Canned butter is a product that used to be more widely available for people to use while hiking or trekking or as an emergency food. Nowadays however, most people who do not think they can do without it, have to make their own.

The good news is that it is quite easy to make your own butter in a jar and it has a shelf-life of up to three years. It only takes twenty-five minutes to make a very high-quality butter that you can store in a jar.

To make this butter in a jar you first have to go out and buy full fat butter sticks or blocks (as much as you want to preserve) as you will not be reinventing the wheel here. You will be simply storing butter in a new and unusual way so that it can last and be used during an emergency.

Heat the jelly jars in a 250 degree oven (without the rubber rings or seals on) in an oven for twenty five minutes.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer the butter for another five minutes.  Take the hot jars out of the oven and arrange them so that you can pour the hot butter into the jars. Do not get any butter on the rim of the jar.

Add the lid and ring to the jar and close securely. This “canned butter” will seal by itself as it cools as long as you have been careful not to get the rims of jars and the seals greasy.

If you see that the butter is separating inside the glass jar, you can give the jar a shake a few times.  You can then put the jar in the refrigerator or a cool place for about three years.  Make sure that you stay away from low-fat butter and non-fat butters as they will not harden and will probably separate in the jar.  It is the fat in the butter that can keep it preserved for more than a year.

It is possible that the butter may smell or look a bit like lard.  Some people have found this butter to be less tasty than fresh butter. However if you need a fat that is not olive oil then this type of butter might fit the bill.  At the very least you should be able to use it for cooking or frying if it is not that palatable as a spread.

Natural disasters are uqite common now. All over the world humans are dealing with floods, hurricanes and a lack of power. Serious ice storms and terrorist attacks have been known to isolate people in their homes for days.

The good news is that even without a stove or refrigeration you can still make nutritious foods for your family. Canning methods have improved in the last few years and goods last longer, are more nutritious and do not contain as much salt or chemicals.

Aside from having a certain pantry basics on hand you should also have salt, which is a nutritional necessity. Olive oil and mayonnaise, flours and baking mixes will also last about a year as long as they are stored in glass jars.

If you want a sweetener that is bacteria resistant and practically lasts forever keep some honey on hand.  You may be craving dairy products but if you have no refrigerator then the best you can do is processed cheese food and grated Romano and Parmesan cheese. These grated cheeses can last quite a while without refrigeration.

Staples that last are pastas, rice and dried legumes and beans. You can make curries and vegetable dishes that are full protein meals for ages. It is also nice to have spices on hand as well as dry soup bases, gravy mixes, canned vegetable juices and canned meats and seafoods.

It may become necessary to make your own bread over a fire, even if it is just flat bread. It is a good idea to have yeast, baking powder and baking soda on hand. Bread crumbs keep a while and can be used to thicken bread as well as soups and stews.

In terms of dried and can beans consider investing in balk beans, red kidney, great northern, lentils, split pea, black beans and pintos.  A cheap source of protein that lasts for ages is peanut butter in jar. Others sources are canned fish and meats of all kinds.

Cereals also have a very long shelf life whether they be the commercial kind or the grains that you cook. If you need milk you can always create it with powdered milk mix. You can also make an omelette if you keep powdered eggs on hand.

Coffee, preferably instant, is also a good beverage to have in hand as is green tea and black tea.  These are hearty refreshing beverages that are stimulants and can keep people going in an emergency.

As you can see there is no need to go hungry in a national emergency as long as you can keep your food stuffs dry and uncontaminated.