Never Went Hungry in 31 Power Outages. 12 Things I Keep on the Shelf That Need No Fridge

In 49 years the power has gone out on this ridge 31 times, once for nine days in an ice storm, and nobody in this house went hungry. Here are the twelve things on my pantry shelf that need no refrigerator, what each one cost me off a 1980s receipt and what it costs now: crackers in a tin, peanut butter, honey, dried fruit, dry milk, canned fish and meat you can eat cold, fruit in juice, beans, nuts in the shell, the cold corner of the house, dried beef, and the water most people forget when the well pump stops. I'm not a doctor or a dietitian. If you're not sure about a can, throw it out. Write it down, friend. Paper remembers.