Please take a few minutes to compile a list that would be helpful to you and your gluten-free diet if a natural disaster should take place in your area. Those of us that live in the Miami Valley area of Ohio are at risk for damaging tornadoes. Could you manage on a gluten-free diet if the only food available was at a Red Cross Shelter for a period of time? Ask anyone that has been through the Xenia tornado what foods were available. Our celiac friends in Florida that were in Hurricane Andrew's path and California's earthquakes are examples.
Are you prepared to leave your home and depend on the Red Cross for your meals? Recent natural disasters point up the necessity of considering YOUR needs as a celiac in special situations. Think of yourself and be prepared....just in case!
IT IS SUGGESTED THAT YOU PREPARE YOUR DISASTER KIT WITH A SUPPLY TO LAST TWO FULL WEEKS.
Keep the items that you would most likely need in an easy to carry containers. Possible containers could include a large, covered trash container, camping backpack or duffel bag.
The following are just a few suggestion to help in making up your celiac disaster kit:
- Vitamins: Enough for several weeks.
- Water: Water should be stored in plastic containers. Avoid containers that will break. Store one gallon of water per person per day. Two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation/sanitation. Purifying agents.
- Pain reliever: A brand that works for you. To help you get through a very stressful time.
- Dried foods: Items such as powdered milk, coffee, tea, cocoa, eggs, cornmeal, rice flour, instant potatoes, nuts and fruit. Consider packaging up dry ingredients for a recipe that would just need to have water added to the dry ingredients. Pack dry ingredients in a heavy duty zip type bag and ingredients can be mixed right in the bag. Pancakes, bread and muffins.
- Canned fruits and vegetables: Small cans are best. These are always available and ready to use.
- Juices: These are available in single serving boxes or cans.
- Milk: Powdered or canned are available.
- Canned meat/fish: Salmon and tuna fish are excellent choices as they are very nutritious foods.
- Canned beans: Beans are excellent survival food.
- Canned broths: chicken and turkey broths are excellent Use to flavor rice and as a soup base.
- Stress and comfort foods: Cookies, hard candy and snacks that are gluten-free.
- Staples: Sugar, salt, pepper.
- High energy foods: Jelly, peanut butter, nuts, rice crackers.
- Rice cakes....these will no doubt last forever.
The Red Cross has publications available that would be very helpful in planning for a disaster. The publications will offer suggestions for many special items, tools, first aid kits, sanitation, bedding and clothing. Contact your local Red Cross Office nearest your home for a copy of these publications.
A few more suggestions when planning a disaster kit.
- Tools and supplies: Several saucepans, one for cooking only gluten- free foods, one for boiling water.
- Mess kits or disposable plates, cuts and utensils.
- Clothing and bedding: Include one complete change of clothing, footwear for each person.
If you are fortunate enough to own a dehydrator be sure to take advantage of it and package up some foods for your kit.
For those that have a vacuum sealer put it to use by packaging foods. It would be a great time to put it to good use.
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