9 Foods You Should Be Stockpiling But Aren't
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When it comes to stocking up on food, you more than likely think that you have covered all your bases and that you have what you need. But there are many foods that you may not have thought about, and these foods can be not only important to your physical health, but to your mental health as well.
Here are nine foods that you may not be storing, but should.
Comfort foods. During times of tragedy and hardship, having some sort of comfort food to help you through the hard times helps. Comfort foods can be anything that you like to eat, even something as simple as chocolate. Storing your comfort food long-term is possible. For instance, if one of your comfort foods is hot chocolate, simply purchase your hot chocolate and place it in an airtight container.
Salt. Salt is often forgotten when it comes to food storage, but it has many versatile uses and is a great food storage item. It can be used to season in cooking, and can also be used in cleaning as well as medically. For instance, if you have a sore in your mouth, salt mixed with water can help disinfect and aid in the healing of your mouth. Salt will need to be stored in a secure location where it will not meet any moisture. Airtight containers are essential. (Read our earlier story on 7 Remarkable Off-Grid Uses For Salt.)
Cooking oil. Cooking oil has many versatile uses. It can be used to cook whatever you have stored and what you might catch (for example, fish). Cooking oil is also great for starting fires or keeping fires going. Cooking oil can also be used to make certain vehicles run. Store cooking oil in a cool dry place where it will not be exposed to sunlight or heat.
Sugar. Sugar can be used in a variety of different foods and can help you keep your energy up. Sugar also will help you to make comfort foods during hard times. Sugar should be stored in an airtight container.
Spices. Having spices in your food storage is important. The spices can help season your food — and many also have medicinal usages. Garlic, for instance, can help rid the body of toxins and is known to help fight cancer and other health problems. Turmeric is great for colds, as is ginger. You can purchase spices in bulk quantities and store in an airtight container.
Applesauce. Believe it or not, applesauce is a great and often-overlooked food item for storage. Applesauce can be served cold and goes great with any type of meal. It can also be eaten for a meal by itself and can provide your body with proper nutrients. Applesauce can replace the need for butter and sugar in various different recipes, including cakes and some breads. Be sure to store applesauce in a cool dry place.
Sprouts. Having seeds that you can turn into sprouts can help you have the right nutrition. Sprouts are chocked full of vitamins that are essential to your body. They are easy to get started and easy to consume. To store sprouts you will want to store seeds properly. This can either be done in the freezer or in a sealed airtight container.
New Survival Seed Bank™ Lets You Plant A Full Acre Crisis Garden!Beans. Beans can be used in a variety of different ways, which makes them a great food storage item. They can be cooked whole, mashed or even added to other different food items. Beans can help you add a versatile spin on some of your meals. There are many types of beans out there that you can store, with white beans being the most popular. Make sure that you store your beans in a cool dry place away from heat and moisture.
Dried fruits. Dried fruits can give you tons of nutrition and can be placed in a variety of different meals. They are very easy to store, with many being able to fit into a simple container. You can create tons of recipes that will help you to get the nutrition that you need. Fruits that you can dry include peaches, grapes, apples, strawberries, pears, apricots and pomegranate. To store dried fruits you will need to have them sealed airtight to prevent any damage.
Adding these foods to your storage can help you to have the adequate nutrition and comfort that you need. If you do not have any of these items or only some of these items in your food storage, you will need to start storing them as soon as you can. Having them may ensure your health and the health of your family.
What would you add to this list? Tell me in the comments section below.
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Personally, I'd cut comfort foods and sugar off of that list. Plenty of natural sugars in dried fruits and refined sugar is definitely not good for you (though better than some of the substitutes!)
I am the same way, but for my comfort are things like tea bags, granola bars or protein bars, peppermints and even a few packs of gum. I do not want a lot of useless sugar that has no benefit.