It’s important to keep rations in your house, and it’s pretty easy to do, too. There’s a lot of talk going around about creating a bug out bag and stocking it with MREs or similar foods. I know, because I do a lot of that talking. Today, however, I want to talk about rations in your home.

It’s important to be ready to bug out and leave town in the event of some disasters, like an approaching hurricane. There are some times, however, that you may need to just stay at home. If you live in areas with heavy winters, you might get snowed in, or be without power for a while. Life can be interrupted yet still allow you to — or make you — stay at home. In these cases, you still need to eat, and your microwave might not be working. What do you do?

It’s simple. Keep food that is relatively non-perishable and can be prepared with nothing more than water, a pot, and fire (or just eaten an room temperature). In my experience, so many people store just enough food in their pantry to get through the coming week. Then they go to the store and buy some more. I suggest having some items that you just keep for months at a time, in storage, in case you need it.

In large quantities, you could keep:

• Rice
• Beans
• Bottled water
• Canned fruit
• Canned vegetables
• Canned Soups

These are all easy to prepare, and will keep you fed and healthy enough until life returns to normal.

Keep all of these in a box in your pantry or garage (sealed up somehow, so no mice or other nasties get in there). Once every few months, go buy some more, and bring your current supply in the house for eating. Rotating your rations out means you’ll always have fresh, edible food in the event that you need it. Hopefully you never will, but it’s good to be prepared.

Remember to store rations in quantities that you will need to feed your family…and then add a little bit more on top of that. Keeping rations in your home is a simple security measure you can take, similar to locking your deadbolt or keeping a firearm near your bed. You may never have the need, but if you do, you’ll be glad you prepared.