We have a cabinet in the kitchen that serves to store our food supplies, particularly the canned goods - corned beef, spam, pork and beans, sausage, etc. From a rough estimate, that food cabinet can supply us with food for weeks when there is a disaster or catastrophe. But don't get me wrong, that's not the purpose of our food cabinet. I just have the habit of buying things in advance for stocking so we need not buy from the convenience store. Even candies, we also have a stock. I have developed that habit when my husband and I moved to an apartment. We were on our own and I felt so bare that we might go hungry at night and there's nothing in the cupboard. That made me realize that it is good to have some food stocked in the home. Remember, I grew up in a city apartment with a big family so food cannot be stocked for long.
Reminds me of my Mum, she always locked her wardrobe which made me as a child, very curious One day, I found the key and opened up to find a wealth of canned food ! I never told her I'd peeked, can only presume her hoarding went back to the war years when they were rationed very hard
We do much the same,@Corie Henson though much of our supply is home canned goods from our garden. We always keep extras of things we use a lot so we never run out. We keep a list in the kitchen and when we open the new pkg of something we put it on the list to be bought our next trip to the store. We also keep several cans of evaporated milk in case we run out of fresh milk before the next shopping day,
I've always tried to keep extra staples, canned goods, and even a few extra freezer meals on hand (meats and veggies to make meals, I should say)... but for the last year or so, I noticed that I'm more interested in "clearing it out" than stocking more. Not sure why, but I suppose it has something to do with clutter. In any case, I think it's a great idea to stock food... and water. My area is known for blizzards and tornadoes, so that nearly covers a whole year of disaster risk. Always plenty of water stocked here, and I really should start paying more attention to the food I have stocked as well.
I used to stock up until I found myself washing dishes, pots and pans more than I liked. Johnny would cook endlessly when during the first years of our marriage. There would be leftovers galore it was nerve wrecking to see food wasted.
My pantry barely has food in it, mostly filled with dog food and treats. I don't buy anthing canned ever. I never use sugar or flour so don't have that either. I have boxes of old tea that I should throw away. Some protein bars and that's about it. My fridge/ freezer isn't that well stocked except for sugar free popsicles...I usually go out every day so don't buy too much at one time. Also I don't like keeping my fridge too full especially when away since power could go out. I guess I should buy water but I always forget. I guess I'm one those people that doesn't worry about being prepared. Considering I don't have much food, I do spend a lot on it.
My aunt, 'mom's sister', would write the dates on the tops of cans or boxes of food in her cupboard. Either the date she bought it or the date it was supposed to expire. She would go through her stock at least once a week. Anything that reached the expiration date, or that she thought she had too long, was thrown out. She threw away lots of perfectly good food.
I think it is very smart to keep a stock of food. I think of getting sick and not feeling like going to the store. I also think of getting layed off from work; i would at least have food for a couple of weeks.
My food cupboards are absolutely full.. Pasta, rice, flour , canned fish, jars of sauces, beans, carrots, peas you name it, it's in there ...yet I barely ever use anything other than beans or fish out of a can. I have 2 freezers..both completely full of food, and I also buy fresh food for the fridge...bacon eggs cooked meats..fresh meat etc... I use the food from the fridge and freezers 90% of the time I grew up being half starved as a child...since being an adult and in complete control of my own diet, I've always been paranoid about not having enough food...
My SIL had that problem too. She had two fridges and several freezers packed to the brim also had a enclosed side porch full of canned goods. I guess she was afraid she would run out when she needed it.