Few things are as scary as a food shortage. Just in the past year or so, we’ve seen nationwide supply chain shortages cause mild panics as critical foods became harder and harder to find.
Adding to the problem were labor shortages caused by COVID closures. Drivers needed to bring food supplies from fields to retail stores were hard to find as the pandemic spread. Food manufacturers had to cut back production because workers were ill or working remotely.
Little wonder, then, that barren shelves started showing up everywhere.
Essentials like meat and produce were in short supply. At the same time, everything got more expensive.
For the 12 month period ending in August, 2022, the price of food rose by 10.9% across the board. Individual items went up even higher: eggs by 39.8%, bread by 16.2%, flour by 23.3%, etc.
Is another major food shortage on the way?
Obviously, no one knows the future. But based upon recent history (the rising costs of fuel, scarcity of workforce laborers such as , and COVID after effects, etc.), it makes sense to be prepared for whatever comes.
We put together 5 steps you can take right now to protect yourself and your family. See how many of these apply to you, suggesting you might need to take action.
5 Steps to Avoiding A Family Food Shortage
# 1: Calculate Your Daily Food and Water Needs
The amount of food and water you need depends upon how many people are in your home. For most families, a two week food supply would come to 28,000 calories and 14 gallons of water per person.
Divide that by 14 days and you get 2000 calories and 1 gallon per day per person. At our house, I usually like to add a bit to that amount (especially water) just to make sure we’re covered. Your family may have varying needs, so use the above numbers as a starting point.
Note: There’s a handy calorie calculator at MayoClinic.org that can help you decide exactly what each person in your family or group will need. What makes it so great is that it lets you calculate by age, height and weight of each person.
Check it out here.
# 2: Stock Up On Non-Perishables
Double check your current food supplies.
As a prepsteader, you’re likely already stocking a food pantry for emergencies. But if you haven’t yet begun doing that, now is a good time to get started.
If you need some tips on which or how much food store, check out our recent articles:
Some of the common non-perishables in our pantry include:
- Rice
- Noodles
- Dried beans
- Instant oatmeal
- Canned beans
- Canned veggies
- Canned fruits
- Canned meats
- Dried fruit
- Soup cans
- Coconut oil
- Crackers
- Granola bars
- Nut butter
- Nuts
- Jam
You can find all of these (many in bulk quantities) at your local food store, so if there’s a shortage in the future, make sure you are well-stocked now to avoid issues.
Step 3: Start a Garden (or even an orchard)
Another great way to avoid a food shortage is to grow your own food. If you have the space for it and haven’t already done so, start a garden that will add food to your pantry on an ongoing basis.
There’s an almost unlimited number of vegetables and herbs you can grow, assuming your climate zone allows for it.
If you don’t have the best soil for growing, think about having raised beds instead.
One side note on gardens: think about keeping a supply of seeds on hand. We harvest certain seeds along with the vegetable, and use them in the next planting.
Finally, if you have space for a small orchard, consider yourself blessed! Fruit trees are a great way to grow apples, pears, plums or all kinds of fruits to keep your family fed.
You’ll love what both a garden and an orchard save by stretching your food budget.
Step 4: Preserve Foods by Canning and Freeze Drying
When you’re growing your own fruits and vegetables, you’ll need a good way to store them over an extended period of time.
Two solutions that work really well are canning and freeze drying.
Imagine how less worried you’d be about food shortages if you had a store room full of canned or freeze dried foods. Fresh processed from your garden, you can have a large supply of the food you need to get you through any kind of an food shortage emergency, everything from a few days to months or years.
Step 5: Raise Chickens or Other Animals
Not everyone has the space (or desire) to raise live animals. But if you can, you will enjoy a sustainable source of food at a price unmatched by any store.
If you raise chickens, you will have not only a nutritious source of meat but protein rich eggs as well.
Beef cattle, goats, pigs and even rabbits could be the protection against food shortages you’re looking for. Assess your family needs, the available space on your property and the time this addition to your food supply would require.
If it is all positive, then you can join the thousands of other prepsteaders already enjoying the rich rewards of having a food supply on the hoof.
Start Preparing For the Next Food Shortage Now.
Is another food shortage coming to America?
Inevitably, one will come. When it does, you can be well prepared to give your family the food and nutrition they need, no matter how bare the shelves get at your local food stores or how long the food shortage lasts.