Playing with Food Math

[Murphy]

Went to the bulk food store yesterday and picked up a 50lb bag of rolled oats.

It works out to 34 days worth of food for 1 person @ 2500 calories per day for $17.00

Rolled oats are 379 calories per 100 grams
453 grams = 1 pound so 453 x 50lbs = 22650 grams
22650 / 100g per serving = 226.5 servings x 379 calories = 85843 calories in the 50 lb bag.
85843 calories / 2500 cal per day = 34 days of food. (if that's all one was to eat)

This is the 4th bag I've bought over the past year so I have 200 lbs stored.... Along with some spices, brown sugar, and various fruits, I figure it will be nice to have oatmeal for breakfast three or four times a week.. and maybe some oatmeal cookies every now and then.

[CountryGuy]

Man that is a lot of fiber...

[Murphy]

I read a research study a while back that said 90% of American's lack the necessary fiber in their diets for good health. When we switched to processed food, we lost the fiber.

Oats are a fantastic source of nutrition.. fat, carbs, and protein.. and they are easy to make and can be spiced up in more ways than I can count.

Oats are also cheap.. really cheap.

I'm actually stocking up on them as a way to feed other people if the need arises.. while I'm not crazy about them myself and have to force myself to eat a small bowl every day, if I was a really hungry person, that bowl of oatmeal would look like a feast fit for a king.

[Morgan101]

I eat a lot of oatmeal. Personal preference is to doctor it with honey, cinnamon, and raisins. While my cholesterol numbers were always pretty good, now they are stupid low. To quote my doctor " much better than I deserve." I know a lot of cholesterol comes from genes, but I think the oatmeal really helped. It is definitely a staple part of my diet.

[Murphy]

I eat a lot of oatmeal. Personal preference is to doctor it with honey, cinnamon, and raisins. While my cholesterol numbers were always pretty good, now they are stupid low. To quote my doctor " much better than I deserve." I know a lot of cholesterol comes from genes, but I think the oatmeal really helped. It is definitely a staple part of my diet.

Ya, oatmeal has a way of lowering cholesterol, which is why I force myself to eat a small bowl every morning. Trying to eat more.. I've only been experimenting with it for a couple weeks now but quickly realized that I felt fuller after breakfast for longer.

I think its a really good SHTF food to have. I pack it away in 2 gallon mylar bags and put in three of the 500cc oxygen packs.. one near the bottom, second in the middle, third up near the top.
I vacuumed half the mylar bags into bricks, and the other half I just squeezed the air out. I think maybe I'll buy another 100 pounds and then that should be enough. 300 lbs should be enough to help the neighbors for quite some time.

[RICHFL]

One of the problems the military found when they changed to the new combat rations (1980's) that if you are feed the same type of meal that after a few weeks you will just stop eating. People need change in their diet.

The one thing you missed on storage of oats is waste; from exposure to air, water, rodents, and bugs.

[Murphy]

One of the problems the military found when they changed to the new combat rations (1980's) that if you are feed the same type of meal that after a few weeks you will just stop eating. People need change in their diet.

Of the five to six thousand pounds of food we store, only a couple hundred is rolled oats. The rest is a wide variety from bulk dry goods to canned soups, meats, and meals.

The one thing you missed on storage of oats is waste; from exposure to air, water, rodents, and bugs.

Yes, I agree.. I think that's why we use mylar bags, oxygen aborbers, and 55 gallon drums. We use Rubbermaid Roughneck 18 gallon totes too.

[CountryGuy]

On the variety thing I wonder what could be done with oats beyond the typical breakfast with sweeteners or milk.

I'm wondering since it's just another grain like say rice, could something else be done to add variety? Since they're pretty bland to start with could one go the savory route with them. maybe using oats and say chicken or beef bullion; sort of in the spirit of like a beef barley "soup". Guess I'm thinking a poor man's "ramen oats". Anyone ever heard of this or recipes other than no-bake cookies or morning groul?

[Murphy]

Oats can be sprinkled into soups and stews, made into oatmeal cookies, eaten straight (even without cooking if needed), or used as a thickener.
There's even some kind of oatmeal and peanut butter bar I remember.. but don't know how to make.

Look up recipes using rolled oats and you'll find all kinds of crazy stuff. Oatmeal is a superfood.. good to have it around. Cheap, nutritious, stores for a long time, and good for health beyond is basic nutrients. Great source of fiber.

While rice has an important place in our preps, I would say rolled oats are a bit higher on the list.. Maybe not as high as say.. canned meats or powdered eggs, but its up there..