Minimum Food Storage

Today I want to bring up food storage and how a simple yet basic stockpile can save your life if the shit hits the fan. I have been quite lazy and stupid for not already starting with food storage, mainly because I was waiting until after I moved into my travel trailer. We all know famine or peak oil could hit at any time, so let me give you an insight on my future survival pantry. My plan will consist mostly of canned goods, flour, rice, oatmeal, beans, and maybe a grain grinder and a bucket of wheat. I wish my modest 12ft travel trailer had room for several years’ worth of food, but it just isn't possible. My food storage plan will only consist of enough food for 183 days; however I plan on expanding in the future. If I consume the bare minimum of 2,000 calories per day, my 6 month requirement would be around 366,000 calories. A stockpile of One-A-day men's daily vitamins will help supplement my diet without relying on fresh fruit and veggies. I hope to store most of my grub inside the trailer, but then again space is very limited so most dry goods will be stored under the trailer. Last month I saw 20lb bags of pinto beans at Food City for around twenty bucks. A single pound of dried beans is 1575 calories; therefore a 20lb sack of beans would consist of 31,500 calories. White rice has slightly more bang for the buck, at around 1600 calories per dry pound. I hope to fit four 20lb bags of both rice and beans under my trailer, stored in large plastic containers. This would guarantee me 254,000 calories worth of basic grub, however I don't know for sure if 80lbs of dry beans and rice will fit under there. The 122,000 calorie difference can be made up of cheap canned goods, oatmeal, flour, corn meal, etc. I am also considering a cheap van or enclosed trailer for extra storage, on the other hand I don't know if extreme weather conditions would play a role with shelf life. If I go the wheat and wheat grinder route I will more than likely store my wheat outside on a cheap homemade pallet, and pray to God the temperate peaks don't hurt it. In the long run, I feel minimum food storage of 6 months should be enough to allow for proper stock rotation. A self-sufficient approach would be a decent garden and several chickens and rabbits, and I do plan on investing into agriculture once I become familiar with my new lifestyle. Until then, I hope my worthless money is still able to buy weekly grub.

On another note, if anyone knows a better way to store food items when storage space and funds are limited, please let me know, I am new at WTSHTF food prepping.

Until next time... Travel Trailer Hermit… signing off...