You can build Emergency Rice or Pasta Buckets very affordably and they don't have to be just plain rice or pasta, and you can customize to fit you and your family tastes.
And as of 2017 both Rice and Pasta are still pretty inexpensive per pound.
A 5 gallon bucket can hold a lot of food!
1 cup of dry rice or dry pasta will about double when cooked!
1 cup of rice or pasta is approximately 200 calories.
ELEPHANTS IN THE ROOM: This would be of course the need for water, cooking utensils and the ability to cook . Yes you have to prepare for your situation in order to cook your meals.
There are several ways to approach building your buckets. I cover in brief, 3 ways I make them up
1) Buckets fill with just 1 large mylar bag of pasta or just rice.
2) Buckets filled with individual 1/2 gallon mylar pouches (4 cups dry) + other FD foods.
3) Buckets with food & some basic utensils.
I've done buckets all 3 ways, it's just a matter of preference. My "Shelter In Place" buckets are usually those that have just rice or just pasta, as many of the ingredients needed to make a dish are in my pantry, (spices, canned goods, etc).
The other 2 buckets styles are those that I can quickly grab and go and have most of what I need.
I would utilize WATER BRICKS for most of my water needs. I have my "to go" cooking needs, like cooking pot, butane stove, matches..etc.. ready to go in an 18 gallon blue tote.
I buy my 1/2 gallon zip top mylar bags at Discount Mylar Bags: 1/2 Gallon Zip Lock Mylar 5Mill Thick
I buy my oxygen absorbers from Honeyville in Tempe, Az.
*I drop one 300 CC oxy absorber in to once filled 1/2 gallon mylar, zip it then iron shut the top.
I fill my pouches with 3 cups of either dry rice or dry pasta. I then place a food baggie with my other dry ingrediants, like meats, cheese, vegetables or fruit right on top of the dry rice or pasta. I seal the baggie. Drop in my 300 cc oxy absorber. Zip lock it, and then heat seal the top of the mylar baggie.
Mark and Date my pouches.
Because I buy and utilize pre packaged seasoning blends for most of my recipes... I simply leave them in those great foil pouches they come in..as they will easily last 1 to 2 years past their marked date. I drop them in to the bucket.
I include written instructions inside each bucket for each type of recipe. Mark and date the outside of your buckets!
I can usually get about 8 to 10 filled pouches + other items in my bucket, if packed properly.
If it's just pouches of food, you can easily get about 12 to 13 in a 5 gallon bucket.
*Notes:
I include in some of my buckets a very small container coconut oil to dress pasta & some rice dishes with - totally optional.
*You could put a small container of Tabasco or Sriracha sauce as well..they both will last at least 2 years.
WATER: Remember to plan ahead of the approximate water you will need to prepare your dishes. Often you can use the water you rehydrated your FD/Dehydrated foods with as part of your cooking/boiling water for your rice or your pasta.
INSTANT RICE: Yes..I do use the instant rice in some of my pouches. If you have an oxygen absorber in your pouch and it's stored correctly, instant rice will last at least 2 years. Instant rice will take less time & fuel to cook.
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