Food Storage Friday #1: Emergency Supplies- Honeyville Farms

Food Storage Friday #1: Emergency Supplies Posted: 03 Aug 2012 11:55 AM PDT Hello and welcome to our first official “Food Storage Friday” post. We kicked things off last week with our special Food Storage 101 segment and introduced six basic Honeyville items that everyone should have in their own food storage.  Well today we thought we’d take the “food” out of “food storage” and focus on those non-edible products that are perfect for anyone's emergency prepardness. There are many non-food items that should always be kept in mind when it comes to continuing the shelf life of our food, such as Oxygen Absorbers and storage buckets with Gamma Lids. For our discussion today though we'll be focusing on products we use every day, which we've seperated into these four categories: Paper Products, Personal Hygiene, Medicine/First Aid, and Lighting/Power. Paper Products We’ve all been there. That terrible moment when you realize there isn’t any toilet paper in the house. See now why this is a great addition to your emergency supplies? But paper goods also includes Paper Towels, Feminine products, and even diapers and wet wipes for the little ones. All these products have virtually no expiration date, so why not stock up? And they are extremely easy to rotate into your daily use. But remember to re-stock as you rotate out. Personal Hygiene Some of the biggest products people go through quickly, besides food, are those that deal with personal hygiene. You need them, you use them, so get them. Some products you should include would be toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and conditioner, deodorant, soap or bodywash, and razors and shaving crème. A great thing to remember when shopping is the rule of two. Instead of just buying what you need now, also get what you’ll need later. Pick up two tubes of toothpaste this time. Why not buy that two-pack of bodywash? Are those toothbrushes on sale? Then grab a few! Little steps here and there really help to build up your own storage. Medicine/First Aid Yes, everyone should have a First Aid kit in their home for any emergency that comes along. But what about extra cold medicine? How about aspirin or Tylenol? Do you or a family member take prescription drugs and, if so, do you have enough to get you by if there was an emergency? Though medication can be a more expensive purchase than most products, they’re a necessity that you’ll use not only in your storage, but in your everyday activities. Lighting/Power Now, I’m not saying that it is time to stock up on gallons of diesel fuel and gas-powered generators…yet! What I’m talking about are the basic tools that everyone needs in an emergency, with the biggest being an extra flashlight or lantern. These are items that can be used at any time, whether heading on a camping trip or getting around the house during a power outage. Another essential purchase are batteries. You can never have too many batteries, and since these will more than likely be powering your lighting tools, the more the merrier. You’ll know you’ll use them, so make sure to stock up when you can. And for those looking for a bit more power for their emergency prepardness, check out the HUMLESS Sentinel Generator (pictured below) at any of our four retail locations. Now that we’ve got a basic starting point for all of our food storage needs, tell me what you like to use? What are some emergency supplies you can think of that we have included?