Food for Thought

I have always “stocked up” on food and other necessities of life. I lived in New England for forty plus years. It was a requirement of life there. Not only were trips to town few and far between and money scarce at times, weather was a big incentive to keep supplies on hand. Trips to a store weren’t always possible and being prepared for these contingencies was a way of life. Alternative heat, light and cooking sources was also a must have.


Growing our own, making our own, building our own was also a way of life. It was healthier, cheaper and self satisfying, all important things to a true blooded New Englander. Jeff Foxworthy says that the seasons in New England are “almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction”. That’s about right. So staying “stocked up” was smart living.

It’s still smart living and I don’t care where you live, you should be doing it. Everyday natural and not so natural disasters are hitting places all over the earth. There are so many more things happening that could keep you homebound for days if not weeks. Recent events in Boston showed us what city shutdowns look like. It also showed officers getting milk for families with babies and children.

Not only do these disasters affect their immediate areas but they interfere with food sources, economies, transportation of goods, etc. Are you prepared? If all outside sources were cut off, do you have resources to care for your family for a day or a week or a month? Do you have water? Do you have diapers and formula? Is there food enough to feed your kids if all outsourcing was cut off?

This is no longer “doomsday prophecy” type stuff. We are seeing it happen all around the world. We are also witnessing the unbelievable cost of food climbing at an unprecedented rate. Is there a reason to think that is going to suddenly stop?

I’m sharing this today because of an unexpected trip to Wal-Mart yesterday. It was a Tuesday afternoon. The place was packed and shelves were empty. Wow, I thought, it’s a Tuesday! Then I noticed some of the produce…I couldn’t believe my eyes! I have never in all my years seen produce at a store look like this did!

The celery was limp, full of leaves and ungrown. The computer is telling me that is not a word but I can’t think of another one to describe what this was. Not one single stick of celery on one single clump was of a useable size. Not one.

And then I saw the bananas. Again, I have never in all my years seen such green bananas on a store shelf. They looked like the Mexican bananas we have for sale here that are supposed to be green. They never turn. These bananas I was looking at hadn’t even begun to ripen.

Being from a trucking family I wondered why the store had even accepted the loads. They were not up to store standards in any way. Was it the best they could get? Is that what we have to look forward to? It could have been a mistake but I still can’t believe they put it out to sell.

And I went home with another reason to keep “stocking up”. Disasters, emergencies, financial problems, and now this…uneatable food, if you don’t have at least a 48 hour supply of necessities for your family, I urge you now to do so. When that’s done, add to it until you have a weeks worth. Check out emergency sites if you don’t know where to begin. Consider it part of your savings. Every day is proving that anything can happen anywhere. This is just smart living for today. That’s the view from my side of the street, what’s yours?