Gluten-Free Emergency Disaster Kit
While this isn’t exactly a travel tip…it is about being
forced to live outside your comfort zone for a bit. What will you do if an emergency hits and you
have to live without decent food, water and the other comforts of home? It always amazes me, when you ask if someone
is prepared, the common response is they’ll stock up with a few extra cans of
tuna and some granola bars. These people
are lucky…they’ve obviously never had to miss more than a single meal due to an
emergency. Oh no! My phone is broken…bring out the granola
bars!
When you consider that the average disaster/emergency
could be about 1-2 weeks without a proper stove or refrigerator what are you
going to do? Truthfully I never even
thought about it myself…until one year when I actually had to use those
Hurricane Shutters I had installed on my home.
That’s when I realized my family would be able to find food if they were
desperate…but what about me? Was I
willing to eat unsafe foods simply to survive?
And would I survive if I did that? One day = 3 meals, 1 week = 21 meals, 2 weeks = 42 meals…and I’m not
even willing to voluntarily do the gluten challenge to get properly diagnosed
with Celiac Disease.
So I decided to pack an emergency `bucket' to store in
the closet just in case. Home Depot sells those bright orange "Homer"
buckets with tops that seal up tight. They're brightly colored so you can find
them regardless of your home's damage. And once the tops are tapped into place
they're pretty waterproof too.
Just fill the bucket with your emergency gear...including
Gluten-Free food...and seal it up. Stow the bucket somewhere that's easily
accessible. They have handles that make
them easy to carry...but be careful not to make it too heavy. If you need it you'll be functioning under
less than optimal conditions and you'll want to be able to handle it yourself.
And don't forget to put it where you can actually find it. I keep mine stored inside the house in an
interior walk-in closet that might actually become my shelter in the event of a
Tornado. I also store blankets, jackets
& sweaters there as well. During
Hurricane Season I’ll probably stash water in there too.
Once it's closed its water tight…so you'll want food that
has a long shelf life…something you won't have to worry about for a few
years. I spent quite a bit of time
researching online for Gluten-Free Emergency foods and found a couple sites. They
have many Gluten-Free choices and you can purchase things in smaller airtight
pouches, and the shelf life is five to twenty years.
I decided not to include anything that might have a
shorter shelf life. I could always pack
those things separately a little more last minute if needed. Protein Bars, Energy Bars, Vitamin/Mineral Supplements,
Dried Fruit and Nuts...these are all things I keep well stocked during the
Season, but continue to use rather than waste storing them beyond their
freshness dates. Even if you do need to open the bucket to remove any outdated
'goodies' and replace them with fresh, don't worry - you can get a new top at
Home Depot to reseal the bucket.
And don't forget to store your sunscreen (the strongest
you can find), some chap stick and of course bug spray!! Here in Florida these
are just about as indispensable as the Gluten-Free food is.
If you get evacuated to an Emergency Shelter take the
bucket with you. You’ll find beds and clean linens and hundreds of people
without a clue about eating Gluten-Free.
So take care of yourself and bring everything you’ll need with you. That way you can still eat safe and the only
thing you’ll need to have is water to prepare your own food.
I packed my bucket for about $150.00 – a 1 weeks supply
of Gluten-Free Food along with Antiseptic, Band-Aids, Batteries, Bug Spray,
Flashlight, Freezer Bags, Garbage Bags, Gluten-Free Dehydrated Food, Hand Sanitizer,
Knife/Fork/Spoon, Pens/Paper, Playing Cards, Pocket Games, Scissors, Soap,
Stick Matches, Sun Block, Toilet Paper, Water, Work Gloves. I’m honestly hoping that I’ve wasted my
money…I don’t ever really want to need to use what’s been packed inside that
bucket.
Wise Company, Gluten-Free Food Buckets
We carry a wide variety of gluten free survival food and
invite you to take a look at the many different gluten free survival food kits
we carry.
At Augason Farms we have everything you need providing
vital nutrition for the individual with the most meticulous of dietary
requirements. And of course, all of our gluten free products have an extensive
shelf life and are designed with emergency preparedness in mind.
https://www.augasonfarms.com/gluten-free
Carolanne LeBlanc
Meeting: 4th Saturday of every month except December
Imperial Palms, East Clubhouse
101 Imperial Palm Drive
Largo, Florida 33771
I have 2 back packs with some bottle water and stuff like instant potato. And oatmeal or grits. I also have coffee creamer ( milk ) and Quest choc chip cookies. ( not bars) .
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