Emergencies and natural disasters can cause food shortages that can be challenging to navigate. If you plan ahead of time, you will be ready for anything. Here are some helpful tips to show you how to properly prepare for a food shortage so you can feed your family in difficult times.
Plan in Advance
The first way to properly prepare for a food shortage is by planning in advance. A food shortage can happen at any time due to unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, it’s important to be ready whenever a shortage occurs. You will want to ensure that you have everything you need available to you, such as food, water, and other survival supplies that will help you to sustain yourself and your family during a food shortage. Make a checklist of all the necessary items that you need to obtain in order to prepare ahead of time. Making this list will help you make sure that you aren’t leaving anything out or forgetting any essential items.
Identify Risk Factors
Identifying potential risk factors is another way that you can prepare for a food shortage. There are many elements and factors that can influence a food shortage, and it’s helpful to know what they are. For example, global pandemics, droughts, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, earthquakes, labor shortages, a slowdown in food production, and an increase in grocery prices can all influence and cause food shortages to occur in your area. It’s important to take notice of signs that a food shortage may be coming so you can start preparing before it hits. Natural disasters can happen at a moment’s notice, so you want to be ready before they happen.
Take Inventory of Resources
The third tip for planning for food shortages is to take inventory of your current resources. Taking note of the resources and supplies you already have readily available will help you to determine what else you need to obtain and stock up on for emergencies and shortages. Make a list of all the food in your fridge and pantry, and consider how long it will last. If you have any items that are already expired, avoid eating them, as that can cause potential illness. It’s also beneficial to make a list of the other emergency supplies you have, like flashlights, first aid kits, batteries, radios, and more.
Consider a Personal Garden
Considering a personal garden is another great way that you can start prepping for potential food shortages in your area. Many people plant their own gardens and grow their own food so they can avoid relying on stores for their food supply. If you grow your own food, you will be less likely to be affected by a food shortage because you are already growing your own supply. If you are interested in starting your own garden, it’s helpful to know what crops and plants to grow so you can get the most out of your effort. Understanding growth and harvest cycles will also benefit you as you embark on your personal garden.
Consider Acquiring Livestock
The fifth way you can prepare for a food shortage is by considering acquiring livestock. If you don’t have a lot of land, a livestock option like raising chickens is more practical. Chickens are great for eggs and poultry, and they will provide a source of food and protein for your family. If you have enough space for it, you can also acquire cows for milk and beef and pigs for pork. If raising livestock isn’t the ideal option for you and your family, you can also always consider hunting and fishing for your food. Deer, turkey, and duck are all popular animals to hunt that will provide enough food for you and your family members during a shortage.
Create a Food Supply
Creating a food supply is another essential thing to do when preparing for a food shortage near you. Building a long-term food supply is necessary for emergencies like food shortages. You want to include food in your supply that will last for a long period of time without going bad. Consider options like canned fruits and vegetables, freeze-dried meats, powdered milk, noodles, pasta, beans, rice, flour, and other items that will sustain you and your family. You want to ensure that you have a large enough supply of food for your whole family, including food for any pets you might have.
Get a Water Purifier
The next way that you can get ready for a food shortage is by getting a water purifier. A water supply is just as important as a food supply, so make sure to take the necessary steps to ensure that you have safe drinking water available to you and your family. Water filters are also essential items to have to make sure all the water you are consuming is clean and safe. There are all kinds of water purifiers and filters you can choose from, including reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet filtration systems. Droughts are one of the main causes of water shortages, so taking other steps to limit your home’s water usage is also beneficial during this time.
Learn To Ration
Learning to ration is another important step in preparing for food shortages. Rationing is the controlled distribution of limited resources, like food and water. When you are dealing with an emergency like a food or water shortage, it is essential to learn how to ration your supply and resources so that they will last as long as you need them to. If you eat your food supply too quickly, then you will be left without any resources to go around and feed your family. When coming up with an appropriate rationing plan for your food supply, you’ll have to take into account how many people you will be feeding. For example, if you have a family of five, you will need to create rations for all five individuals.
Now that you have some essential tips for preparing for a food shortage, you can utilize these helpful ideas and strategies today. NuManna Foundation offers a selection of long-term food to add to your supply, as well as gravity water filter buckets that will provide safe drinking water for your family in emergencies.
