Short Term Food Storage Recipe #7 AND Storing canned meats

I'm a fan of storing canned meats; canned chicken, beef, tuna, and spam. In a cooking emergency it wouldn't take very much meat to flavor a pot of beans, make a casserole or soup or stew. I've experimented with the cans of ham chunks (the kind you can buy in Family Dollar or Walmart for about $1. I've used them in split pea soup, ham and beans, ham and noodle casseroles etc. I've found that they are a pretty handy item to have in your storage, and with other added ingredients you can stretch them to feed a family quite well.

My theory is that if you are fixing a meal in an emergency, it won't be a gourmet meal, just something to fill an empty tummy and provide nutrition. Any recipe that calls for ham can use the canned ham.

Here are some things you can do with canned meats:
Add Barbecue sauce to chicken or beef for a sandwich or pizza or salad (remember to store Barbecue sauce along with your canned meats!
Chicken, tuna, ham or beef sandwiches, hot and cold
Chicken or beef enchiladas
Soups any variety - many choices
Chicken pot pie
Foil dinners (beef, carrots, potatoes (canned or fresh), sprinkled with dried onion and beef bullion granules or onion soup mix, sealed in foil, baked in baking dishes in the oven)
Chicken, beef, tuna and ham casseroles of many varieties
Mexican foods (haystacks, burritos, tacos, etc.)

Any meat can be added to casseroles or gravies to serve over rice, noodles or toast.

Many years ago the U.S. Army ran some tests on canned meats and found that they store for a very long time (up to 40 years in some cases) and a little can of meat provides a good supply of protein. Think of some of your favorite quick recipes that could be adapted to use canned meat. Here is a quick short term food storage recipe that can be adjusted to feed any number of people. I bet anyone knows how to make this one and there have to be an endless number of different ways to make this not only using tuna, but ham, chicken or beef with noodles or rice and any sauce from cream of chicken soup to white sauces with cheese. Don't forget canned salmon or vienna sausages of your family likes those. Variety is always a good ingredient.

Get some canned meats in your storage. Add a few cans at a time and they'll add up pretty quick!

Tuna Noodle Casserole
1 can solid pack tuna
1 can cream of chicken or celery soup (or use soup substitutes)
1/2 can milk (can use mixed powdered milk)
Cooked noodles
Throw in any cooked or canned vegetable for variety. Combine soup, milk, drained tuna and vegetables if desired. Heat through and serve over cooked noodles with whole wheat bread or biscuits.