canned hamburger or beef with 1 can each of corn, green beans, diced potatoes, carrots makes hobo stew.
4. Tuna casserole using the mac & cheese, tuna and a can of cream of chicken, celery or mushroom soup. Those crispy onions would be good on top.
4. That cornbread fried would be good with any of your meals - useful to get some dried milk - you only have to add water and just make enough for what you're making.
I've been prepping like that for 30+years with standard apartment -sized refrigerator and no separate freezer. I've only been canning, freezing for about 5.
Thank you for your detailed examples of food preps. Jim
This is the content that brought me to your channel two years ago when I was new to preppeing, had nothing but an old dehydrator and very little money.
I learned how to make a solar cooker from nothing but cardboard and tin foil. I learned how to make a rocket stove, and I learned how to use them. That content made me more self sufficient and food secure.
I faithfully watch every one of your videos as soon as you post them, because you are awesome, Pam, and Jim too. But as your shopping experience taught you, times are TOUGH out here for many of us. I hope you shift back to more of that type of content. Bread machines and marmalade french toast are fun, but it doesn't help us be more self reliant on little to no money, when all we want is to keep our families fed and alive in these very hard times and the times to come.
I'll keep watching though, regardless, because you're a treasure.
Thank you so much for your timely comment. You make very good points.
This is good. Welcome to what most low income people deal with on a daily basis for a family. It will be interesting to see what meals Pam comes up with.
Some of the package meals can have canned meats added to them for protein and flavor.
IE, Tuna can be added to the mac & cheese. Chicken can be added to the Suddenly Salad.
I loved seeing you do this challenge. It shows exactly why preserving foods and storing meals just in case is so important. If you had gone into this store when a disaster was anticipated you would have found the shelves empty. Thank you for all you do to educate the public about preparedness.
First of all, even though I have no interest in prepping/canning nor a lot of the subjects you cover, I still continue to watch your videos - only found you about a week ago, and haven't been able to stop watching your videos since. I'm in a dark moment of depression, and I just find your videos are the only thing that's bringing me joy at the moment, you're just such a warm and kind-hearted person, and it's honestly a pleasure watching your videos and learning new things.
We do this every year for hurricane prep before the hurricane season starts
The Suddenly Salad won’t disappoint 😊
I have found small cans of spam and in so many different flavors. They have one with bacon flavor. I think you can buy canned burger now too. My pantry is made up of both home preserved and canned foods. I mix the canned chicken and tuna and canned ham into the boxed pastas. I add chicken to the suddenly salads and make a meal out of them. I learned a lot of creative ways to cook cheaply when I was raising my children on my own. I always wished I could share all I found, but you are doing that job for me!! I did set aside each month enough to buy a case or large package of things we ate a lot and packaged it up in smaller parts. A person has to be creative.
THANK YOU! I should have known someone named Lynda would have good ideas, too. I was about to make almost the same comments you did, then saw yours! Yes. Adding canned meats to almost anything makes a great meal. And the flavored Spams can be really tasty--Hubby likes the Hickory Smoked the best! We have also made a lot of grilled sandwiches on the wood stove when the power goes out! And with canned vegs or fruits, it's a good meal. What you have to remember is that while you CAN make a gourmet meal from canned type goods, you do not HAVE to. A good meal when you are hungry is simply something that tastes good and fills you up!
What an inspiration to others you are!!💪🏻
The Italian simply salad, just add pepperoni.
Pork and beans, tuna/salmon/ham, potatoes, carrots, peas, green/yellow beans and other vegetables, canned milk or powdered milk, clarified butter or lard, mayonnaise, broth, pickles of some sort, canned fish (sardines), canned fruits/applesauce, and possibly cakes/cookies. These are things that give you a good assortment of foods. Before we had our garden up and running, these were staples in my pantry until the canning and freezing started. And don't forget the tomatoes and juices as well as pasta (and kraft mac n cheese and anything else that is fast) and rice, especially minute rice. Just saying. Pre-made complete meals such as stews are handy when the power is out and you can't cook outside.
@RoseRed Homestead.
Oh my gosh this has me chuckling so much, but not at you. I was in pain right there with you. I can make scalloped potatoes from scratch in my sleep. But one day someone brought me a bag of ingredients she wanted used for a do at church. No potatoes. Instead there were several boxes of scalloped potatoes. Holy cow. Let the laughter begin. My late husband was all but on the floor laughing at me. I kept nervously checking the instructions to make sure I was doing it right. Took me forEVER to make those things. When you are used to scratch cooking, people have no idea how difficult it is to be trying to do pre prep. And I wasn't even under the challenge of emergency prepping, just trying to make the fool things. I am so with you!! Hugs.
So true
I live in hurricane country. Things I’ve learned is during grid down is if you’re on a well drinking water is something you have to ration and maybe fuel for cooking. This limits using your stored water just to boil food like pasta and washing lots of pots and dishes. Barilla precooked pasta is now available at Dollar Tree along with squeeze packets of Velveeta cheese (also at Dollar Tree) to swap out for boxed Mac and cheese 🤢. Small boxes of Zatarain’s many varieties of beans and rice are also good to stock along with precooked packets of rice, quinoa, couscous. Steel cut oats require lots of fuel to cook so swap for instant oatmeal packets and bonus - no pan to wash! Individual servings of applesauce or fruit cups are good - no waste. Don’t forget powdered milk or boxes of shelf-stable milk (Dollar Tree), tea bags, coffee, sugar, powdered creamer, packets of hot chocolate, flavor enhancer packets for bottles of water and, most importantly, sweets and snacks!
Great advice! I'm on a well, our power goes out relatively frequently. Although I always keep bottled water and shelf-stable milk on hand, having foods on hand that don't require added water is a good idea, as is having a few different ways to cook. Although my main cooking and heating fuel is propane, I can also cook with wood, charcoal (outdoors only) or a butane burner. My local propane supplier's machine was broken and due to flooding was unable to get the part needed so they could refill tanks for two weeks.
THANK U. I live in South Africa and we always have water n power cut at least daily with Power.. And I grew up on a farm. My parents never grew us up with Store bought meals. Always fresh farm stuff. Now at 50 I'm not sure how to stock up and live on Store bought meals that don't taste nice, 😢especially if u not used to it. So I would love to learn how to make some meals. I am so used of cooking from scratch that, I am so lost in Store. Like Pam n Jim.. God bless 🙌
Great points
@@teenaidoo8569 something else I would think about also, when you’re not used to eating all that store bought food, is the way your body is going to react to it. It might cause digestive issues or inflammation and pain so you’re gonna have to have something to relieve those issues also. It would be a shock to your body and your system. That’s just my thought because I’m not used to eating processed foods and if I have processed foods in my emergency kit it would cause havoc on my system.
@@terryhall2299YES...THANK YOU. This is the Most important comment in all of these! Health! is first thing to think about, because of reacting different, to different foods and different ways of preparing it!!
Being Aware of Allergies too. ❤.
I shop like you usually do also buy in bulk or on sale and make most meals from scratch. My husband of 37 years has many wonderful skills unfortunately cooking is not one of them so I keep some simple meals in our storage that he can manage in case I am sick or otherwise unavailable. Boxed mac and cheese, use less water, don't drain, add powdered milk, skip the butter, mix in 1 can tuna that's been drained, a can of peas and carrots and/or applesauce for a side. Instant mashed potatoes made with water and evaporated milk, no butter, top with ready made canned chili beans for a mock baked potato. A box of chicken helper add canned chicken, a can of some kind of veggie for a side. Complete pancake mix only needs water, serve with bacon flavored spam (fried crispy) and syrup or applesauce. Instant oatmeal when purchased on sale is not totally unreasonable in price and so easy to make. While not gormet meals we did test them and my grandkids (just on case they happen to be here) will eat all of the above and all tummys are full. We usually just have water to drink. Hope this helps someone. I love what you're doing. We were all yoing once and we are never to old to learn.
$7.19 for canned corned beef????? I nearly fell out of my chair when I seen that. In my area it is about $4-$5.00, and that is regular price, it is a bit cheaper when it goes on sale!
For a shelf stable (longer term) meat choice, I like to use Keystone meats. It has a shelf life of 5 years. It looks expensive at approx $9. for a 28 oz can of cooked beef or pork. A little less for chicken. But, since this is cooked meat, it comes out reasonably close to the cost of fresh meat that has been cooked, yet you don't have that to do in an emergency situation. Also, the quality is good -- just meat and a little salt, no other chemicals or additives. I tried all the meats as a bbq and with gravy. Each tasted great. So a jar of gravy or a jar of bbq sauce without high fructose corn syrup is what I put aside with each can. (Can of Broth or spaghetti sauce would work too. Don't think noodles is the only thing spaghetti saucesvare good with... we like ours over mashed potatoes!) So with the sauces of choice and meat just add a carb -- some noodles OR instant rice or instant potatoes (I always add onion powder to instant potatoes for flavor). But meat, sauces/gravy, and starch is the base of my emergency meal then..I would use any fresh veggies I have in fridge first, next thawed frozen veggies, then canned veggies. The only canned veggie I buy organic is corn because we get so much GMO corn in many foods. I also have set aside canned carrots to heat with apple jelly or green beans and cream mushroom soup for a green bean casserole. And canned Cabbage for a soup with the canned Broth and meat. -- I find that all my longer storage items are sorted by type-- but my immediate emergency items are all together so meat, sauces, carb choices, and additional can veggie and can fruit is in the same place on a shelf. That makes the first few emergency meals EASY to locate and easy to put together, because in an emergency, you'll be thinking of other things... meal planning will already be decided.
I walked into my local Wal-Mart and to my surprise I found Keystones! I've now got 8 cans of hamburger meat!
Pressure-canning my own. 😊Started January of last year when I just could not get Keystone.
Tastes great, and I can put pot roast, lamb roast, pulled pork, taco meat, chicken on the table in 15 minutes.
Also a Keystone fan!
I keep Keystone on the shelf as well. I've also run into "tuna size cans" of roast beef and ground beef at Dollar General on occasion. And I believe Family Dollar had canned taco meat a while back. I gave my elderly mother the roast/ground beef to use for a quick meal. I kept the taco meat for the cabin to use as nacho topping for last minute guests. These items have a little more sodium than would be preferred but in a pinch, they'll do.
Also, Rico's brand canned nacho cheese sauce is tasty!
You can get CANNED ground beef online, not always at your grocer but it can be bought online, a couple of cans in the cupboard can make things like chili feel less desperate and more homey. I can my own but folks shouldn't think its not available otherwise because it is.
I've been broke. The key for me is to plan around the loss leader items featured by the store. There are good deals to be had if you keep an open mind and think outside the box. I also dry camp a lot and focus on things that require only water as an necessary ingredient. I dedicate a cooler to those items and include a moisture absorber (like you use for closets) that I get at the dollar tree, they work perfectly in a hot camper van. I also include Pam's fast beans/pasta in my prep.
If you need help, I encourage you to visit the local food pantries. There is no shame in needing a hand. When things get better, perhaps you'll consider donating back to your local community. Bright blessings to you all.
Don’t rule out ramen. I like to add thinly sliced mushrooms, pea shoots, green onions, and fresh herbs. That said, in an emergency situation I’d be happy with plain ramen made with the seasoning package. It’s simple inexpensive food you can make into a delicious meal in the best of times. In an emergency it will still be a welcome meal or side dish in its simplest form and it takes minimal fuel to cook.
We do that too. We also like to add an egg.
I also am a fresh food from scratch cook. When I first started stocking up on canned foods for emergency, I literally bought 1 can of hash, 1 can of fruit for breakfast, 2 cans of soup or stew for lunch, a d 1 can each of potatoes, meat, and vegetable for supper. I had no idea how to shop for convenience foods. I've gotten better at it, but I am still not great.
In our supermarkets, there is usually a place where you can leave donations for a food bank. While i do donate i need to commit to do it every week. Too easy to feel sorry that people are struggling then carry on as usual. I know not everyone can but i could try harder. Wake up call. Though i suspect i am the vocal UK viewer.😂😂😂
Thank you, Pam and Jim for addressing this seriously.
Thank you for thinking of others and urging others to do the same. This is a great reminder!
Our goal in 2013 was to get a 30 day supply of food put back as cheaply and quickly as possible. Snacks/breakfasts would be peanut butter and crackers or instant oatmeal. Full meals would be soup with added pasta, rice, or beans. There's a huge variety of soups to play with: chicken n noodle - add extra noodles, bean and bacon - add extra beans, chicken and rice - add extra rice, vegetable beef - add noodles or rice. See what that does? Everything included lots of those "stretch" items of pasta, rice, or beans. Canned tuna+noodles+peas and carrots. Canned chicken+noodles+cream of chicken soup. Ramen noodles+canned chicken+corn. We found fruit cocktail was the least expensive of canned fruits. We also bought extra beef and chicken cubed bullion to help flavor all those extra "stretch" ingredients. We also bought a lot of pasta sauce and spaghetti! With our tight budget, we bought store brands as much as possible. Yes, I know our frugal preps were high carb and not the best nutrition but we were after survival food. And adding multi-vitamins to your preps helps offset the nutrition gaps. Avoid the pasta "kits" because they all need a variety of extras like oil, mayonnaise, milk, or butter.Oh - and we bought big canisters of instant orange and lemonade drink mix, and boxes of tea bags. It took us 5 weeks to scrape up enough extras for 30 days - for a family of two. *Side Note*: we began taking our home-brewed coffee, and/or soda (cost 50 cents versus $1.25 from a machine), and brown bag lunches to work, and decided to eat out only once a month. You would be AMAZED at how much you can save - and it gives you more $$ for stocking up.
The Bear Creek Soups are really tasty....add a can of mixed peas and carrots, can of potatoes, and a can of chicken. They make a lot! ETA.....this is for the cheddar potato version. I add other things to the different kinds, but they are all good.
I love Bear Creek soups. I'm so glad I stocked up before prices went up.
Can chicken can go in your soup. Used canned veggies, powdered chicken stock, canned chicken, rice or pasta for a soup. You can make salsa chicken on rice, I like it in tortillas, but that's not on your list. Make chicken and pasta. Use powdered milk to make a chicken in white gravy. So many things to do with that canned chicken. You can make chicken and dumplings with the bisquick and canned chicken. On and on.
bearcreek soups makes a good amount of soup with just adding water to it.. sometimes adding a can of chicken or veggies can help fill it out too.
This reminds me of the shopping trip at the beginning of the pandemic. I limited my trip to the grocery store to one time per month. There is only so much space in our refrigerator. Powdered whole milk, pasta and sauce, canned soup, canned meats and vegetables, oatmeal, oils, canned fruit, instant pudding. I could not get covid to protect my 90 year old mother. Luckily I remembered to stock up on TP that very first trip. Don't forget pepperoni! This whole experience led me to want to be more prepared and to your channel. 😊
Yes I Agee. Covid and problems in South Africa with power shortage n water problems have lead me to Pam's videos. I guess in all countries we have Different problems so we can all learn from each other. . GOD BLESS YOU
your store plays classic Led Zeppelin
If some of it wasn't name brand, that looks like a food pantry haul. Peanut butter would be a good addition. Canned chicken + Knorr rice mix is, well, it's food. It's better with frozen vegetables.
I enjoyed your video (I always do!) and could see how shocked you were by the prices of the items in the store. That can of corn that was $2 a can is my favorite corn! I do stockpile it even though it is pricey. It tastes more like fresh corn to me. I don't splurge on many items, but that is one that I do choose to do so. I wouldn't have thought of the bean only chili, so that was a great idea. Pairing it with the corn muffins, too. I will incorporate this idea into my prep plan.
I love Spam. My mother fried it and paired either mac and cheese or mashed potatoes and apple sauce with it. It was probably my favorite meal as a child. So, apple sauce is a must in your preps. I see that in an emergency setting the jars wouldn't be the best option as you probably wouldn't be able to refrigerate it. But I think they make it in smaller portions for kids' lunch boxes. I would add some type of spice to it as it is very bland. I think you can dice Spam and add it to your mac and cheese. My dad might've done that when the cupboards were nearly bare.
I think you did a very good job planning while in the store. It is really hard to think about ways to use things that are prepackaged. You can make your own version of Suddenly Salad by using elbow macaroni and whatever you think would taste good with something creamy to add to it. My dad made it by adding black beans and ham to it along with olives and onions. It was actually very tasty. I think he used mayonnaise to add creaminess, but you could use a package of ranch dressing mixed with a liquid to make it creamy. Those packages of Cup a Soup are great for seasoning soups and such. I also use the packages of Ranch dressing mix to add flavor. It is particularly good in taco soup.
There is a lot you can do with canned food that you can get at the store. You can make it taste a lot more like fresh food if you add certain things to it. I add pepper and butter to green beans and find it very good.
Reading through the comments, there are many people who are having to make hard choices because the prices have gone up so much. It hurts my heart. Many are elderly. So, folks, if you have the means, check on your elderly family members and neighbors. You'll need to physically check for yourself, because if you simply ask them, they are not going to admit that they are struggling. The higher the prices go, the greater the struggle will be for them. Thank you both for a great video. I can't wait to see what you do with what you've purchased.
Read the fine print on prepared packages~ even bread crumbs, for “bioengineered ingredients.”
Can never tell or find out what this means exactly. Maybe Pam can find out! 😊
It is a different way of saying genetically modified.
Thank you so much for doing this! It how so many of us started out and it is SCARY that first time. You are opening it up to so many who don't have the money/space/time to do it the way we normally do now.
Tins of cream of mushroom soup, dont dilute just heat and put over toast or mashed potatoes. Fancy it up with grated onion, a few veggies from a soup mix, add tuna and it is a gourmet meal. The dollar store is great for small servings of cheeze whiz. That is very tasty mixed with salsa. Mash the spam with a potato masher add mayo and green pickle relish and you have a tasty meat spread.
Welcome to my world. You got a Lotta namebrand things and they’re just as good as the generics and there are a lot cheaper your mac & cheese for example if you had gotten the generic food club brand you would’ve saved two dollars. It’s just really hard for families. I teach at the community college in an outreach program where we teach low income families how to cook from scratch. And they are amazed at how much food they have now but their spending habits have changed. I’m sure you noticed that anything that you just had to add why did you was rather expensive. Couldn’t you have just gotten a can or two of mixed vegetables! I really admire you and I enjoy your channel! I’m glad to see that there’s another side of the people that watch your channel. You do a real good job! Jim’s a good helper
You are so lucky that Jim supports you! My ex did not. In fact, he would publicly shame me in places like Costco when I would put a package of toilet paper in our cart. The irony was that I was not expecting him to pay for it But he shamed me nonetheless. When we were in mediation, he had the audacity to want half of the food storage! I told him he could have half if I could have half the guns in his collection. He dropped his request like a lead balloon. Thanks for your great content! I look forward to many more great videos😊.
I think your counter of 1/2 of the gun collection was great strategic move. (Do you play chess or poker?) We agree, nobody deserves to be shamed/humiliated for any reason. Jim
Toilet paper was a hot commodity in Canada when covid hit in 2020. We had an ample supply and didn't need to buy it during the first few months of the lock down. I think it was a big wakeup call for many who shopped on the assumption that parents and kids would be out of the house for most of the day, 5 days a week, and suddenly everyone was home.
Someone mentioned adding tuna to the boxed mac and cheese. You can also cut up the Spam and add to the mac and cheese or to your suddenly salad to make it more filling.
As someone that also buys and cans around sales. I hardly ever buy stuff pre made like the pasta meal kits. As far as spam goes for Jim make spammish rice, or ham salad with it. I was freaking out over the prices of stuff you were grabbing to buy as well. We've learned to preserve and eat around sales in order to have shelf stable foods and to save dollars.
It’s a great start Pam, you did an awesome job. The Mac n cheese will need milk and butter if you got the powdered kind and the instant mash needs milk and butter. You could have gotten the tomatoes with green chilies in it, eliminating the separate can of chilies, the hormel canned beef could go in any of the things you want like the spaghetti sauce, it just won’t be ground. Also a little block of lard is shelf stable and smaller and cheaper than a big bottle of oil. There’s a lot of boiling needed for all the pasta and potatoes so people need to include extra water for that if included in this 72 hour scenario is lack of or limited water. Using premade chili would bring more meat to the meal and take less time, less clean up and use less space. I cannot wait to see everything you come up with I know it will be great.
And lard is much better for us than oil. Even in an emergency situation we have to remember our health. We never use vegetable oils 🤢🤮
Some of the fancier Mac & cheese comes with a cheese sauce pouch so, for that kind, there's no need to add milk and butter :-)
I am reminded of a story about my sister shopping. She was never a cook and ate mostly fast food or boxed items. She decided to invite her friends over for dinner. She bought 8 boxes of shake and bake. She opened several before she found out they didn’t contain the chicken. She thought they would have little wings or drum eyes in them.
Drumettes. Autocorrect
I'm just going to throw this out there since the original post on Micromoments said that someone commented that they couldn't afford all the equipment. I've been blessed to accummulate a few items over the years like a canner and a dehydrator. I would have no problem with a friend or neighbor coming over to use them. So if you have some extra produce you'd like to preserve maybe check with friends or family to see if they have an item you can use. You could spend a wonderful afternoon preserving food and getting to know each other better. Fostering relationships that will get us through tough times better.
Slicing the vienna sausages into coins and adding them to the mac and cheese is a good use of them. I add a small can of peas as well. I have also added a can of tuna or chicken to a box of mac and cheese. Canned evaporated milk and some dried chopped onion bits would enable you to make potato soup with your instant mashed potatoes.
I make corned beef hash with the canned corn beef. Tuna, tuna casserole with can of cream of mushroom soup, and mixed veggies. The vegetable beef soup goes well with rice. Hope this is helpful.
I do pretty much the same so absolutely agree. Thanks for sharing.😊
Great ideas!!!
This was good Pam. I’ve noticed that the store brand is cheaper than the national brands. So it’s worth it to test those items first, you may be pleasantly surprised!
My home economics teacher in my freshman year told us she had worked her way through school by working in a cannery. The only difference in the canned pineapple was the brand label. So I always try store brand to see if it goes across food types.
Those prices are why a lot of us eat a lot of ramen. It's all we can afford.
It's great to do things from scratch, but also knowing how to go into the grocery store get some canned and dried foods to take camping in a pinch is a big bonus! Or to have in a bucket for emergency. I don't like either the premade meals full of chemicals. I have my own recipes that can be made in 10-20 mins on camp stove. For example, a couscous dish using canned chicken, canned beans, dry soup veg mix, spices, tomato sauce. Another is pasta tuna salad with beans in olive oil add pickled peppers, spices and optional olives or artichoke hearts.
A simple mixed bean salad with balsamic.
Clam sauce over pasta. Can of sauce can of clams, extra spices.
A nachos using stagg chilli, and salsa, optional cheese.
Curry chicken with peas over rice so you take the dry veg mix hydrate, add spices curry powder, sizzle, add I can coconut milk, half can whole tomatoes, then when cooked well add the can chicken and peas. Serve over rice.
I can go on, most of our favorites I've adapted to canned and dry / off the shelf.
You could always get TVP crumbles or lentils and use Hamburger Helper. I've done that.
I keep TVP crumbles too in the stock pantry.
I've never been happier that i have a garden and preserve everything. I freeze dry, dehydrate, freeze, or can. Sale items from the store and shopping farmer's markets and making my own mixes help save so much money.
If you manage to not use the entire jar of spaghetti sauce while making spaghetti, you can use some sauce spread on toast and microwave a tiny bit of parmesan cheese on it for an "emergency" pizza bread.
That makes sense, Jim
A can mixed veg (drained), cream of chicken soup, and bisquik (drop biscuits) for chicken pot pie. Dollar tree, if you have it, is cheap ($1.25) and has smaller sizes. A can of beef stew, cover with a packet of instant mash potatoes (shepards pie) even if directions call for milk you can use water without changing the taste much. Pam, I get inspiration from your bagged meals.. just purchase the items in place of your canned meat. 👍
I won't buy any of this processed so called food. For a lot less I make all of the above from scratch for a healthy and much cheaper meal.
Oh my goodness, I'm already sick when I see all those ready meals. And gain 20 kilos just from all those sizes of the packaging. Not for me, emergency or whatever, I'll take some apples and crackers, some tomatoes in a bag with some thyme and an onion and you can make tomato soup. If necessary, a can of peeled tomatoes and onion powder and thyme also works. And dry pasta throw tomato soup on top and you have something to eat.
Almost Peach Cobbler: Canned peaches, thicken juice with corn starch or flour, add cinnamon to flavor. Drop Bisquick dollops on top then bake. (It’s actually pretty good) I have a peach tree now but this is how both my mom and I made this originally.
Thank you for sharing. Jim
As I am unable to garden due to physical limitations, the majority of my prepping is done by stocking from grocery store weekly sales. The easiest way to determine what to buy is to look at what you have put up from your garden and buy the store equivalent.
Yes, it might be cheaper to buy in bulk when you break it down into portions but many of us can't afford the one high price for one item. It takes up to much of the budget for the month.
I've watched many of your videos and love them all, but this one has been the best, by far, in my opinion. I felt like i was shopping with my own parents again. You two are so sweet together!
Check for added ingredients.
When we lost powder, I made Ramen Noodle soup, added some dehydrated mixed vegetables with a can of Roast beef. It turned out very tasty.
Chipped beef would be a good emergency meal
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cup beef broth
1/2 cup condensed milk
1 3oz jar of dried beef cut into strips
The best way to do grocery store prepping is to focus on coupons and clearance items.
Grocery outlet is also another option.
For emergency situations, it's best to have simpler meals. One pot meals. Side dishes aren't really practical everything should just be put together and eaten. Less prep time, less mess.
I shopped for these type of meals for my sons when they back packed into camp out for a weekend. Breakfast was pancake mix that you added water, canned ham and powdered eggs. Lunch was tuna kits or chicken kits with can of meat and crackers. Dinner was hamburger helper using canned tuna, chicken or ham. We also made chilli mac, can of chilli with can of water added, cook noodles in that and then just add the cheese packet. Maybe not the best but it filled up 3 teenage boys for a weekend!!! 😂
Pam and Jim, you did an awesome job given the prices of grocery store items. I appreciate you guys doing this because even I struggle with this, even with looking at old historical recipes like fry ups and rissoles just to make some of these work with a lot of dried spices to make it taste decent.
My emergency meals are: Canned chicken, low salt spam, beef jerky, canned tuna, peanut butter, small jar of preserves, canned boiled peanuts, creamed corn, Jiffy corn bread mix, lard, ghee, cereal, powdered whole milk, water filtration for stored water, sunny delight, tang, instant tea, instant coffee, vitamins, canned olives, manual can openers, crackers, jar of roasted peanuts, Honey, canned pears, canned Mandarins, canned peaches, instant broths less sodium, 1 lb canned ham, canned corned beef hash, canned corned beef, small jars of mayo, pint jar of egg powder, no salt canned potatoes diced and whole. Makes meals and snacks from this.
Oh my... The sticker shock is making me gasp! I go to the grocery store for flour (need to start experimenting w/ my stored wheat berries & grinder, but not there yet), sugar, sour cream, butter, & chocolate milk; never look at anything else. I have new respect for what my single-mom, non-preparing daughter is facing! At least now she welcomes home-canned chicken and RoseRed Homestead beef stroganoff when I visit :)
We use canned carrots, anole potatoes, green beans or peas, chicken and turkey gravy to make chicken stew. Add a few herbs and a great quick/emergency meal. Sometimes we put instant mashed potatoes on top like Shepard’s pie.
I think it is very good for you to be learning this side of how many of us have to partly prepare. I for one only buy a few brand names, they are to expensive. Many store brands are cheaper and just as good.
I'm surprised you didn't get some input from your one sister if this is the way she does her preparedness.
Thank you for doing this. I'm sure you will get lots of tips from your fans.
Agree. Many store brands are made with the same exact products and in the same exact facilities as the name brands.
Thank you for stepping out of your comfort zone! Just know that this is NOT how the "working poor" preps at the grocery store. We get the sale ads, then pick up 4 (or 12) of the sale item, knowing we will put it together with something else on sale in a week or two from now. It is definitely NOT a "get everything for 3 days" shopping trip. For example, did the instant potatoes call for butter and milk? Perhaps look for "just add water" alternatives. It won't last as long on the shelf but won't include ingredients you may not have. If you have canned evaporated milk and are willing to skip the butter, you're golden with what you chose! If you pick up a Knorr pasta or rice side dish, can you add a can of chicken or tuna to make it a complete entree? Do you have a Dollar Tree in your area? Perhaps go there first before going to your grocery store. You can pick up a smaller package of pasta salad and stretch it. If there is no electricity, you won't be able to refrigerate leftovers for the next day anyway. If you pick up a quart of shelf stable milk, perhaps you could use part of it for breakfast (oatmeal) and use the rest of it for a creamed (potato using canned potatoes) soup or Mac & Cheese or instant potatoes for supper.
As I’m diabetic, I can’t eat many processed foods, but….. stove top stuff with canned chicken and a can of peas added is something I’d a filling meal
I'm type 2 and I avoid most processed as well.
Dollar tree has some great options in smaller quantities. I learned from watching other youtube channels (That Lisa Dawn, Dollar Tree Meals, Wicked Prepared, Alaska Granny, etc!) Aldi is also one of my favorites for canned fruit and veggies. One of my favorite cheap meals is the stuffing mixed with a can of chicken and a can of peas and sometimes carrots. My husband likes gravy on that meal too. Emergency meals are for emergencies and not necessarily the best nutrition. My husband likes to stay nutrified with green smoothies under normal circumstances. I like how you prepare, even if you do have all the gadgets! You prepare in a low cost sustainable way and show us options (example dehydrated eggs vs freeze dried eggs). Thank you for all you do! You've taught me so much. Camping truely is the best way to learn prepping!
Dollar Tree is a good option. Also, Walmart.
Supermarket paradise...in Australia, outside of the main cities, we only can dream of such a huge variety of packed and canned food...😮
Hi Pam & Jim😊 Thank you for all you do to help us all. Here's a meal idea that my husband put together years ago & it's delish. Get a box of mac& cheese with the sauce pouch. Add can of drained tuna,drained diced tomatoes,& add bacon bits. We have it with saltines & all you need to cook is the macaroni noodles😊
Perfect! Thank you.
Looking at the food you purchased, I was thinking about what I might do with some of those same items. I came up with pineapple spam fried rice, stovetop shepherd’s pie with the chicken and instant potatoes and stovetop tuna noodle casserole using the Mac and cheese. I would also mix a canned veggie in each dish to boost nutrition and stretch the meal. I can’t wait to see what you come up with.
Thanks. Love this❤
I would get the large boxes of pasta, and jars of sauce as its more economical than the small boxes when cooking for 4 people.
i feel one of the most overlooked reality for those of us prepping is that we dont have the room or support items to store bulk items. We dont have the money or room for multi hundred dollar kitchen appliances. My small kitchen has 5 cabinets over head and two under the counter, i have 5 drawers in all of my kitchen. My microwave sits on the counter as does a coffee maker a small toaster oven, a dish drainer and some containers for sugar small amounts of pasta, flour, coffee and one with my wooden spoons spatulas ect. I live in a 800sf duplex, rent and cannot afford more than this. I have placed moveable shelves[cannot permanently install anything] in my garage to store extra food water and some emergency items. Single serving cans may be more expensive but i have found them to be the best solution for me. I put on my shelves what i eat on a regular basis and now have just over 10 months put away. i have a rotation system so nothing just sits waiting. you have just glimpsed into what i feel many have as their reality
Knor is nice since it comes in bags instead of boxes it takes up less space
Store brand would help with the total, but not much. This was for emergency storage,now imagine what the average family is facing everyday just buying food. It's crazy now you can't afford food..
I totally agree with you, because I make 99.9% of our food from scratch, it is hard to number one spend money on processed food, secondly I don’t like buying canned food other than tuna, and only when I don’t have fresh. Thirdly we don’t like the taste of prepackaged or processed foods. Good luck with your experiment and know that I really enjoy your channel
When all this c trouble started, I bought a lot of canned soups, stews and other prep items. At some point they got near their best by dates. It was stuff I never eat normally. I was so disappointed with so many of them when we had them for an easy meal to use them up. Tasted terrible and most of it got composted. Lesson to me not to stock anything I haven't taste tested. I have digestive issues and a sensitive stomach.
Me too. So it makes me feel better when I say to myself that this food that is way past expiration and doesn’t taste good anymore and messes up my stomach has served its purpose on my shelf. When I think of it like that, then I don’t feel so bad composting it or tossing it.
@@terryhall2299 I always cook from scratch. Even fresh before best by date it just doesn't taste very good to me. I think I would rather plan heat and serve meals with my home canned meat and veggies than eat canned stew again. 😄
@@ksewald91 understood and agree!
The best way I found was to buy plain pasta, dried beans, bouillon, canned or frozen or fresh vegetables, only buy canned meat we will eat and a bit of fruit. Cheese does make everything better, in my humble opinion. I look for price per ounce on block cheese and spread product across a few meals.
This is bare bones cooking.
I'm well into stocking my pantry and replenishing as I use items. I can only begin to imagine how many people are struggling with food insecurity.
I pray for all those suffering. God bless each of you.
Great depression cooking, tells the story of the past survival techniques. Now, our future.
I get so disgusted when I go to the store now. I am always shocked at what prices are compared to just 1 or 2 years ago. Excited to see what you do next. Please add a daily calorie count. 💖👍🏻💖
if you purchase the cheap mac & cheese (not with cheese sauce) add a can of evaporated milk to the box of preps for the powdered cheese sauce it really does help improve the flavor instead of using water. (camping hack)
Or the little plastic things of office half-and-half are also shelf stable for a while...
Thanks love camping..
That store is extremely high priced. Tuna in H20 $2.16 for 12 oz., canned chicken 12 oz about $2.50 a can. I shop Walmart or Meijer, and. You could go broke trying to feed your family from that store. 😳
Pasta Salad - pasta (cooled), cans of garbanzo beans, kidney beans, corn, toss with Italian dressing, sprinkle with parmesan cheese & parsley. If avail, optional add-ins like dry hard salami or pepperoni diced, cubed mozzarella cheese, etc. Mangia!
Store what you eat. Food fatigue isvery real. This is where I get my food storage. But I learned the hard way to only store what I eat. Remember you may not have refrigeration.
Another source for meal ideas are camping / backpacking books and websites. Many have recipes using grocery store ingredients and most can be prepared with minimal time and fuel