552431 Tue Aug 26 16:06:55 -0700 2008 42 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3989251 Okay, we have another threat here in the Gulf Coast. The last one was, uhhh . . . I don't remember it's name since it didn't actually hit us here in Houston. My DH, who is usually the last person to take anything weather related seriously, woke me up early and said "Go stock up! A storm is coming." So I go to the store, which is full of folks in full panic mode (I'm thinking WTF??? Ain't going to happen.) and I am wandering around trying to figure out what to buy, beside some bottled water.. He is so picky, that it was a very limited choice. So, I get some peanut butter and cheese crackers, beef jerky, peanut protein bars, and since we have a gas grill with a burner on the side, I buy some Newman's pasta sauce, noodles, a couple of cans of spaghetti O's (his preference, not mine) and some chicken noodle soup, condensed. Then I am racking my brain for more items. I didn't want to get anything that needs refrigeration, or a freezer, so what to buy? Besides bottles water. Tue Aug 26 16:07:01 -0700 2008 80937 danhole 1 3989529 As Fay was showing a predicted path to my front door I stood in line for 40 min to get 2 LPG tanks filled. Sent the wife out for a dozen gallons of water. Didn't get as much as a drop of rain as Fay took a southerly turn into the state. I have so much food in my freezers that before we lost power I could transfer a lot of stuff into the fridge freezers and work off that without opening the upright freezer and eat well for at least a week. PB and canned tuna are always great to keep on hand. I think I could cook out of my pantry for a while after I could no longer use anything from the freezers. Really water is a biggie. You need it to drink and you need it to cook. I have enough water in my pool to use for flushing the toilets. And don't forget batteries and fill up your car soon in case you need to high tail it out of dodge since our gas stations were out of gas several days before people were even looking at this seriously. Wishing you good luck with this one. Gustov looks like it could be nasty when it hits the Gulf. Tue Aug 26 18:06:42 -0700 2008 3989251 89493 scubadoo97 1 3989566 Heh...I feel your pain..am in Naples, FL. We took a major hit here from Wilma in 2005, power was out in our neighborhood for 4 days. One thing I did not have then but I do have now is a good portable Coleman freezer chest, not electric (the kind you could take to the beach or on a camping trip)...just one you can throw some ice into to keep anything you had before the storm at least cold for a few days if your power goes out so that you can GRILL it on your gas grill. I think you have plenty for just the two of you (?); maybe sardines or kipper snacks would be good to add, though not everyone loves them--but they are easy to open and are very nutritious. Try to be sensible and not get caught up in the hysteria, too. Clean water is probably more important for flat-out survival. I hope Gustav stays away from everyone! Oh, gas is "down to" $3.74 a gallon here, big drop from $3.99...so I filled up on my way home as I kept reading headlines today about oil going up ALREADY in anticipation of Gustav coming into the Gulf. Tue Aug 26 18:22:40 -0700 2008 3989251 11983 Val 2 3995125 I was in West Palm for Wilma and ate grilled hotdogs and caned corned beef for four days w/o power. Never let a boyfriend stock up pre-storm unless you want to be w/o power AND puffy. Dern salt... I'm in Biloxi, MS now and went out to get supplies for Gustav yesterday. I didn't go nuts as I didn't want to be left with tons of canned things that won't get eaten. I bought water, a few cans of Campbells Select Harvest Soups, canned pears, mandarin orange cups, tuna pouches, special k bars, a bag of oranges, and extra food for our kittens. We already have PB, crackers, and canned beans. I also filled up my gas tank as I've noticed prices starting to creep up. If worse comes to worse I'll just drive north. My husband started pulling out the pre-packaged meals that are shelf-stable he had left from his last deployment...can't remember what they're called...Anyhow, he offered those to me(he's necessary personel so he HAS to stay on base in the case of evacuation whereas I'm not allowed to) but they hold about as much appeal as chewing on my shoe so I declined. =) Thu Aug 28 15:49:09 -0700 2008 3989566 82243 ArikaDawn 1 3989578 Having survived Hurricane Andrew and several others here in Miami I will add my 2 cents. Other than the obvious food items added to my hurricane supplies are; wet ones or any kind of baby diaper wipes to be able to clean up; huge amounts of paper towels; bought huge water containers from Wal-Mart to fill up with water instead of bying a ton of bottled water; tarps from Wal-Mart for immediate roof repairs; bug repellant; get cash from bank &/or bank machine as they will go down; candles; and as posted earlier gas for your grill because the propane dealers will sell out fast; cans of tuna fish; make sure you have a manual can opener; we also have battery operated fans; battery operated tv/radio; propane camping lamp with propane cannisters; matches. Last but not least do as earlier suggested, fill up your car with gas, lines will start getting ridiculous so get it filled asap. As the storm gets closer there will be lots more panic, etc. so best to get all of your supplies early and then sit and wait. Even if you are not in the eye of the storm sometimes the bands are even worse, especially on the eastern side of the storm, bands there are usually the heaviest. Needless to say if you have seen the news lately while Fay was only a tropical storm it caused severe flooding across the whole state of Florida since it sat here and stalled. East coast in places received over 33" of rain. Looks like Gustav is going to be major so you need to take it serious and get your emergency plans in order. Stay Informed, but above all Stay Safe. Tue Aug 26 18:28:24 -0700 2008 3989251 86166 cdesoto 1 3989645 To paraphrase a line from the movie The Graduate, one word, just one word, no it's not plastics, it's ICE. This is assuming you have everything else in order. Way back in 19 and 83 after Alicia in Houston, I was on the southeast side and got the eyewall, never the eye, sustained winds 95 plus. All the old oak trees were down, no water 7 days, phone 10 days, power 2 weeks. Did not miss the phone at all. It's 95 degrees the next day, and cold drinks are wonderful when cleaning up debris. Sounds crazy, but I got steaks and charcoal the day before and ate well for a couple of days. Tue Aug 26 18:55:08 -0700 2008 3989251 198541 James Cristinian 2 3995369 For us up here (I live in Montréal) ICE has a very different meaning, as the most recent dangerous storm was the great ice storm in western Québec and Eastern Ontario. Ice could have been picked from any balcony. And had to be, to prevent collapse. Like our Acadian cousins in Louisiana, we have metal balconies with wrought iron balustrades... Firstly, good luck and godspeed to all the people in Gustav's path in the US Gulf area and the Caribbean - it has already killed many people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic - there is a huge Haitian community here so that is a general concern. Of course we also hear of the threat to New Orleans and nearby regions and wish them not to re-experience Katrina... Since the ice storm a lot of us have been careful, even in the big cities of Montréal and Ottawa, to always have at least some tinned fish or other protein and water laid in. Yeah, cat food too, but he can also eat the tinned fish. A little Chinese catering stove can be nice for essential cooking. Alkapal, I agree with wine. Ideally good, but even some decent boxed stuff. If you have a little butane stove or other kind of non-electric stove, making espresso in a small moka pot or Melitta filter coffee will not take any more energy than instant. And you can use it for a lot of the foods mentioned here. I hate instant oatmeal (too spoiled by real Irish or Scottish porridge) and a lot of it is full of sugar - do you really want a dental emergency? but couscous, bulghur etc are nutritious and actually partly cooked. I've neglected to buy one of those wind-up radios first invented for the African bush but must do so as they are the most dependable thing. We got constant info from Radio-Canada/CBC. Thu Aug 28 17:42:50 -0700 2008 3989645 84119 lagatta 1 3989752 What I don't understand is why everyone waits until there is an emergency to get their stuff in order?????--doesn't make sense to me. We always have a stock of canned food, pasta, rice, etc. and also candles, propane and lamp oil(and lamps). We always keep at least 15 gallons of water because we are on a well that needs electricity. Ice storms are common here and power can be out for 1 or 2 weeks and the roads totally impassible. My suggestion is to do a good pantry with canned chicken, tuna, crab, clams, soups; and vegies such as green beans, corn, mushrooms; a good supply of whole wheat pasta, rice and for us wild rice. Ramen noodles are a great thing for emergencies because they don't take long to cook. Don't forget treats! We also have a freezer full of meat and vegies (and have a generator). Don't forget things like toilet paper, paper towels. If you do a bit each time you shop, you can have a stocked pantry. When stuff is on sale, buy a bunch. Tue Aug 26 19:39:52 -0700 2008 3989251 123710 pepperqueen 2 3989781 I am with you, get the water and other goods in before the panic. I start buying 2 for 1s from about March onwards and by the time hurricane season is here (south Fl) we could live on tuna salad on crackers for weeks, cereals and long life milk, canned fruit etc. I always have an extra bag of dog food for the pups. Wilma left us without power for 8 days and we did fine. Tue Aug 26 19:54:10 -0700 2008 3989752 22559 smartie 3 3989807 We bought enough water in June and have canned goods from last year. All I need is ice for the ice chest and some meat for the grill and I'm ready. Tue Aug 26 20:02:46 -0700 2008 3989781 198541 James Cristinian 1 3989813 so much already here, but a few other things... TJ's sells these pre-cooked rice dishes in pouches - jambalaya, mexican, and another flavor that are ready to eat and/or heat out of the pouch and shelf stable; there are other similar products made by Uncle Ben's in brown, white, chicken, etc. There's another brand maybe Annie's (?) that makes white sushi rice and brown sprouted rice that is shelf stable and cooked - comes in a round dish like package. You might also buy some instant oatmeal that you can add hot water to and revive. Dry cereal to munch on in a high fiber or simply a dessert-ier flavor if you can use your outdoor burner to make pancakes, you could buy shake it up Bisquick Canned beans and some dressings, those that come in the individual pouches, to make bean salads. Couscous that revives in five minutes with hot water Other munchies like granola or granola bars, nuts, dried fruits, and why not some good dark and white chocolate :) Tue Aug 26 20:06:45 -0700 2008 3989251 15572 Emme 1 3989946 I just buy stuff I like whatever the weather. Gradually use and replenish as needed. Canned goods you don't like may sit around till they're soggy when you open them (they won't spoil, of course, but will suffer in textture). If you're wondering about MREs, these may seem like a godsend when you're tired and hungry and tullets are flying past your head. But I've tried a number, out of curiosity, and only the ham passes muster. The ham, however, is quite good. Tue Aug 26 21:11:15 -0700 2008 3989251 55316 mpalmer6c 2 3990728 What are MRE's? Wed Aug 27 07:58:45 -0700 2008 3989946 80937 danhole 3 3990813 MRE = Meal, Ready to Eat - which are military rations/meals. I'm prior service but I remember it having a main, a side, crackers, seasonings like salt and pepper, jelly, peanut butter, or some kind of spread, dessert, a flameless heater, towlette, chewing gum, water proof matches, and some kind of powdered drink. But it could vary depending on the MRE you had. My favorites were ham and beef stew. My ex-husband is a former Marine and I was Army so we always kept a supply of MREs on hand. I still do this and it's all I can do to keep the kids from going into the stash and gobbling them up. My 12 year old son thinks they're much "cooler" than lunchables. Wed Aug 27 08:22:18 -0700 2008 3990728 146449 SoulFoodie 1 3989969 well someone from the pacific has to speak up... and again a single word SPAM Tue Aug 26 21:25:49 -0700 2008 3989251 57890 KaimukiMan 1 3989988 The last time a storm left me without power & water I had done everything that has been mentioned. The one thing I forgot was to grind my coffee beans! That one omission made the first day much more difficult than it should have been for me! Only thing not yet mentioned yet is to refill prescriptions that might run out. Edit: This year I have added some of the flavored tuna items. The Bumble Bee Sensations aren't bad and the flavor variety is nice after several days of canned stuff. Tue Aug 26 21:36:45 -0700 2008 3989251 111267 meatn3 2 3990439 That happened to me a few years back. I used the AC/DC power inverter in the car to plug in my grinder and enjoyed a good cup of joe when we were without power. Wed Aug 27 05:55:49 -0700 2008 3989988 89493 scubadoo97 1 3990039 a generator. gasoline. to run fridge and tv, radio, basic lamps. battery-powered multi-tasking lamps/lanterns. super-duper insulated ice chest (or two). ice. water (obviously). good wine. good wine. beer. cold beer. (did i say good wine?) oh, and little individual packages of mayo and shelf-stable half-and-half creamer pods. plastic utensils, paper plates. after charley hit us in n. ft. myers, i wanted coffee! so, maybe a grill with gas or charcoal/wood to fire up the camp stove and coffeepot. Tue Aug 26 22:01:22 -0700 2008 3989251 105717 alkapal 2 3990643 All of alkapal's,and even more shelf stable dairy.Neighbors,joint efforts take away some the sting. At least two over-rated heavy duty (50') extension cords,dedicated to your freezer/frig/micro-wave/coffee maker use.Some sort of candle "powered"re-heat thing,for coffee,soup etc. The last time we and our neighbors had a large outage,there was no doubt it would be long.We shared generator time for freezers etc.Took turns making coffee,Mellita and Chemex are god sent if you have a gas stove.POT LUCK, One uplifting,imaginative soul in the group had a "PLAN".ice cream first,then a long chainsaw clean-up party,check on all neighbors and pets.Organise a Whiskey Party,before ice became too much of a hassle or luxury.Do not let yourself down if avoidable.This fellow was in his late 70's,bossed,fussed and conned ALL into doing this "WELL".It is now ten years later and all of us are getting together for a TENTH REUNION.The guest of honor is now 88,still as bossy as ever.The only catch up that was huge 12 days later was laundry. Wed Aug 27 07:26:25 -0700 2008 3990039 203919 lcool 3 3990846 God bless those neighborhood organizers who understand the true concept of leadership! Wed Aug 27 08:32:17 -0700 2008 3990643 12023 Hungry Celeste 1 3990058 oh, and i'm liking the newish bush's "grillin' beans". Tue Aug 26 22:10:57 -0700 2008 3989251 105717 alkapal 1 3990372 Dan, ya gotta love gulf coast livin'. Here we are almost on the third anniversary of Katrina, and we're staring another one in the teeth...the latest projections have Gustav tracking into the north central gulf for Monday. Oh joy for all of us in south Louisiana...but back to the food part of your question: start cooking now. It sounds strange, but you need to fill up your freezer, as a full freezer lasts longer in the cold state without power than an empty freezer. Those "experts" tell you to fill up containers with water to fill it completely, but I say why not fill it with easy-to-reheat food? If you're marooned for days and days without power (been there, done that), a nice hot "real" meal is great for morale. And you just might end up feeding volunteers, or National Guardsmen, or the local volunteer fire department. If you don't already have a big ice chest/cooler, go get one. Start making extra ice in your ice maker (or in plastic tubs in the freezer--block-style ice lasts longer) and you won't need to brave those long lines at the stores. Fill empty bottles with tap water---no need to use the expensive bottled stuff for washing hands, clothes, floors, etc. oh, and make sure you have a good manual can opener and an extra propane tank. You'd be amazed at what you can learn to cook on a grill. Water is the most important thing to stockpile--calories last longer than you think, but water doesn't. Cook a big pot of red beans (or your favorite legume), divide into smaller containers & freeze. You'd be amazed at what you can learn to cook on a grill. Buy an extra dozen eggs and hardboil them; they make for easy breakfasts or egg salad sandwiches. Get a loaf of sandwich bread--normally I can't stand supermarket sliced bread, but that stuff has amazing staying power & will keep for a week (the good stuff goes stale so quickly). Get your favorite granola or cereal bars. Buy 5 lbs of potatoes--they keep well at room temp, you can make boiled/mashed/roasted with that burner/grill, and they're filling and comforting (same goes for sweet potatoes). Buy a few apples--bananas go bad quickly in the heat. Make some turkey or beefburgers and freeze individually wrapped--they'll be ready for the grill. If you don't have a french press coffee pot and you're a coffee junkie, get one of those; it is hard to go cold-turkey off of coffee when you're dealing with everything else. If you have to evacuate, you can fill your cooler with cooked, frozen food in lieu of ice. When you arrive at your destination, you'll have "real" food, either to share with your hosts or to microwave at your Motel 6. I've always found that it's easier to find shelter if you tell potential hosts, "and I'm bringing a big batch of whatever". By emptying out your freezer before you leave, you're also saving yourself the potential trauma of cleaning out a fouled fridge when you returned (trust me on this one, I still have dreams about the smell). The most important thing you can do is to check with your neighbors. Find out who plans to stay, who's going where, get emergency phone numbers, and ask what sort of supplies they have. If you do stay, try to get spare keys--you may be stuck for a long time with no outside support/supplies, and you can "shop" at the houses in your neighborhood (pay 'em back by cleaning their fridges, or yards, or whatever). Better that you eat their whole beef tenderloin on day 4 of your ordeal rather than having it putrefy and ruin their Sub-Zero. Plus, if they're staying too, you may need them in ways you haven't begun to imagine. Find out who has first-aid skills, who has a gun, who has a generator, who has a gas stove (somehow we never ever lose gas service), who has a boat/sea-doo, who is a reserve sheriff's deputy---if I sound as though I'm planning for "Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome" it is because I've been there and back. At various points, food will be the least of your worries. And if you want a cookbook, try The Storm Gourmet by Daphne Nikolopoulous. http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Gourmet-Creating-Extraordinary-Electricity/dp/1561643343 Wed Aug 27 05:15:22 -0700 2008 3989251 12023 Hungry Celeste 1 3990804 I'm loving all these ideas. Besides things already mentioned I was thinking alfredo sauce, canned hormel/wolf chili, garlic, ginger, chili powder or dried chilies, canned and roasted green chilies, soy sauce, etc. I also always have in my pantry a product made by goya that I find in the hispanic section of the grocery store it's ham flavored concentrate. I use it to make my refried beans without the calories but you could use it for soups or whatever. danhole we live in the same city. Take care. Wed Aug 27 08:20:38 -0700 2008 3989251 19121 tlegray 2 3990985 You know I am not a stick your head in the sand type of person, so I try to keep a supply of batteries, candles, portable radios, and TV (until they pass that damn digital law). We also have 3 grills in our backyard, one is gas and the other 2 are charcoal. I have a couple old pots that are perfect for cooking on a grill. We have propane, and some very large containers that I can fill with water. If I think a storm is coming I start stockpiling ice from the ice maker, putting it in large zip up bags and stuffing our freezers with them. Another thing I have found that keep the freezers nice and cold are fill large plastic bottles with water, 3/4 full, and put that in the freezer. And I do have a couple of ice chests that I can fill up. It is just the food that baffles me, because the DH is so picky! Before Eduardo, which fizzled for us thank heavens, I had bought some canned chicken, which he turned his nose up at. Since everyone has given me so many good ideas, I may make a big batch of chili, and portion it out in the freezer. I'm not sure about the shelf stable meals, but I will look at them and see if I can find something he might eat. I am really easy to feed, so I could live off our pantry for a couple weeks. I had not thought about potatoes, but that is a great idea. Putting that on the list for sure. We went through Alicia back in '83. We live in Oak Forest - need I say more? Trees down everywhere. No water, power, phones. It took us 2 weeks before we regained power, but the water wasn't near as bad, since we lived in an apartment complex with a pool. Lots of neighbors and we all joined ranks and did what we could. Had some really odd meals, but we survived. Of course I had a toddler back then, so we traveled from one family to another for the sake of the child. (yeah, right, blame it on the kid!) We have also survived some freaky tornadoes, floods and just about every time there is a strong storm we lose power, because of the over abundance of trees around here! We don't have neighbors we can really rely on at this point, because they are mostly elderly, and their families come and whisk them away! Tlegray - I have my canned chili stocked already, and plenty of hot dogs and sausages for the grill. I'll have to look for that Goya Ham concentrate. You take care as well. You, too, James! Hopefully this will skip us, but I hope it doesn't hit Louisiana, again! Wed Aug 27 09:00:56 -0700 2008 3990804 80937 danhole 3 3991004 Thank you --we need all the hope & prayers we can get, on this anniversary week of Katrina. I also forgot to mention that you should cook a big pot of rice while you still have power--fried rice is easy to make in a skillet/wok on the grill, and it stretches a long way to feed many people. Wed Aug 27 09:05:13 -0700 2008 3990985 12023 Hungry Celeste 4 3991039 i ate for four days my leftover "porcupine" meatballs (rice-studded, y'all -- not the critter....) with sauerkraut after hurricane charley. it sustained me. wouldn't a huge wedge of cheddar cheese be good (wrapped in a vinegar-dampened cheesecloth)? now with all the pouch seafood, things should be easier. i read recently where the us govt is buying up lots and lots of freeze dried meals. http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=70281 re cooked rice, i heard that goes bad quickly. it is easy enough to cook each time you need it. a wee bit ot, but they're selling a garage door opener now that (i guess) operates off a battery back-up during power failures. Wed Aug 27 09:15:51 -0700 2008 3991004 105717 alkapal 5 3991059 I meant to cook it & keep it chilled (like in an ice chest). Don't keep it at room temp. Wed Aug 27 09:20:38 -0700 2008 3991039 12023 Hungry Celeste 6 3991071 a big fried rice party would also be good to use up odd tidbits of folks' refrigerated meat/veg. a fun neighborhood event! Wed Aug 27 09:24:46 -0700 2008 3991059 105717 alkapal 5 3991084 Would that chunk 'o cheddar require the ice chest or not? I could live off cheese. I would be the only one to gain weight during a disaster, but boy would I be happy! I need a good porcupine recipe. Could you post yours on the home cooking board, pretty please? Wed Aug 27 09:28:06 -0700 2008 3991039 80937 danhole 6 3991185 Thanks everyone! This reminds me to check my own supplies. When the tsunami hit Asia and there was talk about whether or not California would be hit, my mom packed 5 gallon Supply buckets for each family memeber. She packed: hand crank radio clean tshirts/skivves towel/wash clothe/toileteries/tp work gloves garbage bags batteries first aid kit water/meal bars flashlight pencils and writting tablet Now, my question is, when should I rotate the water and meal bars? Wed Aug 27 09:56:04 -0700 2008 3991084 29932 MIss G 6 3991236 the cheddar might get oily, but it wouldn't *have* to be kept on ice. tastes better room temp (but that is *usually* cooler -- and drier -- than post-'cane temp & humidity.) for those who don't know, it is like living in an ant-swarming, steam-bath-spa for many days. (the storm stirs up all sorts of critters -- including those bleeping fireants. (note to OP: get lots of isopropyl alcohol, pain-killing neosporin, alcohol prep-pads (individually packaged), and that benadryl spray to kill itching. ) because between the ants biting the hell out of your feet and legs, you have to clean up the yard's broken limbs, blown-off roof tiles, broken glass/ceramics, rotten timbers, or worse. like inside, falling ceilings and collapsing drywall.) (note to OP, add heavy duty leather yard gloves with high cuffs, for cleanup, like the ranch/farm gloves in the upper left corner here: http://www.ccmac.com/ ) also, add baby wipes and cottonelle http://www.cottonelle.com/product_wipes.aspx so, one can feel "fresh as a daisy" in the aftermath of disaster -- even without lots of clean running water. _______ big gap ________ dani, on the lighter side (;-P) i'll get that recipe for you. it is tremendously popular with all -- even those who don't typically *like* sauerkraut. p.s., how were the el tiempo fajitas? mr. alka is in houston till saturday....pps, i forgot YOU were the op. ha ha! Wed Aug 27 10:08:04 -0700 2008 3991084 105717 alkapal 7 3991561 Amen to the basic cleaning & first aid supplies. Don't forget the bleach--it is vital in the aftermath of a flood, when you can't trust the potability of water out of your faucet and when you need to think about sanitation. It can be helpful to put a capful or two in your rinse water for dishes, esp if you are using collected rainwater or suspect tap water. Wed Aug 27 11:36:05 -0700 2008 3991236 12023 Hungry Celeste 7 3991562 These are all great suggestions, and I think i will print out this thread and take it with me when I shop this afternoon. Im stocking up on the canned goods/water, too. And Thanks to alkapal for reminding me about those f***ing fire ants ... I will treat all their favorite places with poison TODAY. Id like to think I can deal with a few days away from the computer and electricity, but I know I would miss my air conditioning. Ugh ... Dani - don't forget I have a pool if you guys find yourself needing water. And dont forget to fill your car with gas and get some cash from the bank -- ATMs dont work without electricity either! (learned this during Tropical Storm Allison) Wed Aug 27 11:36:14 -0700 2008 3991236 102895 Cheflambo 7 3991704 Alkapal, Thankfully I have all the items you mentioned on hand already! And bleach, too! We didn't go to El Tiempo, boo hoo. Soon though! Wed Aug 27 12:20:31 -0700 2008 3991236 80937 danhole 7 4027525 alkapal, email me at danhole@pdq.net, and put your name in the subject line, pretty please with sugar on top. Dani Thu Sep 11 15:00:30 -0700 2008 3991236 80937 danhole 3 3991687 The ham concentrate (boullion)...we call it pig dust...is in a little box and has a picture of a pig on it. It's usually on one of the higher shelves in the hispanic section and it's made by goya. They also offer a shrimp or fish flavor with corresponding picture. Wed Aug 27 12:14:58 -0700 2008 3990985 19121 tlegray 1 3992221 This situation has been discussed before and deserves repitition as needed. http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/468278 There was a suggestion recommending cheese. Brilliant. Alkapal, I could exist happily for an extended period on decent cheddar, dry salami, good dills and crusty loaves. Sauerkraut and pickled hot-pepper thingies would keep me there long after any crisis subsides. Buried in the thread I posted above is a reference to cash, "As soon as the lights die, so do all POS terminals, debit and credit machines, and ATMs. Keep a cash stash on hand and immediately head to the nearest Mom and Pop variety for essentials - chain stores are completely paralyzed." Wed Aug 27 15:01:04 -0700 2008 3989251 55318 DockPotato 1 3992332 Many good reco's here, plus the reminder to cycle out the stuff that was not used the last 2 summers, if it's not too late. I noticed 6 jars of pasta sauce in my emergency pantry that are 2 years old- Bertolli and Newman's, most are past the recommended "eat by" date. Danhole, another practical item that I don't think has yet been mentioned is the little one- pound canned danish hams. One is apt to refrigerate them, but the label states "needs no refrigeration until opened". Certainly a safe meat/protein item, after the cooler of ice has melted. My friends in Tampa/St.Pete tell stories analagous to alkapal's about the sweltering living hell 4 years ago, when they were without power for 7-10 days. (I've been here 3 years). They persuaded me in short order to buy a fairly large generator and keep a week's worth of fuel, which I did/do. It makes many of the other issues go away, provided that man and machine survive the storm. I have a 6000 BTU window unit AC for my bedroom, still in the box, and the capacity to run the AC, fridge, microwave, lights, stereo, TV for a week. The 5500 watt generator was $660. Peanut butter and cheese& crackers can tide one over for a couple days, but preparations for 10-14 days with no external assistance is more complex and more expensive, but I judge to be essential. I have elderly neighbors who would be deer in the headlights, and I'm ready to help. Let's hope for a halcyon season. Oh, and my friends said have plenty of beer on hand. They had little else to do for a week but drink beer, FWIW. Wed Aug 27 15:51:10 -0700 2008 3989251 57170 Veggo 2 3992785 My father always said beer is a food. Add a bit of cheese and a carrot and that should keep one going for at least 3 - 4 days...don't you think? Wed Aug 27 19:15:15 -0700 2008 3992332 75332 Gio 2 3993022 Veggo, We have often eaten pasta sauce that has expired and it was just fine. Canned hams keep for a very long time--we just ate one that expired in 2004, again no problem Wed Aug 27 20:57:15 -0700 2008 3992332 123710 pepperqueen 1 3997236 Food: Boil-to-reheat Indian Food Instant oatmeal / grits Pasta Jarred sauces Pouch meat / seafood Shelf stable milk/juice Canned goods Junk food (chips, candy, etc) Not food: Propane A camping shower Hand crank radio Board games/cards/ puzzles, etc Books A teapot (one pot heated on the grill makes a french press of coffee and a serving of oatmeal) Tarp Big cooler Batteries Lantern/Candle/Flashlights If you have a generator: Gas Cans Extension Cords Christmas lights Fans Electric Skillet Portable Electric Burner --Lisa No power for 10 days after Wilma. My kit has improved markedly since then. Fri Aug 29 13:35:12 -0700 2008 3989251 166380 ldkelley 2 3998431 A telephone that is NOT wireless - a actual old fashion plug-into-the-wall-phone. When the power goes out, so does your wireless. A way to re-charge your cellphone. Some hand crank radios have plugs or car adapter. Do ALL your laundry so you don't run out of clean clothes if the power is out for an extended time. Fill all the bathtubs. You can bucket-flush the toilets and use that for washing hands and dishes. Get cash. ATM machines go down if power goes out or run out of money. Credit cards didn't work for months after Katrina. Sat Aug 30 08:11:19 -0700 2008 3997236 32444 MakingSense 1 4072338 Learned a lot surviving Ike! I posted some good hints for future reference in this thread: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/560248 Hope no one ever needs to use any of them though! Tue Sep 30 10:38:18 -0700 2008 3989251 80937 danhole