Storm Prep – 20 Things You Need Besides Bread & Milk

People see a weather spat coming and rush to clear the shelves of bread and milk. It’s a ritual even thought most don’t have eggs to make French Toast or want sandwiches.

Think beyond bread and milk! Think beyond fueling up vehicles. Think a few days without power, without being able to get out.

1. Soups, stews, canned goods for meals – think heat and eat here. Don’t forget a heat source (woodstoves are awesome here for heating and heating food!) to warm food up.

2. Foods that don’t need cooked. Peanut butter, crackers, cheese and canned ham, tuna or other things that you can make do with. Remember not just meals but snacks, especially if you have kids.

3. Batteries for flashlights and radios. You *do* have battery powered flashlights and radios, right? Another alternative – solar driveway lights. If charged outside during the day, they provide light without the danger of fire that candles hold.

4. Pet food. Insure your pets have enough food on hand too, especially if they need a certain diet.

5. Cards or games. Whatever did people do before video games? Reacquaint kids with learning to play checkers, chess, dominoes, Chinese checkers, hangman and rummy. Uno is another that can be played by kids or adults.

6. Prescriptions – you don’t want to run out so plan ahead.

7. Nuts, seeds, popcorn for snacks.

8. Fruit, cut veggies, dips.

9. Crackers, chips, pretzels. Try variety.

10. Sandwich meats you can use hot or cold – sliced ham, turkey or other meats work well.

11. Oatmeal is easy to heat with water for hot breakfast. Add some fruit, nuts, syrup, sugar/cinnamon or other flavors for much cheaper than pre-packaged things. Cold cereals work too.

12. If power isn’t an issue – slow cook a roast for pulled pork or chicken leg quarters for pulled chicken. Add some BBQ sauce – save leftovers to add to diced potatoes and onions for next day’s lunch.

13. Potatoes, onions, rice are staples here. We can cook from meals around the world and never leave home, provided the spice and herbs are stocked.

14. Yep – spices and herbs. Go beyond salt and pepper – garlic powder, onion flakes, crushed red pepper, cayenne, paprika, cinnamon and a wide variety of others. Easy to add flavor to your every day diet.

15. Books, magazines and other reading materials. Have the Kindle charged and loaded if you prefer reading that way.

16. Bird food – in cold weather, think of the feathered friends in the wild too – if everything is covered in snow and ice, they have a hard time finding food. Have some bird seed on hand to put out  in trying times.

17. Salad fixings – don’t ignore a healthy boost just because you can’t get out. Greens, croutons and other things to taste.

18. Extra blankets – if the power does go out, have enough to stay warm! Alternate heat sources are a good plan if you don’t have electric. Some have a small kerosene or propane heater for such emergencies – but be sure to also have plenty of fuel. (And close off rooms you don’t use – it’ll save that precious fuel.)

19. Plenty of patience and a sense of humor. Other people can pick up your attitude. Make it an adventure – a retreat vacation at home.

20.  Warm clothes – coats, hats, boots.

Be sure to take caution and leave water slightly on to help prevent freezing. Here in the south it’s not as weatherproof as northern construction. Plan for it.

Most of the time it’s but a day or two before things are back to normal. With preparation, you can make it through several days with reasonable comfort.

Spring is coming!