I love watching videos like this 😊 And I fully admit I have learned things that came in handy. But in the 50's we had no electricity, no plumbing, no phone and most of the time no vehicle. We weren't 'preppers', we were just raised to do the best we could with what we had. We bought nothing we could grow ourselves. I thought this was normal and envied the people that could go to restaurants and drive in movies. I see now I had the best raising possible for the crap show our country has became 😢
Im in Puerto Rico, I was here during and aftermath of Hurricane Maria 🌀, So I've lived through a total grid down, my indoor stove is a normal stove that runs on propane, so its automatically ready for a grid down, i learned a lot living months without running water and half a year without power. Today i have my own water and power infrastructure, my lighting is on its own separate grid like my rain water on tap and grid to run appliances, my shed and coop also has its own power and water infrastructure, people living in the Caribbean are experts on this topic.
Hello MosaicHomestead, Sounds like you have a lot of real world experience in grid-down situations! You are an example of preparedness in action. Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences!
@@ChefPrepper It's sad to say today we have to prepare for other looming threats like WW3, if this starts, supermarkets won't have enough to cover replenishment, victory gardens will have to come back without enough skilled gardeners.
Pour over oxo for coffee. Composting bags and pine scented animal bedding pellets for toilet. 7 day cooler. Usb rechargeable magnetic closet lights, tent fan with clip, faucet to use with water containers, shower head with bucket and last pocket hand warmers. Solar lanturns that charge usb. Mini noodle maker, low watt, has small pot to heat water and mini fry pan. Check out "living in a van" or full time rv for tons ideas, boodocking is rv off grid.
Hi from Australia. My hubby and I are massive campers and I created my camp kitchen in a container years ago and I am so glad I did. We have been through bushfire evac, flood evac, flood bug in and just plain grid down over the years. My absolute favourite tool in my camp kitchen is my hand crank egg beaters, I use them for mixing everything from omelets to cake batter.
We had back to back hurricane yrs ago and we had a bunch of kids at our house. We had no power fur 14. days. Many uf meals I made up with my grandmother's tools. Taught the kids how to bake a birthday can using hand hd.muxer. we vake it in the pizza oven my husband made fur me. Made butter cream icing and they hand decirated. My generator is ept the ref going and everything else was battery operated. But my husband and I saw it as another teaching t9ol
Fellow Aussie, I still prefer to use my hand egg beater, quick to reach, use and rinse! A butane gas burner for when power goes out, tree bringing down power lines in a storm. I was raised in an off-grid home during my childhood, no power, no problem. Kero lamps fueled, matches handy. We country folk are blessed.
I learned those in basic training. So simple to set up. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll add it to my to do list. I currently have solar powered motion lights but I like the way you think!
Morning coffee addict here. Believe me when I say that adding a spoonful of instant coffee to room temp water IS better than NOTHING! Just stir and gulp. There's a LOT to be said for stocking up on the instant.
Walmart had the Stanley stainless steel percolators and presses on extensive clearance prices last year. Since coffee is a mental necessity, to many, I grabbed a few spares for family/friends/like-minded individuals.
Hello from Canada. We loose power from blizzards and ice storms about once a year where I live, every couple of years it lasts about a week. Good list. I add 1. Instant Oatmeal Packages-quick, easy, taste good. 2. Hard candy- boosts the spirits with a sweet treat and no prep.
I live partially off grid. I build rocket stoves that can be used indoors for warming up soup, water that kind of a thing. They also are handy for taking the chill out if a cold room I also carry a rocket stove in my trunk with my camping gear. In colder weather I have a kerosene heater and several Mr heaters and a buddy heater or two I keep them clean and work on them when they don’t want to work. I save candle wax and reuse it to make more candles. Flashlights are a must have in each room. I also keep a relatively well stocked pantry along with a plant room where I grow salad veggies as well as herbs & green onions. I have a little mandarin orange tree that bears fruit. It is indoors until there is no danger of frost. I have orchids as well as other plants. Using inexpensive led grow lights works well. When you have a couple of solar panels it’s easy to keep the essentials powered up. One thing I do is some meat when I get the chance. This year has been the year of bacon bits & garlic butter. With heating costs, electricity and all the rate hikes it has been easy to back to how we did things 50 to 60 years ago. It!s a lot easier in most respects. I keep a very well stocked medical Cabinet that will cover most injuries or illness. I also grow and dry herbs and teas for medical needs. My cats love the catnip. It’s always a good idea rotate pantry items so nothing goes to waste. To be honest it’s important to keep things on hand ; You will be glad you have
I like the fire blanket for an emergency situation better than a fire extinguisher. Faster, easier and less after-mess. Highly suggest a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket.
@@heathertea2704true… I see your point. However, usually, the fire blanket will be “packed” away in its bag. So in theory I will be hardly ever used. With this in mind, glass or no glass fibres- it won’t really matter 👍👍👍 I’ll use both a blanket and a fire extinguisher
Lots of comments over several videos about fire blankets. I have to admit I am not familiar with them, but I think I am going to check them and try to have one on hand. Thank you.
Fire blankets are meant to cover a person to protect them from a fire while escaping, not for putting a fire out. You would need to make sure no air could get in under it anywhere to put fire out. I would keep a lid to a pot or a fuel can handy if it flames up too much and a fire extinguisher, carton of baking soda, bucket of sand/dirt handy as well for other things possibly catching on fire.
For the coffee people, you can actually just open the lid of your coffee maker and pour hot water over the brew basket manually. No need to buy anything at all.
Also, to all the caffeine addicts like me... Instant coffee or as we call it, "cremated coffee". You can pour it into cold water. Takes a bit more time to dissolve but... Hey, coffee is still coffee, whether it's cold or hot and in my case, I'm often still drinking my more than pint sized coffee MUG long after it's got cold. 😳😁
That's exactly what "pour over coffee" is. A device holding a coffee filter that you pour your hot water in. The disadvantage to a pour over coffeemaker is that, when you do have power, you still can't use electricity to make coffee and you need something separate to heat your water in. Be aware that they also make 12v coffeemakers that you can use in a vehicle. I don't know about other brands, but RoadPro makes one and most truck stops sell their products. It looks just like a Mr. Coffee Jr. but it's made for 12v instead. RoadPro also makes a heating element that can be used to heat water for beverages, oatmeal, or for hydrating any type of freeze-dried or dehydrated foods, including backpacking meals.
I LOVE videos like this. I already have all items minus the coffee stuff since I am not a coffee drinker, so I don't need to go spend money. It's interesting watching people giving advice on how to stay safe. I enjoy yours a lot because of the way you deliver. Nothing glitzy. Just down to earth common sense. Thank you for your time and effort. The 11 minutes that we watched probably cost you quite a few hours. Keep breathin'.
LED "puck lights" with magnets on the back work really well stuck to the underside of the exhaust fan hood over your range. Position them so they illuminate the areas you're using to prepare and cook food. After living with instant coffee for 11 days after a major hurricane knocked out the grid, I upgraded to a Melitta pour-over coffee maker. I have to boil the water over my propane camp stove (or a rocket stove, etc.) and simply pour the boiling water over my normal ground coffee in the brewing cone. Some goes in my cup for immediate consumption, but most goes in a thermos & stays hot/warm for many hours. Bagged ice is a poor choice for turning a cooler into an old-fashioned ice box. Instead, you want big chunks of ice that will melt more slowly. I try to keep lots of ice-filled 2 litre soda bottles in the freezer, but gallon jugs are better. Disposable plates are a good idea, but use paper, not plastic. During a prolonged disaster, there will be no garbage collection and smelly waste will attract wild critters at night. Paper plates can be burned. Manual versions of can openers, mixers, grinders, and shredders are a "must" for any prepper. Recipes stored on electronic devices should be printed on paper and bound. You want them to be readily available and not dependent on a power source of any kind.
I agree and thanks for the tips, except depending on the battery puck lights, I have not found them to last long enough to be useful. Perhaps if you only need them for a day or two, they would be okay. Otherwise I would go with a usb and solar charged light with a usb and solar charged backup battery bank. The small battery bank can recharge both your light and your phone. I recommend keeping one old fashioned flashlight with replacable batteries handy for immediate emergencies, but with it unscrewed enough that the battery does not connect to turn light on so as to reduce slow battery power leakage; just screw it back tight when you need it. Then keep another with your emergency preps without the batteries in it and extra packages of batteries. Batteries kept in a flashlight long term in storage can corrode and may ruin your flashlight.
@@lf4061 All of my temporary lighting, including the puck lights, is powered by rechargeable batteries. Because they're attached by magnets, it's very easy to rotate replacement lights. The discharged batteries pop out of each light and go into a battery charger -- which will be solar or generator powered if the grid is down. The only moving parts are the batteries.
@@rcinsley Sorry, the ones I have seen referred to as puck lights in my area just did not last long at all so wanted others to be forewarned about relying only on them and was trying to provide other options for those others reading comments here. Glad yours work for you.
I like solar rechargeable outdoor lights for power outages. I like the hanging security light style. I keep a few charging in a sunny window. When the power is out they are ready to go and can be used in any room. Keeping it set on motion sensitive is handy in interior bathrooms with no windows.
Dollar tree solar lights. Wool Sox, plain candles, freeze gallons of water in a deep freezer if you have one. Put 1 of the frozen waters in your cooler. You also have water in your water heater. If you have a grill, use wood in it to cook. Put dish soap on your pans or cover with foil, and it is easy to clean. Think camping 🏕
Thank you for all of these ideas :) I agree with and have done a lot of this to prepare for the grid going down; and it IS going down soon. Ideas: have three huge Rubbermaid totes to fill with water for soaking, washing and rinsing dishes and pans. Also, clean and fill empty milk jugs with clean water for showers and garden, etc. Get a solar camping shower and camping toilet. Precook meats like hamburger, portion and freeze, must have a generator to power the freezer. 😊
@@JD-xq5ok Get the meat OUT of the freezer. If it's cooked, dehydrate now or pressure can now. after grid down it's waterbath can for THREE hours. what a outdoor grill is for..
I turned a bedroom into a food pantry. I have 3 small power stations . I have 5 solar panel systems for 2 370 panels up to 10 370 watt panels. I have several lipo4 batteries. I have spare all in one charge inverters put away. I have several ways to clean and sanitize water. I have a 10 foot cargo trailer full of toilet paper paper towels 20,000 paper plates and 10,000 kitchen size plastic bags . I have 3 large duffel size bags of medical supplies including lots of pet meds. I have lots of screws nail and building materials. I have 2 butane stoves and 200 cans of fuel. And I left out things because I have planning for over 10 years.
Make sure to test run those solar power systems or even set one up as a grid tandem system. Normally it simply offsets regular power use, if the grid goes down it isolates the circuits you need then enables an inverter running on the battery array.❤
Fondue pots are handy. I cooked my daughter pancakes when the power was out once, I used a stainless steel frying pan on a fondue pot stand with 4 or 5 tea lights underneath and some foil wrapped around it to keep the heat in, it worked great.
Yes! And if you have a small coffee pot & generator, you can heat up soups & oatmeal in the coffee pot. Small coffee makers don't draw too much energy and can be used to heat liquid foods quickly.
For the coffee addiction, I bought a couple of stainless steel, pour over baskets with tiny, micro perforations. They don't even require paper filters.
A fire blanket is a good addition too. Worth mentioning as well is that a kitchen fire extinguisher should *not* be of the water type, as this will be very problematic with an oil fire, making it much worse. Not sure which is better for oil fires out of C02 and powder, but a blanket can be useful here in any case. Thanks for spending some time on the importance of a carbon monoxide meter. I once used a butane stove in my car, forgetting to open a window... Had the alarm go off, then realized I could have very easily died for the sake of a warm beverage!
I had a firefighter tell me the best thing for a grease fire is baking soda. It's the main ingredient inside of a fire extinguisher. I've got large 4 lb boxes of Clover Valley baking soda I bought from $ General for $2 each stocked up, but now that price is $3.50-$3.75 for same product.
Oh, I thought butane was suppose to be safe for inside but always wondered since propane is not safe inside without ventilation. Thank you for sharing and providing this warning.
Yes the right kind of fire extinguisher is very important. Class K is the proper class of extinguisher for grease type fires. Glad you had the detector in your car! Thank you for watching and sharing your experience.
I would add matches and lighters, ha ha. A good thermos or five is mandatory in my world. You can save fuel by boiling water once and pouring it into the thermos for hot drinks for the whole day. Also you can put grains like wheat, cornmeal, oats in thermos with boiling water overnight and have hot cereal in the morning. Good for adding to dish washing water and for hygiene. I also have purchased mini wood stoves for my cabins. They can heat the space and do a little cooking as well. I have wood so no running out of gas, propane etc.
Good video. I live in a small two storey house with a basement. I am able to cut the water off on each floor if necessary. We have everything on gas including a gas range and a gas fireplace on the main floor. Our hot water heater is a pilot light old style heater so everything can be rin without electricity. During the ice storm I left my wife and 3 kids to deliver food products for 4 days. I had no worries about leaving them. If the power stays off and we run out of natural gas I can hunker down in my basement where I have a full kitchen with a gas range and a generator if needed. We also have a full bathroom in the basement.
In reference to the old pilot light, my gas range burners have no pilot, but can be ignited with a match. Just keep hands far away from the burner! I l set the lit match down at the burner, then turn the burner on.
I dry camp so I’ve learned the basics. I have solutions for most situations that are easily transferred inside if needed. I can cook, use the restroom, treat water, pour over coffee funnel/French press/Coleman percolator, heat, and fans. Almost everything is solar powered ie lights, battery bricks, and three portable power stations that attach to solar panels. Everything else including a small blender run on usb and plug right into all the solar power stations. For “appliances “, I stick with manual or under 300 watt items to save on power and only use when absolutely necessary. If you check mini versions or older versions at thrift stores, many are 300 watts or less. Don’t forget the filtration straws for water and the solar shower 😉. If in nature, be sure to use biodegradable soaps to preserve the environment. A 50/50 vinegar water solution is perfect for cleaning from dishes to windows. I even scored a little washer that is usb powered. Won’t do big loads but keeps you in clean underwear and socks. I even carry a clothesline and clothes pins. It is doable for sure!
A very good manual can opener is Swingaway. I've never even had an electric one and I'm 61. It's a little more expensive than the cheap ones you get at the dollar store but worth it. I still have my mother's as a back up!
Yep, Swingaways are the best, we use their hand held version daily and I have a wall mount I'll eventually put up. We've never had an electric one either.
@@elewmompittseh We had a wall mounted Swing-A-Way at our farm. It worked flawlessly for 40 years. A 90 day grid down situation would hardly be the break in period of a new one.
Great Video. Im going to add some ideas. Get a large cast iron dutch oven, the type that has legs and a flat lid, I live off of grid...well I have electric via a RV 30A box i had put in, ten times cheaper than doing a full house electric for my cabin, the power company charges me on a bulk type bill so im not metered. 10 times cheaper than house set up... I have my cabin entirely set up to be off grid for long times if needed. I wanted this way for the ability to use my power tools for building and maintaining a homestead. Anyhow, i use a colman camp stove for my normal daily. But I also have a semi truck tire rim for a fire to cook via dutch oven. Why I speak of dutch oven or you need a stock pot, is to cook a form of mulligan stew. Instead of buying those pre made meals in a can foods, simple buy canned veggies and meats, to add several things together , for a larger quanity for a family. The cost difference will definatly push you to this way, a single can of corn is cheap, right? so is most veggie items a single can of roast beef is roughly 4.00 , combining these to make a stew or one pot wonder can make cooking for a family of four or five people only 12.00. I learned to bake bread in my dutch oven, over a fire, If a grid down situation i can go out and bake fresh bread. Learn to can foods. Because the more canned foods you have, the better, because they are already cooked, you are using much less energy resources like propane, it takes a few minutes to heat up foods that already cooked, but to actually cook it takes a much longer time. There are several ways to can, one is a pressure can, then there is rebel canning which is how the Amish do it. I do rebel canning because its easy off my camp stove with my water bath enamelware pot, i can can twice as much each time as a pressure canner. My pot cost 34.00 at walmart the cheapest pressure canning is about 170.00, if your waxed lid is sucked down on your jars, that means its sealed, but leave it to Karen to complain about the old fashioned way of canning...if you are dyhdrating foods, may as well take up canning also. Im saying these because this is how our grandparents made it through the great depression. All this about grid down and wars and weird things going on at the banks..its time to hunker down and go 1800s living, you can habve all the cool gadgetry that technology wrought, but learn how to go solar power. Ide go get solar powered you name it... So even though I have the creature comfort of electricity...i can also go total solar off grid and not even miss utility company power. If I had kids, a family, ide seriously be learnng how to can foods and making one pot wonders. A pot of elbow pasta, canned roast beef and stewed tomatoes a can of corn with good seasonings, you and your kids will love this and you will see how cheap it is and you can make a lot of it to stay all day, keep the pot warm, I have a crock pot, its such low wattage it can keep a food warm for a week and not make a dent of my batteries...im teaching how to think like a prepper. I cooked this while camping for extended two week in a tent in November. I learned many one pot wonder meals for dutch oven.
A Vesta heater is another good option for grid-down cooking. It's multifunctional for heating a small space and cooking. It's made to run off canned heat, which is very stable and safe to store indoors, and cheap to buy.
We have a generator just to keep the freezer going for a short time.We got it many years ago and saw the fridge and freezer through a 3+ day power outage with no loss, running it only a couple of times a day for short bursts.That will not last for too long, but I have always frozen more cooked food than non-cooked, so less fuel will be used to cook, it lasts longer and no worries about slow thawing, and if need be, it can be given away and not wasted. I would add a notebook with ideas, recipes use and instructions, just in case the person with the knowledge, skills and experience is not available. Thanks, I will be looking at your other videos.
In the upper midwest USA we Lost heat for about a mo in jan - Feb 2023. Temps to -20 at night. We installed a good fireplace to heat the house several yrs prior and had lots pf wood. At that time the water pressure tank failed so no water for a week. There were 2 of us at home. I am so thankful we had 3 6 gallon water jugs filled with potable water sitting in our tub plus many gallons stored and used every single one. We had a very rough cabin years back that was off grid and we learned a lot about staying warm, cooking, using water, bathing and composting waste. We have multiple ways to cook, collect/filter water, oil lamps and have many manual kitchen tools and pans. I only wish we had a wood cook stove or at least a wood stove. There are so many antique items that work perfect for being off grid. People need to be ready and it takes time. Remember Texas? Ours was a pretty short test but feeding a fire in -20 degrees for days on end 24/7 is not fun. Be sure to have good wool and down blankets, wool socks, a small generator, a toilet setup and ways to dispose of the waste. You also cant have enough water!! 😊 a battery operated radio and cast iron pans. Save all the take out plastic utensils and napkins too. It all helps.
I bought a really small cast iron grill that I plan on using in emergencies by setting inside my fireplace. Not only can I put a pot or pan on top of it to cook with, but the cast iron retains more heat. But you have to be careful while using for same reason, it stays hot! We also use a portable stainless steel fire back in the fireplace behind the fire grate. It helps reflect the heat out towards the room rather than most of it going up the chimney. Always keep a fire extinguisher, bucket of water or bucket of sand/dirt handy in case of an unexpected situation, like a spark or entire burning log slipping out while you have front spark guards or doors opened when adjusting or adding new logs 😬😂
A Wonderbag (commercial or homemade) would be a great addition. It allows you to get the food to boiling and then move it to the enclosed thermal chamber and it will continue to cook for hours, like a crock pot.
Raman noodles plus mixed veggies and tinned meat makes an awsome emergency ration that can feed a family with little work. Mix it all in a plastic bag and pour in about half the hot water the raman noodles call for then let it set wrapped in a towel. In 10 minutes its done. Typical recipe is 3 packs of raman, 1 can of mixed vegetables, 1 tin of tuna or chicken or pieces of jerky. You can add other things like cheese spread, pesnut butter, or cream of mushroom soup to make it more yummy.❤
This year we added solar + USB rechargeable LED patio string lights. We can charge them from the power station or the panel they come with...and one string of 12 - 15 bulbs lights the entire kitchen or bathroom for 12 hours. We stick the little remote on the wall so it can't get lost, and have extra disc batteries for it. We also have all the candles and oil lamps too, as our secondary lighting, but so far I'm very happy with the string lights.
Rather than bags of ice, I like to fill empty juice bottles and store them in the freezer. They make great blocks of ice and don’t leave a puddle in the bottom of the cooler. Stored in a chest freezer, they will help keep freezer cold when power goes out. Furthermore, a full freezer stays colder longer and uses less energy than one with much air space.
Might want to swap the handles and hinges on your refrigerator if that model allows……so that the door swings towards the counter. Keeps the cook happy!
Not just for survival situations, but always have a lid that will cover your cooking pans/pots available on the counter. You don’t want to have to look for the lid if you have a fire. If you have a fire, throw the lid on. It will almost always take care of the problem. Of course a fire extinguisher and CO detector if you have any appliances that run on fuel.
Keep up the good work Les! Really like the food angle you have for the channel. Most prepper channels are about preps, guns, ammo, and survival skills. But it seems like a lot of them skim over food and food prep. Also, like the dry sense of humor. Cheers brother.
I would also recommend a sun oven, quite effective even in the dead of winter when you shield it from wind. Obviously doesn’t work at night but I have cooked several meals in subzero weather just being mindful of wind.
We lost electricity here in Virginia last weekend when we were expecting snow. We ended up with an ice storm. Our electricity is all underground but the main lines were taken out by two snapped power poles down our road. We heat with a wood stove, so our house was toasty warm. Then I fixed Pop Tarts in foil on the wood stove, and a quesadilla for lunch. Mmmmmm😂
An alternative to the big bulky bag of ice please. Id suggest filling gallon bags with water and freeze flat. Less bulk, lies flat, and allows the top and sides of ice chest to be lined thus keeping cold. Bonus points for having drinking water availability by opening a bag!
Hi from Eastern Canada 🇨🇦❤ Great video. We lost power for 9 days ( my Mom 15 days with a barn full of horses) during Fiona. Our Island lost over 95 % power, no 911, or internet for days in some areas. Living in Canada, we knew to have our storm chips & ducks in a row before a storm. We cooked on our bbq & heated up water. Lots of stuff on hand for sandwiches. Power stations to keep freezer going. Plan ahead. Never know what you will wake up to. God bless
l still use my electric coffee maker when the power goes down. I have a gas stove so I boil water then pour over the grounds in the coffee basket. It is time consuming but it works. I did just get a perc coffee pot. Mom used one every day, long before Mr. Coffee was a thing.
I have a blaze king wood stove to help keep the house warm in the winter and off set the electricity bill it doubles for cooking with cast Iron and I use it to enhance my cooking skills on a wood stove like my Father and his father did 50-80 year s ago
I grew up without electricity and running water so it's a very familiar territory for me. I have a portable gas stove and a mini barbecue bucket for the warmer months. During the colder months I just use my multi-fuel stove in the kitchen. I can burn wood, coal or peat in it, plus rubbish if the need arises. I enjoy cooking on my stove, sure it takes longer but I don't mind. Also the food cooked on it tastes better, to me anyway.
Good intro video to the various ways of grid-down cooking. We have a propane stovetop/oven that has a battery-powered igniter so we will always have our main cooking appliance available in grid-down situations. We also have a wood cookstove -- it's a vintage model and has 4 burners and a small oven. Not practical in the heat of Summer, but great for Winter use. Our regular woodstove is often used to heat water or to hold heated water and that gives us warm water for washing with, or even as a way to have some delicious drip-coffee. Of course, we also have other small ways to cook indoors -- the folding burner, tea candle set up is one. Having plenty of cast iron pots, pans, and a cast iron griddle are must-haves for open flame cooking, too. Enjoyed the video and as always, your presentations are thorough.
I just happened to stumble upon your channel & I have to say you've confirmed that I've solved quite a few cooking issues....but you've also shown some things I hadn't thought about. You earned my subscription & I'm gonna recommend it to my friend, as well.
Personally, the only professionally/store bought canned goods I have, are the ones in my get out of Dodge "bug out bag". My Shepard/Arctic wolf mix has her military grade "molle" system where she can carry her own items. I'm a avid caner both water bath canning as well as pressure caning. I also dehydrate and store for long term. Have a garden and small "live stock animals". I've made sure my pantry is stocked to the rafters, as well as having a few "cashes" outside in the surrounding area/forest around our homestead. I'm a rebel caner and WILL can food items that those that "are in charge", claim we can't safely can. The way I see it, if you can find it caned in a store, you can can it yourself too. If our grandparents caned/preserved how they did and, didn't die from it, so can we. Only thing I'll do differently is make sure my working space is thoroughly sanitized, along with the jars, crocks etc. Also have both indoor kitchen as well as out door. Same with toilet... Water purification and a lake close by if I do loose power to my deep drilled well, since it is way to deep to be able to rig any hand pump to it. I would never recommend anyone else do things the way I do. It's up to each and everyone to research and decide for themselves what they would deem to be safe FOR THEM... OK, now that disclaimer is out of the way.😉 Stay safe and prepared everyone! //Solani
It's also a good idea to have several packs of cheap washcloths and dishcloths that can be washed by hand, because paper towels will eventually run out, and the cloths are washable and reusable.
For outside I have the Coleman 2 burner propane stove hooked to a 20 lb tank. Inside I have toaster oven, microwave, instant pot etc.. I have 4 power stations and expandable batterys and a backup dual fuel generator to able to charge the solar with if needed. If using solar cook dinner during the day so your station can catch up. Use your power stations on a regular basis to learn what you can do and for how long. Practice grid down scenarios you will learn quickly what you really need. Great video!!!
Great presentation! Fire safety can include fire blankets, designed to cover and smother a fire incident. They are cheap and available on line and locally in some areas.
A very strict no entry to kitchen unless you wash your hands first, and just try not to allow everything to come into the food prep area, since loss of utility usually ends up lowering cleaning and hygiene
I'm fairly new to your channel, (I watched the comparison between sterno fuel yesterday), and this video reinforced the fact that you are very good at presenting this topic. Because you do many things the way I do. I always have ice stocked up. If I think the power might go out, I put food in a cooler from the refrigerator before hand, and most likely I have already got a few things pre-cooked. I do batch cooking. I haven't used a drip coffee pot in years, I like vast expanses of counter space, and just make cowboy coffee every morning. No toaster either anymore, my homemade (or storebought) bread tastes better toasted on a flat pan, I have no idea why. Living in the country, I have a couple or five, LOL ways to cook outside, and my stove is propane, so is my hot water heater. In case of fire, I think I will get a fire blanket in addition to my fire extinguishers. Less mess to clean up around food. Although I have never started a fire cooking any meals.
Newbie to your channel. I’ve chosen a tiny backpacking stove and plan to use that either with sterno, fuel tabs, and/or tea light candles. If I use ready to eat meals. It’ll take literally very little time and energy to cook and eat. I could use it outside with wood chips or sticks, and maybe even a charcoal brick. I have a couple of camp stoves also just in case. I’m using a dehydrator to dehydrate my food and putting it into meals in jars. Thanks for sharing!
Cayenne pepper, in a pinch, will stop bleeding. Also good to put a spoonful of it in the mouth of someone possibly suffering a heart attack. It can jolt the heart back in some cases. Charcoal briquets are cheap as are used Hibachi-style grills, for outdoor cooking. You can refill canned heat containers with cheap vegetable oil shortening and will burn long. Also, you can make long burning candles out of cheap shortening in clean, used cans with a candle taper in the middle. And cheap yard solar lights from Walmart are a good source of light if you have children, for safety. Just let them power up during the day & use at night. You can get permanent coffee filters for coffee maker if you have a generator that will power the coffee maker. Put a garbage bag in your drained toilet bowl, between the bowl and seat & use cheap kitty litter & essential oil drops to cover poo odors. And if something DOES happen, fill your tub with water IMMEDIATELY for at least a little bit of fresh water while you figure out what to do next. Also, check out Army/Navy surplus stores for inexpensive things as well as thrift stores for extra blankets, sheets, towels, tools, pans etc. when you can. Also, don't forget about your pets. Haiving even a few bags of cheap dog/cat food is better than nothing.
I have a propane tank under the kitchen window that Suburban fills 2 times a year so I’m probably good for 6 months depending on when grid down happens. That said, Murphy’s Law would dictate that it occurs a few days before fill up. I should probably have a backup tank.
Great video Brother. I think you forgot to mention the importance of having a spoon. Because, if i can't cook my coffee, I'm gonna eat it right from the bag.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
My plans are to use a hot plate I know they burn a lot of energy I have a designated solar battery for it. I won a butane stove you just reminded me of it I need to get some butane for it. Thanks off to outdoor cooking! Stay Ready!
I would add a hay box. They have been used for several hundred years. In other countries they are still used, today. Put your food on to cook. Bring to a full rolling boil, let it boiling several minutes, then move it to the hay box and pack it up tight. It will finish cooking in the box. I also have a propane crockpot and a propane oven. They are wonderful. Instead of ice buy dry ice and keep it stored in a separate freezer that has been lined with cardboard.
Adding: Keeping Crisco in fridge/freezer many uses. If power out more likely in summer hot months yrs ago they used fans on a pulley system or transom windows. Making a summer kitchen, bath house apart from home for heat and smells a good idea
We took it a few steps further with solar and generator backup. This video is great for people getting started on a tight budget. Hopefully people watch it and start putting a kit together. Thanks
Cold brew coffee! We bought a cold brew coffee jug thing and it's been a lifesaver! It's super easy - put in your regular coffee and cold water and wait 12-24 hours. Make some as soon as the power goes out and it will be ready for you the next day. It's not hot, but it's still delicious and caffeinated!
I stock up on home made minute and beans which are very simple to make. After pour boiling over it and add bouillon of your choice of it and have a delicious meal. Stock up numerous bouillon types and flavors.
I’ve been through a couple of power outages during inconvenient emergencies and emotionally they are not like camping. Camping is fun. Emergencies are not. After my first two experiences on my own I threw out all my cheap gear and cheap instant coffee, etc. I upped my game with better ingredients and shelf stable meal bags ( Homestead Corner and Alaska Granny). Being emotionally pre- prepared has me feeling more confident. Third time’s the charm! I watch all your videos! They’re great!
I have fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. I have several emergency sleeping bags for house and vehicles. They work. Large, heavy duty yard bags can be used for several reasons. Baby wipes and dry shampoo
This was so timely with the storms that blew through 👍👍 I'm so blessed to have found your channel and appreciate the straight forward information and helpful instruction. Nice to have a proactive video to watch rather than a doom and gloom. Keep up the great work and videos. Thx 🙏 (To answer your question, from personal experience I would include ways to ventilate the cook area...found it helpful to have a battery operated fan in the window area . Even though you might have to be concerned about getting cold in the winter it keeps the smoke detector from going off and the possibility of the carbon monoxide from being a true issue)
The fan is a very good idea! Especially if folks are using outdoor stoves indoors. I think of "gloom and doom" as REASONS. Thank you for watching and sharing with us!
Regarding fire extinguishers - they won’t last forever, so have a large can, tub, etc of salt. Salt and a large lid can put out many kitchen fires before they get too large.
Great video! I would add powdered milk(Walmart sells 4%/whole powdered milk) and powdered eggs! You can make ice cream out of powdered whole milk and powered eggs!
I really like these videos It's nice to see that a lot that I have done on my own is good but you have given me a bunch more information. Two things I have done that work well is instead of ice cubes in the freezer I use 1/2 gal plastic container (like Milk or whatever) these solid blocks will melt slower and do not leave a melted puddle of water. Instead of jellied cans of fuel (like sterno) I use the commercial chaffing dish heaters, they have a wick seem to burn hotter I make a triangle group with a grill on top and can actually fry stuff in a small pan and they are refillable using denatured alcohol.
Another idea: if your power goes out for an extended period of time and you don't want to risk your food going bad and having to be thrown away, I suggest getting a pressure canner and canning jars. You can pressure can meat, vegetables, butter, you can also waterbath can fruit. If something happens to the power and my freezer goes down, all of that meat in that freezer and my vegetables from the garden are getting pressure canned immediately. All you need is a burner with flame, can use your grill, a fire pit with a rack, or your gas stove if you can light the burner manually and still have gas coming in.
Canning takes a long time and a watchful eye. In a grid down scenario you probably will have more urgent things to do than to spend many hours and days canning up the contents of your freezer. Besides that, you will be using up the fuel and water that you may need later. When I get food, whether from a purchase, trade, or my garden, I immediately can what I cannot use at that time. That way, it is shelf stable and only needs a little heating on my rocket stove.
Canning does take a long time, however, that food in the freezer would be invaluable if it is a prolonged shtf event. If possible, share responsibilities. Learn how to can now and have extra canning supplies on hand. I have way too much in my freezer to let go to waste if I can help it, as my family prefers cooked frozen foods to canned ones. I also have a large canned supply of surplus from the garden.
All of those methods would work for water bath canning. Pressure canning requires a constant pressure for 90 minutes. Any drop in pressure would mean starting the timing all over. The drop in pressure would not keep the food in the kill zone so dangerous bacteria would grow.
I like how everything you have looks old and used. Most everyone else has shiny brand new stuff. Makes me wonder if they really know what they’re talking about.
I have a butane stove like that as well as 2 or 3 older Coleman stoves that I have restored. They run on white gas or gasoline. We also have several older Coleman lanterns I restored for lighting that run on the Coleman white gas.
![ร้อยพ่อพันแม่ - WanMai [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/XY2pNYASEbg/mqdefault.jpg)
The items used in this video and many other prepping items can be found in our Amazon Store! Check it out for all your prepping needs!
amzn.to/3s9moxE
I don’t support Ammo zone 😡
Can you tell me and a couple other people that are on oxygen what we can do to cook and for heat
I love watching videos like this 😊 And I fully admit I have learned things that came in handy. But in the 50's we had no electricity, no plumbing, no phone and most of the time no vehicle. We weren't 'preppers', we were just raised to do the best we could with what we had. We bought nothing we could grow ourselves. I thought this was normal and envied the people that could go to restaurants and drive in movies. I see now I had the best raising possible for the crap show our country has became 😢
Im in Puerto Rico, I was here during and aftermath of Hurricane Maria 🌀, So I've lived through a total grid down, my indoor stove is a normal stove that runs on propane, so its automatically ready for a grid down, i learned a lot living months without running water and half a year without power. Today i have my own water and power infrastructure, my lighting is on its own separate grid like my rain water on tap and grid to run appliances, my shed and coop also has its own power and water infrastructure, people living in the Caribbean are experts on this topic.
Hello MosaicHomestead,
Sounds like you have a lot of real world experience in grid-down situations! You are an example of preparedness in action.
Thank you for watching and sharing your experiences!
@@ChefPrepper It's sad to say today we have to prepare for other looming threats like WW3, if this starts, supermarkets won't have enough to cover replenishment, victory gardens will have to come back without enough skilled gardeners.
Pour over oxo for coffee. Composting bags and pine scented animal bedding pellets for toilet. 7 day cooler. Usb rechargeable magnetic closet lights, tent fan with clip, faucet to use with water containers, shower head with bucket and last pocket hand warmers. Solar lanturns that charge usb. Mini noodle maker, low watt, has small pot to heat water and mini fry pan. Check out "living in a van" or full time rv for tons ideas, boodocking is rv off grid.
Hi from Australia. My hubby and I are massive campers and I created my camp kitchen in a container years ago and I am so glad I did. We have been through bushfire evac, flood evac, flood bug in and just plain grid down over the years. My absolute favourite tool in my camp kitchen is my hand crank egg beaters, I use them for mixing everything from omelets to cake batter.
I use a fork or whisk. 😉
Hi fellow Aussie! I love the old hand beaters, useful and nostalgic. Good idea for the camp kitchen!
Good to know. I actually bought some.
We had back to back hurricane yrs ago and we had a bunch of kids at our house. We had no power fur 14. days. Many uf meals I made up with my grandmother's tools. Taught the kids how to bake a birthday can using hand hd.muxer. we vake it in the pizza oven my husband made fur me. Made butter cream icing and they hand decirated. My generator is ept the ref going and everything else was battery operated. But my husband and I saw it as another teaching t9ol
Fellow Aussie, I still prefer to use my hand egg beater, quick to reach, use and rinse! A butane gas burner for when power goes out, tree bringing down power lines in a storm. I was raised in an off-grid home during my childhood, no power, no problem. Kero lamps fueled, matches handy. We country folk are blessed.
tripwire alarms you will need . I use mine all the time. they will wake you up from deep sleep and let you know if someone is there 💪
I learned those in basic training. So simple to set up. Thanks for the reminder. I’ll add it to my to do list. I currently have solar powered motion lights but I like the way you think!
Paired with a good self defence weapon.
Morning coffee addict here. Believe me when I say that adding a spoonful of instant coffee to room temp water
IS better than NOTHING! Just stir and gulp. There's a LOT to be said for stocking up on the instant.
Walmart had the Stanley stainless steel percolators and presses on extensive clearance prices last year. Since coffee is a mental necessity, to many, I grabbed a few spares for family/friends/like-minded individuals.
You can heat water hot enough to make coffee and tea using two tea light candles. We've done it in a power outage before.
@@patches1483lve done that too 😂
Amen!!! 👍
Yes. I think instant coffee is great for a back up supply to keep in storage for emergencies .
Hello from Canada. We loose power from blizzards and ice storms about once a year where I live, every couple of years it lasts about a week.
Good list. I add
1. Instant Oatmeal Packages-quick, easy, taste good.
2. Hard candy- boosts the spirits with a sweet treat and no prep.
Don't forget about games for the kids 😮
I live partially off grid. I build rocket stoves that can be used indoors for warming up soup, water that kind of a thing. They also are handy for taking the chill out if a cold room I also carry a rocket stove in my trunk with my camping gear. In colder weather I have a kerosene heater and several Mr heaters and a buddy heater or two I keep them clean and work on them when they don’t want to work. I save candle wax and reuse it to make more candles. Flashlights are a must have in each room. I also keep a relatively well stocked pantry along with a plant room where I grow salad veggies as well as herbs & green onions. I have a little mandarin orange tree that bears fruit. It is indoors until there is no danger of frost. I have orchids as well as other plants. Using inexpensive led grow lights works well. When you have a couple of solar panels it’s easy to keep the essentials powered up. One thing I do is some meat when I get the chance. This year has been the year of bacon bits & garlic butter. With heating costs, electricity and all the rate hikes it has been easy to back to how we did things 50 to 60 years ago. It!s a lot easier in most respects. I keep a very well stocked medical
Cabinet that will cover most injuries or illness. I also grow and dry herbs and teas for medical needs. My cats love the catnip. It’s always a good idea rotate pantry items so nothing goes to waste. To be honest it’s important to keep things on hand ; You will be glad you have
Fabric, thread, etc for sewing clothes? Extra shoes and boots?
I like the fire blanket for an emergency situation better than a fire extinguisher. Faster, easier and less after-mess. Highly suggest a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket.
I've heard good & bad reviews regarding those blankets.
Especially the reviews, that they're full of glasslike particles.
@@heathertea2704true… I see your point. However, usually, the fire blanket will be “packed” away in its bag. So in theory I will be hardly ever used. With this in mind, glass or no glass fibres- it won’t really matter 👍👍👍 I’ll use both a blanket and a fire extinguisher
@@JenniferA886 I totally understand.
Safety 1st. 🙂
Lots of comments over several videos about fire blankets. I have to admit I am not familiar with them, but I think I am going to check them and try to have one on hand.
Thank you.
Fire blankets are meant to cover a person to protect them from a fire while escaping, not for putting a fire out. You would need to make sure no air could get in under it anywhere to put fire out. I would keep a lid to a pot or a fuel can handy if it flames up too much and a fire extinguisher, carton of baking soda, bucket of sand/dirt handy as well for other things possibly catching on fire.
For the coffee people, you can actually just open the lid of your coffee maker and pour hot water over the brew basket manually. No need to buy anything at all.
Great idea! People buy equipment for just such a brew.
That's what I do.
Also, to all the caffeine addicts like me... Instant coffee or as we call it, "cremated coffee". You can pour it into cold water. Takes a bit more time to dissolve but... Hey, coffee is still coffee, whether it's cold or hot and in my case, I'm often still drinking my more than pint sized coffee MUG long after it's got cold. 😳😁
That's exactly what "pour over coffee" is. A device holding a coffee filter that you pour your hot water in. The disadvantage to a pour over coffeemaker is that, when you do have power, you still can't use electricity to make coffee and you need something separate to heat your water in. Be aware that they also make 12v coffeemakers that you can use in a vehicle. I don't know about other brands, but RoadPro makes one and most truck stops sell their products. It looks just like a Mr. Coffee Jr. but it's made for 12v instead. RoadPro also makes a heating element that can be used to heat water for beverages, oatmeal, or for hydrating any type of freeze-dried or dehydrated foods, including backpacking meals.
I have been lucky to find several different sized old coffee pots, I even have a 24 cup one, for camp.
I LOVE videos like this. I already have all items minus the coffee stuff since I am not a coffee drinker, so I don't need to go spend money. It's interesting watching people giving advice on how to stay safe. I enjoy yours a lot because of the way you deliver. Nothing glitzy. Just down to earth common sense. Thank you for your time and effort. The 11 minutes that we watched probably cost you quite a few hours. Keep breathin'.
This is a perfect summary of his work!
Thank you Jonesy! And you are welcome!
LED "puck lights" with magnets on the back work really well stuck to the underside of the exhaust fan hood over your range. Position them so they illuminate the areas you're using to prepare and cook food.
After living with instant coffee for 11 days after a major hurricane knocked out the grid, I upgraded to a Melitta pour-over coffee maker. I have to boil the water over my propane camp stove (or a rocket stove, etc.) and simply pour the boiling water over my normal ground coffee in the brewing cone. Some goes in my cup for immediate consumption, but most goes in a thermos & stays hot/warm for many hours.
Bagged ice is a poor choice for turning a cooler into an old-fashioned ice box. Instead, you want big chunks of ice that will melt more slowly. I try to keep lots of ice-filled 2 litre soda bottles in the freezer, but gallon jugs are better.
Disposable plates are a good idea, but use paper, not plastic. During a prolonged disaster, there will be no garbage collection and smelly waste will attract wild critters at night. Paper plates can be burned.
Manual versions of can openers, mixers, grinders, and shredders are a "must" for any prepper.
Recipes stored on electronic devices should be printed on paper and bound. You want them to be readily available and not dependent on a power source of any kind.
I agree and thanks for the tips, except depending on the battery puck lights, I have not found them to last long enough to be useful. Perhaps if you only need them for a day or two, they would be okay. Otherwise I would go with a usb and solar charged light with a usb and solar charged backup battery bank. The small battery bank can recharge both your light and your phone. I recommend keeping one old fashioned flashlight with replacable batteries handy for immediate emergencies, but with it unscrewed enough that the battery does not connect to turn light on so as to reduce slow battery power leakage; just screw it back tight when you need it. Then keep another with your emergency preps without the batteries in it and extra packages of batteries. Batteries kept in a flashlight long term in storage can corrode and may ruin your flashlight.
@@lf4061 All of my temporary lighting, including the puck lights, is powered by rechargeable batteries. Because they're attached by magnets, it's very easy to rotate replacement lights. The discharged batteries pop out of each light and go into a battery charger -- which will be solar or generator powered if the grid is down. The only moving parts are the batteries.
@@rcinsley Sorry, the ones I have seen referred to as puck lights in my area just did not last long at all so wanted others to be forewarned about relying only on them and was trying to provide other options for those others reading comments here. Glad yours work for you.
I like solar rechargeable outdoor lights for power outages. I like the hanging security light style. I keep a few charging in a sunny window. When the power is out they are ready to go and can be used in any room. Keeping it set on motion sensitive is handy in interior bathrooms with no windows.
@@lf4061you're right! Mine didn't last, either!
I have grandkids over a lot so maybe instant oatmeal and complete pancake mix, the kind you just add water.
Very good choice and idea!
Dollar tree solar lights. Wool Sox, plain candles, freeze gallons of water in a deep freezer if you have one. Put 1 of the frozen waters in your cooler. You also have water in your water heater. If you have a grill, use wood in it to cook. Put dish soap on your pans or cover with foil, and it is easy to clean. Think camping 🏕
Thank you for all of these ideas :)
I agree with and have done a lot of this to prepare for the grid going down; and it IS going down soon.
Ideas: have three huge Rubbermaid totes to fill with water for soaking, washing and rinsing dishes and pans.
Also, clean and fill empty milk jugs with clean water for showers and garden, etc.
Get a solar camping shower and camping toilet.
Precook meats like hamburger, portion and freeze, must have a generator to power the freezer. 😊
@@JD-xq5ok Get the meat OUT of the freezer. If it's cooked, dehydrate now or pressure can now. after grid down it's waterbath can for THREE hours. what a outdoor grill is for..
I turned a bedroom into a food pantry. I have 3 small power stations . I have 5 solar panel systems for 2 370 panels up to 10 370 watt panels. I have several lipo4 batteries. I have spare all in one charge inverters put away. I have several ways to clean and sanitize water. I have a 10 foot cargo trailer full of toilet paper paper towels 20,000 paper plates and 10,000 kitchen size plastic bags . I have 3 large duffel size bags of medical supplies including lots of pet meds. I have lots of screws nail and building materials. I have 2 butane stoves and 200 cans of fuel. And I left out things because I have planning for over 10 years.
Make sure to test run those solar power systems or even set one up as a grid tandem system. Normally it simply offsets regular power use, if the grid goes down it isolates the circuits you need then enables an inverter running on the battery array.❤
Wow!!
Fondue pots are handy. I cooked my daughter pancakes when the power was out once, I used a stainless steel frying pan on a fondue pot stand with 4 or 5 tea lights underneath and some foil wrapped around it to keep the heat in, it worked great.
That's a great idea! Thanks! 🙂
That's a great idea! Thank you!
Yes! And if you have a small coffee pot & generator, you can heat up soups & oatmeal in the coffee pot. Small coffee makers don't draw too much energy and can be used to heat liquid foods quickly.
For the coffee addiction, I bought a couple of stainless steel, pour over baskets with tiny, micro perforations. They don't even require paper filters.
A fire blanket is a good addition too.
Worth mentioning as well is that a kitchen fire extinguisher should *not* be of the water type, as this will be very problematic with an oil fire, making it much worse. Not sure which is better for oil fires out of C02 and powder, but a blanket can be useful here in any case.
Thanks for spending some time on the importance of a carbon monoxide meter. I once used a butane stove in my car, forgetting to open a window... Had the alarm go off, then realized I could have very easily died for the sake of a warm beverage!
I had a firefighter tell me the best thing for a grease fire is baking soda. It's the main ingredient inside of a fire extinguisher. I've got large 4 lb boxes of Clover Valley baking soda I bought from $ General for $2 each stocked up, but now that price is $3.50-$3.75 for same product.
Oh, I thought butane was suppose to be safe for inside but always wondered since propane is not safe inside without ventilation. Thank you for sharing and providing this warning.
Yes the right kind of fire extinguisher is very important.
Class K is the proper class of extinguisher for grease type fires.
Glad you had the detector in your car!
Thank you for watching and sharing your experience.
I would add matches and lighters, ha ha. A good thermos or five is mandatory in my world. You can save fuel by boiling water once and pouring it into the thermos for hot drinks for the whole day. Also you can put grains like wheat, cornmeal, oats in thermos with boiling water overnight and have hot cereal in the morning. Good for adding to dish washing water and for hygiene. I also have purchased mini wood stoves for my cabins. They can heat the space and do a little cooking as well. I have wood so no running out of gas, propane etc.
Instead of bag ice, try a block of ice. A milk jug of frozen water stays cold longer than a bag of ice cubes and you can drink it when melted.
Good Idea! It would also be cheaper. Thank you for sharing your idea!
Frozen or just used for storing water gallon jugs that held vinegar are more durable than milk jugs that can crack over time.
I have empty cat litter jugs. Sturdy with a good handle. Water stored plus several in chest freezer.
Good video. I live in a small two storey house with a basement. I am able to cut the water off on each floor if necessary. We have everything on gas including a gas range and a gas fireplace on the main floor. Our hot water heater is a pilot light old style heater so everything can be rin without electricity. During the ice storm I left my wife and 3 kids to deliver food products for 4 days. I had no worries about leaving them. If the power stays off and we run out of natural gas I can hunker down in my basement where I have a full kitchen with a gas range and a generator if needed. We also have a full bathroom in the basement.
Sounds like you are well prepared! If only more people were.
In reference to the old pilot light, my gas range burners have no pilot, but can be ignited with a match. Just keep hands far away from the burner! I l set the lit match down at the burner, then turn the burner on.
I dry camp so I’ve learned the basics. I have solutions for most situations that are easily transferred inside if needed. I can cook, use the restroom, treat water, pour over coffee funnel/French press/Coleman percolator, heat, and fans. Almost everything is solar powered ie lights, battery bricks, and three portable power stations that attach to solar panels. Everything else including a small blender run on usb and plug right into all the solar power stations. For “appliances “, I stick with manual or under 300 watt items to save on power and only use when absolutely necessary. If you check mini versions or older versions at thrift stores, many are 300 watts or less. Don’t forget the filtration straws for water and the solar shower 😉. If in nature, be sure to use biodegradable soaps to preserve the environment. A 50/50 vinegar water solution is perfect for cleaning from dishes to windows. I even scored a little washer that is usb powered. Won’t do big loads but keeps you in clean underwear and socks. I even carry a clothesline and clothes pins. It is doable for sure!
A very good manual can opener is Swingaway. I've never even had an electric one and I'm 61. It's a little more expensive than the cheap ones you get at the dollar store but worth it. I still have my mother's as a back up!
Thanks for the info! I will check it out!
Yep, Swingaways are the best, we use their hand held version daily and I have a wall mount I'll eventually put up. We've never had an electric one either.
@@elewmompittseh We had a wall mounted Swing-A-Way at our farm. It worked flawlessly for 40 years. A 90 day grid down situation would hardly be the break in period of a new one.
Swingaways are truly sturdy and durable. Even with opening #10 cans, they don't give up. But harder to find them now.
@jamesvoigt7275 A couple of years ago, you could get them at Walmart but I'm not sure if you can now.
Great Video. Im going to add some ideas. Get a large cast iron dutch oven, the type that has legs and a flat lid, I live off of grid...well I have electric via a RV 30A box i had put in, ten times cheaper than doing a full house electric for my cabin, the power company charges me on a bulk type bill so im not metered. 10 times cheaper than house set up... I have my cabin entirely set up to be off grid for long times if needed. I wanted this way for the ability to use my power tools for building and maintaining a homestead. Anyhow, i use a colman camp stove for my normal daily. But I also have a semi truck tire rim for a fire to cook via dutch oven. Why I speak of dutch oven or you need a stock pot, is to cook a form of mulligan stew. Instead of buying those pre made meals in a can foods, simple buy canned veggies and meats, to add several things together , for a larger quanity for a family. The cost difference will definatly push you to this way, a single can of corn is cheap, right? so is most veggie items a single can of roast beef is roughly 4.00 , combining these to make a stew or one pot wonder can make cooking for a family of four or five people only 12.00. I learned to bake bread in my dutch oven, over a fire, If a grid down situation i can go out and bake fresh bread. Learn to can foods. Because the more canned foods you have, the better, because they are already cooked, you are using much less energy resources like propane, it takes a few minutes to heat up foods that already cooked, but to actually cook it takes a much longer time. There are several ways to can, one is a pressure can, then there is rebel canning which is how the Amish do it. I do rebel canning because its easy off my camp stove with my water bath enamelware pot, i can can twice as much each time as a pressure canner. My pot cost 34.00 at walmart the cheapest pressure canning is about 170.00, if your waxed lid is sucked down on your jars, that means its sealed, but leave it to Karen to complain about the old fashioned way of canning...if you are dyhdrating foods, may as well take up canning also. Im saying these because this is how our grandparents made it through the great depression. All this about grid down and wars and weird things going on at the banks..its time to hunker down and go 1800s living, you can habve all the cool gadgetry that technology wrought, but learn how to go solar power. Ide go get solar powered you name it... So even though I have the creature comfort of electricity...i can also go total solar off grid and not even miss utility company power. If I had kids, a family, ide seriously be learnng how to can foods and making one pot wonders. A pot of elbow pasta, canned roast beef and stewed tomatoes a can of corn with good seasonings, you and your kids will love this and you will see how cheap it is and you can make a lot of it to stay all day, keep the pot warm, I have a crock pot, its such low wattage it can keep a food warm for a week and not make a dent of my batteries...im teaching how to think like a prepper. I cooked this while camping for extended two week in a tent in November. I learned many one pot wonder meals for dutch oven.
Great advice and very interesting!
You should try one of the can openers that cut the edge rim of the can. It will leave you with a lid you can put back on the can, a useful tool.
A Vesta heater is another good option for grid-down cooking. It's multifunctional for heating a small space and cooking. It's made to run off canned heat, which is very stable and safe to store indoors, and cheap to buy.
We have a generator just to keep the freezer going for a short time.We got it many years ago and saw the fridge and freezer through a 3+ day power outage with no loss, running it only a couple of times a day for short bursts.That will not last for too long, but I have always frozen more cooked food than non-cooked, so less fuel will be used to cook, it lasts longer and no worries about slow thawing, and if need be, it can be given away and not wasted.
I would add a notebook with ideas, recipes use and instructions, just in case the person with the knowledge, skills and experience is not available.
Thanks, I will be looking at your other videos.
In the upper midwest USA we Lost heat for about a mo in jan - Feb 2023. Temps to -20 at night. We installed a good fireplace to heat the house several yrs prior and had lots pf wood. At that time the water pressure tank failed so no water for a week. There were 2 of us at home. I am so thankful we had 3 6 gallon water jugs filled with potable water sitting in our tub plus many gallons stored and used every single one. We had a very rough cabin years back that was off grid and we learned a lot about staying warm, cooking, using water, bathing and composting waste. We have multiple ways to cook, collect/filter water, oil lamps and have many manual kitchen tools and pans. I only wish we had a wood cook stove or at least a wood stove. There are so many antique items that work perfect for being off grid. People need to be ready and it takes time. Remember Texas? Ours was a pretty short test but feeding a fire in -20 degrees for days on end 24/7 is not fun. Be sure to have good wool and down blankets, wool socks, a small generator, a toilet setup and ways to dispose of the waste. You also cant have enough water!! 😊 a battery operated radio and cast iron pans. Save all the take out plastic utensils and napkins too. It all helps.
Hello AcornJillHomestead,
Good advice! And thank you for sharing your experience! Perhaps you will inspire others!
I bought a really small cast iron grill that I plan on using in emergencies by setting inside my fireplace. Not only can I put a pot or pan on top of it to cook with, but the cast iron retains more heat. But you have to be careful while using for same reason, it stays hot! We also use a portable stainless steel fire back in the fireplace behind the fire grate. It helps reflect the heat out towards the room rather than most of it going up the chimney. Always keep a fire extinguisher, bucket of water or bucket of sand/dirt handy in case of an unexpected situation, like a spark or entire burning log slipping out while you have front spark guards or doors opened when adjusting or adding new logs 😬😂
A Wonderbag (commercial or homemade) would be a great addition. It allows you to get the food to boiling and then move it to the enclosed thermal chamber and it will continue to cook for hours, like a crock pot.
Great idea!
You can also use thick towels as a temporary substitute. I've done this with a big pan of broth, and it was ready to eat when we got back home!
I have a couple of large thermoses into which I put boiling water and food and let it "cook" in there (like rice or pasta).
Raman noodles plus mixed veggies and tinned meat makes an awsome emergency ration that can feed a family with little work. Mix it all in a plastic bag and pour in about half the hot water the raman noodles call for then let it set wrapped in a towel. In 10 minutes its done. Typical recipe is 3 packs of raman, 1 can of mixed vegetables, 1 tin of tuna or chicken or pieces of jerky. You can add other things like cheese spread, pesnut butter, or cream of mushroom soup to make it more yummy.❤
This year we added solar + USB rechargeable LED patio string lights. We can charge them from the power station or the panel they come with...and one string of 12 - 15 bulbs lights the entire kitchen or bathroom for 12 hours. We stick the little remote on the wall so it can't get lost, and have extra disc batteries for it. We also have all the candles and oil lamps too, as our secondary lighting, but so far I'm very happy with the string lights.
Good idea! Thanks for watching and sharing.
Rather than bags of ice, I like to fill empty juice bottles and store them in the freezer. They make great blocks of ice and don’t leave a puddle in the bottom of the cooler. Stored in a chest freezer, they will help keep freezer cold when power goes out. Furthermore, a full freezer stays colder longer and uses less energy than one with much air space.
That's a great idea!
I have juice bottles filled with well water to flush the toilet if we lose power.
Also, nice thing about your plan is that if power out longer term, you can use the now melted water in the bottles or jugs to drink!
Might want to swap the handles and hinges on your refrigerator if that model allows……so that the door swings towards the counter. Keeps the cook happy!
I also saw that….😎. Most can be swapped with opening!,
Not just for survival situations, but always have a lid that will cover your cooking pans/pots available on the counter. You don’t want to have to look for the lid if you have a fire. If you have a fire, throw the lid on. It will almost always take care of the problem. Of course a fire extinguisher and CO detector if you have any appliances that run on fuel.
A lid and a large container of baking soda will handle most stovetop fires.
keeping lids on reduces the cooking time same fuel
Yes, important!
Been there, done that! Good idea. Thanks for reminder and sharing!
I freeze milk jugs full of water so when it does melt we can use it for drinking and cooking
Great idea!
Those are also a great way to help prolong frozen food in the freezer as well.
Keep up the good work Les! Really like the food angle you have for the channel. Most prepper channels are about preps, guns, ammo, and survival skills. But it seems like a lot of them skim over food and food prep. Also, like the dry sense of humor. Cheers brother.
Hello Ryanphilliesphan,
Thank you!
Cheers to you!
I would also recommend a sun oven, quite effective even in the dead of winter when you shield it from wind. Obviously doesn’t work at night but I have cooked several meals in subzero weather just being mindful of wind.
We lost electricity here in Virginia last weekend when we were expecting snow. We ended up with an ice storm. Our electricity is all underground but the main lines were taken out by two snapped power poles down our road. We heat with a wood stove, so our house was toasty warm. Then I fixed Pop Tarts in foil on the wood stove, and a quesadilla for lunch. Mmmmmm😂
An alternative to the big bulky bag of ice please. Id suggest filling gallon bags with water and freeze flat. Less bulk, lies flat, and allows the top and sides of ice chest to be lined thus keeping cold. Bonus points for having drinking water availability by opening a bag!
Aloha hugs 🤗 from my Volcano to your Ohana means family I quit coffees or caffeine at age 15 , grateful for another day of loving.
Quitting is the best defense.
Hi from Eastern Canada 🇨🇦❤ Great video. We lost power for 9 days ( my Mom 15 days with a barn full of horses) during Fiona. Our Island lost over 95 % power, no 911, or internet for days in some areas. Living in Canada, we knew to have our storm chips & ducks in a row before a storm. We cooked on our bbq & heated up water. Lots of stuff on hand for sandwiches. Power stations to keep freezer going. Plan ahead. Never know what you will wake up to. God bless
I imagine you would have lots of bread too if sandwiches were a priority.
l still use my electric coffee maker when the power goes down. I have a gas stove so I boil water then pour over the grounds in the coffee basket. It is time consuming but it works. I did just get a perc coffee pot. Mom used one every day, long before Mr. Coffee was a thing.
I have a blaze king wood stove to help keep the house warm in the winter and off set the electricity bill it doubles for cooking with cast Iron and I use it to enhance my cooking skills on a wood stove like my Father and his father did 50-80 year s ago
Thank you Macster for watching and sharing your experience!
I grew up without electricity and running water so it's a very familiar territory for me.
I have a portable gas stove and a mini barbecue bucket for the warmer months. During the colder months I just use my multi-fuel stove in the kitchen. I can burn wood, coal or peat in it, plus rubbish if the need arises.
I enjoy cooking on my stove, sure it takes longer but I don't mind. Also the food cooked on it tastes better, to me anyway.
I like that you give us the in-depth videos as you talk.
I have a jenny I plug my water pump, fridge & freezer into. As long as I have gas stored. Inside - Wood stove works to cook on. 😊
You actually gave me a few added ideas great video! Also appreciate that you don't overtalk and don't talk too fast.
Great idea, I never thought about keeping ice in my deep freeze!! Thx.
Good intro video to the various ways of grid-down cooking.
We have a propane stovetop/oven that has a battery-powered igniter so we will always have our main cooking appliance available in grid-down situations. We also have a wood cookstove -- it's a vintage model and has 4 burners and a small oven. Not practical in the heat of Summer, but great for Winter use. Our regular woodstove is often used to heat water or to hold heated water and that gives us warm water for washing with, or even as a way to have some delicious drip-coffee.
Of course, we also have other small ways to cook indoors -- the folding burner, tea candle set up is one. Having plenty of cast iron pots, pans, and a cast iron griddle are must-haves for open flame cooking, too.
Enjoyed the video and as always, your presentations are thorough.
fondue pot is useful.
Thank you for watching our videos and for sharing your experience and ideas!
I just happened to stumble upon your channel & I have to say you've confirmed that I've solved quite a few cooking issues....but you've also shown some things I hadn't thought about. You earned my subscription & I'm gonna recommend it to my friend, as well.
Personally, the only professionally/store bought canned goods I have, are the ones in my get out of Dodge "bug out bag". My Shepard/Arctic wolf mix has her military grade "molle" system where she can carry her own items. I'm a avid caner both water bath canning as well as pressure caning. I also dehydrate and store for long term. Have a garden and small "live stock animals". I've made sure my pantry is stocked to the rafters, as well as having a few "cashes" outside in the surrounding area/forest around our homestead.
I'm a rebel caner and WILL can food items that those that "are in charge", claim we can't safely can. The way I see it, if you can find it caned in a store, you can can it yourself too. If our grandparents caned/preserved how they did and, didn't die from it, so can we. Only thing I'll do differently is make sure my working space is thoroughly sanitized, along with the jars, crocks etc. Also have both indoor kitchen as well as out door. Same with toilet... Water purification and a lake close by if I do loose power to my deep drilled well, since it is way to deep to be able to rig any hand pump to it.
I would never recommend anyone else do things the way I do. It's up to each and everyone to research and decide for themselves what they would deem to be safe FOR THEM... OK, now that disclaimer is out of the way.😉
Stay safe and prepared everyone!
//Solani
It's also a good idea to have several packs of cheap washcloths and dishcloths that can be washed by hand, because paper towels will eventually run out, and the cloths are washable and reusable.
I like to use charcoal grilles indoors! 😄😁😅🤪😜😛😋
Excellent video! Especially good that you started with safety items. I would add a propane camping stove as an option.
Hello Susieq,
Thank you! A propane stove is a good choice to have.
For outside I have the Coleman 2 burner propane stove hooked to a 20 lb tank. Inside I have toaster oven, microwave, instant pot etc.. I have 4 power stations and expandable batterys and a backup dual fuel generator to able to charge the solar with if needed. If using solar cook dinner during the day so your station can catch up. Use your power stations on a regular basis to learn what you can do and for how long. Practice grid down scenarios you will learn quickly what you really need. Great video!!!
Hello Johnmal,
Thank you! I am glad the video was helpful.
Thank you for sharing your experience and the good advice!
3 drops of Clorox per gallon of water an 1/2 hour. that will make water safe for consumption.
Great presentation! Fire safety can include fire blankets, designed to cover and smother a fire incident. They are cheap and available on line and locally in some areas.
Great vid. Hope y’all have a blessed and restful sabbath
Thank you! You too!
Be careful with multiple t-lights close together, the wax can catch fire from the high heat and flare up.
For light our favorite is simply the old oil/paraffin lamp.....yup....I am 70 and was raised to age 10 without electric
You are giving GREAT ADVICE!
Your videos are amazing. Thank you for them.
The only hand-crank can openers I have found that work and are durable are the Kitchen Aid brand.
A very strict no entry to kitchen unless you wash your hands first, and just try not to allow everything to come into the food prep area, since loss of utility usually ends up lowering cleaning and hygiene
Have you thought about switching the handles on your refrigerator to the other side? They make it so you have that choice.
How did I not know about this channel? ❤
I'm fairly new to your channel, (I watched the comparison between sterno fuel yesterday), and this video reinforced the fact that you are very good at presenting this topic. Because you do many things the way I do. I always have ice stocked up. If I think the power might go out, I put food in a cooler from the refrigerator before hand, and most likely I have already got a few things pre-cooked. I do batch cooking. I haven't used a drip coffee pot in years, I like vast expanses of counter space, and just make cowboy coffee every morning. No toaster either anymore, my homemade (or storebought) bread tastes better toasted on a flat pan, I have no idea why. Living in the country, I have a couple or five, LOL ways to cook outside, and my stove is propane, so is my hot water heater. In case of fire, I think I will get a fire blanket in addition to my fire extinguishers. Less mess to clean up around food. Although I have never started a fire cooking any meals.
I have a P-38 on my key ring that I have had since 1966 in Vietnam.
Newbie to your channel. I’ve chosen a tiny backpacking stove and plan to use that either with sterno, fuel tabs, and/or tea light candles. If I use ready to eat meals. It’ll take literally very little time and energy to cook and eat. I could use it outside with wood chips or sticks, and maybe even a charcoal brick. I have a couple of camp stoves also just in case. I’m using a dehydrator to dehydrate my food and putting it into meals in jars. Thanks for sharing!
Cayenne pepper, in a pinch, will stop bleeding. Also good to put a spoonful of it in the mouth of someone possibly suffering a heart attack. It can jolt the heart back in some cases. Charcoal briquets are cheap as are used Hibachi-style grills, for outdoor cooking. You can refill canned heat containers with cheap vegetable oil shortening and will burn long. Also, you can make long burning candles out of cheap shortening in clean, used cans with a candle taper in the middle. And cheap yard solar lights from Walmart are a good source of light if you have children, for safety. Just let them power up during the day & use at night. You can get permanent coffee filters for coffee maker if you have a generator that will power the coffee maker. Put a garbage bag in your drained toilet bowl, between the bowl and seat & use cheap kitty litter & essential oil drops to cover poo odors. And if something DOES happen, fill your tub with water IMMEDIATELY for at least a little bit of fresh water while you figure out what to do next. Also, check out Army/Navy surplus stores for inexpensive things as well as thrift stores for extra blankets, sheets, towels, tools, pans etc. when you can. Also, don't forget about your pets. Haiving even a few bags of cheap dog/cat food is better than nothing.
I have a propane tank under the kitchen window that Suburban fills 2 times a year so I’m probably good for 6 months depending on when grid down happens. That said, Murphy’s Law would dictate that it occurs a few days before fill up. I should probably have a backup tank.
Definitely looking forward to the clean water video.
Coming soon!
Great video Brother.
I think you forgot to mention the importance of having a spoon. Because, if i can't cook my coffee, I'm gonna eat it right from the bag.🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Instant coffee will dissolve in cold water. With a fair amount of stirring so will cocoa packets. Not as good as hot but doesn't waste fuel or time
Them P-38 as you called them, we know them as a John Wayne, they work good, I know first hand!🎉😊
Great preparedness information. Keep doing (and sharing) the things.
Thanks, will do!
My plans are to use a hot plate I know they burn a lot of energy I have a designated solar battery for it. I won a butane stove you just reminded me of it I need to get some butane for it. Thanks off to outdoor cooking! Stay Ready!
Try Sam's Club as a butane source if you are a member or have a friend who is. I love my butane stove.
I would add a hay box. They have been used for several hundred years. In other countries they are still used, today. Put your food on to cook. Bring to a full rolling boil, let it boiling several minutes, then move it to the hay box and pack it up tight. It will finish cooking in the box.
I also have a propane crockpot and a propane oven. They are wonderful.
Instead of ice buy dry ice and keep it stored in a separate freezer that has been lined with cardboard.
Propane crockpot? That is a new one to me. I’ll do some research. Thank you. 😊
Hello Barbarahas,
Good ideas/advice !
Thanks for watching and sharing with us!
I will have to check out the propane crockpot.
Adding: Keeping Crisco in fridge/freezer many uses. If power out more likely in summer hot months yrs ago they used fans on a pulley system or transom windows. Making a summer kitchen, bath house apart from home for heat and smells a good idea
We took it a few steps further with solar and generator backup. This video is great for people getting started on a tight budget. Hopefully people watch it and start putting a kit together. Thanks
You are welcome! And thank you for watching!
@@ChefPreppergas...fuel propain runs out...im solar batterbanks....
Cold brew coffee! We bought a cold brew coffee jug thing and it's been a lifesaver! It's super easy - put in your regular coffee and cold water and wait 12-24 hours. Make some as soon as the power goes out and it will be ready for you the next day. It's not hot, but it's still delicious and caffeinated!
I stock up on home made minute and beans which are very simple to make. After pour boiling over it and add bouillon of your choice of it and have a delicious meal. Stock up numerous bouillon types and flavors.
Our last power outage was two weeks long in winter … we were good to go … didn’t skip a beat .. but we live rural so we’ve had lots of practice
I’ve been through a couple of power outages during inconvenient emergencies and emotionally they are not like camping. Camping is fun. Emergencies are not. After my first two experiences on my own I threw out all my cheap gear and cheap instant coffee, etc. I upped my game with better ingredients and shelf stable meal bags ( Homestead Corner and Alaska Granny). Being emotionally pre- prepared has me feeling more confident. Third time’s the charm! I watch all your videos! They’re great!
Than you!
That's very good advice! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!
I have fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. I have several emergency sleeping bags for house and vehicles. They work. Large, heavy duty yard bags can be used for several reasons. Baby wipes and dry shampoo
This was so timely with the storms that blew through 👍👍 I'm so blessed to have found your channel and appreciate the straight forward information and helpful instruction. Nice to have a proactive video to watch rather than a doom and gloom. Keep up the great work and videos. Thx 🙏 (To answer your question, from personal experience I would include ways to ventilate the cook area...found it helpful to have a battery operated fan in the window area . Even though you might have to be concerned about getting cold in the winter it keeps the smoke detector from going off and the possibility of the carbon monoxide from being a true issue)
The fan is a very good idea! Especially if folks are using outdoor stoves indoors.
I think of "gloom and doom" as REASONS.
Thank you for watching and sharing with us!
Regarding fire extinguishers - they won’t last forever, so have a large can, tub, etc of salt. Salt and a large lid can put out many kitchen fires before they get too large.
Not for indoor kitchen but I'd be adding a Kelly Kettle --eliminate the need for store boughten fuel. Collect fuel.
Great video! I would add powdered milk(Walmart sells 4%/whole powdered milk) and powdered eggs! You can make ice cream out of powdered whole milk and powered eggs!
Dont forget the gel quick flame .. 😁Yell after watching your video on them I bought more I think I have 45 cans now ..
And when the gel is all used up, you can refill those cans with cheap vegetable shortening & it will burn long as well.
good old wood stove :)
Yes indeed!
I have plastic bottles of water frozen in the deep freeze- keeps things cold, also a water source for drinking when melted.
Good idea!
I really like these videos It's nice to see that a lot that I have done on my own is good but you have given me a bunch more information. Two things I have done that work well is instead of ice cubes in the freezer I use 1/2 gal plastic container (like Milk or whatever) these solid blocks will melt slower and do not leave a melted puddle of water. Instead of jellied cans of fuel (like sterno) I use the commercial chaffing dish heaters, they have a wick seem to burn hotter I make a triangle group with a grill on top and can actually fry stuff in a small pan and they are refillable using denatured alcohol.
Thank you! Glad you found our videos useful!
Thank you for the good ideas!
Another idea: if your power goes out for an extended period of time and you don't want to risk your food going bad and having to be thrown away, I suggest getting a pressure canner and canning jars. You can pressure can meat, vegetables, butter, you can also waterbath can fruit. If something happens to the power and my freezer goes down, all of that meat in that freezer and my vegetables from the garden are getting pressure canned immediately. All you need is a burner with flame, can use your grill, a fire pit with a rack, or your gas stove if you can light the burner manually and still have gas coming in.
Canning takes a long time and a watchful eye. In a grid down scenario you probably will have more urgent things to do than to spend many hours and days canning up the contents of your freezer. Besides that, you will be using up the fuel and water that you may need later. When I get food, whether from a purchase, trade, or my garden, I immediately can what I cannot use at that time. That way, it is shelf stable and only needs a little heating on my rocket stove.
Canning does take a long time, however, that food in the freezer would be invaluable if it is a prolonged shtf event. If possible, share responsibilities. Learn how to can now and have extra canning supplies on hand. I have way too much in my freezer to let go to waste if I can help it, as my family prefers cooked frozen foods to canned ones. I also have a large canned supply of surplus from the garden.
All of those methods would work for water bath canning. Pressure canning requires a constant pressure for 90 minutes. Any drop in pressure would mean starting the timing all over. The drop in pressure would not keep the food in the kill zone so dangerous bacteria would grow.
Thank you for your video.
I am glad to have discovered your channel.
Hello CatherineEdwards,
You are welcome! And welcome to our channel!
i like the stabby single blade opener that you edge around the can i have never been able to open cans with the butterfy ones even as a young woman
I like how everything you have looks old and used. Most everyone else has shiny brand new stuff. Makes me wonder if they really know what they’re talking about.
I have a butane stove like that as well as 2 or 3 older Coleman stoves that I have restored. They run on white gas or gasoline. We also have several older Coleman lanterns I restored for lighting that run on the Coleman white gas.
Hello Tom,
I like those older Coleman products.
Thank you for watching and sharing with us.
I gotta say, water stops flowing out of the pipes almost instantly. Dont bank on ‘using what’s there’.