Which Items Will Disappear First During A Major National Emergency?By Michael Snyder We can get some clues about which items will disappear first during a major national emergency by taking a look at where such a scenario is already playing out. One recent survey found that over 80 percent of all basic foodstuffs are currently unavailable in Venezuela, and about half the country can no longer provide three meals a day for their families. Thankfully, some stores still have a few things that they are able to offer, but other key items are completely gone. The following comes fromUSA Today Oh, there are some things to buy. Besides salt, there are fresh vegetables and fruits, dairy products but no milk, some cereal, lots of snacks and a few canned goods. The only meat is sausages;there are three kinds of cheese. The only problem: Akilogram of each costs more than a fourth of our monthly minimum wage of 15,050 bolivars. But basic foodstuffs the things most Venezuelans want to eat such as corn meal, wheat flour, pasta, rice, milk, eggs, sugar, coffee, chicken, mayonnaise, margarine, cooking oil and beef are conspicuous by their absence. And there is no toilet paper, no sanitary napkins, no disposable baby diapers, no shampoo, no toothpaste, no hand soapand no deodorant. Do you have plenty of the items in bold above stored up? If not, you may want to stock up while you still can. Venezuela was once the wealthiest nation in all of South America, but now lines for food often begin as early as three in the morning. Some people have become so desperate that they are actually hunting cats, dogs and pigeons for food, and there are even a few very sick people that have been killing and eating zoo animals. Someday similar things will happen in the United States and Europe, too. When that day arrives, will you be prepared? One of the things that got my attention from the article quote above was the lack of milk. My wife is always telling me that we should store up more dried milk, and I believe that she is right. Just imagine not having any milk and not being able to get any more. What would you do? Another thing that really stood out to me in the article was the fact that there is a severe shortage of personal hygiene items. Most people dont really think of those as prepper goods, but the truth is that life will become very uncomfortable without them very rapidly. What would you do if there was no more toilet paper? And if you have a little one, how are you going to manage without any diapers? In general, it is wise to always have an extra supply of just about everything that you use on a daily basis stored away somewhere in your home. The generation that went through the Great Depression of the 1930s understood this concept very well, but most of us that are younger have had it so good for so long that we dont even really grasp what a real crisis looks like. Another thing that we are seeing happen right now in Venezuela is the riseof a barter economy Many of my urban friends are now planting vegetables in their outdoor spaces if they have any or in pots. Another friend, who is a hairdresser, is charging clients food to do their hair. For a shampoo and dry, she charges a kilo of corn meal, saying that she doesnt have time to stand in line like some of her clients. As you prepare for what is ahead, you may want to consider stocking up on some items that would specifically be used for bartering in a crisis situation. For example, you may not drink coffee, but there are millions upon millions of people that do. In a crisis situation, there will be many that will be extremely desperate to get their hands on some coffee, and so any coffee that you store away now may become a very valuable asset. We live in a world where one out of every eight people already goes to bed hungry each night, and where one out of every three children is underweight. As global weather patterns become more extreme, as natural disasters continue to become more frequent and more intense, and as terror and war continue to spread, it is inevitable that the stress on the global food system is going to continue to grow. Today you can waltz into Wal-Mart and buy giant cartloads of very inexpensive food, but it will not always be that way. Unfortunately, more than half the country is currently living paycheck to paycheck, and most Americans do not have any emergency food stored up at all. In addition to food and personal hygiene supplies, here are some other items that are likely to disappear very rapidly during a major national emergency So in addition to food and personal hygiene items, you may want to do an inventory of the items that I have listed above and see where you may have some holes in your preparation plans. I understand that there will be some people that will read this article and think that all of us preppers are being just a tad ridiculous. But when a major emergency strikes this nation and you havent done anything to prepare, you will dearly wish that you had bothered to take action while there was still time remaining to do so. Michael Snyder is a writer, speaker and activist who writes and edits his own blogs The American Dream and Economic Collapse Blog. Follow him on Twitter here. Seriously, you are worried about milk??? One of the worst things you can put in your body from a health standpoint. You really should reconsider your nutrition priorities. Grass-fed whole milk is actually the healthiest food. It is only the factory dairy that is harmful to health. (source- Weston A. Price Foundation) I agree Jubei processed (homogenized) milk is the worst. Raw milk might be ok but only after someone volunteers to test, not me. Hoarding is ABSOLUTELY STUPID if you cant defend your stockpile. and if Hillary is votescammed into office, expect swarms of drones to come knocking on your doors. A WELL REGULATED MILITIA, being necessary for the security of a free state.. DEPUTIZM PLAN, people. WAKE THE FRIG UP. Top priority is water. Then toilet paper and food. Weve got about 80 jugs of distilled water in the basement, and survival food with a (claimed) shelf life of 25 years. You should have enough to survive for a minimum of one month. We also have water-purification supplies for when the distilled water runs out. Also medical supplies; medicines you need and all the stuff you take for granted, but which could prevent a minor problem from becoming life-threatening: Antibiotic ointment, bandages, peptobismol, cortisone cream, etc Also cash because the ATMs probably wont be working. Ive stocked up on baking soda, apple cider vinegar, rubbing alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, and epsom salts. Dried milk is extremely unhealthy! Source- the Weston A. Price Foundation) Its as insanely stupid as eating ice to curb dehydration- the energy it takes to melt the ice in your mouth only cause further dehydration. 