It’s no secret that meat prices have been going up for some time. It started a little bit before Joe Biden was installed into the White House as Pandemic Panic Theater caused some early challenges. But once the Biden-Harris regime got started, prices started rising steadily.

Now, it’s getting much worse. Most of the grain produced in America is used as animal feed. With fertilizer prices skyrocketing from the Ukraine-Russia war, so too is the cost of raising livestock. Add in the bird flu that’s hitting America at the exact worst time and suddenly reliably inexpensive chicken is turning into a premium.

We are in that moment in history when it’s time to get stocked up every way you can on meats. Below are the best ways to make that happen, as I discussed on the latest episode of The Late Prepper. One omission from both this list and the show is meat that we can ourselves. This should not be viewed as a knock on those who can their own cooked meats. It’s valid and some swear by it. I simply couldn’t put it on this list because I have no personal experience with it. If you want to add canning meat to your personal list, by all means do so. Here’s my list…

Own Chickens

God gave us a wonderful gift with livestock and fowl. They’re essentially a way to turn land into protein. Milk, eggs, and meat are available to those with the resources, sufficient land, and the right circumstances. Anyone who CAN raise and keep chickens should do so as soon as possible. They are pretty easy to raise and tend, though there are definitely drawbacks such as noise and odor. It’s challenging in residential areas, but it can be done. My aunt does it in her small backyard and my family has spent time helping to raise them. The fresh eggs are wonderful.

The same goes for those truly blessed who can keep cattle. They require a lot more work and a lot more land, not to mention zoning issues that must be addressed in certain areas. But if you have what it takes, you should consider it.

One quick note of warning: In a true “crap hits the fan” scenario with societal breakdown, there’s an added risk of theft. Be prepared to defend your animals or to simply let them go to the marauding groups who may be roaming the land at the time.

Store Frozen Meat

This is the easy button, albeit not the least expensive. Freezer space is a premium for many, so it can be challenging to store enough. Plus, freezers are dependent on electricity, so in a very poor situation if you do not have a sufficient generator whatever meat you have frozen that doesn’t get eaten in time must be canned or wasted.

Most frozen meats packaged in airtight bags can last for a couple of years. It’s important to repackage meats you buy at the grocery store with their thin and air-filled plastic and Styrofoam wrappers. Make them airtight with a thick bags and a vacuum sealer before refrigerating. This reduces freezer burn, extends the overall storage life, and saves precious space.

Buy Freeze Dried Meats

This is the ultimate long-term solution for those with enough money to invest. Even if you have your own chickens or cows, you’ll want some meat freeze dried in case of disaster that takes your livestock away. Moreover, the 25+ year shelf life is very attractive.

Freeze dried meat retains much of its quality and most of its nutrients. It can be expensive and it’s getting more expensive every week. It’s for this reason that we’re working towards launching our own organic freeze dried meat company. Those interested in get an alert when we launch should email me at [email protected] — if enough interest is there, we will get started immediately.

Canned Meats are Acceptable

There’s nothing wrong with certain canned meats, especially fish. I’m not a fan of canned chicken or beef, but I have a lot on hand in case things turn further south. I want to save my freeze dried meats for the very end, so canned meats will be the intermediary between frozen and freeze dried.

Canned meat can go a long way as well when providing more flavor and texture to meals. Adding it to beans and rice, potato, or pasta dishes can help bring some normalcy back to what we expect will be a very abnormal society in the near future.

Packaged Meats Work in a Pinch

Jerky, meat sticks, pemmican, dehydrated cooked meats, and other types of packaged meats are generally heavily processed, low in quality, or both. Don’t get me wrong. A good chunk of beef jerky can really hit the spot, but these types of meats are generally not great for feeding a family in the long term. I keep jerky in my bugout bags but we do not stock up on them for a bug-in situation.

With that said, some of you might love the stuff.

Fear Not

As I like to remind fellow Christians, things may get pretty bad in this world but our promise is for the next. Stay hopeful and be prepared, but most importantly pray and read your Bibles. Fear isn’t required for those who know how the story ends.