If you haven’t started to compile an emergency food storage list, you should begin immediately. If you need to ask why, you simply aren’t watching the news.

Our illusion of prosperity is dissipating. America was once the freest, wealthiest, and strongest country in the world. Now we’re the largest debtor society mankind has ever known. The dollar is a sickly caricature of itself, and foreign creditors are rebelling against our government’s IOUs. Where we once fed the world, America now is a net importer of wheat. Our food distribution system is fragile and balanced precariously. All of these factors should prompt people to start working on an emergency food storage list.

Consider what just happened in Japan, an ultra-modern, hi-tech society with a large manufacturing base. Despite a long economic depression, the Japanese maintained a really high standard of living through industry and thrift, working hard and saving most of what they earned. Through the pitiless, indifferent mechanics of plate tectonics, Japan was literally shoved aside, allowing the sea to surge across hundreds of thousands of acres of land and creating conditions for a world-historic nuclear disaster. Shelves quickly emptied, and many Japanese who had been disciplined and thrifty were left at the mercy of others.

Americans haven’t been as wise and disciplined. What happens if we suffer comparable natural disasters? Those who take the time to put together a short-term emergency food storage list will enjoy at least a measure of security.

Think as well of Weimar-era Germany, where a government frantic to pay off war reparations let the printing presses run amok. The remorseless devaluation of the German reichmark literally wiped out millions of Germans, many of whom had to empty their life savings just to buy groceries. Similar catastrophes have descended on Russia, Zimbabwe, and Argentina. And guess which country’s government is behaving in a fashion very similar to the Weimar-era German government? What do you think “quantitative easing” means, if not Weimar-style inflation? If you understand the implications of these questions, you really should take the time to write an emergency food storage list for your household. » Read more: Emergency Food Storage List for Survival in Tough Times

Most everyone knows the basics to stock your storm shelter with, like water, batteries, a source of light, first aid kit, a crank-up or battery-operated radio, blankets and today, taking your cell phone with you is paramount, if the storm didn’t happen to knock out the cell towers in your area. Yes, that would be a huge catastrophe, one that could result in your being trapped in your storm shelter for an extended period of time!

Most people only think in terms of staying in their storm shelter for a few minutes or hours, but under the worse conditions you could possibly spend more than a day and up to a week, or maybe even longer, in your storm shelter, which means it is really important to have it stocked with everything you could possibly need.

For example, what if your house was moved off of its foundation, landing squarely on top of your storm shelter? The neighbor’s house? Their barn? The 100-year old magnolia or oak in your front yard? Any of these could realistically hamper your getting out of your storm shelter on your own and could definitely make it difficult for emergency workers to get to you, if they knew you were there.

Therefore, think in terms of days, not hours, when it comes to stocking your storm shelter, which means that in addition to the obvious things, you need to think of those things that will provide sustenance to you and anyone trapped with you.

I recently tried, and was pleasantly surprised, at the flavor of canned meats. Yes, they’ve been around for a long time…used in war time for soldier rations until the MRE was introduced; used to stock fall-out shelters in the 50s and maybe for the most primitive camping adventures, but today’s canned meats are absolutely nothing like the ones your Dad or Grandfather chowed down on while in a fox-hole somewhere. » Read more: Stocking Your Storm Shelter – Don’t Forget the Canned Meat!