When it comes to preparing emergency food supplies, you’ve probably heard it said that you should “eat what you store, and store what you eat.” Well, that’s a pretty fair point that I follow to the letter. I only store what I eat and like to eat. It don’t matter what it is. I like peanut butter, dried fruits, nuts, honey, jerked meats of all kinds, and all the rest of the things I store very much. And that goes for oatmeal, too.
Avoid instant oatmeal
Fact is, I eat oatmeal for breakfast at least once or twice a week, and when it’s cold and rainy out, even more often than that. I don’t go for that instant kind or the chopped up variety that comes out in little bits. Neither of those are really any good for you. I only eat the old-fashioned whole grain oatmeal, and almost always the organic kind.
I freely admit that I slip up once in a while and get your basic Quaker Oats just because it’s what I grew up on and they’re a bit cheaper than organic oats. I know; I can afford any oats I want. I’m just naturally frugal, I guess.
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But seriously – avoid the instant variety. Your basic, old-fashioned whole oatmeal will stick to your ribs a heck of a lot longer than instant oatmeal. Instant oatmeal varieties are basically the same as eating white bread. You get almost no nutritional value out of them. They’re bleached, then “enriched”, but all the good stuff has already been taken out of them replaced with synthetic vitamins and chemicals.
A warm breakfast is good for the outlook
The thing about old-fashioned oatmeal is that it’s a hot and nutritious meal that can sure taste good. It’s what people call “comfort food.” That’s all fine and good; your mental outlook is important, especially in a situation where you may be on your own for a while, even an unknown period of time. A warm bowl of oatmeal is a great way to put you in a good frame of mind.
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But if you find yourself having to be self reliant, you also want and need each of your meals to count as much as possible. Truth be told, oatmeal on its own ain’t enough to get you through the day. It just doesn’t have enough calories and vitamins. This really hits home if you’re having to work hard through the day.
Don’t forget your protein
Fact is, you’ll also need a good dose of protein to start your day, especially if you’re gonna be out hunting, chopping wood, doing the garden and what not. But don’t worry; you can fix this real quick and still enjoy your oats in the morning. If you’re like most people, you’ll need about one gram of protein for every two pounds of body weight if you’re gonna be physically active. Most people don’t even get that right now. You’ll also need some fat in your diet.
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There are several easy fixes for these needs that you can do right out of the chute. Remember that protein powder I talked about storing a few months back? Well, that comes in pretty handy with oatmeal. Just add a spoonful into your bowl, along with your milk – liquid or powdered – and mix it in.
Get your favorite flavor in
Now, I’m sure you’re thinking, “Heck Sam, that’s gonna taste awful!”
Well, don’t fret about that, I’m not finished yet. Next, you’re gonna add your favorite flavoring to the mix. Remember those dried apricots and apples? Put ‘em in your oatmeal? Natural honey? Put that in, too.
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But that’s not the half of what you can do to make your morning bowl of oats delicious and nutritious. Along with the protein powder and milk, you can add a bit hot chocolate mix, cinnamon, nutmeg, carob powder – there’s almost no limit to the flavoring you can add. Throw in a few almonds, walnuts and cashews and you’ve got yourself a warm, comforting bowl of goodness on a cold morning that has all your protein, fiber, fats and vitamin needs you’ll need to start your busy day the right way.
How to store your oats
Now, if you want to store your oatmeal for the long term, there are a couple of ways you can go about it. Some of my oatmeal stock I keep in my freezer out in my garage. Some of it I keep stored right in my pantry just off my kitchen. But I also have some in long term, vacuum-sealed Mylar storage bags. These are double serving packs for the wife and me.
The process is pretty simple and quick. In a small Mylar bag I just put two cups of whole oats, two table- spoons of whey protein powder, a handful of nuts (put in a sealed sandwich bag), a chocolate milk packet, two honey packets and a cup of powdered skim milk. I add a small desiccant and seal it up nice and tight so no moisture or critters can get in. It’s a done deal.
You can also do this with those powdered breakfast drinks they have in the stores. There are all kinds of flavors, and those drinks have vitamins and minerals in them as well. Add freeze-dried blueberries, raspber- ries and blackberries if you like. It’s really a no-brainer.
But what if you don’t like oatmeal? Well, for one thing, I feel sorry for you – you’re really missing out. That said, you can do the same with Cream of Wheat and grits. I’ve even heard of folks doing this with couscous; I can’t vouch for it since I’ve never really used it for this purpose. I’m sure other grains will work, too, but just be careful of their fat content. The higher the fat content, the more likely spoilage will take place.
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(Also, you can make your own special blend of self reliance cereal if you wish. See the DIY section below for a recipe that you can add to or change almost any way you like.)
When you make these meal packs, treat them like you do all of your pantry food storage. You need to rotate them out ever so often. Eat the oldest ones first – say after a year – and replace with new ones. This will not only tell you how good these are after a year, but you’ll also get the experience of creating your own personal oatmeal mixes. Sometimes what you think will taste good, maybe doesn’t. In any case, you’ll have the practice you need to make them and prepare them when you need them.
Break out your packs and try them out
When you do break them out, be sure to add only add boiling water to your oats. Let them cook for several minutes. Add the other ingredients once the oats are cooked, beginning with the powdered milk. (You can also mix the hot water with the powdered milk sepa- rately and then pour it in.) You want the oats to cook until their soft. The hot water breaks down the starch, making it easier for you body to digest them.
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One last points on long storage of your oats. If you want to store in large bulk, use a 5-gallon bucket. Get one with Gamma Seal lids. Use about a cup of Diatomaceous Earth with the oats to keep critters like boll weevils and others from setting up home in your oatmeal storage. Diatomaceous Earth won’t harm human beings or pets – it works pretty good for storing pet food, too – and stop all kinds of parasites and larvae. Your oats should be good to eat for up to 5 years.
The bottom line is that for good health and a good state of mind, a warm, nutritious breakfast of oatmeal can’t be beat in my book. It’s easy to make, is great for your state of mind and is very affordable for any budget.
