Are you creating a long-term food storage plan to ensure that you and your family have enough food if SHTF? If so, keep reading— we’ve got all of the tips you need.
Your emergency food supply needs to include each basic food group if you want to set yourself up for success, and truly have peace of mind.
There is often an emphasis on grains and legumes for emergency food supplies, but it is especially important to store fruits long-term.
Why Fruits?
Many fruits are high in fiber, water, vitamins, and minerals. While the fiber found in fruit helps keep your stomach full, fruit also has healthy carbs that are crucial for energy.
Why Apple?
Out of all the different kinds of fruit, apples are one of the most ideal fruits for long-term food storage. After all, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”! And during emergencies, it is crucial to take measures to be as healthy as possible.
Apples are a great source of water, fiber, calcium, vitamin c, and a number of other antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. They are known to improve respiratory and oral health, and they have even been linked to aiding and preventing several chronic health issues such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.
Nutrition isn’t the only reason we recommend apples above all other fruits! Many preppers grow some of their own food to ensure that they have a steady supply of food that they can rely on, regardless of food shortages or supply chain issues. If you want to start growing your own fruits and veggies, apples are easier to grow than most other fruits.
While standard apple trees can start producing fruit 4 to 8 years after being planted, dwarf apple trees can produce fruit within just two years of being planted. Another reason why apples are a more universal option for homesteading is that they can grow in most climates that have cold winters and moderate summers.
The average apple tree can provide you with about 100 pounds of fruit every year, and an apple tree can live for 100 years or more— that’s an incredible supply of free food!
So, if you want a steady supply of fruit, you might want to consider growing an apple tree.
A surplus of apples may seem like a good problem to have for some, but as a prepper you are probably wondering how you could reasonably store apples long-term.
What is the best way to store apples long-term?
When it comes to storing apples, you can choose from several different methods:
- Refrigerator: You can extend the shelf life of your apples by up to 5 months if you store them in plastic bags with holes away from the other fruits in your refrigerator. This method is clearly best for short-term storage, but it will give you ample time to prepare your apples to be stored long-term.
- Freeze-Drying: The most efficient method to store and preserve apples long-term is freeze-drying them with a high-quality machine, and then storing them in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. This method will allow you to extend their shelf life by up to 25 years!
- Canning: Canning is another popular method to store apples. This process is especially helpful when you have a surplus of apples. While there are different types of canning, water canning is the easiest and most effective method for apples.
The Bottom Line
All in all, apples are a great addition to your emergency food supply as there are easy preservation methods that can keep them fresh for decades.
If you want more tips, tricks, and advice on long-term food storage, check out the other food storage tips we have on our website. We are passionate about both educating our customers and providing them with the highest quality Mylar on the market.
Head to our website to shop and learn!SHARE:
