The Incoming Food Shortages

[Knights1776]

Biden and the government announced las tweek that there will be food shortages.

I was raised on a small farm in Central California. My parents have been home steading for a while and will be well off compared to city folks. I myself, have no interest in returning to that state. Because of my career I find myself in a small city, in a townhouse with no yard/garden.

What can myself and those of us stuck in towns/cities do to prepare for these food shortages? I do not have pets or a family and only have to fend for myself.


Suggestions appreciated, and looking forward to this discussion.

 

[Cavalier]

Biden and the government announced las tweek that there will be food shortages.

I was raised on a small farm in Central California. My parents have been home steading for a while and will be well off compared to city folks. I myself, have no interest in returning to that state. Because of my career I find myself in a small city, in a townhouse with no yard/garden.

What can myself and those of us stuck in towns/cities do to prepare for these food shortages? I do not have pets or a family and only have to fend for myself.


Suggestions appreciated, and looking forward to this discussion.

Buy a couple 20lb bags of rice, plenty of dried and canned beans. You might want to stock up on as much meat as you can.

 

[ItalianStallion9]

Buy bulk/emergency food pales and water filtration (lifestraws, etc). You can even collect rainwater using a barrel and use it to water gardens or boil/disinfect it to drink.

 

[Thomas More]

When I thought the pandemic was real, before the lockdowns were even imposed, I built up 2-3 months supply of food. That might be a good idea again. Just rotate your stock to keep things from expiring, but continue to buy groceries regularly, leaving your extra stock in reserve. Then, if shelves become empty or prices go through the roof, start dipping into your reserve.

If the crisis passes, then you can just eat the food and work your reserve back down to normal, or you might want to keep a reserve permanently. I ended up working my reserve down to a minimal amount, so I buy only 3-6 days worth of food at a time. However, I might decide to stock up again.

 

[SpyofMoses]

I have been stocking up on dried items like noodles, beans, and frozen food for a while now. Sardines and Peanut butter, too. Thought it was a good idea when I heard about the nitrogen shortage some time ago. Been telling people about this every once in a while for months. Some listen, some dismiss it as "conspiracy theory."

Did Biden really announce this? I haven't kept up with everything news-wise as my life has kept me busy.

 

[Don Quixote]

I don't really think you will starve. I think they're going to use this excuse to target certain items they dislike (namely beef for example). Of course, because oil prices are going up there will definitely be higher prices, so I agree with poster above that maybe bulk flour and meats are a good idea. But maybe I'm wrong. Assuming we lack fertilizer and farmers scale down, what harvest/season should we expect a lower amount of food production?

Also keep in mind the U.S. exports a lot of food and usually has some food surplus, so if we lose fertilizer and that causes farmers to scale down, I'd expect our exports to shrink, I'd be surprised if domestically people really go hungry.

 

[Thomas More]

I don't really think you will starve. I think they're going to use this excuse to target certain items they dislike (namely beef for example). Of course, because oil prices are going up there will definitely be higher prices, so I agree with poster above that maybe bulk flour and meats are a good idea. But maybe I'm wrong. Assuming we lack fertilizer and farmers scale down, what harvest/season should we expect a lower amount of food production?

Also keep in mind the U.S. exports a lot of food and usually has some food surplus, so if we lose fertilizer and that causes farmers to scale down, I'd expect our exports to shrink, I'd be surprised if domestically people really go hungry.

I don't expect actual food shortages in the US. I wouldn't be surprised if they happen in some parts of the world.

Just think: all this is ostensibly being done rather than agree to keep Ukraine out of NATO. Of course I know that the whole Ukraine thing was a long term effort by the US and UK to attack Russia and try to make it into a failed state, but the propaganda says this is all being done rather than accept Russia's demand that the Ukraine stay out of NATO.

 

[Sargon2112]

The rotating stock of canned food is great to have, as others have said. The pre prepped food kits are ok, but beware of the fine print on a lot of them. The required storage conditions (temperature and humidity) for some of the kits could be a problem in the event of a long power outage, depending on the climate in your location. Not knocking the idea, just read the fine print.

 

[Knights1776]

Did Biden really announce this? I haven't kept up with everything news-wise as my life has kept me busy.

Food shortages as a result of the Ukraine situation. Here's a short clip:

 

[MartyMcFly]

Buy a couple 20lb bags of rice, plenty of dried and canned beans. You might want to stock up on as much meat as you can.

Split peas and lentils are better choices for dried goods because they cook faster. I tried dried beans once and even though I soaked them for a few hours, it took about 3-4 hours to cook them. I never bought dried beans again. The cost of fuel for cooking has to be considered as well.

Canned beans are a good choice of canned food though. I would also add grits and oats to the list as well so you get variety and don't forget salt, pepper, herbs, other spices which keep well and make the food tastier. Tea and coffee are not essential, but you want to minor luxuries are nice to have. The good thing about oats is that you can eat them uncooked if necessary.

You have to assume power will go out. Don't depend on perishable foods, especially in summer.

You might want to consider getting a gas cooker and a gas tank for days that electricity goes out as well. This way you can at least cook basic meals.

Consider a gun if you live in a bad city. Cities that seem decent on paper like Minneapolis and Portland had serious riots, so chances are high your city is bad if it has 200,000+ people. New Yorkers rioted in the 1970's when they lost power for a few hours. Imagine how they will react to food shortages and lack of power long-term.

 

[MartyMcFly]

The rotating stock of canned food is great to have, as others have said. The pre prepped food kits are ok, but beware of the fine print on a lot of them. The required storage conditions (temperature and humidity) for some of the kits could be a problem in the event of a long power outage, depending on the climate in your location. Not knocking the idea, just read the fine print.

My guess is that these kits also end up costing a lot more price per pound. I know MREs are very expensive and you can easily stock foods yourself much cheaper. It really is not hard to plan out a basic monthly menu ahead of time and keep a stock accordingly.

 

[Thomas More]

Canned chicken in bulk packs (2 packs or even six packs) is the lowest priced source of shelf stable meat. Meat can be preserved by freezing, drying, or canning. Obviously freezing exposes you to the risk of losing power. Dried meat is expensive, and while I like beef jerky now and then, I wouldn't prefer it as a staple. That leaves canned meat as the best option.

If you look at the price per pound, canned chicken comes out the best. Canned chicken is very good with rice and other casserole type dishes. Canned beef is surprisingly good with rice as well, and canned hams would be good with beans or split peas. However, these cost more per pound. Finally, there's Spam, which I personally like. However, again, this is more expensive than the chicken. All of these should be good on the shelf for 3-5 years.

 

[Samseau]

Food shortages will happen in Europe way before they happen in America. The point of stockpiling in America is to save money, not necessarily prevent yourself from starving. Food prices will skyrocket within a year in America, but in Europe, there will be bread lines.

If you stockpile now you can save money in the future. Canned goods and flour are probably good bets.

 

[Don Quixote]

Food shortages will happen in Europe way before they happen in America. The point of stockpiling in America is to save money, not necessarily prevent yourself from starving. Food prices will skyrocket within a year in America, but in Europe, there will be bread lines.

If you stockpile now you can save money in the future. Canned goods and flour are probably good bets.

Do you think Europe will really have such a dire situation? There are still many large wheat exporters like Germany and France and I think Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary could step up production. Where I'd be really concerned is places like Africa and the Middle East first, and then I'd be concerned about Southeast Asia and Central America next.

 

[PixelFree]

My favourite ‘lazy prepper’ food stack is:

- Oats
- Tinned fish in olive oil (Sardines, Tuna)
- Protein powder

All cheap. All can be eaten cold. All lasts for ages. Fats/Carbs/Protein + Omega 3-6-9.

It’s all stuff I eat anyway.

 

[Samseau]

Do you think Europe will really have such a dire situation? There are still many large wheat exporters like Germany and France and I think Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary could step up production. Where I'd be really concerned is places like Africa and the Middle East first, and then I'd be concerned about Southeast Asia and Central America next.

There's no fertilizer without Ukraine and Russia. It takes Nat Gas and the byproducts of Nat Gas production to make fertilizer, so unless this war ends it will be just like Biden said: "The food shortages will be real."


Why do people have such a difficult time accepting reality? Prepare yourself.

My favourite ‘lazy prepper’ food stack is:

- Oats
- Tinned fish in olive oil (Sardines, Tuna)
- Protein powder

All cheap. All can be eaten cold. All lasts for ages. Fats/Carbs/Protein + Omega 3-6-9.

It’s all stuff I eat anyway.

Good list, but I would advise against eating regular Tuna. The mercury problem is unfortunately real. I recommend canned chicken instead, which tastes pretty bad, but okay when mixed with spicy mustard or your favorite mustard type here. Mustard is amazing and lasts a long time, great spice.

 

[Crazy88]

Just came across this story:

Zerohedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

I’m also in agreement that chances of starving in the US are basically zero, but food prices will continue to go up for the foreseeable future. I’m always on the lookout for any bargains or sales, especially with dried and canned goods. Last week was able to buy a whole bunch of canned soup and beans, flour, rice, and lentils. And I actually eat that stuff, so I’m simply betting that it’ll all cost more 6 months from now and I might as well get it cheaper at present.

Things are getting dire in certain parts of the world, Sri Lanka just one of the latest examples:

Protesters in Sri Lanka defy curfew, police fire tear gas at students

President Rajapaksa declared a state of emergency on Friday as the nation grapples with rising prices, shortages and power cuts.

www.reuters.com

 

[Coja Petrus Uscan]

Zerohedge

ZeroHedge - On a long enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone drops to zero

www.zerohedge.com

UK consumers could pay 40% more for fruit and vegetables as supply costs bite

Fruit and vegetables have higher fixed costs as they are perishable products which requires them to be restocked more frequently, compared to other foods.

ca.finance.yahoo.com

 

[LSD]

I live in Australia and in a state that still has (and is scaling up) vaccine mandates/passports and is still masking kids.
We already have food shortages and have had them ever since a tyrant was elected to head the state. Shelves are empty and items that are on the shelves are limited to 1 per customer.
The tyrant party is focused on climate change though, so they can hate themselves slightly less when they drive a car or use electricity.

 

[Samseau]

I live in Australia and in a state that still has (and is scaling up) vaccine mandates/passports and is still masking kids.
We already have food shortages and have had them ever since a tyrant was elected to head the state. Shelves are empty and items that are on the shelves are limited to 1 per customer.
The tyrant party is focused on climate change though, so they can hate themselves slightly less when they drive a car or use electricity.

I'm sorry you must endure that prison colony. I pray for Australians all the time. Stay strong brother, it's one of the worst places in the world right now. I have no idea how I could survive there, except to find ways to live in the outback or something...?