In the ramp-up to the pandemic crisis and shutdown, we watched scores of
videos of people panic purchasing rice, beans, and canned chili. We
read countless accounts of rapidly depleting stocks of freeze-dried
goods among internet suppliers and other long-term food storage sources
being entirely wiped out. More experienced individuals cautioned the
nouveau panic preppers about the need to store a much wider variety of
foods because they would get tired of the same rice and beans and canned
goods. Most of these warnings were entirely dismissed. After all, "If
people are hungry, they will be grateful to eat anything."
However, we are Americans. We've been blessed to live in a time of
unprecedented prosperity, with a vast array of food choices to fit every
palate, and often ready-to-eat within just a few minutes. But with
shortages in stores and difficulties in manufacturing and shipping, not
to mention reduced shopping opportunities, options become more limited.
Several weeks into eating rice, beans, and Spam, or if luckier, lots of
freeze-dried meals, these panic preppers came to recognize the folly of
their thinking. They wished they'd stored a greater variety of foods,
and especially that they'd given more thought to comfort foods.
Transitioning from the great variety of a modern American diet to the
more common staples of our predecessors is a bit of a shock to the
system.
Still, after my family's experience, it was no surprise to us.
Several years ago, when my family and I lived on three acres on the
outskirts of Kansas City, we felt the need to expand the size of our
garden to nearly 1/4 acre. The lot fell to me to inform my
sixteen-year-old son, the CROO (chief rototiller operating officer), of
the decision. He was pretty well aware of events in our country and
world at the time and supportive of our efforts to prepare. Still, he
was sixteen and not exactly pleased about tilling up more land. (He did
at least get his picture taken and could look at himself on Google
earth, operating the rototiller, for a few years.)
While he recognized the need to prepare and learn while times were good,
he wasn't excited. So he insisted that if he was doing all this work,
we were going to be planting a whole lot more corn and watermelon.
(That's it? I couldn't believe I was getting off so easily!) "Done!"
We did indeed plant a whole lot more corn and watermelon, several
varieties in fact, in different sizes and colors.
It was a fantastic year for gardens, and we had boatloads of corn and
watermelon, and everything else. So while the main dish for dinner
changed each day, corn and watermelon graced the table every evening.
After about three weeks of this, KOTPE voiced something of an objection.
Not strong, mind you, just a little bit of a complaint about corn and
watermelon every night, even though the rest of dinner varied.
Quite surprised, I asked KOTPE, "Don't you remember insisting that we
plant more corn and watermelon this year?" That classic
deer-in-the-headlights look appeared on his face.
"Would you have done anything differently in my situation? If your
hard-working children insisted on planting their favorites--corn and
watermelon--would you have done it?"
“Yeah.”
“Would you have been really surprised when they got tired of eating it?”
“Yeah.”
We also grew a lot of potatoes that year, and baked potatoes were
frequently on the dinner menu. They're easy, filling, and everyone
likes them. We had all the usual condiments--ketchup for some of the
kids, butter, sour cream, salt and pepper. Sometimes we added green
onions or shredded cheese. And yet, after a month of having baked
potatoes twice a week, the kids were getting a little tired. So I
decided to add some bacon bits to the topping choices.
It was like they had died and gone to heaven.
Both of these experiences were great lessons for everyone in the family.
No matter what our
favorites are, we absolutely have to have variety. Flavor fatigue is
real, and that
was at a time with lots of other fresh produce and everything we could
possibly
want from the store, without any other outside stresses. We can't
entirely prevent economic, political, or societal upheavals from
affecting our families. However, we can greatly mitigate the stress
they feel by having a wide variety of good food to feed them.
20 august 2020
I'm trying to get my husband to accept new foods into his diet. Today I plan to dice a couple of potatoes, an eggplant (new food) and a couple of carrots, toss with olive oil,salt and pepper and then roast. If he doesn't comment on the eggplant, then I'll try eggplant parmesan next. He doesn't like zucchini so I have to hide it in other things.
ReplyDeleteIts not simple even now to make meals interesting for picky eaters.
He'll be in for a big surprise if we have to deal with food fatigue. I'll do my best, but I won't guarantee anything lol
Good luck! Husbands can be the hardest to satisfy.
DeleteOnce again, this is a great article, Jennifer.
ReplyDeleteIn order to "convert" blissfully unprepared individuals concerning the need to prepare for a not-so-safe world, I emphasize the need to buy rice, pasta and beans because these staples are cheap and store well in the long term.
I doubt that more than a small percentage of preparedness newbies who have plunged into preparedness in the last few years by making a $2,000 purchase of Mountain House products. Sticker shock is a put-off. I tell them that it is better to have a one year supply of basic staples than to have a two month supply of delicious Mountain House entrees.
After they have made a serious start at covering the basics, however, I tell them that their next step should be directed toward varying their storage in order to avoid diet fatigue. The simple fact is that, if your favorite ice cream is Rocky Road and you eat it after every meal, pretty soon you won't be able to look at it.
I have always heard that kids and older people will suffer from diet fatigue the quickest. You can fight with a kid and ultimately get the kid to clean his plate. Don't try that with grandpa, however.
Anyone who gets past the very early beginning of preparedness should focus on storing food that will vary their diet. It just makes sense.
Food fatigue is made even worse by lack of seasoning and poor cooking. If you think you might be forced by circumstances to eat dried beans as a staple, better start finding tasty ways of eating them now. Beans also require some different intestinal bacteria than normally flourish in American intestines. The more often you eat beans the better you will be able to digest them. Start with small amounts initially.
ReplyDeleteI am no expert but I did find this on the internet:
Delete"Can I eat canned kidney beans raw?"
This is especially true for kidney beans. Eating raw or undercooked kidney beans can lead to food poisoning, including symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Only a few beans are needed to cause poisoning.
Источник: https://antonscafebar.com/other-useful/can-you-eat-canned-red-kidney-beans-without-cooking.html
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What type of bean is safe to eat raw?
A: Green beans, also known as string beans, are indeed safe to eat raw, (fresh or frozen) given of course, that you have properly washed them. It may be confusing to you and others since some dried beans, like kidney and cannellini beans, are not safe to eat raw and must be cooked before consuming. https://checkfoodmenuprices.com/your-questions/how-do-you-eat-beans-without-cooking-them/
Yep, most people will have problems digesting beans if they are not accustomed to eating them. Same goes for wheat.
DeleteThere is an article on this blog about the toxins produced by red kidney beans. Specifically, they must not be prepared in a slow cooker. Eating undercooked kidney beans--as few as 4-5 beans--may cause severe intestinal upset, but it is not fatal.
Should you find yourself with an over abundance of potatoes again, I make twice the number of baked potatoes I need for a meal, refrigerate the extras till the next day, slice them into rounds of 1/2 to 3/4 “ thickness, fry and season with garlic salt and black pepper. Easy, good French fries
ReplyDeleteLeftover baked potatoes also make the best shredded hash browns. They are drier than raw potatoes and crisp up better.
ReplyDelete