The previous posts have been about surviving and then putting in place a framework for making sure we can continue to live in a collapsed society. It should give you, after a little investigation on the site, a good list of what you need to put aside to enable everything we talked about.
Now we will start to look at what you should be doing to improve your lot in life, make yourself safer as well as making yourself more comfortable and with a stronger sense of wellbeing than just survival.
First of all we should really look at having a wider variety of food in our stores. Rice and pasta may be sufficient but over a long period you would be craving something different. Look at tins of chicken, steak, tuna, salmon, mackerel, spam, hame, etc. Not forgetting the tins of chicken curry and similar items. Mix and match and the variety will vastly improve your lot especially if you have the capability of heating them up. You can even mix in some freshly picked veg or freshly caught fish, pigeon or rabbit to give variety.
You can also look at simple seasoning, sauces, salt, pepper and spices will be a very welcome treat. Just by using different sauces you can make yesterdays meal taste like something else.
A variety of teas, coffee and various flavouring for water will make the tasteless taste of stored water more palatable making a change from dandelion, nettle or just plain water.
A few jelly flavours, some mixed tins of fruit and you can make a nice meal complete.
Of course you now have an increased storage requirement but the improvement in your standards will make the whole thing worthwhile. A tin of steak could last a couple of days with our basic fillers remaining the core of your supplies.
Some items are easier than others, tins of paste, multiple flavours. Flour and the ability to make your own bread, perhaps not the same as you currently buy but bread nevertheless will be a nice filler. Basic baking equipment and ingredients will see cakes being added to your diet and these would make a nice filler for the fruit and spread it out.
Having improved cooking capabilities like an oven can be made or stored, tools for mixing, baking, etc. will allow many more things especially once you are able to leave your nest. Don’t forget measuring jugs and spoons, scales, thermometers, trays and some simple cookbooks. Most of which can be bought cheaply today but will be in short supply come an event.
This is also where a good cook and experience will come in handy. Knowing what can be made with certain ingredients is a lost art in this country with many women not being able to do anything if the microwave is off line. Personally I’d happily let a cook into my circle even if that was all they brought to the table but another mouth to feed not so much.