Hurricane Cuisine Part Two

Yesterday I wrote about hurricane cuisine - what do do during a hurricane and shortly after. That was for people who are going to ride out this catastrophe and its' aftermath at home . However there are those who are also in shelters and may be not be allowed home for a few days. What to do then? Again , just improvise but use your brains. be smart about your choices and what to do when you return home.

The first thing if you can read this or yesterday's column good. You have some power and access to the Internet. You may be reading this off your phone or IPad.Hopefully it's not in a shelter however if it is , just stay calm. Your backpack should have your favorite crackers and cookies along with bottled water and energy drinks. These are the best to take with you - after all they're portable comfort foods and feel like home. If you haven't and you still have time to shop,get some juice boxes and Gatorade for the kids.Bananas and apples are the fruits to take with you. They're not going to spoil as fast as other fruits and they're less messy too. Jello and pudding cups are another good choice. They're full of vitamins plus they're easy and fun to eat, especially for the kids.

When you get home be prepared to scour your fridge. Hopefully it was emptied before you left however if not , then clean out. Food can last up to two or three days in a closed fridge or freezer. Throw out any fresh cuts of meats and milk that smell bad. Mayo will keep twenty four hours as do some creamy salad dressings Toss those if there's an unusual or sour odor.Most cheeses will keep as some veggies. This also applies to some frozen foods and dinners. If your fridge has completely gone without power for more than tow or three days and you're not there to cook the food, then toss it. Start fresh with whatever your stores will have.

In a few days things will more or less get back to normal. In the meantime, make the best of this foodwise. Be creative but above all be smart. Make the right choices when you're in the shelter and when you return home.