Before COVID we ate exclusively fresh food. I went to the store once or twice a week to buy what we needed. I never used something from a can -- gross, never. I never bought frozen food unless it was ice cream or tilapia. We just didn't eat or shop like that.

During COVID I had to spend a small fortune on Whole Foods and Instacart deliveries. I never knew WHEN I could schedule a delivery or what they would have in stock. Every delivery was missing multiple items. I didn't like it at all. I don't care if we never have food shortages that lead to rioting and shooting pet dogs, or totally empty shelves like they had in the former Soviet Union -- what I went through during COVID was stressful enough, thanks.

Now we have a good pantry of foods we like and can probably live off of for 3 months. I'm glad we have it. I will never go back to being unprepared.

Anonymous wrote:The following is what I have so far in my emergency kit/stash:

brown rice
canned fruits and vegetables
spam
baked beans
nuts
raisins
tuna
sardines
pasta
tons of water
powdered milk

And may other things that I can't recall that I grabbed for no real reason (e.g., boxes of stovetop stuffing, lol). I'm open for suggestions for practical items to add!

add cans of stuff your family will eat that doesn't need heat or water. Soup for example. Fruit and Veg. 1 can for dinner, 1 for lunch at min. For 30 days. You'll be fine. (ish)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve already been told by the “experts” it’s coming. Pay attention to current events. It isn’t even a serious question, OP. Start learning how to grow something you can eat.

Not the OP, but I live in an apartment without a balcony or fire escape and no direct sunlight. I can't even keep a plant alive in my apartment. Not everyone has the privilege of being able to grow their own food.

Likely a lot of tasty squirrels you can nab. I’ve got tons here and read they are quite delicious.

Excellent alternative for our elites who are above learning how to grow anything. They can go shoot an animal and skin it. But hey, they’ll need a gun first! Lol.

Most people in DC would have no idea how to kill, dress, and cook squirrel. Yes. I have eaten squirrel. It would not be my first choice for a protein.

Anonymous wrote:She also thinks that China is trying to sabotage our infrastructure.

So "grid down" could be china, russia, or the actual electrical grid going down due to heat. Fine to prep for that.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP - this site is the wrong place to ask this. There a quite a few preppers lurking here.

I have to say that I'm surprised by these answers.

I'm a secret NoVa prepper, work downtown and think OPs mom is not wrong but she needs regular food preps.

OP: Look of 3days, 3 weeks, 3 months. Start doing that WITH your mom. #bonding!

I’m in the logistics side of the food industry. I’m not seeing anything that points to this level of desperation.

My husband is a hoarder.
DD recently found expired food under the sink in the basement bathroom.

Don't tell him to hoard more, for the love of all the gods!!!

Anonymous wrote:I got weevils in my prepped food and had to throw it all out and scrub my cabinets.

Now I buy things "just in time."

Yup. Mice chewed through my 5 gallon buckets of rice in the basement. No thank you. I’m not feeding nature inside my house.

What is with this psychotic thread???

I got weevils in my prepped food and had to throw it all out and scrub my cabinets.

Now I buy things "just in time."

I had 20 12 packs of toilet paper at the start of Covid in my basement. It wasn't because of Covid - I just happened to have it in my basement when I bought them on clearance/sales. It was useful because I didn't need to fret about toilet paper shortage. Paper products do not expire, and there are plenty of paper products for the last year in the stores, so no one should accuse anybody of causing shortages of paper products.

I live on an island and have done my hurricane prep. We plan to be able to live off the grid for 4 weeks. I’m trusting that’ll cover any non-hurricane issues I experience in the short term.

Nothing wrong with stocking up for a few months of food. Suggestions:
Costco has
Cilantro Rice 6 pack (instant);
6 or 8 cans of beans
12 Cans of Tomatoes

Use the items once in a while for soups or burrito bowls and then buy more/replenish the items in your pantry

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve already been told by the “experts” it’s coming. Pay attention to current events. It isn’t even a serious question, OP. Start learning how to grow something you can eat.

Not the OP, but I live in an apartment without a balcony or fire escape and no direct sunlight. I can't even keep a plant alive in my apartment. Not everyone has the privilege of being able to grow their own food.

Learning to grow a plant isn’t a privilege. Poor people around the world have done it for centuries just to survive.

Elites should take their hate politics elsewhere.

Prepping is an elite activity. And people all over the world grow food and still manage to go hungry.

Since when do elites like to get their hands dirty? That’s what the help does.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’ve already been told by the “experts” it’s coming. Pay attention to current events. It isn’t even a serious question, OP. Start learning how to grow something you can eat.

Not the OP, but I live in an apartment without a balcony or fire escape and no direct sunlight. I can't even keep a plant alive in my apartment. Not everyone has the privilege of being able to grow their own food.

Likely a lot of tasty squirrels you can nab. I’ve got tons here and read they are quite delicious.

Excellent alternative for our elites who are above learning how to grow anything. They can go shoot an animal and skin it. But hey, they’ll need a gun first! Lol.