A question on my post about long-term food storage [0]:
Do you use this stockpile method for economic reasons, or because of the chance of problems in the world (famine, shortages, war)?
I've just recently started making my own rolls and biscuits; someone like me would be in trouble. It's something to think about. What does everyone else think of this?
While buying food in bulk definitely has economic advantages, it definitely goes beyond mere "saving money" for me.
Many Americans are guilty of assuming that the grocery store will always have enough on the shelves, or that it will always be easy to get there every week and purchase food. Going to the grocery store and buying food (or even having the money to buy food!) is not a guarantee -- even if we've been able to do it all of our lives and can't imagine something different.
Let's think about our basic needs as humans:
Food and water. Clothing. Shelter.
We're talking about what people need to stay alive. Food and clean drinking water are both absolutely essential to staying alive... so why would anyone not want to keep some stored ahead?! Are we willing to rely on the grocery store so heavily that if they're out of food, we starve?
I'm not suggesting that a person go overboard, stockpiling more than they could ever use. Obviously, food storage needs to be researched (to be done correctly, avoiding insect infestations, moisture, etc.) and then diligently cared for by rotating stock (using the oldest first). Spending money on something that you won't eat and/or will spoil before you're ready to use it certainly isn't worth the time and money!
I'm not ready to make any predictions about possible future events like food shortages, but to me, it just makes good sense to be a little more prepared -- especially when it means I can buy in bulk and save money, too! :)
I'd love to have some more reader input on this topic! Like I mentioned in my other post, our previous long-term (more than 12 months' storage time) food storage items were given to us -- so I got started without having to decide to. ;) Only recently, as some of our supplies have gotten low, have I decided to research and prepare a little more.
In some ways, having extras on hand (even of food!) is a challenge for me. We live in a relatively small house. I do keep the clutter/STUFF under control, but I also like to have neat and tidy shelves, not-over-crowded cupboards, etc... which can be difficult to maintain with a lot of food to store. Buckets really make it easier to store the bulk grains like oats and wheat! :)