[SurviveNthrive]

Has anyone had to consider special diets that are medically related, like diabetes, salt, food allergies, and if so, how did you manage to amass economical long term storage items?

Thank you in advance fo sharing what you learned.

 

[Elinor0987]

I know there are companies like ReliOn that make the sugar discs for diabetics. They're usually not that expensive depending on where you buy them, but there's also the Smarties candy that has almost identical ingredients. The candy is easy to find this time of the year with all of the Halloween stuff out, and it's actually less expensive when you compare the quantity of the product to the price. Anyone can have a drop in their blood sugar levels (especially in the case of limited food supply), and since the candy has a long shelf life it's something I've added to the supplies.

 

[SaskBound]

Good Idea!

I have been thinking about how we would handle any gluten intolerant people that showed up here, as the majority of our long-term stuff is wheat-based. It is good to think about these sorts of contingencies...

 

[efbjr]

Other choices...

My wife is diabetic and, at my continued insistence (accompanied by a lot of my yelling :rant: at her about the necessity to be prepared--she is stubborn at times!), started carrying some emergency snack foods for times when her blood sugar may drop to dangerous levels. (She had a couple of close calls when not at home, but was able to get something to eat in time.)

She has the sugar tablets for diabetics in her handbag, along with packages of trail mix (which combine short-term, quick-acting, high energy sugar based foods {dried fruits and candy bits} with long-term items {nuts, etc} that provide a slower release of nutrients over a longer period of time.

She also carries the small, snack-size juice boxes which are also a good source of quick energy.

 

[The_Blob]

Good Idea!

I have been thinking about how we would handle any gluten intolerant people that showed up here, as the majority of our long-term stuff is wheat-based. It is good to think about these sorts of contingencies...

soba noodles are made from BUCKWHEAT & are gluten-free, rice & rice flour (read the package) are also good

the important thing to remember is that heat is a candy killer, a good rule of thumb is: the harder the candy, the longer it will last... I've had the clear hard candies last for over 10 years

 

[Ezmerelda]

I can't tell you about storing foods for special diets, but I can share what a challenge it is to find long-term food storage solutions that do not contain soy. I struggle to ensure enough protein for me and my family without the ability to eat Textured Vegetable Protein, since it's made of soy beans, and I and my daughter are both allergic.

Right now, with regular medication, our reactions to the soy bean oil that exists in just about every store-bought product (such as mayo, salad dressing, vegetable shortening, etc.) are held in check. In a SHTF scenario, the meds will eventually run out, so I'm stocking up on organic shortening (no soy bean oil), and looking for products that are soy free.

 

[SurviveNthrive]

While I'm storing soy beans and TVP, as well as items including some TVP, I know that as a whole, soy beans are bad for males. It's been proven to raise the estrogen level in males because there's so much GM stuff out there it's saturated the market...but it's better to risk a bit of that than it is to starve for us.

If we were allergic, then I'd be shifting even more...but man, it's nice to have options.

 

[The_Blob]

While I'm storing soy beans and TVP, as well as items including some TVP, I know that as a whole, soy beans are bad for males. It's been proven to raise the estrogen level in males because there's so much GM stuff out there it's saturated the market...but it's better to risk a bit of that than it is to starve for us.

If we were allergic, then I'd be shifting even more...but man, it's nice to have options.

I wondered why my boobs were getting bigger... :nuts:

 

[SurviveNthrive]

It'd be really bad if desperate, hungry raiders post SHTF suddenly stop shooting and start winking at us!

I've got a whole lot of soy beans stored, with the largest amount being a 25 or 30 pound bag! But we'd only be cracking that in really, really bad times. Did ya know that when you cook dried soy beans you have to drain the bad fluid unlike with most other beans?