Make substitutions
The best way to make supplies last longer is to substitute, suggests Scheller-Wolf. “Find items that are not in short supply that you can use in place of those that are in short supply,” he says.
If you don’t have rice, see if you have barley. If you don’t have Italian pasta, use rice noodles instead. Can’t find canned beans? Use dry ones. You can also use frozen, dried, or canned items instead of fresh. This way, you’re still stocking up, just diversifying.
“Use items you are not used to using, and maybe check out some different recipes to use these ingredients,” he continues. “From an operations perspective, the key is often flexibility. The more ways you have of meeting your needs, the better, so if one (or more) are cut off, you have alternatives.” The better the quality of your alternative, he adds, the better the result.
