December is a tough month to stock up on items given all the extra shopping that happens this month. That said, there are some great deals to keep an eye on!

Never give up on preparedness, no matter what time of the year it is! We can be as prepared as possible while taking advantage of the seasonal deals to make it work well! Because of that, here are the things we suggest you should stock up on in the month of December:

1. FRESH PRODUCE – apples, pears, pineapples, oranges, and some exotic fruits like pomegranates. Root vegetables such as winter squash, beets, turnips (try our turnip green recipe – a Southern favorite),  carrots, potatoes, onions, and cabbages. If you have harvested kale, consider canning it and storing it for use over winter. We did this and used our garden-grown kale in our stuffing for Thanksgiving! Consider canning or preserving anything and everything you can!
2. CANNED GOODS – You gotta love being able to stock up on canned goods this month!  After all, canned goods are a must for the food pantry and the deep larder. Best of all, they last quite a while so you can really stock up when you find a good deal. Be on the lookout for deals on broth, soups, pasta sauces, fruit, and vegetables to be at good prices.
3. BAKED GOODS – Flour, sugar, cake mixes, spices, and chocolate are all likely to go on sale since Thanksgiving has wrapped up. Even if you rarely bake, consider grabbing things that you may need. We tend to stock up on sugar, so we always have food for our honey bees.
4. PHOTO DEALS- While this isn’t necessarily an emergency prep item, having photos to look on during times of strife can help give you hope during hard times. In December, is a great time to think about having your photos printed to put into scrapbooks. This is important for those who like to use photos to create crafts.
5. HARDWARE TOOLS – This is a great month to look for deals on tools like drills, wrenches, or general toolsets. Be on the lookout for good deals on those this entire month.  (These simple tools helped rebuild Haiti after their first major earthquake). Like we mentioned in our Prepper Deals: What To Buy In November article, tools sets are often put on sale so people can give them as gifts once we get past the Halloween season and Christmas rolls around. Consider taking advantage of the deals and getting several things for a lower price.

Also, be on the lookout for great sales on overstock of items the stores want to move out. This could be literally anything. Leftover camping items, hiking boots, summer jackets or swimwear, and sunblock. If you stock up on sunblock, look for mineral sunblocks and avoid those with harsh carcinogenic chemicals. Remember the sun is still your best source of vitamin D. Human skin was meant to convert the sun’s rays into vitamin D, which will improve your mood and help with immunity. A healthy balance can be achieved between getting too much sun and being afraid of the sun, so just do your own research and keep that in mind. Do what’s right for you! Conflicting information seems to be a part of all of our lives right now.

Lastly, do the right thing. Many are downtrodden or financially strapped this year with inflation hitting hard. Keep them in mind and help where you can. At the end of the day, we are all humans,and it’ the least or the most (depending on how you look at it) that we can do.