This Little Piggy Went to Market

The National Health Organisation in the U.S. has raised their concerns about the swine flu outbreak to a level 4. Governments are taking higher precautions on surveillance and are getting ready to mobilize if in the next few days they decide to raise the alert to 5 or even 6, which would mean pandemic. They also said it would not be effective for governments to limit international travel but to only go to Mexico if it's essential. There are no known cases of swine flu in the Netherlands according to the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment. The health institute says the Netherlands has 4.5 million doses of the flu medicine Tamiflu in stock, and the country is well prepared to deal with any pandemic.

Due to the nature of the world we live in today, things can change quickly. I have been playing out various scenarios of what could happen in the next little while concerning this virus. Would I be able to stay in my home if needed without interacting with the outside world? Not likely.

I realized that there are some major gaps in my food storage (and even my nappy storage). I’ve got wheat and oats to spare, but that does not translate into three meals a day! If my regular run to the grocery store could suddenly jeopardize me and my family by exposing us to deadly illnesses, then I’d better fill up those gaps, and quick!

We have been advised for years by our church leaders, to work towards building up a year's supply of food storage. For some reason, I've never taken it too seriously, viewing myself as the exception. Storage space is extremely tight in the Netherlands. We may move countries within a year. Foodstuffs can't be shipped around the world with us. What would I have to do? Sell it all? Give it away, after all that money and effort? And what really unexcites me is that food spoils, and therefore needs to be rotated, creating even more work and time. Regardless of all these issues, it's time to take it seriously. I don't have to concern myself with trying to gather a year's supply this week, but I can start somewhere and buy a couple extra supplies each time I do a grocery shop. Whether or not these purchases save me from this intense new flu strain, I am happy I own them.

It’s good to be prepared.

Take a look at this list I stumbled across this week. I like the way it's set out, so I plan to use this as a guide. My girls love baked beans, so I'll be adding this in somewhere too, along with detergents and toiletries.

One year supply for $5.00 a week for 2 people:

Week 1: 2 cans of tuna, 2 containers salt, and 1 lb yeast

Week 2: 5 boxes mac & cheese, 4 cans tomato soup

Week 3: 3 cans mushroom soup, 2 ½ lbs peanut butter

Week 4: 1 bottle multiple vitamins

Week 5: 4 cans tomato soup, 10 lbs powdered milk

Week 6: 1 bottle aspirin (500 tablets)

Week 7: 100 lbs wheat

Week 8: 5 lbs powdered milk

Week 9: 5 lbs honey, 1 lb yeast

Week 10: 4 cans tuna, 4 boxes mac & cheese

Week 11: 10 lbs sugar, 1 box salt

Week 12: 4 cans mushroom soup, 2 lbs shortening

Week 13: 1 bottle multiple vitamins

Week 14: 100 lbs wheat

Week 15: 1 box mac & cheese, 1 lb yeast

Week 16: 5 lbs honey

Week 17: 2 cans tuna, 4 cans tomato soup

Week 18: 10 lbs sugar

Week 19: 100 lbs wheat

Week 20: 20 lbs sugar

Week 21: 10 lbs powered milk

Week 22: 1 can mushroom soup, 10 lbs sugar

Week 23: 1 can tuna, 4 cans tomato soup, 10 lbs sugar

Week 24: 10 lbs sugar, 1 lb yeast

Week 25: 2 cans tuna, 2 cans mushroom soup, 2 lbs shortening

Week 26: 100 lbs wheat

Week 27: 30 lbs sugar, 1 lb yeast

Week 28: 10 lbs sugar

Week 29: 10 lbs powdered milk

Week 30: 20 lbs sugar

Week 31: 1 can tuna, 3 cans mushroom soup

Week 32: 1 can tuna, 4 cans tomato soup, 2 lbs shortening

Week 33: 100 lbs wheat

Week 34: 2 cans tuna, 1 box salt

Week 35: 10 lbs powdered milk

Week 36: 20 lbs sugar

Week 37: 4 cans tomato soup, 2 boxes salt

Week 38: nothing-replenish petty cash

Week 39: 100 lbs wheat

Week 40: 10 lbs powdered milk

Week 41: 30 lbs sugar

Week 42: 2 cans tomato soup, 4 cans mushroom soup

Week 43: 2 cans tomato soup, 10 lbs sugar

Week 44: nothing-replenish petty cash

Week 45: 10 lbs powered milk

Week 46: 4 cans tomato soup, 10 lbs powered milk

Week 47: 10 lbs powdered milk

Week 48: 4 cans tomato soup, 4 cans mushroom soup

Week 49: 7 cans tomato soup

Week 50: 7 cans mushroom soup, 1 lb yeast

Week 51: 20 lbs sugar, 1 box salt

Week 52: nothing-replenish petty cash