Anyone got any good ideas what to buy that can be eaten without cooking or opening refrigerator?

[Grammy23]

98. Just remembered something---

And I don't think it's been mentioned thus far. Disposable plates and flatware. In the storms I've been through, we had very low water pressure and it was difficult to keep up with washing dishes. No electricity may also mean no hot water. Having disposable plates and utensils will make your life a little bit easier.

Just an observation --- on some of the posts about Hurricane Sandy preparations, I noticed a definite sense of defiance when it was suggested strongly that advance preparation is the prudent thing to do. And maybe there is an "independence" built into living in a large city like NYC. Maybe the rest of us rubes who actually stock up and prepare are the dopes and namby pambies. All I know is that I have never regretted buying some extra canned goods, instant coffee and other basics (Like having plenty of water) that have kept my husband and me fed for several days after a storm. We were instructed not to get out and drive around after Ivan in 2004. There was enough chaos going on anyhow, without having a bunch of Lookie Lous to add to the fray. Stores had no power (Wal-Mart eventually got in a huge generator and reopened but they had limited staff due to curfews, limited gas, trees across roads, etc.) Gas could not be pumped for several days after the storm because there was no electricity to run the pumps. There were no traffic signals so driving was like playing Russian roulette. The stores had been picked clean BEFORE the storm and it was days before they were able to truck in food and supplies to restock the shelves. I live in a city that has been through storms before, but that one cleaned our clock and had us back on our heels for several days and in some cases for weeks and months. Having enough food and water to get us by for a few days was a relief and just the smart thing to do. Anything we didn't use was donated later to a Food Bank so it didn't go to waste.

Please try to be civil to one another when someone sincerely offers advice. No, not all of us understand what it's like living in a humongous place like NYC. And we do have enough sense to know it's not like Mayberry. Not all hurricanes will turn out to bring a living hell to your community. But when you are warned that a storm is bringing together unusual weather circumstances that could produce a storm of epic proportions, it just makes sense to listen to people who have been through an historic event. Be nice to one another and take the advice in the spirit with which it was given.

Good luck to all of you who are in the path of the storm. Many of us at DU have been through a similar situation and hope you are spared injury or damage and that your community is back up and running ASAP!!