An Ohio prepper searching for simple emergency meals bought 10 secondhand cookbooks, only to find recipes calling for more ingredients than they wanted to keep on hand.
Here’s what to know
The author of a Reddit post sought other preppers’ advice on how they would approach a fresh start with emergency supplies. The poster’s goal for an extended power outage was a simpler setup, with fewer gadgets, more bulk staples, and extra blankets. They planned to review their supplies with friends.
They wanted to be able to cook basic meals from a small selection of ingredients even if grocery shelves were bare. “Basic bulk stuff is mostly what I plan to do. I’m extremely basic on what food I crave, and I’m completely content just eating beans,” the poster wrote in a follow-up, explaining that a simple flatbread made with flour and water was closer to what they had in mind.
They envisioned a cookbook whose recipes varied in difficulty but drew from the same 10 or 20 core ingredients.
More background
One commenter pointed to their family’s experience in a poorer part of Mexico as an example of building a practical pantry. After a move for agricultural work, the family’s shopping priorities were pantry basics. Alongside sacks of rice and beans, they bought oats, sugar, flour, masa mix, and dried chilies.
The family used canned goods when fresh ingredients were unavailable and substituted local alternatives for plants that wouldn’t grow. Their crops included onions, garlic, potatoes, peppers, tomatoes, and herbs. After stocking up on staples, they purchased seeds and chickens to supplement their food supply.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, another commenter’s household ate beans, rice, and oatmeal and baked bread three times a week with flour from storage.
For that household, bulk staples made it possible to prepare familiar meals while reducing trips to the grocery store. The Ohio poster, meanwhile, said they were already exploring Depression-era recipes and planned to garden.
What can be done?
Beginners should learn about food, water, first aid, and communications and understand their needs before spending money on equipment, one commenter advised. They recommended starting with a 72-hour kit before expanding their supplies.
Another user suggested topping rice with a can of chili or chunky soup to solve the cooking dilemma. The recipe called for cooking one cup of rice, though noodles or ramen could be used instead. The original poster welcomed the idea.
The commenter who shared their family’s experience also recommended building a core pantry around meals a household already eats and asking market staff about unfamiliar ingredients.
The original poster summed up the disconnect between their needs and the cookbooks: “I’m just surprised nobody has made an actual cookbook for this kind of stuff. I bought quite a few of them, and it’s all just an insane amount of ingredients, and it’s clearly written for people who still have a grocery store.”
Where can I learn more?
Simple emergency meals start with foods you can use when the power is out, or grocery store shelves are bare. These stories cover pantry building and practical food storage and cooking skills.
• In the U.K., a prepper learned that canned meals are safe to eat without heating.
• A prepper worried about rising food prices received advice on building a deep pantry.
• U.K. preppers urged households to rotate emergency food supplies rather than leave them untouched.
• A prepper added an $11 chili case weekly, preferring canned meals to emergency rations.
• A prepper family prioritized food storage and fire-making alongside foraging instead of buying gadgets.
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Dining and Cooking