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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.
Hurricane Preparedness – Starting 6/1, we start emptying the freezer by cooking everything. That means some traditional meals, and some not so traditional meals as you get creative using up the “surprises” in the freezer. Plus we get to defrost our extra freezer. The pantry is stocked with foods that can be prepared on the gas grill using the side burner. And we have a tea kettle to make hot water in order to brew coffee (using the coffee basket plus a tall pitcher, we make our normal pot of drip coffee, without the coffee maker!). Milk-in-the-box is also a hurricane staple to satisfy that cookies and milk craving!
I normally try to cook/eat everything that is perishable first and donate any excess food to neighbors or friends close-by. I dont like to wait till the last minute before the hurricane to buy supplies so I go once a year and stock up on non-perishables and supplies. A few weeks after the storm passes I then restock my pantry with supplies. Ravioli’s!
Ever since the storms a few years ago, we only buy enough meat for the week ahead just in case. But for the most part, we keep our pantry full of canned goods and bags of chips, crackers and bread (and plenty of yummy snacks!). We also stock up on bottled water throughout the year and keep it in our laundry room. Once a storm is close, we buy bags of ice and keep it in the freezer in case the power goes out. And of couse we are sure to have an over supply of pampers/wipes for our toddler :)
Hurricane preparedness starts before June 1st – take advantage of pre-season picnic BBQ sales. Stock up on grills, lanterns, plastic ware, camping gear, etc. You WILL need these items if you have no power.
When faced with the knowledge of a hurricane coming, go to bed EARLY, so you can get up EARLY (like 3am or so) as Walmart stores and some gas stations are open 24 hours, there will be less traffic when you need to stock up on supplies. No mad rush and as they say, “The early bird gets the worm”.
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 to long and share with the neighbors and visa versa.
The most important thing to have on hand is water. Stock up on water now. You need to also stock up on batteries, candles, and lighters (do not buy the scented candles-the fragrance can be harmful). You should stock up on non-perishable foods and can goods. Tuna fish, deviled ham, and chicken (all in cans) is what my kids like. Cans have a longer shelve life, so stock up on fruit, veggies, and the pastas, like spaghetti and most important make sure you have a few manual can openers. To pass the time and make the nights fun for the family, make sure you have board games and a few decks of cards on hand. I try not to stock my freezer with alot of meats during hurricane season because they will be the first items to spoil if you lose power, so this means more trips to the store weekly for meats. Most important, ensure your generator is working. Remember generators must be outside of your home, not inside or even in the garage. Generators emit toxic poisonous gasses that can cause death. Buy a good chain and a lock so you can secure the generator to a pole or something heavy outside. Buckets are also important to have. They can be used to catch rain water which in turn can be used to wash dishes, wash your hair, or refill the water toys for the kids.
I always cook a turkey a day or so before. One can make turkey salad, sandwiches etc. I also boil eggs. I like to shop early and stack up with sardines,tuna,viena sausages,crackers,cheese,lots of water, juices, peanut butter. I also try to clean my deep freezer and refrigerator of all perishable foods.
First thing I do is fill 5) 5 gallon gas cans for the generator I also have my 2 tanks for the grill filled. I then will fill my frezer with about 5) 1 gallon water jugs this gives me water to drink and keeps the frezer cold longer. I keep a well stocked pantry with heat and eat foods. The when the storm is aproaching i cheat and call Dominos and order 6 of thier 5.00 pizza’s.
Talk to neighbors prior to a hurricane to inquire who’ll need care/shelter/phone service, etc. Sometimes the elderly won’t ask…they are hoping you will. Also, some neighbors might be willing to share certain “hurricane supplies” they have in abundance.
In preperation for the hurricane season I do the following things:
1. We go the the store to get the Hurricane Tracking maps and information booklets so we can track the movement of the storms this is very educational for kid and some adults.
2. I purchase all my family non-perishable item for the wholesale stores. We stock up on Peanut Butter and Jelly, Tuna, Can Chicken, Turkey, Chips, Cookies, Crackers, Cereal, Shelf Life Milk, Coffee, Juices, soups, snack size fruit cups, applesauce, All different Chef Boyarde products, small bottle water, bleach, batteries. We also have Paper plates, cups and plasticware for usage during this time. We also store up extra plastic bags from the stores. The food is stored in large Rubber maid bins with wheel just in case we have to evacuate.
3. We make sure that we have propane gas for the portable camping stove, lanterns, Turkey fryer and grill. We also have enough Charcoal for the other grill.
4. We purchase 15lbs Dry-Ice to store in the deep freezer to keep it frozen if power is lost again. During Wilma we did not have to cook any of our food out of our deep freezer unless we wanted to cause the Dry-Ice keep everything frozen. We also buy 3 20lb of regular bag ice.
5. We check all the flashlights, the portable TV’s( this was the old one. we now have the new HD portable TV), Portable DVD players, and radios to make sure they work.
6. we use a 5 gal water storage can and we recycle the Gallon Milk Jugs, the Large Juice Bottle to store water just in case we need some for bathroom usage.
First of all, I am vegetarian, so I will not keep in the freezer anything that you have to throw away when the powers gone, becuase is not eatable and you waste your money now in this crisis.You have to buy the caned food that you can cook in a gas stove. Like beans, pickbeans, etc. and have water to drink.That’s it.
I try to focus on eating whatever foods I can that I find in the freezer/fridge up to about a day or two before the hurricane comes. Once that day comes, I put the freezer on its coldest setting and fill all the plastic containers I have with water and freeze those in with the food products I have left. Once the containers are frozen, I put a coin on top of the ice in one of the containers. Then I leave the freezer shut the whole time I am without power. The coin on the ice is my test to make sure that none of the food thawed. If the coin falls to the bottom of the container because I lost power for that long a time period (and the water refreezes when the power comes back and I am at work), then I know that food had thawed and should be thrown away.
While I am without power, I will then focus on the food products in the pantry and eat those (plus with whatever else I had stocked up on. Yes the food is cold, but you can’t win it all.
Yeah, we all stock up on “canned” meats for hurricane season- but what about something to actually make them taste good if a storm arises?
Start collecting mini mayonnaise and sauce packages from your favorite take-out places now and store them with your canned meat supply. That way, in case of a storm- you could actually make tuna salad or BBQ chicken instead of just straight meat from the can! Why should food taste bad in an emergency? Enjoy!
I have lived in Palm Beach county for 82 years and durning that time I hav lived through many huricanes Knowing how imporatant it is to be able to cook or heat food and boil water for instant coffee, etc. I have always make sure we have gas, not electric ,for cooking, hot water for showers ,clothes dryer, we can dry what we have to hand wash. I cook what is in the freezer, then fill milk bottles with water to fill up the space. Them have enough water for the amount of people in the house. I buy canned food and meat ,bread for sandwiches, powdered milk, if needed. A battery radio, a batery radio/tv to continue to hear all the news about the storm. Battery fans, Flash lights. Remember to have lots of snack food.There are many homes that could convert to gas, and it is less expensive. These are my thoughts.
Everyone has posted very good tips with regards to adults but it is also important to remember food for babies and toddlers who do not eat the regular food we do. I have what I call the hurricane supply for my son Eli that includes Nursey Water for his powder formula (2 cans or more depending on age of child)and jars of baby food (which right now have been on sale all over and they last a long time so no worries about wasting). It is also important to stock up on diapers and wipes because those seem to fly off the shelves fast during a panic time when a hurricane is on the way.
My tip for adults is to look out for the deals during hurricane season. Buy one get one on items that will not go bad such as tuna and soups are a great way to stock up but not bust your budget. Also create a hurricane meal plan. Everyone knows that after hurricane season most of the things they buy just sit there. If you create a meal plan this will allow you to use the foods even after hurricane season and ensure you do not buy things you will not use. Luckily my house has a gas stove so cooking is not different from before.
Lastly with the transition to digital tv, everyone needs to remember that those little black and whites will not work so it is time to buy a digital portable tv.
When in the hurricane season, its very important to maintain the body’s energy. in order to do this, its important to drink hot drinks and soups in general. Put losts of different soups in the right “zip lock” or “glad” containers and put the day’s date on them. after markig them with the date, put them in the freezer, and when the hurrican season comes, and there is no elecrticity, take out the frozen soups in order from oldest to newest, y heat them with your grill and dont forget to stock your freezer with tons of ice.
1.i will shop for nonperishable food and water; food such as vienna sausage,tuna,peanut butter and jelly etc…
2.food that is left in the freezer will be cooked up so that there wouldn’t be any waste of food
3 buy flash light batteries,tv, radio buy gas for car ,buy boards for windows.generator after the lights goes out.
4.check to make sure that i have enough medicine on hand.
5.make sure i have enough cash on hand.
6.I would make sure have emergency flags just in case things get worse so that i would be able to alert the rescue authorities
When a hurricane/tropical storm is approaching I start doing all the laundry, sheets and towels so there won’t be piles of laundry when the power comes back on as well as getting the nonperishable foods, water (lots of frozen water jugs in the freezer) I also, disinfect all the surfaces of the kitchen and bathrooms, because when the heat and humidity rises the growth of bacteria accelerates quickly. I keep disinfectiant wipes for bathroom areas. Gas for the grill, and generator batteries and pet foods. Also, I have solar power walkway lites for the outside which can double for lights in the house and save on batteries for flashlites. I also stock up on basic first aid suppplies like Hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, germicidal ointment and lots of bandages for the inevitable little scratches and cuts when doing after the storm yard cleanup. Keep your car gassed up all season and have plenty of emergency cash if you can.
Stock up on can foods,have sterno to cook with.
I freeze gallon bottles of water for ice. I buy lots of canned fruit. It is still healthy and doesn’t need to be cooked. Having things handy that don’t have to be cooked takes some of the stress off.
While preparing for a eminate hurricane I store up on dry goods ,toiletries and pet food and of course water and ice. Then I freeze as many fresh vegetables and fruit( remembering when the stores were empty of both)also I freeze meat in dinner portions for four people.I also prepare a box of games,cards and board games in case the power goes out…..
I always start shopping early, the first thing that I do is look for pop top can goods that have a long life date on them and water that has a good date that spoil before the hurricane recovery gets to me. I check dates on everything I buy. I try and get quick snacks that want go bad fast and items that want need a electric can opener. I buy applesauce for the kids and friut that want spoil quickly, we make sure we have lots of batterys all sizes and a hand held radio/tv that use batterys. Our check list has a first aide kit, important family and friends phone numbers, all cell phones have two cell batterys, car has extra battery and we have a powersurge for it to keep all the cell phone batterys charged. We have important papers on disc and family photo baged and so many other quick routes we take so that all the family will stay together.
I have always been frugal, and this serves me well during hurricane season. I only shop twice a month, and cook many meals ahead and freeze them. These can be reheated on the grill and are the same foods we usually eat, keeping a sense of comfort and normalcy during stressful times. The freezer is kept full and needs only a short time every day hooked up to the generator to keep everything inside frozen.
Above all else, we avoid junk foods with too much sugar and salt, which only add to your thirst and use up precious water.
Well with the funds that we are dealing with the tuff times its ,hard to pre-buy..Some of us Do not have $ to spend.. So then common-sense has to kick in..Buy Can Foods/Water /Pet Supplies/stay after from glass items.. and make sure you have a can opener..
Shop early…with a list. Make sure you have a non-electric can opener. Check what is in your freezer, refrigerator, and cabinets and then go shopping. No need for 15 cans of tuna and no bread to eat it on. Water, of course, is essential. We like to get the water flavor packets you can put right into your bottle. Sometimes water gets “bland”. Make sure you have gas or charcoal for your grill. This could be your main tool for cooking. Look for sturdy pots/pans you can put on your grill.
Be prepared is the most important thing when it comes to your food.
A favorite recipe of mind is spinach ziti bake…and the kids love it and I get them to eat spinach with having to hear “yuk”
Ingredients
-1 box of Ziti pasta
-frozen spinach (you can use fresh spinach also)
- your favorite jar of tomato sauce (large)
- mushrooms
-shredded cheese
preheat oven at 350
Prepare the pasta… at the bottom of the baking dish put some of the sauce
then a layer of the ziti, sauce, spinach, mushroom and cheese…repeat.
Then bake for 30 minutes… let sit for 10… serve with garlic bread.
Have a cooler just for the meat and pack it with ice to keep everything frozen. Once the winds hit and the power goes out, invite your neighbors over for something different each night, awesome grilled steak, grilled chicken, burgers, etc. on the barbecue. Best food going in a hurricane!
I always make sure we have boxed milk, I don’t mean the dry stuff, the kind like in a juice box. This way you can have breakfast, you must start off the day with a full stomach or you will not be able to clean up all the mess later. Plus it stays good for a long time. If you don’t use it during hurricane season then donate it to the local food bank once hurricane season is over. They always need milk for kids and you can’t donate regular milk from the grocery store.