A growing number of nations around the world have issued emergency preparedness guidance in recent weeks, triggering widespread discussions about “prepping,” the practice of stockpiling food, water, and other supplies for emergencies.
The UK launched its new “Be Ready” campaign, which encourages Brits to have three days’ worth of supplies to use during emergencies “from severe weather to cyber attacks.” The Japanese government similarly urged the public to store provisions for an emergency lasting anywhere from three days to one week. Ireland sent a crisis preparedness booklet to millions of households as part of its new “Be Emergency Ready” campaign.
The United States hasn’t issued new disaster guidance to the American public since the Department of Homeland Security launched its “Ready” preparedness campaign in 2003. But the Pentagon has announced a new plan called FORTRESS America. The initiative calls for major US military bases to become self-sufficient, able to operate without outside support for at least 90 days.
While no government has named a particular threat, do people really need a specific reason to plan for the unexpected?
Prepping: An American Tradition
What modern Americans call “prepping,” earlier generations just called “life.” Americans, especially those who lived in areas with harsh winters, knew they had to be ready for months of cold weather and limited resources. They stored food in root cellars, preserved fruits and vegetables, stocked up on firewood, and made sure they had enough supplies to last until spring. For generations, Americans understood that “prepping” was simply about taking responsibility for oneself and one’s family, not about living in fear.
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Early Americans relied on traditional methods of food preservation, including drying, salting, and fermenting. In the early 1800s, a new method was introduced that used heat to keep food from spoiling in glass bottles whose corks were wired shut and sealed with wax. Around the same time, an Englishman named Peter Durand developed a way to safely store food in tin cans. In the mid-19th century, John Mason invented what would become a popular glass jar with a screw-on lid. The Ball brothers later entered the business of food preservation with their own glass jars. Despite these advances, fewer and fewer Americans grew and preserved their own food over the decades, although the practice has recently seen a resurgence.
The reality is that modern life offers conveniences that even the wealthiest Americans of generations past could hardly have imagined. Grocery stores are reliably stocked with a wide variety of out-of-season foods and endless necessities. Most towns have multiple stores, so if one doesn’t have what a shopper needs, chances are another will. Fast food offers meals in minutes – though some claim they are largely unhealthy. Companies such as Amazon and DoorDash take modern amenities to the next level, delivering exactly what consumers need right to their door.
All of this abundance has made the centuries-long tradition of food preservation and supply storage appear antiquated. The modern practice of “prepping” feels like a fear-driven step backward. But the true step backward was when Americans – and people around the world – stopped preparing for the long winters of life in the first place. One of the most iconic aspects of American culture in particular is self-reliance, and modern “prepping” is simply a return to that tradition.
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