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Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Golden's big day out !! :wink:
I'll be heading to a larger town this weekend and a friend will be taking me to Costco.. I notice many of you seem to shop at Costco... What would you recommend I buy ? I want to start building up a supply of food that would be good for longer term storage in a SHTF senario.. Thanks Goldeneye |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
How big is your truck, what do you already have, and how much you want to spend? :smokin:
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Costco's got everything! :bear_w00t: :D
Their meats, pies, everything there pretty much I've found to be of great quality, and of course almost always a great deal since you're buying in such bulk. Was actually there recently, and tuna fish was 16 cans for $10 or so... worked out to around $.61 cents per can or something like that. Basically there are deals like that all over the place. Aside from all the food, you can get clothes, computer and electronic equipment, office supplies, tools, sports stuff, chairs, furniture, alcohol, books, DVDs. Browse around for a while... you're bound to find plenty of deals. I have a couple of polo shirts from Costco that were $7 each, IIRC. :D |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Friend has always invited me to go to Costco with them whenever we are in town, never been.. so this time taking them up on offer.. Won't be buying any freezable items .. looking to make a start with some 'must have' staples'
I've never been a ...cook out of a can.... type of 'gal I tend to buy fresh and as for baking .. OMG .. Isn't that what high end bakers are for? However, after reading all the posts here and myself being in the mining sector for 7 years things are looking nearer to crapping out than they ever have.. Up until a few months ago, I felt I could wait to start this side of my planning for another year or two .. BUT I think I need to start .. PDQ!!! So being a total Yuppy, Dinky, not a survivalist type I need to think long term food storage.. In answer to the question about how big is my truck...Don't have a truck, drive a Audi A4 stationwagon .. Thanks Again Goldeneye |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Dropped $900 there just this afternoon. Then spent a bunch more stocking up on some liquor - local guy offers 15% off on case purchases. Killed me to forego some Silver on the Bop , but I made a plan and sticking to it. Tuna, Chili , Soup and canned stuff, pasta and sauce. Don't eat that much of it , but like to have it stored , and donate some stuff I bought last year to a local charity to rotate, then use this years receipt for the writeoff. Loaded up on tin foil , plastic wrap, storage bags, some cleaning supplies, couple years worth of razors and toothbrushes. More batteries. They have a large selection of organic stuff now in the one by me too, so got ~ month supply of eggs,milk, butter, OJ. Few gallons of olive oil.
They had brand name running shoes for $22 I think, so next time I'm going to grab about a dozen pair and stick them in the closet. I try not to browse when I'm in there - make a list and stick to it, or you'll spend more than you want or not get what you intended to. I make my wife put her blinders on. All these things are not going to get any cheaper in the future. PS - they had cases of pomegranates for like $6, don't know how good that is, but they looked intriguing so I grabbed one to try them. I've never eaten one. Is the idea to eat the seeds? |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
You will find plenty of raw and canned ingredients there: 50lb bags of rice and beans, bags of sugar, cooking oil, bottled water, cases of TP, etc. Their booze is pretty cheap as well.
If you're going to load a truck up, then bring about $600-1000. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Get the flat bed push cart .... start with the bulk cans and start stacking
Can Tuna Can chicken can soups cup o noddles mac & chesse pasta pasta sauce Rice (2 bags) sugar 25lb bag 2 boxes salt Quaker Oatmeal (4 boxes) coffee/tea cooking oil Good luck ..... :smokin: |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Don't forget the foodsaver, I picked up one a year ago when I started to shop at Costco again. Besides, the cans of tuna, they also have cans of chicken breasts, roast beef, and turkey. They're pretty good too!
Frosty:rolleyes_m: |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Hilarious...I went to Costco tonight.
That is very nice of your friends...DogFarm had to cough up $50 for his expired membership. I dropped $300 just "sticking my head in the door" and loaded up the back of the SUV. If you have never been to a Costco you have to prepare...it can be a bit of overload and they have the Plasma screens right up front and I swear to Christ your first instinct is to whip out the AMEX and charge one of those puppies up because they look so good. But if you can make it past the Plasma and Computer and Video Camera gauntlet you have to make it past the book bin. And if you can make it past the book bin you have to make it past the tool isle. And if you can make it past the tool isle you can make it to the food isle. But go to dry goods first because if you go to the frozen foods before the dry goods isles than you run the risk of having your frozen foods melting before you get through dry goods, the checkout, the receipt inspectors, the Slow grandparents, whining kids and to your truck. In short, make a plan before you go. My advice: save the frozen food section for last. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Do not forget to mouse proof everything you store, they have chewed through plastic and even thin aluminum (thicker than tin foil). The boxes of salt are a very good idea. I personally do not go to Costco, I go through a guy that buys a truckload from Walton and divides it up.
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Here is a list that has been posted here before:
#1. Generators (Good ones cost dearly. Gas storage, risky. Noisy.. target of thieves; maintenance, etc.) #2. Water Filters/Purifiers (Shipping delays increasing.) #3. Portable Toilets (Increasing in price every twomonths.) #4. Seasoned Firewood (About $100 per cord; wood takes 6 - 12 mos. to become dried, for home uses.) #5. Lamp Oil, Wicks, Lamps (First choice: Buy CLEAR oil. If scarce, stockpile ANY!) #6. Coleman Fuel (URGENT $2.69-$3.99/gal. Impossible to stockpile too much.) #7. Guns, Ammunition, Pepper Spray, Knives, Clubs, Bats & Slingshots #8. Hand-Can openers & hand egg beaters, whisks (Life savers!) #9. Honey/Syrups/white, brown sugars #10. Rice - Beans - Wheat (White rice is now $12.95 - 50# bag. Sam's Club, stock depleted often.) #11. Vegetable oil (for cooking) (Without it food burns/must be boiled, etc.) #12. Charcoal & Lighter fluid (Will become scarce suddenly.) #13. Water containers (Urgent Item to obtain. An size. Small: HARD CLEAR PLASTIC ONLY) #14. Mini Heater head (Propane) (Without this item, propane won't heat a room.) #15. Grain Grinder (Non-electric) #16. Propane Cylinders (Urgent: Definite shortages will occur by September, 1999.) #17. Michael Hyatt's Y2K Survival Guide (BEST single y2k handbook for sound advice/tips.) #18. Mantles: Aladdin, Coleman, etc. (Without this item, longer-term lighting is difficult.) #19. Baby Supplies: Diapers/formula/ointments/aspirin, etc #20. Washboards, Mop Bucket w/wringer (for Laundry) #21. Cookstoves (Propane, Coleman & Kerosene) #22. Vitamins (Critical, due 10 Y2K-forced daily canned food diets.) #23. Propane Cylinder Handle-Holder (Urgent: Small canister use is dangerous without this item.) #24. Feminine Hygiene/Haircare/Skin products #25. Thermal underwear (Tops and bottoms) #26. Bow saws, axes and hatchets & Wedges (also, honing oil) #27. Aluminum foil Reg. & Hvy. Duty (Great Cooking & Barter item) #28. Gasoline containers (Plastic or Metal) #29. Garbage bags (Impossible to have too many.) #30. Toilet Paper, Kleenex, paper towels #31. Milk - Powdered & Condensed (Shake liquid every 3 to 4 months.) #32. Garden seeds (Non-hybrid) (A MUST) #33. Clothes pins/line/hangers (A MUST) #34. Coleman's Pump Repair Kit: 1(800) 835-3278 #35. Tuna Fish (in oil) #36. Fire extinguishers (or.. large box of Baking soda in every room...) #37. First aid kits #38. Batteries (all sizes... buy furthest-out for Expiration Dates) #39. Garlic, spices & vinegar, baking supplies #40. BIG DOGS (and plenty of dog food) #41. Flour, yeast & salt #42. Matches (3 box/$1 .44 at WalMart: "Strike Anywhere" preferred. Boxed, wooden matches will go first.) #43. Writing paper/pads/pencils/solar calculators #44. Insulated ice chests (good for keeping items from freezing in Wintertime) #45. Workboots, belts, Levis & durable shirts #46. Flashlights/LIGIITSTICKS & torches, "No. 76 Dietz" Lanterns #47. Journals, Diaries & Scrapbooks (Jot down ideas, feelings, experiences: Historic times!) #48. Garbage cans Plastic (great for storage, water transporting - if with wheels) #49. Men's Hygiene: Shampoo, Toothbrush/paste, Mouthwash/floss, nail clippers, etc #50. Cast iron cookware (sturdy, efficient) #51. Fishing supplies/tools #52. Mosquito coils/repellent sprays/creams #53. Duct tape #54. Tarps/stakes/twine/nails/rope/spikes #55. Candles #56. Laundry detergent (Liquid) #57. Backpacks & Duffle bags #58. Garden tools & supplies #59. Scissors, fabrics & sewing supplies #60. Canned Fruits, Veggies, Soups, stews, etc. #61. Bleach (plain, NOT scented: 4 to 6% sodium hypochlorite) #62. Canning supplies (Jars/lids/wax) #63. Knives & Sharpening tools: files, stones, steel #64. Bicycles... Tires/tubes/pumps/chains, etc. #65. Sleeping bags & blankets/pillows/mats #66. Carbon Monoxide Alarm (battery powered) #67. Board Games Cards, Dice #68. d-Con Rat poison, MOUSE PRUFE II, Roach Killer #69. Mousetraps, Ant traps & cockroach magnets #70. Paper plates/cups/utensils (stock up, folks...) #71. Baby Wipes, diapers, tampons, oils, waterless & Anti-bacterial soap (saves a lot of water) #72. Rain gear, rubberized boots, etc. #73. Shaving supplies (razors & creams, talc, after shave) #74. Hand pumps & siphons (for water and for fuels) #75. Soysauce, vinegar, boullions/gravy/soup base #76. Reading glasses #77. Chocolate/Cocoa/Tang/Punch (water enhancers) #78. "Survival-in-a-Can" #79. Woolen clothing, scarves/ear-muffs/mittens #80. BSA - New 1998 - Boy Scout Handbook (also, Leader's Catalog) #81. Roll-on Window Insulation Kit (MANCO) #82. Graham crackers, saltines, pretzels, Trail mix/Jerky #83. Popcorn, Peanut Butter, Nuts #84. Socks, Underwear, T-shirts, etc. (extras) #85. Lumber (all types) #86. Wagons & carts (for transport to & from open Flea markets) #87. Cots & Inflatable mattresses (for extra guests) #88. Gloves: Work/warming/gardening, etc. #89. Lantern Hangers #90. Screen Patches, glue, nails, screws, nuts & bolts #91. Teas #92. Coffee #93. Cigarettes #94. Wine/Liquors (for bribes, medicinal, etc.) #95. Paraffin wax #96. Glue, nails, nuts, bolts, screws, etc. #97. Chewing gum/candies #98. Atomizers (for cooling/bathing) #99. Hats & cotton neckerchiefs #100. Goats/chickens Obviously you won't find SOME of this stuff at Costco (Goats/chickens for example). BUT, it is a great place to start. Take this and then delete all the things you either can't get from Costco or don't want in your plan. I highlighted numerous ones in maroon with the idea that these are all things you should have already. If not, stock up now, because they are NOT going to get any cheaper. While I may NOT agree with all of them, at least this list is a place to start. Hope that helps. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
I also went to costco today and i noticed 25 pound bags of sugar were about 10 dollars which is 5 dollars cheaper that what i have been paying at foodmax
pick up some of them |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Thanks all of you for you great responses I've copied the shopping list..
I don't have any of the maroon so I guess I need to make a start.. When buying rice for present needs I do tend to buy the largest 4.5KG Basmati rice at Safeway, I have noticed recently the shelf is often empty and stays that way for days at a time.. I thought perhaps it was the person stocking the shelves not doing a good job, but I am beginning to wonder !! Thank Again Goldeneye |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
The plain white rice stores the best and the longest. Less oils in it, I think.
Mastro speaks wisdom, by the way. Rodent-proof all non-canned items in metal cabinets or gargbage cans, and protect canned items from having rodents crawl over them (rodent urine erodes cans quickly, and male rodents pee on everything). You may not have to worry now, but if things ever get so bad that the garbage isn't picked up regularly, we'll probably see an explosion in the rodent population. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
I should add... when I was at Costco this past weekend, one item I bought was a 20-pack of Irish Spring bar soap. I can't remember the exact price, but it worked out to somethin glike $0.36 per bar, LOL. I tend to use the bar until it's all the way down to a little sliver and then actually dissolves in your hands. I guess at $.36 a pop, I can afford to just swap in a new one once it's down to the sliver stage. :haha: :D
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
rice and beans,canned tuna, flour,olive oil,nuts,powdered milk,coffee tea,salt[25 lb bag] ,bleach,batteries,motor oil, bottled water and/or containers. the portland one had a 5 gallon pail of emergency food"food for health international" www.nutrastorage.com............supposedly 275 servings/bucket.....boilwater,add package ingredients,simmer 20 mins. 23 lbs. a pail cost about 90.00 usd 2 months ago. barley vegatable,blueberry pancakes, ala king, cacciatorre, country noodle, corn chowder, potato bak on, rice lentil,western stew,whey milk. the 5 gallon pail is a bonus, i like them for water storage and dry food storage....stackable, and versatile. hope this helps, mike in portland,or.
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I agree withmost everything I have read in this thread (especially the aluminum cans for storing food and protectig it from rats) but this is the one thing I would be careful buying. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
A couple of things.
1) Trash cans are good, but once loaded up are VERY heavy to move around. Consider Blue Rubbermaid storage boxes (18 gal - 15 1/2 x 21 1/2 x 16 1/2) with snap shut lids. We buy them at Lowes or Home Depot. We also purchase clear plastic storage boxes with 'clam shell' type lids that also keep out all pests. Wait until they go on sale, generally during their 'spring cleaning' type of sale. Plus, once loaded, while heavy I can still pick them up unless they are loaded to the top with heavy cans. This is ALSO true when storing water or fuel. NEVER store it in containers larger than 15 gallons. Water weighs 7 lbs per gallon, so 15 gallons is 105 lbs. Even WITH a two wheel dolly, it can get tiring after moving several 15 gallon barrels around. Ask me HOW I know this. 2) While I do agree that purchasing 'premade' survival food kits IS a bad idea on many level (POW food levels for instance), they beat the snot out of NOTHING. Also folks, if you don't eat it now, you won't eat it later. Which means you are throwing your money away. Yeah, yeah, you consider them 'barter' goods. Tobacco or alcohol work much better. Ammo also. Some here feel that's a bad idea. Fine, sell them the components to 'reload' the components you sell them. They don't have a reloader? Stock up on the hand ones. You do one round at a time and are fairly cheap (less than $25 the last time I looked). |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Costco is a fairly IFFY, hit or miss thing.
Here is what I think they have to offer someone who wants to "put food by": 5lb jars of Adams Natural Peanut Butter 2.5 Gal jugs of Mazola Oil, 5 gal jugs of soybean or fry oil, 2, 2liter bottles of EV Olive Oil 2lb pkg of yeast Organic Canned Tomatoes Rice Crackers, Trail Mix, Trail bars, Candy bars, Nuts, #10 Cans and fresh cheese Canned olives, artichokes, jalapenos, & pickles S&W Canned beans Institutional pack items in #10 cans Coffee, bulk beans Milkman powdered milk Butter, sometimes organic butter McCormick soup base in 1lb jars Frozen chicken and hamburger patties Frozen Orange Juice Bulk eggs Bakery items Some meats Occasional clothing items Auto and electronic gizmo batteries Your local full-service healthfood store is a better source of Survival Foods. Costco doesn't sell any wholewheat flour, no organic bulk food and has very minimal vitamin selection. If you are going to try and maintain your health, and not just "fill up" with empty calories, you will need Organic Short-Grain Brown Rice and a variety of beans. Organic hard red winterwheat berries, fresh ground offer more food value than any white flour. You can get white wheat or golden berries for pastry flour type use. Organic Oats, Barely, Grits, CousCous, Farina etc are worth paying for. Organic whole grains are usually available, maybe by special order, in 25 & 50lb bags. Easy to store in NEW 5 gal paint buckets w/gasket lids, and they almost keep forever. We opened a bucket of Brn Rice put up in 1995 a month ago, it was perfect! Healthfood store will also have sprouting seed and kits to begin sprouting. Sprouts can provide more food value than salad. If you are still drinking cows milk; try a box or two of Rice Milk. Stores longer, better tasting, better for you. We find better deals on lots of stuff elsewhere, but Costco does offer some opportunities. Of course if you live near a major city, you can likely save the $50 membership altogether. Organic produce is about as cheap as regular these days, so we buy organic whenever possible. If you want the most value for your money and are concerned about preserving your immune system & eating healthy to preserve stamina & strength; give your local healthfood store a visit. Large Grocers may also have good healthfood sections, and independent vitamin shops may offer the best prices on quality vitamins. Buying the best quality food you can is the best economy I know of. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Costco: Toilet paper, bales of washcloths and towels, turkey jerky, smoked salmon, rice, light (not-virgin) olive oil, nuts, dried onion flakes, dried garlic powder, pepper, salt, thyme, sage, canned tomatoes, pasta, dry pinto beans, dish detergent for hand washing dishes, non-Teflon pans, bleach, batteries, liqour (esp. Vodka for sterilization), ziploc bags, garbage bags, ski gloves, "Little Hotties" glove warmers, work gloves, spare eyeglasses, rolled oats, socks, underwear, knit shirts, rubber sandals, tennis shoes, motor oil, rechargeable batteries.
order this book: Get it in paperback, if you can. Also get a water friendly hat, a felt cowboy hat or other broad-brimmed hat and some large kerchiefs, gas/alcohol stove, sunblock, bug-repellent, personal mosquito net, tent, big first-aid kit, whistle, compass, mirror, magnifier, tweezers, aspirin, thermometers, dry yeast, monofilament line, fish hooks, flint and steel, a bolt of flannel cloth, needle and thread assortment, 000 steel wool (the best tinder ever next to charred flannel), heavy shears, pliers, file, sharpening stone, hunting knife for skinning and field-dressing game, snorkel and mask, wet-suit, hatchet, single-bladed axe, splitting wedges, folding saw, balls of cotton twine (good for wicks,) galvanized bucket, commercial roll of heavy plastic sheeting, cheap blue tarps with grommets, paraffin, a sack of 90% silver coins, sealed tins of tobacco and rolling papers (great for barter), caulk, automotive flares, space blankets, mousetraps, self-tapping sheet-metals screws, a pair (or more) of battery-powered, two-way radios, compressed gas air horn, pepper spray, air gun and 25,000 BBs for small game and birds, 12 gauge shotgun and assorted shells including bird, upland game, buckshot, slugs, and rubber buckshot; for storage: jerry can's, metal tins, latching chests, ice chests, and toolboxes; solar panel for charging batteries; garden hoses; faucet attachment for output end of hose. pvc irrigation line, rainbarrel, crop seeds, kerosene/oil lamp. I have a revolver and carbine chambered for the same cartridge and a bandolier/holster. A long-range flat-shooting rifle such as a .270 is a good idea, too. Pick up a stray dog or two somewhere along the line, you will need each other. A mule or horse would be handy, as would be a two-handed scythe. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
good points re the survival food, still better than nothing, and can throw into vehicle quickly. if i don't have to go to the fema stadium after a flood/earthquake, i'll be happy. to each their own. generally eat that stuff up on the periodic road trips.
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
And rubber gloves!!! lots of them.
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
And another thing.. humans are tribal. We need each other. We will do better if we share warmth, knowledge and resources, forecast weather, navigate, and stand watch for each other. More people also means more jokes, stories, and songs you haven't heard yet.
Better to share your last sandwich with the person next to you and search for food together the next day. There are lots of food-gathering parties that simply work better with more people.. Beating the bushes/streams to herd game towards hunters, for example.. You can have a great party with a few dozen or so people spring through fall as follows: put a container in a hole in the center of a field.. join hands and dance in a circle towards the hole.. retrieve, roast and eat grasshoppers! Also, you can eat anything that comes from the ocean with very few exceptions. We used to get several families together, boil a kettle of sea water on the beach and pry mussels off the rocks with screwdrivers until the water was boiling.. actually, the kids pried the mussels, the adults drank if memory serves. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Got a brand new Costco going up a few miles from here. I'll be checking it out. Supposed to open before 2008.
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
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I did not say, nor mean, that purchasing 'premade' survival food kits IS a bad idea on ANY level.......I have half a year's Mountain House foods put away to fill out the other things we've stored......... I was refering SPECIFICALLY to the Costco version which many on thise site bought - only to discover their servings were so low in calories it would not sustain them. On that thread, at the time, someone also published some articles stating the same thing. By all means - buy Mountain House or some of the other companies foods.......if you ever need them - they will be a great break from tuna, beans and rice.............and if not, they will last 30-40 years - you can eat them in your old age (provided the planet still has any water!) |
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Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
I hear a lot about people hunting for food after TSHTF with a gun. Seems to me stocking up on snares and conibear traps would be the smarter thing to do (not to mention info on how to use them, like boiling the traps and pelt care), after all, the mountain men used their traps for hunting, guns are for opportunistic hunting and self-defense.
On a side note, if you live in the midwest, remember the New Madrid earthquake as a possible problem, store all glass and heavy items (cans, grain buckets, honey buckets) low to the ground. All the preps in the world will be useless if you decide to overlook the one potential problem that becomes a reality. |
Re: Going to Costco... Longer term food storage items?
Agree about snares.
The monofilament on my list is for snares.. great for squirrels and bunnies, get the book i referenced. We have a tremendous number of rabbits, birds, and other small game here, so the BB gun is a great idea, too. Guns here are like sunglasses or something. Part of getting dressed for a hike. In Nevada, a chambered automatic in your glove box is not considered a concealed weapon.. we have no carjackings here.. just sayin' I'm not a gun nut.. just grew up with them. |
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That's the best list I've seen to date, anywhere! :) I've been collecting a lot of this stuff gradually over the past few months, but am looking to accelerate the process right now. Like many of you, my gut is trying to tell me something is on the short-term horizon. Thanks for the list! Does anyone know where to find cheap and practical oil lamps. So far the only cheap ones I see are all glass, and the brass or other metal ones are out of my price range. Guidance appreciated, but don't want to hijack the thread. |
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