How my stockpile is going to save me from the swine flu

My friend Kristin recently passed on this pandemic planning checklist about how to plan for and get through an influenza pandemic, such as the one we’re experiencing now with the swine flu. Although several cases have shown up in Wisconsin, I’m not all that worried about contracting this flu. As my friend Nikki said, we’ve lived through the regular flu, bird flu and SARS, so the swine flu doesn’t seem like anything unusual to worry about.

That doesn’t mean I’m taking this lightly. I’m being extra-vigilant about handwashing with the kids and myself, and I’m watching my family for any signs of flu. We’ve had a bad run of illness this winter, and I’m not keen on repeating the last few months of that drudgery.

Loving my stockpile

The government’s planning checklist is interesting to me because it closely reflects the items I already have in my stockpile. However, if I had seen that list a  year ago, I would have needed to run out and purchase many of the items on the list. I’m sure many people are doing that right now — and paying top dollar for that panic-induced grocery run. Even though I truly believe I won’t need to live off the food in my basement and deep freezer, I feel so much more comfortable knowing it’s there, just in case the worst happens.

(On a side note, I read The Road by Cormac McCarthy recently. That alone made me want to stockpile fresh water, soap, firewood and food, then barricade the doors with my doubel-barreled shotgun while herding my family into the basement. This pandemic almost makes that look like a logical next step.)

The government’s checklist includes:

• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, and soups — I have dozens of cans of tomato/chicken noodle/minestrone/cream soups, chunk tuna, corn/tomatoes/artichoke hearts/peas, and kidney/black/pinto/white beans. The beans alone could keep us alive for quite a while, and I’m pretty sure my kids and husband would be happy about that.
  
• Protein or fruit bars – I have six boxes of different granola bars, and I’m stocking up on more next week.
  
• Dry cereal or granola — Do you think 17 boxes of cereal is enough? I dunno.
  
• Peanut butter or nuts – I have several cans and bags of almonds, cashews, pecans and walnuts. Plus one jar of peanut butter. More PB is on the list for next week.
  
• Dried fruit – My stockpile includes two bags of craisins, one can of organic raisins, a carton of figs, and two canisters of prunes. (I guess it’s a good thing the government also recommends stocking up on anti-diarrheal medication and toilet paper, huh?)
  
• Crackers — Two boxes of crackers, two bags of pretzels, one bag of tortilla chips…and more on the way next week.
  
• Canned juices – I have about 30 cans of frozen concentrate, as well as several jugs of fruit and vegetable juices.
  
• Bottled water – I still have some from a party we had in September.
  
• Canned or jarred baby food and formula – We don’t need this stuff anymore. Hurray!
  
• Pet food – Just bought a 30-pound bag not too long ago.
  
• Other non-perishable items – Plenty!
• Medications and household basics, like soap, garbage bags and flashlight/batteries – My forays into Walgreens have nicely prepared us in this department. I was getting a little embarassed by the amount of toothpaste and kids cold/pain medicine we had piling up in the closet, but now I feel strangely justified.

Like I said, this flu isn’t throwing me into a panic. I don’t intend to lock the doors and live off the food in my basement — and I don’t even own a shotgun! But it’s nice to know that my frugal shopping has an unintended consequence: Peace of mind, just in case.

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