Introduction
A Rational Prepper thinks about how likely an undesirable 'situation' might be and what costs or actions can be taken to eliminate or reduce the impact.
The 'situations' that are the most likely in the next 12-24 months are:
It's easy to just avoid Urban America... just move away... don't put yourself at risk.
As a Rational Prepper I'm thinking about how to reduce/mitigate the impact of food inflation as we try to sustain our lifestyle. Mostly, this just involves stocking up when items are on sale.
Royal Basmati Rice
Today, I give you a small, somewhat silly example to show the difference between sustaining and surviving.
Years ago, my very good friend and Chef Extraordinaire, Mr. Lanza Romanza, introduced me to Royal Basmati Rice. It is grown in the Himalayan foothills of India and it changed my mind about rice. I have been cooking with Royal Basmati ever since.
Several weeks ago I read that India will be hoarding rice for their own people so I went to Walmart and bought an extra 20 lb bag of Royal Basmati. ($18 for 20 lbs... YAY).
As an aside, I always buy rice in 20 lb bags to save $$. We eat rice once or twice a week, so 20 lbs lasts 6-8 months. I expect supplies will get worse next year so I'd like to have enough to get by. If it's properly stored, rice will last for several years and it won't go to waste.
A Rational Prepper thinks about how likely an undesirable 'situation' might be and what costs or actions can be taken to eliminate or reduce the impact.
The 'situations' that are the most likely in the next 12-24 months are:
- Continued inflation/shortages of energy and food.
- Recession and loss of income or loss of savings
- Escalating violent crime in urban America.
It's easy to just avoid Urban America... just move away... don't put yourself at risk.
As a Rational Prepper I'm thinking about how to reduce/mitigate the impact of food inflation as we try to sustain our lifestyle. Mostly, this just involves stocking up when items are on sale.
Royal Basmati Rice
Today, I give you a small, somewhat silly example to show the difference between sustaining and surviving.
Years ago, my very good friend and Chef Extraordinaire, Mr. Lanza Romanza, introduced me to Royal Basmati Rice. It is grown in the Himalayan foothills of India and it changed my mind about rice. I have been cooking with Royal Basmati ever since.
Several weeks ago I read that India will be hoarding rice for their own people so I went to Walmart and bought an extra 20 lb bag of Royal Basmati. ($18 for 20 lbs... YAY).
As an aside, I always buy rice in 20 lb bags to save $$. We eat rice once or twice a week, so 20 lbs lasts 6-8 months. I expect supplies will get worse next year so I'd like to have enough to get by. If it's properly stored, rice will last for several years and it won't go to waste.
Sustaining vs Surviving
Again, this is a silly example. If we can't get Royal Basmati, we could survive on Uncle Ben's (sorry, he is not an Uncle anymore) boil-n-bag rice. But I prefer Royal Basmati and I want to sustain my preferences.
Storing rice in 20 lb bags is inconvenient and the rice might deteriorate if its exposed to humidity or icky bugs. Fortunately, storing any dried staple is SO EASY.
First, I save the Atlas/Mason jars from Classico spaghetti sauce. Of course I could just buy new jars at Walmart or Kroger... but I'm frugal.
Make sure the jars are clean and dry. The Classico jars hold 20 ounces so you will need 18 jars. Fill all the jars with rice.
Again, this is a silly example. If we can't get Royal Basmati, we could survive on Uncle Ben's (sorry, he is not an Uncle anymore) boil-n-bag rice. But I prefer Royal Basmati and I want to sustain my preferences.
Storing rice in 20 lb bags is inconvenient and the rice might deteriorate if its exposed to humidity or icky bugs. Fortunately, storing any dried staple is SO EASY.
First, I save the Atlas/Mason jars from Classico spaghetti sauce. Of course I could just buy new jars at Walmart or Kroger... but I'm frugal.
- Note: You shouldn't use the Classico jars for pressure canning but they are excellent for storing dry goods (like rice or beans).
Make sure the jars are clean and dry. The Classico jars hold 20 ounces so you will need 18 jars. Fill all the jars with rice.
I already have a six month supply of rice so these jars will sit in the pantry for several months. To insure freshness I will put an Oxygen Absorber in each jar before I seal it.
Once you open the packet of Oxygen Absorbers you need to move quickly, so have your lids lined up and ready to go. 100 cc absorbers are sufficient for preserving a jar. (Click the pic for a link to Amazon).
Drop one absorber in each jar, screw the lid on tight, and you are DONE!
Note: when the absorber has consumed all the oxygen in the jar it will create a vacuum seal. The rice will stay fresh indefinitely.
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