This is from the Backwoods Home Magazine Week 1: 10 pounds of rice 2 pounds of beans a jar of Tang (for the Vitamin C) This amount of rice and beans gives a ratio of 5:1, aperfectly acceptable essential aamino acid balance for most healthy adults) Week2: 20 pounds all-purpose flour 5 pounds granulated sugar 3 cans of carrots 3 cans of spinach (of all the canned veggies to be had from the grocer, the dark green and orange give the most nutritional value for the dollar.) Week 3: 64 oz. box of dry milk Week 4: 10 cans of tuna 2 cans of pumpkin 5 cans of turnip, mustard, kale or collard greens.

-- DuffyO (duffyo@mailcity.com), August 29, 1999

Answers

Make sure that's tuna in oil ! You NEED some fat in your diet, ( at least 15% of calories from fat but 30% is better) plus its more calories per dollar.

-- biker (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), August 30, 1999.

Good point. A lot of us are spending in the neighborhood of $10 (per family or per person) per week over the long term. If we have 2-3 months, we can still use that $80-130 to the best possible advantage...and obtain the highest level of preparations!

In a lot of cases, preparations are free...if you are willing to do the work. Consider canning or making jam from free fruit (it's about that time of year), making jerky from meat on sale, and seasonal specials. Use of plastic milk cartons for water storage may not be the best, but it would better than no water... Friends may be willing to give you plant cuttings or even small perennial plants for your garden. Storing fertilizer is nice, but a compost pile will also generate a valuable soil additive (some would say, even better than chemical fertilizers). Don't forget your public library...some of the books may be outdated, but the information that they hold is free.

And don't be afraid to alter your plan to get the sale item! Be sure to use those loss leader coupons...they'll get you more for your few dollars. Even better if you have a store that doubles coupons!

-- Mad Monk (madmonk@hawaiian.net), August 30, 1999.

I also like the pancake mix that only needs water to mix up, and a huge jug of pancake syrup (I got mine at BJ's) will go along way, and store without refrigeration, and is inexpensive. Don't forget veg. oil, or could you cook pancakes without it if you used a teflon pan? Also, if the power is on, but eggs, milk, butter and bread are in short supply in the stores, then my fallback plan is is to bake up those Ragamuffin mixes, or some other variety you might find, that only requires the addition of water, and you're ready to bake.

-- Kristi (KsaintA@aol.com), September 02, 1999.

Yes, you can cook pancakes on a nonstick pan without oil, but get the oil (or the butter-flavored crisco) anyway. Low fat diets are bad for your immune system.

-- biker (y2kbiker@worldnet.att.net), September 02, 1999.