When a hurricane or storm approaches and the media issues out its warnings, food flies off the shelves in supermarkets. Many people run out and buy anything they can get their hands on, including canned food, frozen food and ice for their coolers. Good for the markets - bad for us.
Wrong.
After 25 years in Miami surviving Hurricanes Andrew, Wilma, George, Charlie and more, I found the best and simplest way to prepare for disaster is to pack and eat the way soldiers eat out in the field: dried goods.
The Top 5 Food Items to Stock up on for a Hurricane are: dried seaweed, dried beans, dried fruit, canned sardines and tuna, and peanut butter.
These items not only last a long time but are very nutritious and cheap.
Other items to include are canned garbanzo beans and nuts. And of course, you will always need bottled water, but if you run out, don't fret: you can always boil tap water and use that.
This way you avoid the mad rush for Chef Boyardee and actually can get healthier as you weather out the storm, no pun intended!
For more tips on how to survive a hurricane, call Fairfield Family Care at 203-295-3477.
Yvonne Lederer is community affairs liason for Stamford-based Fairfield Family Home Care, which provides personal, non-medical home care.
