No Picture? Sorry. I love meat, but pictures of meat...yuck!
How much? About 24 lbs.
What? Canned meat (chicken, beef, tuna etc.), frozen meat, TVP, jerky, etc.
At first, when you think of having 24 lbs. of meat in your storage, it sounds hard. It really isn't hard...except for the expense. There are so many ways to store meat. Canned meat can last up to 5 years. Jerky is good for a while too, although it may get hard.
Plus, meat is a great source of protein and that will be crucial in an emergency.
I don't have experience with TVP but I have heard that the stuff that is coming out now is MUCH better than in years past.
As far as freezing meat, there are many ways you can package meat so it will taste fresh, even after a few months in the freezer. For example, I buy 10-20 lbs. of ground beef when there is a good sale (which hasn't happened much lately). I separate the meat into a little less than 1 lb. portions, wrap them tightly in freezer paper and put 4-5 of these packages in one gallon-sized freezer bag. My husband has a very sensitive palette and doesn't mine the taste of beef frozen this way.
There are also several products, like a FoodSaver that are awesome, but can be expensive. I have a little Handi-Vac from Reynolds that I picked up at Wal-Mart a few years ago for $15. It really like it but you have to buy the bags through the Home Shopping Network now. I haven't had to yet so I'll have to see.
Chicken, especially that has been frozen separately, stays good simply being placed in small freezer bags.
What? Canned meat (chicken, beef, tuna etc.), frozen meat, TVP, jerky, etc.
At first, when you think of having 24 lbs. of meat in your storage, it sounds hard. It really isn't hard...except for the expense. There are so many ways to store meat. Canned meat can last up to 5 years. Jerky is good for a while too, although it may get hard.
Plus, meat is a great source of protein and that will be crucial in an emergency.
I don't have experience with TVP but I have heard that the stuff that is coming out now is MUCH better than in years past.
As far as freezing meat, there are many ways you can package meat so it will taste fresh, even after a few months in the freezer. For example, I buy 10-20 lbs. of ground beef when there is a good sale (which hasn't happened much lately). I separate the meat into a little less than 1 lb. portions, wrap them tightly in freezer paper and put 4-5 of these packages in one gallon-sized freezer bag. My husband has a very sensitive palette and doesn't mine the taste of beef frozen this way.
There are also several products, like a FoodSaver that are awesome, but can be expensive. I have a little Handi-Vac from Reynolds that I picked up at Wal-Mart a few years ago for $15. It really like it but you have to buy the bags through the Home Shopping Network now. I haven't had to yet so I'll have to see.
Chicken, especially that has been frozen separately, stays good simply being placed in small freezer bags.
Good prices for meats:
Fresh or frozen chicken (boneless): Less than $1.50/lb is great lately. That's about $.09/oz.
Vienna Sausages: $.10/oz
Beef: Obviously, there are many varieties but $1.00/lb is great for beef, but I haven't seen it at this price since before the whole economy downturn. Anything less than $2.00/lb is good right now. That's about $.12/oz.
Pork: This seems to go on sale more than beef, but basically for boneless pork, less than $2.00/lb is good. ($.12/oz)
Canned Tuna: $.12/oz
Canned Chicken: $.15/oz
SPAM: $.17/oz
Canned Albacore Tuna: $.20/oz
TVP: $3.31/lb or $.21/oz.
Canned beef: Online I found some that are about $.36/oz. I think Costco carries them and it is probably cheaper.
At these prices it will cost from $40-55 for one person's 3-month supply. That sounds like a lot, but if you just take it slow, you'll be ok. Grab some extra cans of tuna or an extra bag of frozen chicken next time you're at the store. If you can get a little extra every time, within a few months you can had a good stockpile of meat.
If you are interested in canning meat, it is definitely a cheaper way to go, especially if you save your jars for the next batch. I have a post very soon on canning meat, so stay tuned!
No comments:
Post a Comment