Panic buying has eased somewhat, and stores have been more careful to keep their inventories well-equipped, but shelves across the country are still hung with signs requesting customers to be conservative in their shopping. For items that were snapped up during the worst of the stockpile scramble in March and April–things like toilet paper, cleaning supplies, and certain foods–stores are limiting the number of each product that an individual can buy.
These ongoing restrictions serve as a haunting reminder of the dire situation we faced only months ago, and a warning for what the future could easily bring again. This rings particularly true as the pandemic is surging in a second wave across the United States, and civil unrest is becoming more and more commonplace. The chaos we are seeing now will easily last through the end of the year, especially as the economy fails to move towards a recovery and a contentious presidential election looms in November. As we fluctuate between periods of relative calm and calamity, the disruptions to domestic and international supply chains will also come and go.
Luckily, we have the chance to learn from the first round of panic buying. If you stocked up on emergency essentials back in March or April, now is the time to reevaluate that supply and fill in any products that might still be missing. For the things you didn’t end up using, remove them from your list. For those items that came in handy, grab extras. As always, make sure that your renewed stockpile will last at least a few weeks. In an emergency, that will give you the cushion you need to survive while making longer term plans for your own independent food sources.
In this video, we’ll break down the UrbanSurvivalSite’s list of 16 items that are crucial to keep on hand in food shortages, as well as some that seem important but really aren’t as necessary. Watch until the end to make sure you don’t miss any key tips.