[Wester]

I'm just getting on board with really trying to stock up my everyday foods to build a good stockpile. I figure it's better than buying 50# buckets of "food" from warehouse retailers when I have no idea if me or my family will eat it.

Admittedly, I'm not much of a cook, but every time I see a new thread about food preps I see wheat being included. I have never once used raw wheat in an everyday meal, so why include it in preps, especially if it is going to require special equipment to process. Equipment most beginning preppers (like me) would not have? Is there a benefit that I am unaware of? I understand the usefulness of rice, sugar, salt, flour, beans, and canned goods but I think that me buying wheat by the bucket would be a waste. What am I missing here?

 

[Elinor0987]

I understand the usefulness of rice, sugar, salt, flour, beans, and canned goods but I think that me buying wheat by the bucket would be a waste. What am I missing here?

I haven't bought wheat by the bucket yet either, but I would imagine that most of the people that buy it do so after they've already bought regular bags of processed flour. From what I've read about it so far, the grain millers are easy to operate and if you shop around you can find them at a reasonable price. Buying whole grain wheat in bulk quantities can be done at a fraction of the cost as buying the same quantity of processed flour, so for most people it might be a matter of their budget and thinking of longer term preparations.

 

[carlnet]

but I think that me buying wheat by the bucket would be a waste. What am I missing here?

Great question and one that whole books have been written about. The short version is that wheat stores for a very long time (think 15 to 25 years) whereas the things you can make out of wheat do not store anywhere close to that. Also you can do a significant number of things with wheat. For example; grind the wheat into flour, sprout the wheat to get green leafy veggies, roll the wheat to make rolled wheat for breakfast cereal, and a whole lot more. You are right that you will need to shell out a few hundred for a grinder but the up front cost is worth the storage length, versatility, an food value per square inch of of wheat.

 

[UncleJoe]

Also you can do a significant number of things with wheat. For example; grind the wheat into flour, sprout the wheat to get green leafy veggies, roll the wheat to make rolled wheat for breakfast cereal, and a whole lot more.

Like grow more wheat. That makes it a renewable food source.

 

[*Andi]

Like grow more wheat. That makes it a renewable food source.

Only if you can keep the two legged and four legged critters out of it.:gaah::rant: - (Sorry) I'm thinking next year some where ... I can see it from the house.

Yes, you will need a grinder ... check auctions, craiglist and yard sales (that is where I got mine... 20 bucks)

But like it was said before ... homemade bread, hot cereal (cooked wheat) and soups (again cooked wheat)

 

[Wester]

Thanks for the replies. Guess I'll have to familiarize myself with what mills look like so I can watch for them, I'm big on garage sales and thrift stores.

 

[UncleJoe]

I got mine at the flea market for $25

 

[SaskBound]

About the wheat, you might want to try food made from real whole wheat before investing in a bunch of it. It's not at all the same as the 'whole grain' stuff you get at the store. Real 100% home made whole wheat bread is much denser than you are probably used to. WW pasta takes some getting used to, also. Besides a grinder, you could think about investing in a good sifter. You can use it to take out the bran (use it in your porridge to preserve the nutrients) and get more 'normal' flour for bread and such.

Having said that, we do keep wheat at our place, mostly because it's what grows here, and is therefore cheap and easy to buy here. For us, it generally costs under $10 for a 25 Kilo bag. The buckets to store it in cost more In comparison, rice is $15-20 for less than 10 kilos.

 

[SurviveNthrive]

Variety and low cost.

You can also buy wheat and have options for cooking it. For example, while our culture is based on bread, for a good part of human history and even now, in parts of the world, with fuel, time, and other limitations, many grains aren't made into bread, they are ground, boiled and eaten or they are even used as whole grains, soaked, then cooked.

With wheat grains you can soak them in water, allow them to expand and eat them either as a hot cereal or fry the kernels like a side dish. I realize that beyond my stored baking supplies and rice I want to have options, and I might want to have quick options. This is also a very cheap one and adds variety to the usual beans, rice and pasta.

 

[Herbalpagan]

At some point, most preppers get to where they understand that having 30-90 days of food will not be enough. Then they realie that they need to prepare for longer term. Along the way, they realize that flour has a limited shelf life.
While learning about food storage and all the crap that this world is dishing out, it is learned that perhaps there is a better way of life, more practical. A better way of eating, more wholesome. So you have a dilema...quick storage vs long term, healthier eating vs what you can grab. Something you can grow and store (or at least store) for 20-30 years vs something that only lasts 3-5 years max (flour). Along this journey, you also learn that perhaps electricity isn't going to be available at a point...so what can you do?
Sotre wheat and a grinder (I spent less than $100 on mine). It makes sense, is inexpensive and lasts practically forever.
I still have a long way to go, but I have about 750 pounds stored. When money is worthless, I'll still be eating the staple of life - bread.

 

[Clarice]

We have not bought wheat by the bucket either, because we do not have a grinder. When and if I find one we can afford I will stock up on whole wheat.

 

[gypsysue]

Small amounts of wheat can be made into flour in a blender. I have a friend who does that and makes bread a loaf at a time, or biscuits or whatever.

According to another friend, hard wheat works best with "yeast" recipes and soft wheat works best with "baking powder" and all the other recipes.

However, Hard Red Wheat is the best for long-term storage.

 

[catsraven]

Small amounts of wheat can be made into flour in a blender. I have a friend who does that and makes bread a loaf at a time, or biscuits or whatever.

According to another friend, hard wheat works best with "yeast" recipes and soft wheat works best with "baking powder" and all the other recipes.

However, Hard Red Wheat is the best for long-term storage.

I use both hard red and soft white in my bread. It makes a good loaf and is not crumbly is soft. Yummm

 

[Herbalpagan]

I get the hard white winter wheat. It's lighter in color and milder in taste.

 

[SurviveNthrive]

I'd say get some wheat even if you don't have a grinder because it's so dang cheap and you can figure out ways of eating it, grinding if necessary, but grinding ain't necessary. It's going to be a lot easier to figure out how to grind the wheat or cook it without grinding it when you have it, than it is trying to figure out how to get food when it's short.

 

[Wester]

I'll have to keep the wheat idea in the back of my head for when my other goals are met. I suppose I could always go old school and use two flat rocks to grind it if necessary. :idea:

 

[carlnet]

I'll have to keep the wheat idea in the back of my head for when my other goals are met. I suppose I could always go old school and use two flat rocks to grind it if necessary. :idea:

Flat rocks are great. Just don't use sand stone unless you like a bit of sand in your flour...

 

[horseman09]

Just a thought. If a millstone was made out of a very high quality concrete, would it function similar to the old, original stone millstone?

 

[UncleJoe]

I watched a video showing another way to grind wheat or corn. I'll try to describe it but it was much easier when there was a video included with the text.

Take 3 pieces of 1' long, 1" diameter pipe. Set them on end on a flat surface holding them together in the shape of a triangle. Wrap duct tape or electrical tape tightly around them to hold them together.
Now take a metal coffee can about 6" in diameter, put about 1" of wheat in it and use the pipe apparatus and grind it to a semi-fine powder. Pour out the powder and repeat until you have enough to use in your recipe.
It looked easy enough in the vid and the parts are easy to come by. I've never tried it but the guy doing it made it look quite simple. :dunno:

 

[mdprepper]

Husband says concrete contains silica. Inhaling silica can cause Silicosis when inhaled, at least that is what they told him in an OSHA class.