When I first began prepping, I had just bought all of the recommended items for a short-term food supply. After carefully stocking the items on our storage shelf, I sat and looked admiringly at our meager supply imagining all the ways it was going to pull us through a hard time.
Then, a thought crept into my mind: I began to wonder how on earth was I going to use all these supplies. Who uses a pound of yeast? Or two pounds of baking powder? Folks, this was the moment that sealed the deal for me. This was when I realized that I didn’t have to use two pounds of baking powder for baking, I could find another way to use it! And for that matter, I bet that a lot of other items that I had purchased could be used in ways other than their original purposes. That was when I got my hands on every book and website I could find on alternative uses for these items. Inevitably, this is when I went loco for prepping!
Our preps are our lifeline and we must know how to get the most use out of them. Since most of us have limited shelf space, it is only logical to find products that will perform multiple jobs for us. The following is a list of kitchen staples that deserve a space on your emergency food shelves. Keep in mind that in an extended emergency, these items may be very useful in a bartering situation [1]. Remember, to print out or save any pertinent information to put in your preparedness binder [2].
Baking Soda
- Natural antacid
- Dental care [3]
- Electrolyte powder [4]
- Emergency antiseptic [5]
- Natural cleaner [6]
- Cleans off rust
- Can be used in treating scalding, to prevent blistering and scarring. Cover the scalded area with a liberal layer of sodium bicarbonate and water paste and seek medical assistance
- Can be applied to skin irritations that occur from poison oak, poison ivy and sumac
Baking Powder
- Eliminates odors
- Natural cleaning agent
- Draws out insect stings and jelly fish venom
- Keeps ants away from the house
Salt
- One of the top bartering items [7]
- Eliminates odors
- Natural cleaning agent
- Sea salt [8] has antibacterial and medicinal properties
Yeast
Baking Yeast
- Leavening agent
- Currently being studied for a natural cure for cancer [9]
Brewers Yeast
- Making alcohol
- Nutritional supplement
- Assists diabetics in controlling their blood sugar level
- Helps control high cholesterol level
- Is a natural flea control for pets
Vinegar
- Soothes sunburns
- Eliminated bad breath
- Natural facial toner
- Can be used as a fabric softener [10]
- Is a natural hair cleaner/conditioner [11]
- Cleaning product [12] for the home
- Possess medicinal properties [13]
Corn Starch
- Great for use as a dry shampoo
- Burn treatment
- Treatment for insect bites
- Deodorant [11]
- Gets grease out of fabric
- Cleans windows
- Thickener for soups, sauces and gravies
Powdered Milk
- Milk
- Cheese
- Sour cream
- Whipped topping
- Substitute for milk
- Facial wash
Click here to learn more about these essentials and their many uses [14]
Our ancestors’ philosophy of “make due or do without” transferred into many avenues of their life, and they were on to something. They knew the versatility of their supplies and made sure they had enough of them to get by.
We also want to get by. Some of these items may even provide a semblance of what our normal life was. And how great is it that these items are low-cost, multi-functional and readily available at practically any grocery store? Start stocking up on these items in quantity and gathering knowledge on your own on other uses for these items.
Preps to Buy:
[In Quantity]
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Yeast
- Salt
- Vinegar
- Evaporated Milk
- Powdered Milk
- Corn Starch
Action Items:
- Get smart about survival and research the importance of having certain food sources in your diet.
- Further, research how versatile this food source can be for your food pantry and for your overall survival.
- Use the Ready Nutrition Food Storage Calculator [15] to find out how many essential baking items you need to add to your storage supply.
- Bear in mind, daily caloric intakes are different with each person, so research how many calories you need to stay at your optimum health.
- Those with special needs (such as pregnant women) are advised to get more nutrition and calories daily, so keep this in mind when purchasing.
- Learn how to package and store your bulk foods for long-term storage [16].
- Store your purchased products in a suitable environment where it is not exposed to natural elements. Click here to learn about your food’s worst enemies [17].