By popular demand (Someone asked for it on Instagram), I decided to give a prepper pantry tour video of our working pantry at home. I’ll add some words below the video because, well, that’s just what bloggers do. I’ll post the video first though. 😉
My Goals For Posting A Prepper Pantry Tour Video
I put out my prepper pantry tour in hopes to inspire you and give you some ideas – if you need any of that. And perhaps generate a little discussion.
I AM NOT interested in bragging rights or looking for praise. I understand there are a ton of preppers with far more preps and I couldn’t be happier about that. Seriously, I haven’t entered a competition.
Why Give A Prepper Pantry Tour Now?
Prepping has never been more important in my opinion. It feels like things could go either way. Between the elections, protests, COVID-19, lockdowns, and financial uncertainty, it would be crazy to have the “wait and see” mentality.
New To Prepping?
Most importantly, if you are new to prepping, PLEASE don’t let my video or anyone else’s intimidate you. You CAN do this – and more. It literally takes one can of food at a time. Unless you have unlimited resources (And if you do, we need to talk), building a sizable prepper pantry doesn’t happen overnight.
Years ago, our goal was to keep the pantry as full as possible. Five or six years ago, when I was taught the secret prepper handshake, I worked toward the goal of having thirty-days worth of food and supplies. That moved to three months and then six months. We are just moving beyond that and looking toward one year and beyond. It takes time.
I understand that there’s a sense of urgency right now, with everything going on, but every meal you have stocked up is that much better off than you were yesterday. I don’t recommend busting our budgets or using credit to stock up long-term food storage. Things haven’t gotten THAT bad yet.
A Note To Those That Think My Prepper Pantry Tour Is Putting My Family At Risk
First, anyone that’s followed me or this blog already knows I don’t subscribe to the “Doomsday Prepper” philosophy. With that said, I understand things can go sideways very quickly and desperate people do desperate things.
IF things get THAT bad, anyone coming to take our preps will find an empty house. We won’t be here. If by chance, someone caught us before we bugged out, they’d have a fight on their hands.
I only addressed this because a handful of YouTube comments in my Prepper Pantry Tour video insisted I was crazy putting my preps out there.
Let me explain:
If things got that bad we won’t be here. We maintain a bugout location. You’ll never see that on social media. I’m showing my prepper pantry. Preppers, try to relax a little.
We’re also well-armed, trained and someone is always here. We have a top of the line security system with 360-degree camera coverage and motion sensing. We have two neighbors that are law enforcement – and we keep an eye out for one another.
Think about it – Things would basically have to become a lawless society to spend an entire day carrying hundreds of pounds of food while stepping over our bodies and the bodies of our neighbors.
Not to mention ignoring all of the other things of value in any home. Crooks don’t tend to break into someone’s home to carry off cans of corn while ignoring the things of actual value to them. Not in normal times. Remember, we won’t be here otherwise – neither will our preps.
We have to be careful to live in the real world, not Hollywood’s or that of a post-apocalyptic novel.
Having said that, I’m a veteran that’s seen firsthand how bad things can get while I was in Africa and the Middle East.
You Cannot Do It All Alone
We prepare and build community. That’s the best chance of survival and that can’t be done hunkering down afraid someone is going to take what we have. That includes the government.
I sincerely believe the more people we can help become prepared the better off everyone will be. It’s my mission to help others and build a community but no one will take from my family.
We won’t be here. Plus that’s just the kind of thing people don’t walk away from.
There’s A Method To My Madness
As I tried to explain in the prepper pantry tour video, we have more than a six-month-long food supply – working toward a year’s worth. We want a little variety. Six months of rice and beans simply won’t do.
Let’s do some math:
There are 26 weeks in six months. Now the math makes planning so simple.
If I want a different meal for each day of the week, I need to build seven different meals with twenty-six servings for each person for each of those seven meals.
So my plan is to keep seven different generic meals, twenty-six times each. This includes a protein, a vegetable, and a carb. All with at least two servings since my wife wants to eat too.
So, as far as protein, I went with
- Canned chicken
- Canned pork
- Canned beef
- Canned chicken breast
- Canned corned beef
- Canned Spam
- Canned tuna (Two cans per day so 52 are needed for six months)
- Canned Ham
I know what you’re thinking, , “That’s eight proteins, not seven“. Well, that’s right. And soon you will see turkey, ground beef, fish, roast beef, sausage, and pot roast.
See how easy it is to start moving to a year now – with 14 different meals this time? Add another 183 servings of veggies and carbs and we’re golden – one year supply of our food preps. I’ll record a new prepper pantry video once we have that food secured.
What about breakfast and lunch?
Breakfast is easy. Think pancake mix, egg powder, freeze-dried whole eggs, oats, instant coffee, and whole wheat berry for bread.
Lunch can be unhealthy stuff like cans of soups, ravioli, pasta, or anything you like with a long shelflife.
Spicing Things Up
Spices and condiments can expand your options and variety. In my prepper pantry tour, I showed extra condiments and spices. I think this is important to make our long-term food storage a little more appetizing. Beef can be chili, spaghetti, goulash, or mixed in rice, for example. As long as you have the “extras“, you can have variety.
Wrapping Up
This Prepper Pantry Tour is just our working pantry mixed with some long-term food storage. Bathroom and kitchen supplies are kept in those rooms. Garden supplies are in our garden room. Knowing me, those will become videos as well someday.
I hope my prepper pantry tour gives a little inspiration and maybe a few ideas. I’d love to see your comments below. How’s your prepper pantry going?
Stay safe. Stay prepared.
Hawkins Out.
Thanks for sharing your pantry Brian. After seeing you on the video with Todd and Mic I definitely wanted to head over to see what your doing. Amazing pantry and encourages me as I go forth.
Thank you, Cindy, that’s what it’s all about, hoping to inspire and encourage. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. 🙂