stockpile

Photo by The Seattle Municipal Archives

The World Health Organisation has raised it’s flu alert to phase five. Under the Australian Federal Government’s pandemic plan, it advises that we should be stockpiling two weeks worth of food and supplies “just in case.”

While this may seem all a bit panic stations, stockpiling some food isn’t a bad idea generally speaking, particularly if you live in an area where bad weather affects your ability to get to the shops for food. Pandemics and other large scale emergencies aside, there are also personal circumstances (something as small as a broken down car or a day of laziness – or busyness) that can affect our ability to shop for groceries. Having a supply of food in the house provides a buffer for such occasions.

Stockpiling food also means that you can take advantage of bulk discounts on food and by planning ahead, take advantage of grocery specials. A stockpile helps reduce the number of times that you need to go to the shop, saving you petrol. And having food on hand that is easy to prepare helps prevent the need to buy expensive takeaway or convenience foods on busy days.

Managing a stockpile takes a little preparation and organisation. You need to ensure that food is stored so that spoilage doesn’t occur and that food is eaten before its used by date to minimise wastage. Some stockpiling guidelines include:

Stockpile things that you eat

No point running out and buying 10 cans of spam that you will never eat. Stockpile things that you normally eat, this way there is no waste.

Things to consider stockpiling include:

  • tinned fruit and vegetables
  • dried goods such as rice, pasta, flour, salt, sugar, yeast, tea, herbs and spices
  • dried or tinned beans and pulses
  • cooking oil, sauces and condiments
  • frozen vegetables, meat, stock
  • dried milk powder

For more stockpiling ideas, see the Pantry List resource.

Decide how much you need to stockpile

It may seem like a bargain to buy a 20kg bag of rice, but if you don’t eat rice very often, or you don’t have the space to store it, then it’s going to be too much. Decide what stockpile quantities are suitable for your circumstances.

Buy cheap

Unless there is a national emergency where you have to buy now, then take the time to shop around for the best price for the food you are going to stockpile and spread the cost over time by buying a few items each week. If there ever is an emergency, you won’t need to rush out and panic buy at inflated prices.

Eat your stockpile

Rather than putting all this food in the cupboard and forgetting about it, eat the food that you have stockpiled and replenish it regularly. This prevents food from going past its used by date because it has sat in the back of the cupboard uneaten.

When you purchase food, rotate the food in your stockpile, brining the older dates to the front so that these items get eaten first. Use what is in your cupboard when menu planning. This will ensure that food gets eaten before it spoils and is reduces your overall grocery bill.

Store your food correctly

Buying food in bulk is an investment, and like any investment, you will want to take care of it. This means storing food so that it doesn’t spoil, and so pests and rodents can’t eat it. Glass jars and plastic containers are a good way to store your food. Try thrift shops for inexpensive storage items or recycle your jars and containers.

Keeping a list of what is in your stockpile lets you know at a glance what you have on hand. This makes planning meals and easier. Keeping a separate list of items that need restocking makes shopping easier and ensures that you don’t run out.

If you don’t have a lot of space in the pantry, store food in unconventional places. Tinned food can be kept in the closet, under the bed, or in the garage. Be aware of the temperature where you store your food (don’t store it next to the water heater, for instance).

Some food may need to be frozen first before storage. Freezing items such as flour and rice for a day before storage kills any larvae or bugs that may be in the food (Gross, but very common and normal!) Perishable items such as meat can be stockpiled in the freezer.

Other things to stockpile

Apart from food, you may want to consider stockpiling other household items:

  • toiletries, soap, toilet paper
  • first aid supplies and medication
  • vitamins
  • batteries
  • pet food
  • candles and matches

Part of the frugal way of life is to take responsibility and control of your circumstances by being prepared. Stockpiling food is one way of being prepared for possible emergency situations.

Resources

For ideas on what food to stockpile and other information about emergency preparation see the Pantry List.

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