I have been doing some figuring from a recent trip to Sam's. An individual could buy and keep in a reasonable place some beans and rice and cooking oil which would keep them alive for one year should they find themselves on a "prepared" relative's doorstep. Their total cost would be about $190.00. For a family of four for three years the amount would be about $1280.00. (A few bottles of good vitamins would improve their nutritional situation a lot.) Perhaps, we could "sell" the concept of cheap "what if we are right" food insurance to those we love and expect "for dinner?"

-- karen eckels (leckels @msn.com), June 09, 1998

Answers

Karen A Great idea ! But I always thought you had ideas ! Your Dad

-- Harold Eudaly (heudaly@msn.com), June 10, 1998.

Try 300 lbs red wheat, 85 lbs dried milk powder, 60 lbs sugar or honey, 10 lbs iodised salt. That's the most basic and will keep one person alive for one year. It improves slightly if you add 50 lbs cooking oil and 100 lbs of dried beans. Include a year's supply of multi-vitamin pills per person also. Then if you suppliment this by eating all the fruit and green vegetables (even dandilion leaves) you can add, and you will be healthier and make the food last longer! Store in airtight, rodent-proof containers, and store some drinking water too (a few drops of chlorine will kill germs).

-- David Harvey@mercantilemutual.com.au (vk2dmh@rivernet.com.au), June 10, 1998.