Tag: food

Supply Categories to include in your BOB:

Food and Food Preparation

The best food to add to your bag are foods that are “open and eat” type with a long shelf life. Remember, your BOB is prepared in advance and all of these items need to be packed and at the ready for months at a time. All food should be sealed in durable, waterproof packages or resealable bags to prevent contamination and or spills in your pack. Choose foods that can be safely stored in your BOB for up to six months. Otherwise, you will need to review and replace your BOB food rations more frequently.

I personally like foods similar to “mountain house” camping style bagged food. All you do is add hot water to the bag and wait a few minutes and they’re ready to eat. You can also consider MREs (Meals ready to Eat). These are what our military use and usually consist of an entree, a large cracker, a small dessert, and a water activated chemical heat source. The only issue with MREs is their size and weight. They can take up a considerable amount of space and weigh your bag down quite a bit. I would recommend keeping a stockpile of these in a secure location or wherever you will be hunkering down, if possible. Your BOB should be just the bare essentials and light foods that you can tear into when needed such as energy bars, candy bars, and granola bars. Dry or dehydrated foods such as beef jerky are perfect to add to your bag too. They’re light and don’t take up much room. Dehydrated meals would be good too, but limit to one or two bags at most.

I’ve tried them all and the brand “Peak” is by far my favorite. Their breakfast skillet is mmm mmm good! These meals are super fast and easy to make. Truth be told, I’ve even had them at home for a quick meal. Keep in mind though, these meals are not your typical healthy option and some of them are not very tasty. In a survival situation, your focus is exactly that, survival, not culinary perfection. You will want to prioritize how heavy the supplies are and caloric intake for energy. The best solutions are packaged meals that can simply be opened and consumed with little to no preparation. Minimal prep work saves time and fuel resources. Save your organic, fresh food diet for normal and peaceful conditions, not disaster emergencies.

I like to add a few packs of baby purée pouches, apple sauce or any of the other many options of purée fruit and vegetables. They are usually found in the baby food isle at any box store. They are a perfect little snacks on the go with useful nutrients, but weigh more than the dry options and have a shorter shelf life. I’d also like to touch base on breastfeeding mothers with infants. For infants still on a liquid diet, breastfeeding is the obvious best option. It provides milk at the perfect temperature with no food preparation, heat source, or equipment. If breastfeeding is not an option, powdered formula is the next best thing. All your food needs to be checked regularly to keep your bag at optimal performance and ready to go without any problems such as leaks, tears or outdated food.

Regardless of how easy the food you pack is to prepare, it’s a good idea to include a simple cooking kit in your BOB. Having a cooking kit can help with a multitude of things, including boiling water to reconstitute dehydrated meals. You will also want to have a small metal pot and a utensil that can be used to stir and eat with. A small metal pot takes up very little room in your BOB because other items can be packed inside it to maximize the space. I usually add small insta-fire cubes and some of my favorite tinder, matches, or even a small Bic lighter. It is most advantageous to prepare wild caught meat and fish as a stew. This allows you to consume every last bit of nutrition including all the oils, fats, and juices, which are lost when meat is cooked over an open flame. Don’t pack any food that requires more than hot water for preparation. Anything more complicated is a waste of time, resources, and energy.

We also have pre-made, ready-to-go Survival Kits available in our shop (under the Merchandise tab).

Everything that lives and moves about will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything.

Genesis 9:3

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