What Are Good Things To Stock Up On Now
What a great time to be a prepper. We all knew What To Stock Up On before a pandemic hit, before ‘shelter in place’ became the new catchphrase, before supply line problems, and before that hurricane, flood, or wildfire uprooted us from our very homes.
We were ready.
Were you?
Maybe it’s time you should get a little more involved in this prepper thing so you do not get caught with your pants down next time. And there will be a next time.
So now, while time might have paused to consider what to stock up on, it does not hurt to be prepared for any eventuality — and that includes all kinds of crisis situations, such as a power outage in freezing Texas or raging fires in California.
Be aware of where you live to put yourself in a prepping frame of mind. Your place in geography should help you to understand what crises you should be prepared for such as hurricanes, floods, fires, and the universal pandemic situation.
Nobody is immune to everything. If the day ever comes when you begin to notice these signs, you will certainly benefit from having been prepared. With that in mind, here are things to consider having on hand to help you survive or at the very least be a little more comfortable while your sitting in the dark or worse.
What Are Foods To Stock Up On
Supply of Water Not food but water is treasured and though many crisis situations do not impact the water supply, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that households should always have a 14-day supply of water on hand for all types of emergencies. Water is necessary for cooking, taking medications, and brushing your teeth as well as essential to hydration, a non-negotiable item for survival.
Canned Goods Can’t go wrong with some canned goods to have stockpiled in the pantry. They last long and your choices are almost limitless when it comes to variety. Vegies, soup, tuna, and even good old Spam will help keep you and your family fed when the supermarket shelves are bare.
Rice and Beans You want to consider stocking up on the kinds of foods that are filling, easy to make in a pinch, affordable in large quantities, and easy to store. Stocking up on foods that provide nutrients, vitamins, and fiber is a smart prepping choice. These foods will not only last a long time in storage but can be easily worked into any number of recipes with fresh produce from your garden and some of those canned goods.
Shelf-stable milk is milk that can sit at room temperature on a shelf without refrigeration or only needs to be refrigerated after opening. Dairy milk will have to be refrigerated immediately after opening, but alternative milk made from nuts or grains can often withstand room temperature for days without spoiling, which can be super handy in situations where the power goes out. This kind of milk lasts longer than regular milk, too, so you can purchase greater quantities.
Sports Drinks Powder Drinks like Gatorade or Powerade, or anything with lots of electrolytes will be important for keeping yourself hydrated in all types of situations.
Nuts and Nut Butters From peanut to almond, sunflower to cashew, nut kinds of butter take our favorite protein-laden nuts and grind them into delicious smoothness that can make a quick and satisfying snack at any time. Nut jars of butter tend to last a long while, especially if refrigerated after opening, and with a little bread or some crackers can be a meal in and of themselves. And bags of just plain old-fashioned unshelled nuts are a great addition to foods you should stock up on now.
What Else To Stock For Emergencies
Bleach and Hand Sanitizer If you never used much bleach before, a pandemic emergency has most likely changed that thought. Though transmission by touch appears to be the least likely way to spread a virus, if you live with people who work outside the home, bleach (diluted with water) is handy to have for wiping down commonly shared areas such as doorknobs and handles, kitchen counters and bathroom fixtures and surfaces. And a drop or two could help sanitize drinking water. Also, consider viruses like coronavirus or stomach flu, are notoriously contagious through touch, so keeping hand sanitizer or a 75% or more alcohol solution on hand, is a great prepping idea.
Toilet Paper Who can forget that particular crisis of 2020? 
As soon as the first idea mentioned shelter-in-place mandates due to the coronavirus, the unthinkable happened: stores could not keep TP stocked and had to enforce limits on how much people could buy. And we started researching other ways to wipe. To avoid future repeats of this scenario, keep extra TP on hand. It stores well, so keeping a few extra rolls handy as long as you have somewhere to put it would be a good idea.
Toothpaste Stocking up on items of personal hygiene that you use frequently just makes sense for you and for just good manners toward others. Don’t forget to keep an extra month or two’s supply of toothpaste.
Body Wash and Shampoo Don’t forget those items you also need on a near-daily basis. Why leave your cleanliness to chance for you and others when you can stock up and be properly prepared? These kinds of items don’t go bad very quickly so there is no excuse not to prepare for the situation. Also, consider buying in bigger or bulk sizes, not those travel sizes.
Medications and Supplements are a lot of people, lifesaving and must-haves. Whether you have prescriptions or rely upon over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, antihistamines, or just plain aspirin. Keep at least a 2 week s supply on hand just in case. And plan ahead so that you aren’t running out of medications without the ability to get them more quickly. Some experts and preppers recommend a 30-day supply, if possible, or 90 days if your doctor and your wallet will allow it. Also, if you take any supplements such as vitamins, be sure to keep enough on hand.
Also, do not forget other taken-for-granted items such as hygiene products such as pads or tampons. You don’t want to be taken by surprise when you find the shelf at the store is empty when you go shopping for them. You are not going to be the only one in panic mode when thinking at the last moment of what to stock up on.
You may also have other kinds of healthcare needs related to illness — an oxygen tank for COPD, blood testing strips for diabetes, or other medical supplies. Be sure to keep an extra supply of all these types of stocking needs on hand.
What Other Items Are Good To Stock Up On
Let us not stop now. Here are a few more provisions that are good things to stock up on for your peace of mind and possible well-being.
Propane Bottled propane is basically liquefied natural gas. Many of us use propane for barbecue grills and a smaller number use it for our stoves and furnaces. If you don’t have a grill with a side burner, consider getting one. From grilling meat before it goes bad due to a lack of electricity to boiling water on that side burner, a BBQ grill is a must.
Antimicrobial Masks These are one of the best ways to protect yourself when you’re out and about during the height of a pandemic. (even if this current one appears to be over) You can get cheap disposable masks, or you can get one high-quality mask that you can use just in case. Have a supply now.
Duct Tape Need I say more. Aside from being useful for a wide number of other applications, you will need duct tape in addition to plastic sheeting in order to make a needed temporary repair of the area your damaged house needs.
Plastic Sheeting Plastic sheeting can be used should you need to create a protective barrier between you and the weather in your damaged home. This is where that duct tape comes in.
Vitamin C and Echinacea Tea will help you with your immune system at a time you may need it most, during a crisis situation.
Emesis Bags Better known as vomit bags, emesis bags make dealing with a sick person who is vomiting (because of a low immune system?) much less problematic and, more importantly, less troublesome to those around them.
First Aid Kit It never ceases to amaze me just how many people do not have this must-have supply. Good times or bad. But during any crisis situation, medical facilities will be overwhelmed (they’ll also be the last place you want to visit unless you have to) so be prepared to take care of minor injuries yourself with a good first aid kit.
Rubbing Alcohol This can kill almost any bug out there, allowing you to completely disinfect your home, tools, yourself, and anything else that might need it and things you may come in contact with.
Thermometers No-touch thermometers allow you to check a person for fever without having direct contact with them.
Goggles and Work gloves You might be out there fixing things that will require some protection from yourself. Even though you have one, don’t give yourself a reason to use that first aid kit.
Plastic Gloves These are indispensable if you need to use that first aid kit. They will allow you to touch people and things that may be infected without worrying about coming into direct contact with the infection. Good for you and them.
Heavy Duty Trash Bags Invest in a supply of heavy-duty trash bags. After everything calms down you will most likely need to do some cleaning up. Good luck finding them after the crisis. Remember you are not alone in needing. And trash bags should be one of the things to stock up on before they are needed by everyone.
Water Purifier If you don’t want to rely on bottled water during a crisis, you can use a water purifier, but not a water filter. Most filters, even the kind preppers put in bug-out bags, won’t filter out viruses. For that, you’ll need to boil your water or use a high-quality water purifier.
With all of these supplies on hand, you’ll be as ready as you can possibly be when the next crisis strikes. And I guarantee that those types of preparation are priceless.
