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You will have to take responsibility for doing your own research, and making your own decisions. All food items (unless otherwise noted) should be stored: a. clean (free of insects, and insect eggs) b. dry (low moisture content is generally better, except for certain root vegetables stored whole) c. cool (40 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 5 to 18 degrees Centigrade) d. well-sealed Protein, Carbs, and Fat are the three essential macronutrients needed by the human body. Stored foods should include good sources of Protein and Carbs and Fat. You will have to decide for yourself which foods, and how much of each food, to store. Carbs and Fat also provide necessary calories. Fat contains 8.84 calories per gram. White sugar contains 3.87 calories per gram. Complex carbs have over 4 calories per gram. The 100 kilogram data is for comparison purposes only. Grains (protein and carbs) Most of the human race obtains most of their calories and protein from grain; this is true historically as well as currently. If you are going to store food, grains are an important source of stored protein and carbohydrates. 1. Rice Provides ample carbohydrates and a nearly-complete protein (low in lysine) Can be stored indefinitely if clean, dry, cool. Choose long-grain or 'extra long grain' white rice for storage. Rice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, enriched 100 kilograms is 365,000 calories (1,000 calories per day for a year) 7,130 grams of protein (19.5 grams per day for a year) Not best for long-term storage: instant rice, because it has less protein and less lysine. 2. Pasta Provides ample carbohydrates and a nearly-complete protein (low in lysine). Much more protein than rice, and about the same carbs. Can be stored indefinitely if clean, dry, cool. Not best for long-term storage: rice noodles, cellophane noodles, and bean threads, because they have little or no protein. 100 kilograms is 371,000 calories (1,016 calories per day for a year) 13,040 grams of protein (35.7 grams per day for a year) a) Choose ordinary white pasta made from durum wheat and/or semolina wheat for storage. Any shape is fine, but thinner pastas cook faster, and certain shapes pack more closely together (if storage space is at a minimum). Angel hair and couscous will cook the fastest. b) Store some macaroni and cheese boxed dinners, the kind with dry cheese powder, any brand. The cheese is high in protein and high in lysine, complementing the protein in the wheat. These dinners not keep as long as plain white pasta, and the dry cheese sauce is not as healthy as real cheese, so only limited money and space should be allotted for this storage item. 100 kilograms is 368,000 calories (1,008 calories per day for a year) 14,970 grams of protein (41.0 grams per day for a year) 3. Potato Dry plain instant mashed potato, flakes, sealed in a foil bag. Provides ample carbohydrates and is a complete protein. Lower in protein than pasta, but a little higher than rice. Can be stored indefinitely if clean, dry, cool. Instant mashed potatoes can be prepared with vegetable oil and sugar instead of butter and milk 600 grams (1.33 lbs) of instant mashed potatoes has about as much protein and more carbs than 5 pounds of Russet potatoes (raw) 100 kilograms is 354,000 calories ( 970 calories per day for a year) 8,340 grams of protein (22.8 grams per day for a year) 4. Oatmeal Provides ample carbohydrates and is a complete protein. The type with sugar and flavorings is much more palatable, and still a good source of protein and carbs. Can be stored indefinitely if clean, dry, cool. 100 kilograms is 370,000 calories (1,014 calories per day for a year) 8,590 grams of protein (23.5 grams per day for a year) Plain oats, without added sugar and flavorings, are also high in protein, and a good source of carbs, and less expensive to buy, but much less palatable and take longer to cook. Purchase plain oats and sugar and a flavoring such as cinnamon separately, if you need to minimize the cost of the stored food. 5. Corn (Maize) Corn has about the same amount of protein as rice. Whole grain cornmeal has much higher lysine than degermed corn, but still less lysine than rice. Yellow corn supplies Vitamin A and beta-carotene (which the body turns into Vitamin A). White corn does not supply Vitamin A or beta-carotene. Yellow corn is preferred. Choose yellow whole grain cornmeal, or corn pasta, for storage. Do not store degermed cornmeal -- it is very low in lysine. Corn pasta has a very mild taste, much like wheat pasta, and it cooks to a good firm texture. However, corn has less protein than wheat, and less lysine than wheat or rice or potato. Wheat, rice, and potato should be preferred over corn. Whole grain cornmeal keeps well, if clean, dry, cool. Cornmeal, whole-grain, yellow 100 kilograms is 362,000 calories (992 calories per day for a year) 8,120 grams of protein (22.2 grams per day for a year) Corn pasta 100 kilograms is 357,000 calories (978 calories per day for a year) 7,460 grams of protein (20.4 grams per day for a year) Preferred for Storage: Prefer wheat, rice, potato, and oats over corn, because corn is low in total protein and in lysine. Prefer long-grain and extra long-grain rice because they have more protein than medium and short grain rice. Parboiled enriched long-grain rice is higher in nutrients than unenriched rice or regular (non-parboiled) rice. Avoid storing instant rice (even long-grain) because it has less protein and less lysine. |