Preparing for Pandemic

Have I ever over-prepared? YES!  Having read a book on Y2K, I bought a kerosene heater, kerosene, two oil lamps and lamp oil and the usual gallons of water, etc.  Of course, as we all know Y2K amounted to nothing and a few years later I sold my $200 or more worth of disaster supplies for a few dollars to make space in my storage shed.  The kerosene was expired as was the lamp oil.  

Nonetheless, there are ordinary precautions we can all take and I just did.  I don't watch tv anymore due to vision problems, but I read voraciously and I watch amazon prime and netflix on my laptop, so when I read that the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus to be a pandemic, I decided to do the cautious, moderate thing, and prepare for 10 days with canned goods.  Now, I doubt the shops will close but if we are warned to quarantine ourselves, it makes sense to be prepared.  I am going to list a recipe I call 7 can disaster prep chili, and some other canned and sundry supplies it simply makes senset to have on hand.  At the end of a year, in autumn when the food drives begin, whatever canned goods I have left I empty the cupboard and send to the food bank.

7 can chili
1 can each of:
black beans
white beans
red beans, 
corn,
spiced/diced tomatoes
1 jar chunky salsa
That's it!  If you have chili powder, a tsp is good, and I like to have it over brown rice because rice and beans are a protein complementary.  Rice is also a good shaple to have in a jar in the cupboard.  I keep all drygoods in the fridge or in jars out of habit from my years in the city where roaches own the walls.

Keep on hand in general for power failures or other disasters:
a 6 pack of water OR even better, a Britta water pitcher and extra Britta filters
manual can opener (in case of power failures)
tomato soup
box of crackers or two
dried fruit and nuts
jar of marinara and some pasta

And today while at the store, I also stocked up on cat food and dog food.  I doubt we will see a quarantine in the US, but it doesn't hurt to have what you need on hand, BUT I don't promote severe stocking up which leaves other people without.  So if you think you should get toilet paper, just buy what you might need for a couple of weeks, don't clear the shelves, the way they did in Australia!

Stay safe, stay well!
Hope to see you on the other side of this new unexpected disaster!
Jo Ann
wrightj45@yahoo.com