How to Cook Rice

Today, we’re all about how to cook rice. It’s easy. Do you have a hard time cooking rice so it comes out the way you pictured? Please don’t feel bad about it; you’re not the only one. Many people struggle with cooking rice because there is a method you need to follow. We are eating rice four times a week right now. The price of groceries is so high.

Once you master that method, you can quickly learn to make rice at home, and you might eventually decide to experiment with different ingredients and flavors. After all, rice is an excellent side dish for serving many foods, including chicken, salmon, broccoli, pork, and more. I typically buy Jasmine rice and use a rice cooker. Rice Cooker

Here’s the deal: we can use a rice cooker, a pressure cooker, or even an Instant Pot; I get it. But, if you don’t have one, we must know how to cook rice on a Butane Stove or a gas stove in an emergency. In case you missed this post, Rice: Everything You Need to Know

Types of Rice for Your Kitchen

Long-Grain White Rice is the most common variety found in American pantries. It cooks up light and fluffy with grains that stay separate, making it perfect for everyday side dishes, fried rice, and pilaf.

Jasmine Rice is a fragrant long-grain rice native to Thailand. It has a subtle floral aroma and a slightly sticky texture when cooked, making it a favorite for Southeast Asian dishes and anyone who loves a little extra perfume in their bowl.

Basmati Rice hails from the Indian subcontinent and is prized for its nutty flavor and extra-long, slender grains that elongate beautifully when cooked. It’s the go-to choice for biryanis, curries, and Persian-style rice dishes.

Short-Grain White Rice is plump, tender, and naturally sticky, ideal for sushi, rice bowls, and Korean cuisine. Its high starch content makes the grains cling together, which is exactly what you want when eating with chopsticks.

Brown Rice is simply white rice with its bran layer intact, giving it a nuttier flavor, chewier texture, and more fiber and nutrients. It takes longer to cook but is a popular choice for health-conscious eaters.

Arborio Rice is a starchy Italian short-grain variety best known as the star of risotto. As it cooks, it releases a creamy starch that gives risotto its signature velvety texture; it’s not meant to be fluffy.

Sushi Rice is a specific type of short-grain rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt after cooking. While similar to regular short-grain rice, varieties labeled “sushi rice” are selected for their ideal stickiness and clean flavor.

Wild Rice isn’t technically rice at all; it’s the seed of an aquatic grass native to North America. It has a dramatic dark color, a chewy bite, and an earthy, nutty flavor that works beautifully in soups, salads, and stuffings.

How To Cook Rice

Choose the Type of Rice You’re Going to Use

The type of rice you’re using has a lot to do with whether it comes out perfectly. When you’re at the grocery store and looking at different bags of rice, you might notice that some of the bags say “short-grain rice,” “medium-grain rice,” and others say “extra long grain.” If you’re using medium-grain rice, use equal parts water and rice in the pot.

So, if you plan to cook two cups of rice, add two cups of water to your pot. If you’re using extra-long-grain rice, you’d need to use two cups of water for each cup of rice. Keep this in mind when you’re selecting the size of the rice you’re going to prepare.

The brand of the rice isn’t too important. While some people may argue that they like one brand better than the other, it’s not that big of a deal. You can use what is available to you and what you feel comfortable using.

Add Oil to Your Rice Pot

Grab a pot large enough to cook the rice. If you’re fixing enough to feed your whole family, a medium saucepan may not be large enough. In some cultures, the pot used for rice is known as a Caldero. You must have a non-stick pot with a lid to properly cook rice on your stovetop. Next, add a tablespoon of oil to the pot.

While the exact type of oil isn’t too important, it’s best to use olive or vegetable oil. Turn the stove heat to medium-high and let the oil heat. Colombian Caldero, 4.8 Quart, Silver

Rinse and Add Your Rice

Measure the rice you plan to use, pour it into a colander, and begin rinsing it with cool water in the sink. Not everyone agrees with rinsing rice, but removing excess starch is a great way to get fluffy rice and prevent a mushy texture you might not like.

Once you’ve rinsed your rice for a minute or two, be sure to hold it in place, pour out any extra water into the sink, and then add it to the cooking pot with the hot oil. Use a plastic or wooden spoon to stir the rice for a good mix.

Add Water and Salt to the Pot

Next, measure the amount of water needed to add to the pot based on your selected rice style or size and how much you’re using. Add the water to the pot, and then sprinkle a teaspoon or two of salt into it.

Remix the rice, cover it halfway with the lid, and leave it on medium-high heat. Don’t go too far away; you want to stay close to the rice pot to watch when the rice absorbs the water.

Cover and let the Steam Work Its Magic

When you notice most of the water has been absorbed, remove the lid from the pot and add a sheet of foil on top. Use the foil to cover the pot before placing the lid back on top. Lower the heat on the stove to the lowest setting possible and leave your rice alone for at least 20 minutes.

Don’t touch the lid! You may feel tempted to open the lid and look inside to see how much progress you’re making, but that can disrupt things and leave you with wet rice that doesn’t taste very good.

Remove the Lid and Foil to Fluff and Serve

After 20 minutes, remove the lid from the pot and carefully pull the foil off the top. Be careful with the foil, as a lot of steam will come from inside the pot. The steam can burn you if you’re too close.

You may notice that your rice looks perfect! Grab a fork to fluff it before serving it with a plastic or wooden spoon. It’s that simple. If you follow this foolproof method, you can easily make traditional white rice.

Another Way To Cook Rice

Deborah, one of my readers, suggests: “I do rinse the rice. But I bring the water to a boil with oil and salt added. Pour the rinsed rice in and bring it to a boil again. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the lid and turn off the heat. Let it sit for about 30-45 minutes. Usually, the rice is perfect and fluffy.”

For the past few months, we’ve been using an Aroma Select Stainless rice cooker as a new approach to cooking rice (see the “rice cooker” link above). You have the same rice-to-water ratio as explained above. It has a switch on the front to cook the rice, and then it automatically shifts to a “warm” setting. When the rice is ready, I put a paper towel over the hole in the lid so I don’t get burned when I remove the lid. This has proven to be a great rice cooker and pretty much fail-safe.

Add-Ins for Flavor

Some people like to use chicken bouillon when preparing their white rice. If you’d like to give the rice a bit more flavor, you can add the chicken bouillon as the liquid to the pot with the oil, right before adding your rice and mixing well.

The chicken bouillon doesn’t have an overwhelming taste, but it does add more flavor to the dish, so you wouldn’t need to add anything else if you didn’t want to.

Some people add corn to their rice. Yellow corn adds a sweet touch to white rice and is an excellent addition to seafood and meat meal recipes. If you’d like to add the corn to your rice, feel free to toss it in when you’re adding the white rice to the pot.

If you don’t like corn, you can consider using peas or chopped canned carrots. It depends on what you prefer and want to enjoy with your rice.

What to Eat on Your Rice

While you can eat your rice fresh out of the pot, some other ingredients taste great when added to it for a different-tasting rice recipe. Soy sauce is a popular ingredient used on white rice and fried rice. It adds a tangy taste.

Sometimes Mark will take my rice, heat it up, and add some butter, much like you’d do with mashed potatoes. He’ll also heat a bowl of rice and put milk and sugar on it for his breakfast.

Coconut Aminos are a keto-friendly option for those who like tang without excess sugar. You can also enhance the flavor of your rice by adding chopped cilantro and fresh lime juice.

How to Freeze Rice

I love rice; I could eat it at every meal. So I grabbed some of my Souper Containers, cooked the rice, filled them, and then filled the “cups,” so I could freeze some individual servings.

Final Word

Cooking rice isn’t too hard. If you follow these instructions, you can turn it into a science and always prepare delicious rice. May God bless this world, Linda

Copyright Images: Rinsing Rice AdobeStock_136870136 by Africa Studio, White Rice AdobeStock_215243566 by Kungverylucky, Different Rice AdobeStock_218205225 by Pixel-Shot.

The post How to Cook Rice appeared first on Food Storage Moms.

from Food Storage Moms

If We Have A War: Can You Feed Your Family?

If we have a war, can you feed your family? I can guarantee you 100% the government won’t deliver food or water to your home in a short time after an unforeseen disaster. When geopolitical tensions rise and supply chains become uncertain, one question becomes urgent for every household: Do you have enough food stored to feed your family?

Wars, natural disasters, and infrastructure failures can disrupt grocery store deliveries within days. Building a pantry stocked with shelf-stable foods is not paranoia; it’s practical preparedness. Canned goods are among the most reliable and affordable options available, offering long shelf lives, nutritional value, and convenience when it matters most.

Whether you’re building an emergency food supply for the first time or reinforcing what you already have, understanding what to stock and why can make the difference between security and crisis. This post breaks down the three essential categories of canned goods every household should prioritize: meats, fruits, and vegetables.

Why Canned Foods Are Your Best Defense in a Crisis

Before diving into specifics, it’s worth understanding why canned foods rank at the top of every serious emergency preparedness list. Most canned goods carry a shelf life of two to five years, with some lasting a decade or longer when stored properly in a cool, dry environment. They require no refrigeration, minimal preparation, and provide reliable caloric and nutritional content. In a grid-down or supply-disrupted scenario, your pantry becomes your lifeline.

Emergency preparedness experts recommend storing enough food to sustain your household for at least 2 weeks, with a 90-day supply considered the gold standard for serious preparedness. Canned goods make that goal achievable on nearly any budget.

If We Have A War, Can You Feed Your Family?

Canned Meats: Protein When You Need It Most

Protein is the first macronutrient group to run short during a food emergency. Fresh meat spoils quickly, and frozen meat becomes unusable once power fails. Canned meats solve both problems.

Canned chicken is one of the most versatile options available. It can be eaten cold directly from the can, mixed into soups, stirred into rice, or used as a base for simple stews. A single can typically provide 25 to 30 grams of protein and has a shelf life of three to five years. Stock multiple cases if your family regularly consumes chicken.

Canned tuna and salmon are equally important additions. These fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and high in protein, making them nutritionally dense emergency foods. Tuna packed in oil provides additional calories, which become important in high-stress or physically demanding survival situations. Salmon offers a slightly richer flavor and can be used in patties, salads, or eaten straight from the can. My loyal and knowledgeable reader, Harry, told me about this company where you can literally buy the best tuna in the world. Natural Catch Tuna

Canned beef, including products like corned beef and beef stew, provides a heartier meal option. These products are calorie-dense and satisfying, which matters when morale may already be strained. Spam and other canned pork products are similarly durable and widely available, and they pair easily with canned vegetables or rice to form complete meals.

Don’t overlook canned Vienna sausages or canned ham. While they may not be everyday favorites, they’re filling, long-lasting, and easy to prepare under difficult conditions. When building your supply, aim for a variety of protein sources so your family doesn’t experience food fatigue, which is a real morale concern in extended emergencies.

Canned Fruits: Nutrition, Hydration, and Morale

Canned fruits are often underestimated in emergency food planning, but they serve multiple critical roles. They provide natural sugars for quick energy, vitamins, and antioxidants that support immune health, as well as a liquid that helps with hydration when clean water may be limited.

Canned peaches, pears, and mandarin oranges are among the most popular options and tend to be well-accepted by children, which matters during stressful events when getting kids to eat can be a challenge. These fruits are packed naturally in juice or syrup, providing both nutrition and additional fluid intake. Look for options packed in 100% juice to reduce added sugar intake during already stressful conditions.

Canned pineapple is another excellent choice. It contains bromelain, an enzyme with anti-inflammatory properties, and its tart sweetness offers a refreshing contrast to the saltier canned meats in your pantry. Pineapple can also be used as a flavor enhancer when added to rice or meat dishes to help break up monotony.

Canned applesauce deserves a dedicated spot in any family preparedness plan, particularly for households with young children or older family members. It’s easy to digest, gentle on the stomach, and can serve as a snack, a side dish, or even a simple dessert. Many varieties are available with no added sugar, making them a cleaner nutritional option.

Canned tomatoes occupy a unique position because they function as both fruit and cooking ingredient. Diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste dramatically expand your cooking options, allowing you to prepare pasta sauces, soups, chilis, and stews from other shelf-stable pantry items. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and vitamin C, adding meaningful nutritional value to your emergency meals.

Canned Vegetables: The Foundation of Long-Term Meal Planning

Vegetables round out your emergency nutrition plan by providing fiber, vitamins, and minerals that keep your family healthy over an extended period. Relying solely on proteins and grains without sufficient vegetables can lead to digestive issues and nutritional deficiencies within weeks.

Canned green beans are a staple of emergency pantries for good reason. They’re low in calories, high in fiber, and have a mild flavor that goes well with nearly any other food. They can be eaten cold or heated quickly, and children tend to accept them without much resistance.

Canned corn is another highly versatile option. It adds sweetness, texture, and color to meals and combines naturally with canned beans and tomatoes to create filling, nutritious dishes. Corn is higher in carbohydrates than many other canned vegetables, making it a useful energy source when physical demands are high.

Canned Beans

Canned black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas are among the most important items in any emergency food supply. Beans are calorie-dense, high in fiber, packed with plant-based protein, and extraordinarily affordable. A single can of black beans provides roughly 15 grams of protein and significant amounts of iron, magnesium, and folate. Beans also combine with canned meats and vegetables to create complete, satisfying meals with minimal preparation.

Canned spinach and canned mixed vegetables ensure that your family receives a broader range of micronutrients. Spinach is particularly rich in iron, calcium, and vitamins A and K. Mixed vegetable blends often include carrots, peas, green beans, and corn, providing nutritional variety without requiring you to stock every vegetable individually.

Don’t underestimate the value of canned potatoes. They’re calorie-dense and filling, and can be used in soups and stews or as a standalone side dish. For families with growing children or individuals who engage in physical labor, calorie density matters as much as nutritional balance during an emergency.

How Much Should You Store?

A general rule of preparedness is to calculate each family member’s daily caloric needs and multiply by the number of days you want to cover. The average adult requires approximately 2,000 calories per day, while active adults and teenagers may need closer to 2,500. Children’s needs vary by age and size.

A two-week supply for a family of four would require roughly 112,000 calories stored in shelf-stable form. That may sound like a large number, but canned goods are calorie-efficient and inexpensive. A thoughtful combination of canned meats, fruits, and vegetables, supplemented by dried rice, pasta, oats, and cooking oil, can achieve that target for a few hundred dollars spent over time.

Rotate your stock regularly by placing newer cans behind older ones and using the oldest items first in your everyday cooking. This practice, known as first-in, first-out rotation, ensures your supply stays fresh and nothing goes to waste.

Start Building Your Pantry Today

You don’t need a crisis to motivate you. The time to build a food reserve is before you need it. Begin with a one-week supply and expand gradually. Focus on foods your family already enjoys, since familiar flavors reduce stress during difficult circumstances.

War, natural disaster, economic collapse, or severe weather, any scenario that disrupts the food supply chain can put your family at risk. A well-stocked pantry built around canned meats, canned fruits, and canned vegetables is one of the most straightforward, cost-effective steps any family can take toward genuine self-reliance. Start today, buy a little extra each week, and build the security your family deserves.

Tip Of The Day

Did you know you can freeze cilantro in water and pop out a cube anytime you want some cilantro? 1/2 Cup Souper Cubes can be used to store the frozen cilantro for use later. I have a number of these and love them!

Cut The Cilantro

Cut the Cilantro to fit the “boxes”.

Wash The Cilantro

Wash and drain the Cilantro.

Fill The Trays With Cilantro

Place the Cilantro in the trays and partially fill with water. They need water to pop them out.

Fill The Trays With Water and Freeze Them

Pop out a cube when you need some Cilantro.

Final Word

No one wants to imagine a world where grocery store shelves are empty or the power grid has failed. But history has shown, time and again, that disruptions happen, and they happen fast. Within 72 hours of a major crisis, stores run out of essentials. Within a week, families without a plan begin to struggle.

The good news is that feeding your family through an extended emergency isn’t complicated. It doesn’t require a bunker, a large budget, or specialized skills. It requires a pantry stocked with the right canned goods, a little planning, and the willingness to act before a crisis forces your hand.

You can’t control whether a war breaks out, whether a hurricane knocks out your region’s infrastructure, or whether an economic shock empties store shelves overnight. What you can control is what sits in your pantry right now. Build it steadily, rotate it consistently, and rest easier knowing that, no matter what happens outside, the people in your home will be fed. That isn’t fear. That’s love in action. May God bless this world, Linda

The post If We Have A War: Can You Feed Your Family? appeared first on Food Storage Moms.

from Food Storage Moms

Top 10 Plants That Will Keep Bugs Away from Your Crops

Gardeners know that their plants need lots of sunlight, water, nutrition, and love if they are going to grow and thrive. But plants also need protection from insect pests! From persistent public enemies like aphids and various kinds of insect larvae to more species-specific critters like mites, Japanese beetles, and more, you can do everything ... Read more

Top 10 Plants That Will Keep Bugs Away from Your Crops can be read in full at New Life On A Homestead- Be sure to check it out!

from New Life On A Homestead

If We Have A War: Stock Bags, Plastic Wrap, and Foil

If we have a war: Why Your Family Needs to Stock Bags, Plastic Wrap, and Foil. These humble kitchen staples become some of the most powerful survival tools in your home when a crisis strikes. Here’s why every family should have them stocked and ready. I believe these will be in short supply sooner rather than later. Please stock up now.

When most people think about emergency preparedness, they picture canned food, bottled water, and flashlights. But one category of supplies quietly sits in the kitchen drawer and gets completely overlooked: bags, plastic wrap, and aluminum foil. If war, a natural disaster, or a national emergency ever disrupts your daily life, these three items will prove to be among the most useful things you own.

This post explains exactly why gallon bags, quart bags, freezer bags, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap belong on your emergency stockpile list, and how your family can put each one to work when it matters most.

Gallon Bags

Quart Bags

Heavy-Duty Foil

Plastic Wrap

If We Have A War: Stock Bags, Plastic Wrap, and Foil

Why Ordinary Household Supplies Matter in a Crisis

Emergencies strip life down to basics: food, water, shelter, and safety. The supplies that help you protect, preserve, and organize those basics become invaluable. Bags, foil, and plastic wrap are lightweight, inexpensive, and incredibly versatile. They take up almost no space but cover dozens of survival needs.

When stores close, supply chains break down, or you’re sheltering in place for days at a time, you’ll reach for these items again and again. Stocking them before a crisis is far easier than trying to find them during one.

Gallon Zip-Lock Bags: Your All-Purpose Survival Tool

Gallon-sized zip-lock bags are among the most versatile items in any emergency kit. They’re large enough to hold a meaningful amount of food, documents, clothing, or supplies, yet small enough to be carried easily. Their waterproof seal protects contents from moisture, contamination, and pests.

In a war or extended emergency, the ability to seal and protect things quickly is critical. Gallon bags give you that ability on demand.

How Your Family Uses Them

• Store and preserve leftover cooked food when refrigeration is unavailable or unreliable.
• Protect important documents like birth certificates, insurance papers, medical records, and passports from water damage.
• Pack individual daily rations for each family member to keep supplies organized and portioned.
• Keep dry goods like crackers, rice, sugar, and powdered milk sealed and pest-free once the original packaging is opened.
• Store small first aid supplies, medications, or bandages in a waterproof pouch inside a larger kit.
• Use as a waterproof container for a cell phone or radio during rain or flooding.
• Fill with water in an emergency and use it as a makeshift ice pack if you still have access to freezing temperatures.
• Label each bag with a marker before stocking. Knowing what’s inside at a glance saves time and reduces stress during high-pressure moments.

Quart Zip-Lock Bags: Precision and Portability

Quart bags are the smaller, more precise companion to gallon bags. They excel at organizing, portioning, and protecting smaller items. In an emergency, chaos is the enemy. Quart bags help you stay organized and in control.

• Pre-portion dry ingredients like oatmeal, powdered milk, or spices into single-meal servings so cooking in a crisis is fast and measured.
• Store daily medication doses for each family member, clearly labeled with the person’s name and dosage instructions.
• Pack small personal hygiene items, a toothbrush, travel soap, and hair ties for each child or adult in your household.
• Organize small tools, batteries, matches, or fire-starting materials.
• Store seeds if your family plans to grow food during a prolonged crisis.
• Keep cash, coins, or small valuables protected and dry in a go-bag or emergency kit.
• Use for sorting and storing small hardware, safety pins, needles, or sewing supplies for clothing repair.

Freezer Bags: Long-Term Food Protection When the Power Is Gone

Freezer bags are a thicker, more durable version of standard zip-lock bags, specifically designed to protect food in extreme cold or other extreme conditions. Their heavier plastic resists punctures, blocks air, and protects food from freezer burn. In an emergency, their durability makes them the right choice for storing bulkier food items and supplies.

If you lose power and your freezer starts to thaw, freezer bags give you the best chance to preserve as much food as possible for as long as possible. They also hold up better if you’re storing food in a cooler, a root cellar, or burying supplies.

• Transfer thawed meat, poultry, and fish into freezer bags, then move them to a cooler with ice to extend their shelf life when the power goes out.
• Store bulk dry goods, flour, rice, oats, beans, pasta, sealed tightly to keep moisture and pests out for months.
• Portion and freeze large batches of cooked meals, so you have ready-to-eat food during the first days of an emergency when cooking may be difficult.
• Use them to carry water if conventional water containers are unavailable.
• Store and transport soil, seeds, or small plants if your family needs to relocate and wants to establish a garden.
• Keep clothing or bedding protected against moisture if you’re sheltering in a basement, garage, or outdoors.

Aluminum Foil: Heat, Protection, and Utility in Every Sheet

Aluminum foil is one of the most underrated emergency supplies. It’s heat-resistant, reflective, waterproof, moldable, and reusable. A family with several rolls of heavy-duty foil has a cooking tool, a shelter material, a signaling device, and a food-preservation tool all in one.

In a prolonged crisis without electricity or conventional cooking appliances, foil becomes indispensable for cooking over open flames or outdoor heat sources.

• Wrap food tightly for cooking over an open fire, on an outdoor grill, or on a camp stove. Foil packets are one of the safest and simplest ways to cook full meals without a kitchen.
• Wrap and seal cooked food to retain heat and prevent contamination when you can’t refrigerate it immediately.
• Line cooking surfaces or improvised pots and pans to avoid contamination from unknown containers or materials.
• Use reflective foil to signal for help. It catches sunlight and can be seen from long distances.
• Insulate windows, walls, or shelters by layering foil to reflect heat inward during cold weather or outward during extreme heat.
• Create a makeshift funnel, bowl, or cup when proper containers aren’t available.
• Wrap electronic devices in multiple layers of heavy-duty foil to create a basic protective shield against certain electrical disruptions.
• Line the inside of shoes or boots with foil to add a layer of insulation against the cold.
• Stock heavy-duty aluminum foil rather than standard household foil. The thicker gauge is far more durable for cooking, insulation, and any heavy-use purpose your family may encounter in an emergency.

Plastic Wrap: Sealing, Protecting, and Improvising

Plastic wrap, the kind you use to cover leftovers in the kitchen, becomes a powerful, multi-purpose material in an emergency. Its ability to cling to almost any surface and create a tight, flexible seal makes it useful far beyond the dinner table.

It is lightweight and compact, so storing several rolls takes almost no space. Yet the number of survival uses for plastic wrap is surprisingly long.

• Cover and seal pots, bowls, and containers of food to protect them from insects, dust, and contamination when you lack proper lids.
• Wrap injuries or bandages to keep them clean and dry, especially for wounds on hands, feet, or legs.
• Seal windows and door frames to block out dust, smoke, or airborne contaminants if you’re sheltering in place.
• Protect electronics, important documents, or valuables from moisture by wrapping them tightly.
• Cover water collection buckets or containers to reduce evaporation and keep collected rainwater clean.
• Wrap around broken tools, handles, or equipment to temporarily hold pieces together.
• Use to wrap feet or hands inside boots and gloves to add a moisture barrier in wet conditions.
• Stretch across gaps in walls, windows, or vehicle openings to create a temporary weatherproof barrier.

How Much Should Your Family Stock?

A general rule of thumb for a family of four is to stock a minimum supply that can last 90 days. For bags, foil, and plastic wrap, consider the following as a starting point:

• Gallon zip-lock bags: at least four to six boxes, each containing 30 to 50 bags.
• Quart zip-lock bags: three to four boxes of 50 bags each.
• Freezer bags in gallon size: three to four boxes of 30 bags each.
• Heavy-duty aluminum foil: four to six rolls of 75 to 150 square feet each.
• Plastic wrap: three to four large rolls of 200 to 500 square feet each.

These supplies are inexpensive, have long shelf lives, and store easily in a closet, pantry, or storage container. Rotate older supplies into regular kitchen use and replace them with new stock to keep your supply fresh. Please note, I typically buy freezer bags; it’s a personal preference. Mark and I were organizing the baggie cupboard, and dang it, I bought the wrong ones. Such is life.

Storing Your Emergency Supply of Bags, Foil, and Plastic Wrap

Keep these supplies in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight. A dedicated storage bin or box, clearly labeled, makes it easy to find quickly. Keep a smaller working supply in your go-bag or evacuation kit in case you need to leave home in a hurry.

Teach every member of your family, including children old enough to understand, where these supplies are kept and how to use them. In a real emergency, anyone in the household may need to access and use them independently.

Final Word

The time to stock these supplies is before an emergency, not during one. When a crisis is unfolding, store shelves empty quickly. Prices rise. Supplies disappear. The families who prepared beforehand are the ones who stay calm, fed, organized, and safe.

Gallon bags, quart bags, freezer bags, aluminum foil, and plastic wrap may not feel like dramatic survival gear. They won’t make the evening news. But when life is disrupted, and you need to protect food, treat a wound, seal a window, cook a meal over a fire, or keep your family’s most important documents dry, you’ll be glad every single box and roll is sitting in your storage room ready to go. May God bless this world, Linda

The post If We Have A War: Stock Bags, Plastic Wrap, and Foil appeared first on Food Storage Moms.

from Food Storage Moms

10 Container Gardening Ideas

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

For gardeners with poor soil, hungry wildlife, poor sunlight, or all of the above, container gardening provides several answers. You can manipulate the soil in your container to be just what you need for the type of plants you are growing.

Container gardens can be moved anywhere you like. They can be transferred to follow seasonal sunlight changes, and they can be placed in an enclosure, on a porch, or a protected location to deal with hungry pests like rabbit, deer, and squirrels.

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Hay Bales

Hay bales are one of the more interesting “containers” because they break down as the growing season goes on. They are the only container on the list that will feed your garden as it contains your garden. That’s pretty cool!

To create a haybale container you need 4 haybales, and you simply arrange them so there is a rectangular space between them all. Sort of like you are building a raised bed except instead of lumber, you are using haybales.

Fill that section with fertile soil and grow whatever you like in there.

You can also cut a section out of the center of a single haybale and grow inside the individual hay bale itself. If you combine methods, then you can grow things like tomatoes in the large growing space in the center while growing lettuces and herbs in the cutout sections of each individual haybale.

More Info: How to Grow Food in Straw Bales

Pallet Growing

In one of its early iterations, I had a garden that was made up of pallets. The pallets were not disassembled or built into anything. I just laid them on level ground and filled them with nutrient-rich growing soil.

I smoothed it out over the top removing the excess from the pallet wood on top.

What I had were mini raised beds that had rows built into them. I really like this design. They did very well with things like lettuce, squashes, and herbs.

Since I did not protect them, our dogs stepped and laid on them while some of the plants were young and it affected the yields. Other than that, these were a great out of the ordinary “container” for growing. 

More Info: How to Grow a Pallet Garden

Grow Bags

About 7 years ago, my father-in-law gave me a dozen or so grow bags, and I think they are one of the best containers to grow in. They are incredibly versatile, they drain well, and they have handles ,which makes them super easy to use.

I have seen people have tremendous success with things like sweet potatoes, though I have only grown things like pole beans and squash in them.

If you haven’t tried grow bags as part of your container garden, you should consider them for your next garden. I know people that grow almost everything in these bags. Keep em moist and you will have success.

More Info: How To Use Grow Bags

Trash Can Potatoes

^{Image via Mama's Homestead}

When my son was very little, we drilled holes into a trash can and filled it about halfway with soil and planted potatoes. Then we let them sprout and covered them with more soil just to the tops of the plant. We did this over and over till the trash can was filled with growing soil.

After the potatoes grew to maturity and the mature plants died off, we tipped the can over and dug through all the dirt for our harvest. It was a cool exercise. We had a decent yield. There are some things we could have done differently, but the container itself worked out really well.

A simple trash can with drainage provides you great room for larger roots to grow. It also holds a lot of soil.

More Info: How to Grow Potatoes in a Trash Can

Rain Gutter Strawberries

Do you have a tall fence? What about a greenhouse or an attached grow room? I have seen rain gutters employed for a number of uses. One of the very best was for growing strawberries inside of a greenhouse.

Rain gutters are a great option for plants that have shallow root systems like lettuces and leafy herbs. They are not great for root vegetables.

More Info: Growing Strawberries in Gutters

Cinderblock Raised Bed

^{Image via Backyard Garden Geek}

A raised bed made of cinderblocks is one way that you can use cinderblocks. However, the coolest part about each cinderblock is that there are two small growing compartments in each. These two holes can be filled with soil, and you can grow things like leafy greens, herbs, lettuces, and bush beans.

Some people have mentioned to me that these blocks can leech chemicals. I never worried much about this. If you aren’t growing food, then you are already eating food that is covered in a variety of chemicals.

More Info: Growing Plants in Cinder Block Holes

Hanging Planters

We all see hanging planters. They are great little containers for growing. The biggest struggle with the hanging planter is that you must keep them watered. In cool conditions, they are just hanging there and drying out quickly.

Even a couple days without watering can be detrimental to whatever you are growing in your hanging planter. So, keep these things saturated if you plan to use them.

More Info: How to Start a Hanging Vegetable Garden

Five Gallon Buckets

^{Image via orbisonroad}

Any prepper knows that the 5-gallon bucket is one of the most versatile tools in the tool kit. You can do almost anything with a 5-gallon bucket. When it comes to using them as a growing container they excel in a number of different ways.

You can convert a 5-gallon bucket into a small hydroponics system. You can transform a 5-gallon bucket into an aero garden that sprays nutrient-laced water on the roots of your plants inside the bucket while the tops of the plants grow above the bucket.

Of course, you can just punch some holes in the bottom and fill it with soil to grow traditionally.

More Info: Growing Food in Buckets – A Step by Step Guide

Rain Barrel Container Garden

^{Image via roadkillaardvark / CC BY-NC-SA 4.0}

Those 55-gallon rain barrels can do more for you than just gather and hold water. They are capable of growing food, too. By cycling the water with a water pump and adding nutrients, you can create a hydroponics system.

If you are hanging on to too many rain barrels, then you can cut the tops off them and create a deep growing pod for things like root vegetables or vegetables like tomatoes with deep taproots. You can also halve the rain barrels or split them right down the middle to create two growing containers from one barrel.

More Info: Container Gardening With Rain Barrels

Old Cooler Garden

^{Image via Sustain My Craft Habit}

One of the worst parts of a container garden is soil drying out. When you plant in the ground, the moisture is more spread out and the ground is also insulated. Your above-ground containers heat up fast and dry out.

The benefits of using an old cooler as a container is the added insulation. It will keep your dirt moist because it helps regulate the temperature. Don’t forget about drainage on this container.

More Info: DIY Repurposed Cooler Planter

Conclusion

For people in urban settings, rooftop gardens, limited spaces, or even indoor growing, container gardens can be an answer when growing your own food seems impossible. Container growing is also a great growing method to explore for adding options to your traditional garden.

You can have just as much success, sometimes even more, in container gardening as you do when growing directly in the ground.

Don’t just stop with the ideas I have presented. You can grow in almost anything. I have seen people grow flowers in old boots! Not a very efficient growing setup but valid, nonetheless. Get creative. Just don’t forget about drainage.

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Originally published on Homestead Survival Site.

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