Stocking food for emergencies

I just left a comment on Market Manila's post on panic shopping for canned goods after the latest typhoon in the old country left Luzon without electricity for a few days.

The subject of stocking up on emergency food supplies has just been in the limelight here in Singapore. You see, about 2-3 weeks ago, from out of the blue (at least for me) , there with our September utility bill was a flier that exhorted the merits of always keeping in stock at home a 2-week supply of food for use during emergencies.

I felt anxious when I read the flier. What emergency kaya? I also couldn't help but wonder what the powers-that-be must be preparing us for.

For those interested, here is the Singapore govt's recommended emergency foodstock list meant for two weeks PER PERSON:

1) 3.5 kg of rice
2) 1 bottle (250gm) of cooking oil
3) assortment of 7 cans of meat/fish/beans (abt 400gm/can)
4) 2 packets assorted biscuits (210gm each)
5) assortment of 7 cans of vegetables
6) 1 tin (400gm) of malted beverage
7) 500 gm sugar
8) instant noodles (3 packs of 5)
9) milk powder (2 tins for babies up to 6 months, 1 tin for those who are 7 mnths to 6 years)

Here is the brochure the gov't sent us.

Not wanting to take it too seriously but obviously curious enough to know what the hubby and I may be feeding on if there indeed was an emergency, I took a look inside the kitched shelves where we store some canned goods and other foodies.

Here's what we have:

From left: Splenda, rolled oats, Japanese bread crumbs, mayonnaise, veg noodles, fruit cocktail, tuna in olive oil, Del Monte sardines.




Iced tea mix, tomato sauce, ketchup, luncheon meat, canned button mushrooms, Carnation evap, bottled sardines from Manila, pasta, Quaker oats, assorted teas.




Cashews, popcorn, Kambly biscuits and Skyflakes, burrito pack, Cadbury chocettes, dried mangoes and Schweppes.



Hmm, it's clear from the above that if there was indeed an emergency (touch wood), I would have gained weight after two weeks of feeding on what's available from our shelves while my husband would be emaciated from having only vegetarian instant noodles and mushrooms (which he hates) and okay, cashews and pop corn.

I see now that I must correct this food imbalance in our larder and go buy another pack of veggie noddles for him. hahaha. JOKE lang!!