Thursday 04/01/18

Prepping is a subject that gets more than its fair share of bad press; for no other reason than the pursuit of ratings (for “reality” television shows). Unfortunately, mainstream media has portrayed preppers as gun-toting lunatics with fortified mountain retreats, eagerly awaiting the next extinction-level event. The average person, not bothering to question the accuracy of such dishonest representations, accepts this depiction as gospel and shuns the topic of prepping entirely.

Nothing could be further from the truth. There is nothing mysterious or dangerous about prepping. Prepping has nothing to do with wearing military fatigues or owning a truckload of guns. In its simplest form; prepping is being prepared for future events, mundane or disastrous. Prepping can, and should, be done by everyone.

You may not think of yourself as a prepper; but in many small ways, you probably are (the fact you are reading my blog indicates you are). Do you have a First Aid kit in the house? Do you know how to perform basic First Aid? Do you keep more than one spare lightbulb, and a stash of spare batteries? What about an extra box of laundry powder? If you answered ‘yes’ to these questions, then congratulations, you are already on your way to becoming a prepper!

Yes, it will cost you a few dollars to gather the basic supplies you need for a basic food stash, but not as much as you think. You don’t need a cupboard full of expensive long-life food, your regular groceries will do the job. You just need to buy a few more of the things you already eat.

I prefer tinned food because it requires no preparation and can be eaten from the can without being heated-up. The food you already eat is perfect: baked beans, spaghetti, tuna, stew, beef, ham, fruit. For a basic stash, you only need enough of it to feed each person in your household for seventy-two hours. And at least two litres of bottled water, per person, per day. To keep your supply from going out of date, regularly exchange the food in your stash for the new groceries from your weekly shopping.

Most importantly, keep this extra food in a plastic tub (or in a couple of sports bags – one per person), away from your pantry. This prevents your emergency supplies from accidently being eaten, then not being replaced.

And there you have it; there’s nothing scary or difficult about prepping. A small outlay of a couple of dollars will buy a few extra groceries that will keep you and your family out of trouble during the next blackout or flood. If you know someone who could benefit from the information in tonight’s blog, please share it with them on your social media account.