Perk Up You Preps!

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   Hi--I was on another part of this page and noticed a survey about where people live--many of us live in or near fairly large urban areas. If you live near a city that has some ethnic diversity, you're in luck when it comes to stocking up nonperishable foods. I've been scoping out various ethnic stores in my area and have found they have a lot of really interesting (and usually cheap) NONPERISHABLE foods.

Indian/Pakistani stores:

More different kinds and colors of lentils and beans than you ever imagined existed
Lots of interesting spices
Basmati rice (in 100 pound sacks if you really want to stock up)
Nuts, candy (those candied fennel seeds they give out in Indian restaurants after a meal are always fun, and nonperishable)

Middle Eastern stores:

Tahini (like peanut butter, but made from sesame seeds--lasts for years)
Cracked wheat (called burghul)
Big jugs of olive oil
More interesting spices
Olives
Pickles--middle eastern folks pickle just about everything and they are all delicious
Interesting jams and jellies (fig, rose petal, etc)
Grape leaves in jars--fill them with different things, roll up, and cook

Japanese stores:

Freeze-dried everything! I'm not kidding, these places will beat any backpacking store. They have freeze-dried tofu, garlic, and onions; freeze-dried entrees that you just add water to; fish jerky (mackerel candy, anyone?), big bags of short-grain rice, lots of different kinds of noodles, ramen, dried seaweed, miso (soybean paste, makes a soup similar to chicken stock), etc.

 Latino stores have corn meal, hot sauce, salsa, more beans, and spices. I've also seen an interesting hot drink mix from Central America--sort of like hot chocolate, but with a different taste. I forget what it's called.

So, if you live anyplace where there is a community of folks from a different culture, and you have adventurous tastebuds, check out the ethnic stores. I've found that people are pleased to see me (American of northern European descent) in their stores and are happy to share recipes and tips for making all kinds of dishes.

It will sure make sheltering-in-place a lot more interesting and delicious--there's only so many times you can stand to eat mac & cheese or lipton noodles & sauce. Look for recipes online by typing an ingredient, a region of origin, and the word "recipe"

For example, "Middle Eastern," "Chickpea," and "Recipe," gets you  all sorts of interesting things to do with your stash of dried chickpeas.

Good luck and happy eating!