Focusing on canned foods because..
A) Straightforward, no assembly/cooking required in WCS.
B) High water content helps maintain digestion/hydration, and extra weight not an issue if sheltering in place.
C) Cheap, plentiful, easy to introduce to the family (i.e. people won't give you weird looks).
D) Lot of us eat 'em anyway, so having extra really just costs space (can be rough in small condos here)
So what do you like to prep/store? I'm always a fan of trying to maintain morale through variety, especially for the 'non prepper' family members and also maintain choices that have 'normal' uses. I.e. stuff I actually like to eat.
My choices (no particular order)
- Chili - cheap, good mix of protein, carbs, minerals/vitamins. Tasty even if cold. Normal use - it's chili! I need to explain?
- Beans + spices - mash up some garbanzos or kidney beans, add a bit of curry powder - it's tasty stuff and very healthy. Basically it's the less hassle, more expensive version of dried beans which are great in curries, hummus, stews, etc..
- Pears / peach halves - fruit makes for a nice variety. Not the best choice in terms of nutrient density.. but most other canned fruits suck IMO. Great for deserts, you can make bourbon peaches or top ice cream with them when caramelized.
- Canned salmon - I love this stuff. Very healthy with the omegas. Inexpensive on-sale. I eat it normally anyway (personal preference)
- Canned chicken/tuna - so many uses, add to saimin, tuna melts, tuna salad (curry version is great, add some raisins or craisins + walnuts)
- Refried beans - tastes much better cooked, but is okay in a pinch. Fat helps promote satiety.
- Whole peeled tomatoes - great source of vitamins and the flavor is a nice respective from the monotony of chili/beans/etc.
Your suggestions?