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Practical reasons why you should start storing food now – even if SHTF never happens

By Mary Miller // Dec 05, 2018

TAGS: bug out, bug out bag, emergencies, emergency food, Food storage, Gear, off grid, preparedness, prepper, prepping, prepping tips, self sufficiency, SHTF, survival, survival foods, survivalist

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Do you have emergency food supplies at home? If you don't, you might want to start thinking about stockpiling shelf-stable food items for long-term use. They could come in handy when you least expect it. Here are some reasons why you should consider food storage for your everyday life, even if SHTF never happens. (h/t to ModernSurvivalBlog.com.)

1. Loss of income. If you lose your job or experience a reduction of income, you won't have to worry so much about having food on the table. Simply put, even without money, you still won't go hungry.
2. Form of insurance. Storing food for long-term use can be considered a form of insurance. Even if you don't need the food at the current moment, you can buy it now and keep it for later use. When you do need it, it will conveniently be at hand. (Related: Make your food last longer safely with these food storage tips.)
3. Severe weather events. Snowstorms, hurricanes, floods, and other natural disasters can keep you stranded in your own home for days or even weeks at a time. Roadways may be blocked. Power and utilities might be damaged. This means you won't be able to just call for a pizza delivery. Without access to other sources of food, you will have to rely solely on what you have at home.
4. Currency devaluation. Inflation means prices will just keep going up. Sooner or later, you'll have to start spending more money on your grocery budget just to buy the same amount of groceries. Food prices might never be cheaper than they currently are now. If you buy more food now, you'll end up spending less for groceries in the long run. In time, you will be able to keep both more money and more food.
5. Long shelf life. Many food items can have extremely long shelf lives. Some food items can last for as long as ten years or even more. The prices of those items might be significantly higher in ten years' time.
6. Bugging out. If you ever have to bug out in case SHTF, you will have more than enough food for a quick evacuation. You can even already prepare a 72-hour bug out bag with three days worth of food, just in case.
7. Unable to leave the house. Even if no large-scale disasters happen, you may still find yourself in a situation that keeps you from leaving the house. You could have an illness or injury which would prevent you from going out or your car might break down. You could experience all sorts of family crises, either big or small. For whatever reason, if you can't leave your home, at least you'll still have your food.
8. Convenience. Even if you are perfectly able to leave your house, sometimes, you might not even want to. With a well-stocked pantry, you most likely won't need to. Why go on an impromptu grocery run when everything you need is already within the comfort of your own home?
9. Earthquakes. If you live somewhere that is prone to having earthquakes, having an emergency food supply will ensure that you won't go hungry even as damage to infrastructure disrupts food supply lines and brings your entire region to a standstill.
10. Terrorist attack. Terrorist attacks may severely inhibit your movement or travel. Give yourself less reason to panic by having an inventory of emergency food and supplies at home.
11. Financial economic meltdown. An economic collapse of the current financial system could bring about a scenario similar to, or possibly even worse than, the Great Depression. If that happens, any money you do have will be of little value.
12. Systemic risk of 'JIT'. JIT stands for "Just In Time". Nearly all distribution works on JIT delivery. This means that grocery stores and other outlets have no extra inventory in stock. If the supply lines are disrupted, this may lead to shortages in supply.

If you want to learn more about food storage, you can read more articles by going to FoodStorage.news.

Sources include: 

ModernSurvivalBlog.com

TheSurvivalMom.com

bug out bug out bag emergencies emergency food Food storage Gear off grid preparedness prepper prepping prepping tips self sufficiency SHTF survival survival foods survivalist

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