Update - September 1, 2009. CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.
Ok, here it goes. I’m going to challenge you…nah—perhaps the better word is “DARE” you. In fact, I’m going to DOUBLE DOG DARE YA to take this Preparedness Pro Food Challenge.
Want to find out if you are really ready for an emergency? Here’s a genuine challenge for you. Your ability to implement it will say a LOT about your ability to truly survive a real emergency. The Preparedness Pro Food Challenge officially begins August 1st and goes throughout the month of August. During the month I challenge you to go an entire two weeks without
going to the grocery store for any food or household supplies. 14 days. No grocery purchases, no household cleaners, no produce. Can you and your family survive? No big deal, perhaps? Yeah. Say that after you’ve done it. Then I will bow to you and call you “The Preparedness Queen/King.”
Now take this seriously. No cheating. Don’t go to a restaurant or get one of those free hot dogs at the furniture store promotion either. If you go to the farmer’s market, you’re cheating. Rely on all of your food and household needs strictly based on what you have available to you right now. Do it the entire 14 days. Don’t cut corners. Don’t rationalize. And for goodness sake, don’t starve your family for 14 days. :)
Obviously, a disaster is no respecter of bank account balances, professional positions, or “time of the month.” It’s a true equalizer of all mankind. So, at the end of 14 days, what kind of man or woman will you be? I bet you have no idea just how often you “pick up a little something” at the store.
This challenge is pretty straight forward. It doesn’t need to be made harder than it is. The challenge does not require you to go without electricity or any of your other luxuries in life. Just go two whole weeks without going out and buying anything you need for nutrition or household care.
Groceries photo c/o Shannon Steele
The key to this Preparedness Pro Food Challenge is to do it without any notice or preplanning. That means that you don’t go out today and buy all of the groceries that you think you might need to last you two weeks. (Although, if I at least get you to do that much, maybe it’s a good thing. :) ) Interestingly enough, I bet that even if you were to go shopping, you would still find yourself struggling. During this challenge I anticipate that you will struggle with what to cook. You will struggle with eating what you have instead of eating what you’re in the mood for. Bottom line, you will be challenged without all of the modern-day pampering we have when it comes to food.
So, can you take this challenge to heart? Can your family endure it without threatening a mutiny? Remember, I’m not challenging you to go without your other comforts of life. You can still watch television. You can still use your running water. You can still use your microwave and all of your other favored kitchen gadgets. Just abstain from the purchase of any kind of grocery or household items for two whole weeks. Prepare your meals any way you want. Ramen noodles? Frozen pizza? Using the microwave? Fine. Then again I would recommend you actually cook real food during this period as well, but I won’t hold you to that. Just don’t bring any additional supplies into your home to sustain you during this two week Preparedness Pro Food Challenge. Pick any 14 day period you want. Get your whole family on board. In fact, invite your friends and extended family to do the challenge with you as well. Come on, it will be a GREAT experiment!
As you accept and experience this challenge, write your comments on our blog. It will help all of our readers see some of the most basic areas of preparedness which they haven’t considered previously. I guarantee there will be some eye opening experiences.
Giveaway with GREAT Prizes! Photo c/o rei.com
At the end of August, we’re going to have a drawing for GREAT emergency preparedness giveaway items. We’re going to give away all kinds of preparedness items such as an EZ Sprouter, non-electric hand mixer, solar head lamp, and more. There’s a cluster of some of my favorite emergency preparedness items and I’m excited to give them to some lucky participants! The more times you write your comments on our blog on this topic, the more times your name will be entered in the drawing. We’ll hold the drawing on September 1st and notify all 12 winners! You may win a solar light/radio, private consultation time with me, or you may win a food storage cookbook. But more importantly, you’ll gain invaluable insight into whether or not you’re prepared in this one simple area. Obviously, if you aren’t able to last 2 weeks comfortably, you’re going to have a lot of trouble lasting a year. But what I really hope is that many of you will gain a sense of confidence and peace seeing that you can truly make it if need be. You can be creative with your cooking. You can be independent of our traditional commerce system. And you can successfully troubleshoot as the two weeks progress.
The question is, why wouldn’t you accept the challenge? There will always be excuses. And I can assure you that an emergency never waits until you are completely ready. Life will still have to go on regardless. But I assure you that none of your excuses will hold much water when you consider the invaluable experience you will gain from this. This is only a two week challenge. You get to keep everything else normal in your life. But through this Preparedness Pro Food Challenge, you’ll begin to see where the gaps may be. You’ll realize perhaps just how reliant you or your family members may be on the conveniences of our society. Your kids will learn what they are made of. You’ll all learn to think and strategize just a bit differently. If I have a vote, I say heck yeah! Take this Preparedness Pro Food Challenge! You’ll be SO glad you did!
The winners have been drawn! Click here to see if you were one of the 12 winners!
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Comments
Yesterday was day 14. Out of eggs on day 12, rationed milk and substituted in the baking and it didn't run out until this morning. Borrowed dishsoap and conditioner from the camping gear, then found out I had a bottle of conditioner under the bathroom sink all along. Ran out of fresh fruit, but ate canned and nobody cared. I didn't even tell my family we were doing it to see how "normal" I could keep things. The first mention of needing anything from them was DH asking if I was getting more milk today since he'd used the last at breakfast. A couple weak areas for us--milk/eggs (I have powdered of both I did not use), fresh produce, and toiletries/cleaners. Overall a fine two weeks. Thanks again for the challenge!
Yesterday was day 14 of the challenge. It really is a good idea to find out where you are at in your preparations. I could survive on what I have for between 3 to six months, but there would be a lot of things I would want or need. I try to prepare with the idea that there may not be electricity or a working refridgerator. Eggs and egg substitutes will be a priority. I'm going to get unflavored gelatin, and some powdered eggs for baking. I'm going to try eggs rubbed with mineral oil, and see how that works. That would only keep if you had a working refridgerator though. Butter is another thing to work on. Comfort food is another. The biggest thing I learned on this challenge is to be better prepared when I'm away from home as to foods I could eat if none was available because of the diabetes. Other food items that I need more of are yeast, baking powder and things like that
As I mentioned before, I am also having a water challenge. I plan to get a lot more hand sanitizer.
I have some things acquired for a pandemic, but not all, so I need to do some work there.
I also need more cleaning supplies, and personal hygiene supplies, which I will keep working on.
I don't know if you are ever completely prepared as much as you might want to be. We are spoiled here in the USA. People in other parts of the world would think they had gone to heaven to have all the stuff we have and take for granted. I try to keep that in mind.
I am very glad for this challenge. It really helps to know where to focus your efforts. Sooo, THANK YOU KELLENE!!!!
I have to concur that you're never as prepared as you want to be. Does that make me ungrateful for what I've got? Hmmm...I'll have to think on that.
I am SO glad that you did SO well on this Angela and learned a bit in the process. Even better, you did it without “alarming” your family. That’s WAY cool.
blogged a bit on the experience and lessons learned here.
Thanks again!
Well we completed your challenge and now we have one of our own. My husband comes home after hip replacement surgery on Mon. he will have a walker and can't drive for 6 weeks. I am having foot surgery on Wed and will have a cane and can't drive for at least one week. I just found out about my surgery, it was a cancellation. So your challenge has really prepared me for this, thank you very much.
I plan on treating this new one like a mini quarantine, now we'll really see just where we are lacking. My DD said she would pick up anything we need but I'm hoping we don't need her to do that. Wish us luck.
Do you know of anyone that has put the eggs in the mineral oil and how long do they last....I have heard 9 months to 2 years?
I am using esential oils in case we get sick and for other things.
www.kingsessentials.com
Do the gelatin work good in place of an egg?
I have a problem with egg powder making the corn bread real crumbly??
Yes, I personally prefer to use this option. And Yes, the do last 9 to 12 months. I LOVE them. Yes, you can use clear gelatin in place of an egg. I'd add some oil or applesauce to your cornbread to modify the crumble-ni-ness (eesh..I couldn't think of another way to say that.)
How much apple sauce do you add to a recipe in place of an egg or is it in place of oil?
Did you keep your eggs that are coated in mineral oil in the ice box .....at what temp do they have to stay at in order to stay good?
When will you be offering the solar ovens and will they hold more than one pan?
I never have heard of a sandwich with beans.....what all did you add to it?
I am going to get my sprouts out tday!
I hope they are still good!
I hear it is a cat fight at the stores if you wait....no fun!!
Another thing that has a long shelf life is flour tortillas so they will work for a lot of things.....little pizzas ..I have used them in chicken and dumplings ....as a dessert with apples and apple pie filling in them etc.
There is another website www.foodstoragemadeeasy.net that is going to have a trial run in Sept. if anyone wants to try it....I am!
Bean pastes are excellent on sandwiches!
White Bean Spread
This is great to serve warm. And if you have it on hand you can also throw in a drained can of chopped tomatoes, sliced black olives, or cilantro. Serve on tortilla chips or crackers such as Wheat Thins.
1 tablespoon of minced garlic
1 can (15.5 ozs) of Great Northern beans, drained.
½ teaspoon of ground cumin (I like to put in a bit more for my taste)
1 teaspoon of granulated lime (or lemon)
1 teaspoon of water
A pinch of Real Salt or Creole Seasoning
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
Mix all of the ingredients together with a hand pureer until well blended or you can mash all of the ingredients together by hand. It should represent the consistency of a paste.
Serve cold or warm.
Serve on crackers, fruit, vegetables, or as a spread on a sandwich.
I keep the eggs downstairs in my cool basement. Averages about 60-65 degrees.
I was suggesting adding some applesauce to make the consistency more smooth. But I do also substitute applesauce for oil in many recipes.
I do indeed wish you all the very BEST of luck and good recovery!
The BEST bean sandwich is made with a can of Grandma Brown's Baked Beans.
A can Grandma Brown's baked beans, diced onion, maple syrup, brown sugar, catsup, mustard and some bacon. Heat in microwave or brown in oven. Put between slices of bread.
At the NY State Fair this was one of the cheapest and most filling meals. Mmmmmm.....too bad Grandma Brown's is mostly a NY state thing....
Ok, I'm going to play with that recipe. Thanks Wendy.
I have made a good sandwich out of home cooked pinto beans. The ones I used had been cooked with ham in. You just mash the beans with a fork, and add a little ham to the mix.