Report Top 10 Items Sold Out After A Crisis

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 13

TOP 10 ITEMS

SOLD OUT AFTER


A CRISIS
INTRODUCTION
We’ve all read the blaring headlines, heard the disturbing reports and watched the heart-wrenching
video footage. Disasters all around the world have caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and left
millions upon millions of people homeless.

In 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean resulted in tsunamis that killed well over 200,000 people
and left countless others homeless, with Indonesia being the hardest hit. Six years later, a 7.0 magnitude
earthquake in Haiti and more than 50 aftershocks affected 3 million people, with 300,000 dying and
1 million left homeless. In 2011, the 9.0 magnitude Tohoku earthquake and resultant tsunami left 4.4
million people in Japan without power and 1.5 million without water.

Many people in the United States contributed to the Red Cross and other international agencies that
provided aid to the injured and the displaced following those disasters and others, while many other
Americans said prayers on their behalf. Some of us also told ourselves that these kinds of catastrophes
don’t happen here. But they do.

In fact, natural disasters are on the rise in


America. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina killed
more than 1,800 people, caused $81 billion
in property damage and left 3 million people
without electricity. Tornadoes in the U.S. in 2011
ended the lives of hundreds and destroyed
many homes, and California wildfires forced the
evacuation of 1 million people in 2007. Other
hurricanes which have wreaked havoc in the
U.S. in recent years include Ivan in 2004, Ike in
2008 and Irene in 2011.

At any time, one or more of these types of


crises could occur here in the U.S., including
earthquakes, hurricanes, fires, famines, floods
and environmental disasters, not to mention
epidemics, terrorist attacks and riots. We can’t
control if or when these emergency situations
will emerge, but there is one thing we can
control — our readiness to deal with them.

2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 1
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

When crises strike, a vast majority of people find themselves scrambling to fulfill their most basic
needs, as well as those of their families. But with electrical power disrupted and grocery store supplies
depleted, it is often impossible to properly care for your family if you haven’t prepared in the first place.

The old cliche — “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail” — has never proven more accurate than when
people are suddenly faced with an emergency situation that they are not prepared to deal with. It is
very likely that stores will quickly run out of important food items following an emergency, and even if
they don’t, it’s possible that prices for staples will skyrocket.

And it’s not enough just to have food stockpiled. It has to be the type of food that does not require
refrigeration. You could own more gallons of milk than anyone in your weather-ravaged city, but if you
don’t have electrical power or the space to keep it refrigerated, you might as well pour it down the
drain.

Your food supply must also include much-needed nutrition to


keep you and your family healthy over a potentially long period
Nutrition
of time. If you have 300 boxes of Twinkies and only two cans of
vegetables on your emergency shelf, your children will think We should all be focused
you’re a genius for the first day and then spend the rest of their on maintaining a healthy diet,
lives thinking you’re out of your mind. even in the best of times. But if
a disaster strikes, nutrition will
Your food items must be packaged properly to ensure a long become even more important as
shelf life. Hopefully whatever crisis causes you to delve into your we and our families try to cope
emergency supply will last only a week or less. But what if the with a challenging situation.
crisis goes on for several weeks or several months or even a year That’s why it’s crucial to make
or more? Having foods with the capability of lasting for years will sure that a vast majority of the
serve you well and give you peace of mind if grocery stores stay foods and beverages you include
closed for an extended period of time. in your emergency supply are of
high nutritional value. This will be
The methods you use to store your food are crucial to their a time when good health will be
longevity. Temperature, light and exposure to air and moisture are of utmost importance as you try
all important factors in ensuring that your emergency food supply to navigate your family through
will not spoil or be devoured by insects or rodents. the crisis.

Once you’ve gone through the list of the 10 items that will Packaging
disappear most quickly from store shelves, you may feel
Because they do not allow
overwhelmed at the prospect of obtaining all of them right away.
air in, cans will keep your food
In fact, that pressure may result in you abandoning the idea
edible much longer than boxes
altogether. But don’t worry about that. Start slowly with a basic
will. And those canned foods will
foundation and build from there.
contain more needed calories
than the ones in boxes due to the
Your first collection could include just enough food and water to
latter needing to be mixed with
get you and your family through a 24-hour emergency. Next you
water. Depending on the size of
could focus on increasing those quantities to help you through a
your family, single-serving sizes
three-day situation. Then build up to a week, a month, a year and
may be better than large cans
even several years if you want to. Like other things in your life, if
because it might be impossible
you turn the building of an emergency food supply into a habit,
to keep foods fresh inside
you’ll reach your goal.
those open cans until the next
time you use them. Periodically
There is a chance that people reading this report will go the rest
check on expiration dates. Ease
of their lives without needing an emergency food supply to help
of preparation should be a big
them survive a crisis. But do you want to take that chance? We
consideration when you select
hope and pray that you will not face a disaster, but it is more likely
your items.
that readers of this report will indeed face an emergency situation
at some point in their lives.

2 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

If one of those people is you, would you rather have what you and your family need to stay fed and
healthy safely tucked away in storage and ready to use, or would you rather be begging on the streets or
sent off to a FEMA center by the government? Let’s not waste time discussing that rhetorical question.
Instead, let’s take a look at the top 10 items that are most likely to disappear first from store shelves in
an emergency, examine why they are important for your survival, and focus on how you can package
and store them so that they are ready should you need them.

1. WATER
Let’s take the most obvious one first. People can go without food for an extended period
of time if they absolutely have to, but surviving without water is impossible, even in
otherwise ideal conditions. Of all the items on our list, this is one you do not want to
skimp on.

Situations that exist immediately following a disaster don’t lend themselves


to sitting around casually. It’s very likely that you will need to exert significant
energy immediately after a crisis presents itself, which greatly increases the
likelihood of dehydration if you are without water.

H20 at room temperature will never taste better than when you’ve been
negatively affected by an emergency situation. Whether you are experiencing
the “inconvenience” of losing your home’s running water for a day due to a
weather problem or whether you’re facing the prospect of weeks without
running water due to a disaster that has affected your town’s water supply,
you and your family will be extremely grateful to have bottles of water handy.

How much water will you need? Well, it’s estimated that you can get by on
one gallon per person per day. You’ll want to drink one-half of that amount
each day and use the other half for washing and for adding to food in the
cooking process.

In addition to plain old water, you might also want to include brands of bottled water that include
vitamins, such as Sobe and Vitamin Water, as well as sports drinks that provide very important
electrolytes and carbohydrates, including Gatorade and Powerade. Protein drinks can help you get by
for a short period of time when food is scarce.

2. DRIED FRUITS
There is nothing like the taste of fresh fruits and vegetables,
but during an emergency, you probably will not have the
luxury of being able to take a bite out of a crisp, freshly
plucked apple or enjoy a savory stalk of broccoli smothered
in melted butter. But a surprisingly close second choice —
and one that is far more realistic during a crisis — is the
consumption of dried fruits and vegetables.

The process of drying out fruits, vegetables and other


items involves removing the original water content
through sun-drying or the use of dehydrators. Not only do
these items taste good, but they also maintain a high percentage of their nutritional value. Even more
important to someone who is dependent on an emergency food supply, they are far superior to fresh
2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 3
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

fruits and vegetables in terms of shelf life.

Dried fruits provide essential vitamins and dietary fiber that you and your family will need during a
crisis, including vitamins A and K, calcium, potassium, iron and copper. Those fruits include apricots,
raisins, dates, prunes, figs, peaches, apples, pears, plums, cranberries, blueberries, strawberries,
mangoes and many more.

Among the vegetables that contain high nutritional content, including key vitamins and minerals,
are broccoli, potatoes, tomatoes, collards, spinach, okra, squash, avocados, peppers, mushrooms, peas,
carrots, corn, onions and cabbage. Others include a wide variety of beans such as soybeans, navy beans,
lima beans, kidney beans and green beans.

3. GRAINS AND CEREALS


For someone looking to survive an emergency, grains
are one of the most important foods, with whole
grains considered the most healthy. The combination
of the nutrition they provide and their incredible shelf
life makes them a very valuable commodity. What
makes a grain “whole” is the cereal germ, endosperm
and bran that it contains.

Some of the most popular whole grains are wheat


and brown rice. Providing energy and proteins, whole
grains also include oats, barley, maize, rye, millet,
sorghum and buckwheat.

Whole grains are also valued by emergency food


gatherers for their variety of uses, including in baking.
Among the products made from whole grains are
whole wheat flour, whole wheat bread, whole wheat Proper Storage
pasta, whole wheat macaroni and whole wheat
spaghetti. Non-whole grain products include white How you store your emergency food
rice, white flour, white bread and hominy. supply will be a critical factor in how long
the food stays good. It could make all the
Cereal is actually made from grasses that have difference in the world if the crisis you
been cultivated for the edible components of their face goes on for any duration. Shelves
grain. Worldwide, cereal grains provide more food and cardboard flats might be of much
energy than any other type of crop. Cereals are a greater use to you than refrigerators
good source of vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, because power may not be available.
protein, fats and oils. Store your food items at temperatures
between 40 and 70 degrees fahrenheit,
Featuring a relatively long shelf life, as higher temperatures will shorten their
breakfast cereals can be served quickly shelf life. Keep your food supply out of
and easily, and are especially enjoyed by the light as much as possible, as vitamins,
kids. Breakfast cereals that proteins and fats are susceptible to
provide nutrition are to be light. Also, keep your food items dry, as
selected over those that moisture can cause foods to spoil. Finally,
are heavy on sugar. consider keeping some of your food
items in a secondary location, just in case
a disaster precludes you from reaching
your primary source.

4 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

4. CANNED MEATS AND FISH


Our guess is that you prefer the taste of fresh meat and fish over canned products. But in the aftermath
of a disaster, it’s very likely that fresh meat and fish will not be available. Unless you are a vegetarian,
you are going to want some meat and fish products, and acquiring those items out of a can is going to be
a much better option than not having them at all.

Meats and fish provide much-needed protein that you might


not receive enough of in the other foods you’ve included in your
emergency supplies. This is food that is pre-cooked and processed
before being sealed in airtight containers. It also contains
carbohydrates and fats, plus some vitamins and minerals.

You might be surprised at how many different meats and fish are
available in canned form. Among the canned meats you may want
to stock up on are ham, chicken, turkey, pork, roast beef, roast beef
hash, beef stew, corned beef, ground beef, sausage, Spam, chili with
meat chunks, liver pate and soy patties. Even bacon can be canned!

There is also plenty of canned fish that you will appreciate having
on hand, including different types of tuna and salmon. Other options
for canned fish include smoked trout, gefilte, whitefish, herring,
mackerel, catfish, sardines, oysters, clams, caviar and snails.

All of these canned meats and fish can be heated quickly on a small stove, as can a wide variety of
soups that contain meat or fish, which could also be included in this category.

Variety
5. PASTA AND SAUCES
An event that is often held the evening prior to a The single most important factor in
grueling physical exercise such as a marathon or building an emergency supply stock is
triathlon is a big pasta dinner. Runners, bikers, to fill the basic needs of you and your
swimmers and others whose physical limits are about to family. You’d be better off being bored
be tested understand that loading up on carbohydrates with consuming the same healthy foods
provided by pasta will give them the stamina their over and over again than you would with
bodies need to compete at a high level. a wide variety of unhealthy choices. But
you can build a tremendous amount of
If you and your family find yourselves in survival variety into your supply and still keep it
mode for any length of time due to a natural very nutritious. Variety will keep you and
disaster or some other emergency situation, your family members in a better state
you may feel like you’re running a of mind. There is also the chance that
marathon. In addition to all of the vitamins, after an emergency strikes, you may
minerals and protein you will be receiving need to barter with neighbors who have
in other foods that you have stocked up on, something you need and vice versa.
you will also need carbohydrates. Pasta is a The greater the variety of your supply,
great source of carbs. the more likely you’ll be able to trade for
what you want.
There are many reasons why pasta
should be included in your emergency
food supply, including the fact that it is relatively inexpensive, easy to store and cook, has a
long shelf life, is filling and nutritious, and will provide you with much-needed energy. An

2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 5
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

extremely versatile food, pasta comes in a wide variety of forms. It can be served as the main dish in a
meal, or as a side dish or part of a salad.

Tasty whether hot or cold, pasta comes in many different forms, including spaghetti, mostaccioli,
lasagna, fettuccine, ziti, linguine, manicotti, rigatoni, rotini, vermicelli, bucatini and angel hair. Delicious
stuffed pastas include tortellini, ravioli and pierogi.

Some say that sauces are what make the pasta. Filled with nutrients themselves, these sauces vary
in color, texture and taste, and they add copious amounts of flavoring to pasta. Available in long-
lasting cans, these sauces include tomato-based sauce, alfredo, marinara, bolognese, pesto, puttanesca,
formaggi, tuscan herbs sauce, and mushrooms and garlic sauce.

6. NUTS AND SEEDS


One of the best things about nuts and seeds in the diet of
someone who is trying to survive an emergency is the fact
that they require no preparation whatsoever. Just pop them
in your mouth and enjoy the great taste and appreciate the
nutritional value and energy that they are providing during a
very challenging time.

Another advantage to nuts and seeds is the wide variety


that’s offered. Nuts that can be enjoyed quickly and efficiently
include walnuts, peanuts, almonds, pecans, cashews, pistachio
nuts, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts and acorns. Some require a
little time to remove them from the shell, but the taste makes
the effort well worthwhile.

A delicious food with nuts at its source — usually enjoyed


after being spread on bread or crackers — is peanut butter.
With high levels of monounsaturated fats, this is another good
source of energy. It provides protein, vitamins B3 and E, magnesium, dietary fiber and more.

The majority of human calories come from seeds, which also provide most cooking oils. Popular seeds
include sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax and sesame seeds. Many seeds include a wide variety of
nutrients, including iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, copper, potassium, zinc and more.

7. JUICES AND POWDERED MILK


So far, we’ve focused mainly on food and water, but you’re also going
to need plenty of other beverages to wash down that food and quench
your thirst. As with fruit, vegetables, meats and fish, juices and milk
are always better when fresh. But fresh foods may not be available in
an emergency. So, canned fruit and vegetable juices and powdered
milk are the best choices for beverages that you can include in your
emergency food supply and which will last a long time.

Juices consist of the liquid that is contained in fruit or vegetables.


They are a natural and healthy source of nutrients and can be a
refreshing substitute when fresh fruits are not available. Among the
choices for your supply are orange juice, which is rich in vitamin
C, folic acid and potassium; prune juice, which has digestive health
benefits; and cranberry juice, which is good for the bladder. Others

6 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

include grape juice, tomato juice, apple juice, pineapple juice and vegetable juice.

Powdered milk, which is an excellent source of calcium and Vitamin D, is preferable to condensed milk
due to its longer shelf life. It can be used for cereal, and is also good for drinking, baking and cooking.
It is normally produced by spray drying nonfat skim milk, whole milk, buttermilk or whey. Because it
has a low moisture content, powdered milk does not need refrigeration. Powdered milk is hardly a new
concept. A patent for a dried milk procedure was granted more than 160 years ago.

8. OILS AND SEASONINGS


Some people prefer bland foods over taste-enhanced foods. Then there is the other 99 percent
of the population that wonders if life would be worth living without cooking oils, herbs, spices
and a variety of other seasonings. These are the types of items that turn a cook into a chef, and
if you are going to be relying on your emergency food supply for any length of time, you will
definitely want to consider including oils and flavorings.

Let’s start with cooking oils. They are easy to store, can last a long time and provide plenty
of calories and nutrients. If you only pack one, it should probably be vegetable oil, canola
oil, corn oil or olive oil. If you have the room and your tastes are more exotic than most, you
might want to include soy oil, peanut oil or sesame oil.

There are also a wide variety of herbs and spices that you may wish
to include, and again you will be glad you did if you and your family
have to live off of your emergency supply for an extended period of
time. You can live without them, but they do provide nutrition and
definitely enhance the taste of many different dishes.

Among the herbs and spices you’ll probably want to store are
salt and pepper and a variety of powders, including chili, garlic,
onion, parsley, onion, oregano and cinnamon. You can also include
sugar as a sweetener and lemon juice as a seasoner. Vinegar can
also be used in cooking, and it’s useful for cleaning purposes and to keep insects away as well.

9. COMFORT FOODS
Quite frankly, you and your family can survive without items such as Pop Tarts and Oreo’s. And if you
are only dipping into your emergency food supply for two or three days, there is probably no reason to
open those specific “comfort foods.” But if you are settling in for close to a week or more of dependency
on foods you’ve set aside for just this situation, these kinds of foods can provide a psychological relief
for adults while simultaneously keeping kids happy and less worried.

A comfort food supply will look different for every family. It really comes
down to what each person likes. Lots of kids and adults enjoy snack foods
(sounds a lot better than junk food, right?) such as potato chips, cookies,
candy bars and hard candy. Of course, healthier snacks that also taste good
include granola bars, trail mixes and whole wheat crackers, each of which
provides important carbohydrates.

Some people would consider coffee and tea as a comfort food. Others
will tell you that they are absolute necessities and that they can’t function
without them. Either way, it would be wise to include instant coffee and tea
among your emergency supplies.

2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 7
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

You also might want to throw in a couple of bottles of wine or a bottle of your favorite liqueur. Once
the kids are asleep and you and your spouse are attempting to relax after another day of dealing with an
emergency situation, you’ll be glad you included these stress relievers. Of course, overdoing it will not
only make you dehydrated — and you don’t want to go there in a crisis — it could also make everything
seem worse in the morning once reality sets back in and your head is throbbing.

10. NON-FOOD ITEMS


If a disaster occurred, imagine how proud you
would feel about showing your family stack
after stack of canned goods and other items
crucial to their survival, informing them that
they would have enough food and water to last
a year. Then envision the incredulous looks on
their faces when you confessed that you had
forgotten to pack a can opener.

If you were facing the prospect of not being


able to make a visit to a stocked grocery store
for a few days, a few months or longer, there
are plenty of items that would be important
to have access to in addition to the ones that
you and your family could eat and drink. There
are quite a few non-food items on this list --and plenty more you could come up with if you put your
mind to it -- but don’t think you have to have them all. Go through the list and choose the ones you think
you’ll be most likely to need and then focus on acquiring them. Over time, you can add more to your
emergency supplies.
• Can opener • First-aid supplies
• Flashlights and batteries; candles and lighters • Small camping stove
• Copies of legal documents • Blankets
• Human and pet medications • Pencils, pens and paper
• Toiletries and cleaning supplies • Garbage bags
• Clothing and footwear • Insect repellent and rodent poison
• Sleeping bags and backpacks • Radio
• Dishes and utensils • Multiple vitamins
• Tools, including a shovel, hammer, axe, pocket • Canned pet food
knife and rope • Firearms and ammunition

What Not To Include


The rule of thumb here is to limit the number of items that you may not really need or be able
to use. Frozen foods are great if you have a working freezer because they will last indefinitely.
But major emergencies frequently knock out power grids, and without a working freezer, your
frozen foods will quickly spoil. Some people are high on MRE's (meals ready to eat) because
they're easy to store, last a number of years in the right environment and have fast preparation
times. But they can be expensive and some believe the taste is not really superior to foods
stored in cans. Finally, the amount of comfort foods you stock should be only a small percentage
of your overall supply. This will be especially important if the crisis goes on for an extended
period of time.

8 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T
TOP 10 ITEMS SOLD OUT AFTER A CRISIS

Legal Disclaimer

The authors and publishers both disclaim liability regarding any loss or risk incurred
as a direct, or indirect, consequence of the application and usage of any of the contents
within this instructional material.

Copyright

Those who have received or purchased the manual are neither authorized nor
permitted to transmit copies of this file to anyone without written permission.
Giving away copies to people who haven’t paid for them is illegal under international
copyright laws and will submit you to possible legal action. Therefore, the utilization of
this file is limited to personal use only.

4Patriots.com Terms & Disclaimer

Under no circumstances, including, but not limited to, negligence, shall 4Patriots, LLC
(“COMPANY”), or our subsidiary and parent companies or affiliates be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use
of, or the inability to use, COMPANY websites, or products, or services, or third-party
materials, products, or services made available through the COMPANY sites, even if
we are advised beforehand of the possibility of such damages. (Because some states
do not allow the exclusion or limitation of certain categories of damages, the above
limitation may not apply to you. In such states, our liability and the liability of our
subsidiary and parent companies or affiliates are limited to the fullest extent permitted
by such state law.) You specifically acknowledge and agree that we are not liable for
any defamatory, offensive or illegal conduct of any user. If you are dissatisfied with
the site, any materials, products, or services on the site, or with any of the site’s terms
and conditions, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using the site and the
products, services and/or materials.

Remember…Safety First!

2 017 © C O P Y R I G H T 4PAT R I OT S .C O M 9
FREE BONUS REPORT

© Copyright www.4Patriots.com
For educational use only -- see Terms & Conditions and Disclaim-
ers at www.4Patriots.com

You might also like