6 Foods To Store For Your Survival

Whether it’s an incoming natural disaster (hurricane, earthquake or wildfire) or warfare, it makes little difference, as the end result will be an imminent disaster. And in the case of such a scenario, you’re going to need to survive. Even if everything will change around, your need-to-feed won’t. And food will no longer be the commodity we got used to, it’ll be a scarce and necessary energy source. To better your chances you’ll need to stock provisions and fast, while they’re available and easily obtainable.

When considering what foods work best for survival purposes, you’ll need to take into consideration calorie count, ease of preparation, shelf-life, weight and even cost. Don’t go spending like crazy, search for alternate sources, but don’t take too long. And consider other products than cans; they’re great for surviving and will last long enough, but if you have to travel on foot, canned food will become really tiring really fast. Now let me show you out of my personal experience what are the best foods to put aside for “rainy days”.

1. Jerky

Jerky’s dried meat. It’s tasty, rich and protein and you can make it out of beef, turkey etc. It’s easy to store and it’s available in either small packages (at your local market or store) or you can buy it directly in bulk and have it delivered to you directly. The processed meat goes to in order to create jerky is basically drying. In many primitive tribes around the world it’s still being prepared through smoking or drying in the sun.

2. Dried beans

Whether we’re talking black beans, lima beans, kidney beans, peas or pretty much any other assortment of beans possible, they’re all great for storing, as they’re fairly rich in protein and vitamins/minerals. Dried beans are the best kind for survival purposes, as they come in larger packages then canned beans, but still weigh less, making them easier to carry in case you find yourself moving from one place to another. When it comes storing time, they’re not pretentious at all; they’ll keep just as well on the shelf, in your storage space or pretty much any place that’s not extremely hot. And preparing them requires no effort at all: just add water and let them soak.

3. Sea vegetables (powdered / pill form)

It’s an item that’s becoming more and more available in stores with each passing day, due to its growing popularity. And with good reason: it’s rich in nutrients and vitamins, boost healing and tissue repair and usually have antibacterial and antifungal properties. These algae are a great source of food, being the most balanced source of vitamins and nutrients you can find. So when choosing the powdered or pill form, make sure you chose a product with a long enough shelf life, so it can be stocked for long periods of time.

4. Bulk Seeds and Nuts

Many products fit this profile: almonds, nuts, peanuts, sunflower seeds even pistachio (even though it’s a bit expensive). All of these are oily, which makes them rich in fatty acids, but not only that. They also contain protein (not the best protein source though), minerals and vitamins. Salted bulk seeds or nuts may not be advisable for survival as the extra salt will increase thirst; and you don’t want to go through your water reserves too fast in case of a real survival scenario.

5. Rice

Rice has a good shelf-life, although this is variable depending on the conditions and the type of rice. Brown rice is typically listed as having a 6 to 8 month shelf life, whereas white rice can be stored up to 2 years under normal conditions. At cooler temps and in airtight, dry containers you will get a better shelf life. Brown rice is an excellent food source, rich in calories and packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. You can easily cook it in boiling water for about 30 minutes – 1hour; once it’s fully expanded is done and ready for eating. But if you plan on saving energy, you can simply add it to warm water too, but it can take as much as 2 days to expand.

6. Canned Tuna

This tiny fish is beneficial for your health, rich in omega 3 fats and protein. You can either cook it or eat it straight from the can. An average tuna can contains approximately 111 calories. It’s advised to eat the tuna upon opening the can, as the leftovers won’t last (not even refrigerated) for more than 3 days. The omega 3 fats are excellent in reducing the chances of heart attacks, which for someone who is facing hardships and struggling to survive day by day, could be very useful.

More:

There are plenty of other products to consider, even though they’re not exactly “survival material”. It’s good to have lying around peanut butter for example, as it’s packed with fatty acids, iron, and copper. Raw, pure honey is regarded as one of the world’s longest lasting foods. Coffee or caffeine based products are more than welcome in stressful situations and will give you that necessary kick-start in the morning. As for the kids, they’ll be thrilled and will get a major psychological boost from getting a bar of chocolate.

There’s still time. Think ahead, try and foresee any outcome possible and start filling up on the provisions that best suit your needs. Leave nothing to chance, get ready for what’s coming.

Stockpile Organization 101

So here we are, talking about the most dreaded stockpiling operation: item organization. Usually, this stage of the stocking process is the most time-consuming… but is perhaps the most important to get right.

I say “usually”, because there are a few methods you can use to make this chore a lot easier and pleasant. And I’m going to share all these methods with you, right here.

But first of all, you need to understand why organizing your pantry is so important. I mean… sure it would be quick and simple to just put cans and boxes on shelves and on the floor. But as your stockpile grows, it will get harder and harder for you to check the dates written on the package. This means you’ll end up with half a pantry packed with rotten food… and with $1,000s thrown out the window!

So organizing your stockpile is not an optional step in the process, but a necessity. However, you’ll be glad to hear there are lots of fun ways you can do it (together with your kids or grandkids, if you like):

1. Organize according to the space you’ve got on hand

Space is the first thing you need to take into consideration when you start organizing. If you have a large basement where you keep your stock, then you’ll have enough room to use any system you like. You can keep water in large bottles on the floor, next to baskets filled with veggies. And you can cramp shelves with cans, boxes, and jars.

If all you’ve got is a kitchen cupboard, you’ll need to improvise. Clear the top of the cupboards to make room for some more items (but make sure they’re well covered and protected from sunlight). Keep the perishables as close as the floor as you can, and put items with the longest shelf life higher. However, keep them away from heat or humidity. They’ll spoil your whole stock in a split second.

2. Plan HOW MUCH you’ll buy

My advice here is: never buy more than 12 items at a time. This is my top limit. This way, it’ll be easier for you to organize your purchases, without taking forever to date them and place them in your pantry.

3. Plan WHAT you’ll buy

Make a list of the items you need and then write down the quantity you plan on buying. I suggest you get a notebook for this and write in it every time you go shopping. This way, it will be easier for you to keep count of what you’ve bought and how much. It’s like a pre-inventory.

4. Organize by type

This means you should have separate shelves for every type of product you stock (if you haven’t got that much space, you can “split” shelves by using labels). For examples, you should have a special place for grains, another one for cans, a shelf for sauces and syrups and another one for veggies and fruit.

Label them with bright-colored sticky notes. Not only will it help you keep your pantry organized, but it will also look wonderful!

5. Use the right containers

When you buy food in bulk, always store it in the proper containers. This means they should be rodent- and insect-proof and completely immune to moisture or sunlight.

I suggest using large plastic buckets with lids. I’ve got a pantry full of them and they’ve been in perfect condition for years now (even after restocking over 10 times). However, make sure the lid matches the bucket perfectly. You don’t want any “visitors” finding a way in… and you certainly don’t want to make a mess if you accidentally kick a bucket and it rolls on the floor.

That’s it for today. But we’re not done talking about organizing your stockpile. It’s a very complex subject, so it’s better if I break it into two parts and give you the time to assimilate the information.

I’ll come back with more on stock organization next time. Till then, have fun stockpiling!