Meat and Eggs - enough to get by

How much to store

Meat and eggs are not essential for survival, but do provide excellent sources of protein.  It is a good idea to have at least a three month supply of meat and eggs that your family normally eats.

Meat

When eaten sparingly, meat can provide a good quality protein in a diet.  Meat will typically store well for 9 months frozen.  Canned meat typically has a shelf life of 1-2 years.  Some meats to consider storing are:

• ground beef
• chicken
• fish
• other red meat cuts such as roasts
• canned tuna
• canned chicken
• hot dogs
• sandwich meat

Remember that there might not be electricity in many emergency situations and your three month supply might be used up quicker than expected.  Be prepared to be a good neighbor and willing to share your supply of meat with your neighbors in an emergency situation.

 Eggs

Eggs are also an excellent source of protein.  Their properties are also essential for many recipes, especially baked items.  Fresh eggs typically have a refrigerated shelf life of 3-4 weeks.  So keep as many eggs on hand in your refrigerator that you see necessary for your family.  You might also consider storing some egg substitute or dehydrated eggs.  Some types of dehydrated eggs are as follows:

• whole eggs - for baking
• egg whites -for baking
• egg mix powder (egg + milk + oil) - for baking and scrambling
• eggs ova easy crystals (whites + yolks) - for baking and scrambling

Dehydrated eggs should store 5-10 years in the absence of oxygen at 70 degrees fahrenheit.

 Meat Substitutes

Meat substitutes are typically derived from soybeans and dried to imitate different meats such as chicken, beef, ham, and bacon.  Don’t be scared of them.  The shelf life of these foods are much more stable than real meat and should store for 15-20 years in the absence of oxygen at 70 degrees fahrenheit.  Meat substitutes can be used in conjunction with real meat in recipes to be more cost effective and to help rotate the meat substitute supply.  Also note that some meat substitutes contain MSG so read the label if you have a sensitivity to this additive.