One thing I always have on hand as hurricane season starts is shelf-stable salsa. I use it as a sauce for protein, and as a dip for raw vegetables and chips.

When the power first goes out, I even make a quick Mexican stew on the grill out of ground meat (from the freezer), canned beans, taco seasoning or cumin and other spices, and a jar of salsa.

Hurricane food always seems bland (peanut butter and jelly, toaster pastries, tuna …) and salsa adds pep to everything it touches.
Pace has two great new versions: Pineapple Mango Chipotle Salsa (at left) and Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa. Widely available, the price is $3.49.

Grab some for your hurricane supplies, and if you want that Mexican stew recipe, go to www.pbpulse.com/dining/tried-and-new under the headline “Share your hurricane must-haves!”

The second day’s contest, below, is over. To see the new question, click here.

There are a LOT of great ideas in your comments. It was hard to choose, but congratulations to Maria! Here’s her tip(s):

I usually prepare meals for dinners and freeze in aluminum pans that can later be heated on the grill. I make about a weeks worth (Spahgetti, Salsbury Steaks, Chili, Beef Stew).For Breakfast, I always stock up on a variety of cereal and Horizon Organic milk (does not have to be refrigerated) Comes in regular milk, chocolate and Strawberry and are very good. For lunch I stock up on cans of chef boyardee which can be heated on the grill. Peanut butter and jelly is a lifesaver.Tuna, Canned soup…..ect.
Snacks: Pudding cups, Jello cookies, Chips.
In our neighborhood we usually grill what will not last too long and share with the neighbors and visa versa.

Win free groceries, just by sharing tips with us.

To enter, share your best tip today (each weekday’s contest will have a new topic). We’ll pick one winner a day, every weekday, for a month!

Today’s question: What’s your best tip for getting ready for a hurricane, in terms of food? Do you shop first, or cook things that will empty your freezer, or buy only junk food and water? Is there something specific you always make before the power goes out?

Post your best tip below (and please use a real email address when you register, so we can reach you when you win!) and we’ll pick the best tip and award that person a bunch of yummy products to try.

If you win, we’ll contact you about how to collect your bag ‘o yummies in a reusable, eco-friendly shopping bag (Thanks, Whole Foods, for the bags!).

Watch this space for new questions and prizes every weekday for a month!

Every bag is different, but some of the items included are: Lance whole-grain snack crackers, Crisco olive oils, Skinny Cow ice cream treats, Wickles pickles, Penzey’s cinnamon, Orbit gums, Pepperidge Farm 100-calorie packs and granola cookies, Tyson products, Truvia sweetener, Eagle Mills Ultragrain flour, Zen Crunch, Dunkin Donuts, and lots of grocery coupons, too.

I first heard about Wickles pickles on the Chowhound website . In Publix, they are tucked in a top refrigerated shelf at the back of the store near eggs and horseradish. I’d never have found them if I hadn’t been searching.

They are much like what Southerners call fire and ice pickles: sweet, hot, garlicky and coldly dilly, all at the same time. Addictive.

The Wickles folks make other products too, including banana pepper rings, relish and pickled pepper strips. You can see more on their website.

Wickles are a classic success story. Using a 70-year-old recipe, they began to make Wickles as gifts for friends. Word spread, and so did demand, until Wickles became a hot business.

You can buy Wickles  at speciality gourmet stores, and locally at Publix. They sell gift packs on their website.

My sweetie loves these with ham, or barbecue (or just standing up, in front of the refrigerator). I keep a few jars on hand as little hostess gifts and to take to picnics, too.

Lance, the kings of snacking, have removed high-fructose corn syrup and artificial preservatives from their products. (Every time I use the phrase “high-fructose corn syrup” in a bog post, I get snippy letters and blog comments about how great it is, from the corn producers association, or the high fructose corn syrup cheerleaders. Watch for their comments below soon.)

In addition, Lance has introduced a bunch of new products that are really handy and tasty. First, 100-calorie packs available in the three most popular Lance sandwich cracker varieties: 

• ToastChee Peanut Butter: 100% creamy peanut butter on mini baked cheese crackers.
• Toasty Peanut Butter: 100% creamy peanut butter on mini baked, buttery crackers.
• NipChee Cheddar Cheese: Real cheddar cheese on mini baked, cheese-flavored crackers.

Look for the boxes of 100-calorie packs on the snack aisle. They are quite tasty, and don’t sacrifice taste or texture to trim down to a healthy 100-calorie serving.

The item I tried that I really loved is whole grain crackers with sharp cheddar cheese.

Lance is replacing its wheat sandwich crackers with whole grain sandwich crackers. They long ago got rid of lard (in 1988) and trans fats (in 2004).

As part of the switch from wheat to whole grain, Lance is replacing its Swiss on Wheat with Sharp Cheddar Cheese on Whole Grain. Other whole-grain varieties include: Real Peanut Butter on Whole Grain and Real Cheddar Cheese on Whole Grain.