The Common Sense Method to Increasing Your Family’s Food Security
It’s easier than you think…
There’s a lot of talk about food security, especially since Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
But what is “food security”? Why should you give two colorful craps about it as you’re sitting down to your lunch? You may have always thought it was a third-world problem. It won’t affect you & your corned beef sandwich on rye with spicy mustard, swiss cheese and sauerkraut…right?
Wrong, my food-loving friend.
Food security is having consistent and reliable access to food at all times.
Read that again.
Note the last 3 words.
At all times.
You may be fortunate enough to not have to worry about where your food comes from and its availability, but then again…. You may be one of those who stood staring at the empty shelves where pasta used to be in your grocery store, wondering now what in the hell you were supposed to feed your family. It happens to more people than you might realize, even without a pandemic, supply chain issues and an egomaniac declaring war on one of the world’s significant wheat producers.
Food banks can barely keep up, but in most cases can’t. Wheat prices are skyrocketing across the world; from Egypt to Canada and all points in between.
So what’s the answer to the food security problem?
Increase YOUR food security. Grow what you can.
If you can grow even some of your food, that frees up a little of your grocery budget. That little bit of wiggle room can allow you to better absorb the rise in prices. It might allow you to buy an extra bag of flour, or allow you to come up with a way to store that flour so that you can stock up. But key in all of this is common sense and knowing what you and your family eat.
For example, I love radishes. Raw, pickled, as a snack food or in a salad. My family couldn’t care less if another radish ever existed. We all enjoy potatoes, carrots and peas. So (among other things) I grow potatoes, carrots, peas and radishes. Putting some creativity to work, I was able to grow about 15 pounds of potatoes last year with very little work on my part. I’m going to double that output this year, allowing my family to have homemade fries and potato chips. Peas and radishes grow quickly and with a little creativity and work applied, I could be enjoying continuous yield for most of the summer. How? I live in a basement apartment. I have 2 incredible grow lights and my home is 5–10 degrees cooler than the rest of the house. Perfect for peas and lettuce. With 4 vegetables (potatoes, peas, carrots and radishes), I have provided my family with the food we all enjoy, we can eat a variety of dishes, and I’ve saved us money from the grocery store that I can then invest in other things such as materials for a hand-made dehydrator.
Think about the dishes that your family eats the most of. Are there vegetables in there you can grow? Do you barbeque a lot? Maybe you can grow your own toppings. Relish is relatively easy to make, whether it’s zucchini relish or regular pickle relish. Tomatoes are equally easy to grow, as is lettuce. Have you ever made your own ketchup? These are just examples, of course. Think outside the box. In fact, think inside the box. Consider growing in containers and the possibilities open wide up.
What does all this have to do with food security?
Food security starts at home, one vegetable, one meal at a time.
Start small, set yourself up for success. Then build on your successes. Be open-minded and creative and you can gradually increase your family’s food security.
What’s your favorite homemade dish? Shout-out in the comments section!
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