A good supply of food is a necessity in any survival situation. However, many people will spend a lot of money on survival food kits that end up going to waste.
The prepper lifestyle is about making a bad situation much more manageable by having the skills and supplies necessary to survive. Water and food are very critical elements in any prepper kit. Without both of them you will not be able to sustain yourself.
It is very important to manage all of your resources and make good choices when buying supplies. Careful planning will help you overcome impulse buying of things you don’t really need.
Survival Food Kits out of the box shouldn’t be your only option
Buying cases of MRE’s or other survival food kits as your only supply isn’t the best option. These pre-made emergency food kits are very good during a bugout situation and most are easily prepared using boiling water.
These kits can be expensive and do not always taste as good as other types of nonperishable foods. Some brands are better than others and some menu options from one brand is better than the menu option of other brands.
Remember that I said pre-made survival food kits shouldn’t be your ONLY option; they do have their place in any emergency food supply kit. Many of these kits come in a bucket or case that is much easier to transport than a box full of canned food.
Some food kits such as MRE’s can be eaten with little or no preparation. If resources are scarce and you are unable to spend time preparing a regular meal an MRE can be eaten straight out of the package.
Other emergency food kits only require adding hot water to re-hydrate them before they are eaten. It is as easy as boiling water and pouring it into the bag.
It is easier to carry larger amounts of these kinds of emergency food if you are forced to leave your home or your bugout location. It is a good idea to experiment with different kits and stock up only on the ones you and your family like to eat.
Only buy food you will eat
Building your own survival food pantry begins with thinking about the foods you like to eat. There is a huge moral booster to eating something you like. Many people have been forced to eat foods they don’t really like and a lot of that food goes to waste.
You will be under a lot of stress during a survival situation. Stress can cause you to waste more energy than you normally would and anything that helps you lower that stress is a benefit to you. Eating foods you like can help.
Think about coming in from a hard day at work and setting down to your favorite meal. As you eat, you start to feel better and you start to forget some of the stress of the day.
It is important to find as many types of foods you can that can survive long term storage. For example, if you like fresh vegetables try to find a canned variety you like as well. You can also learn to preserve fresh vegetables yourself.
Survival Menu, Planning meals guides your purchases
It is common for people to plan their meals each week prior to going to the grocery store. Planning a menu helps keep most families in budget and reduces the amount of food waste.
Meal planning is also very useful in building your survival food kit as well. Instead of planning for the next weeks worth of meals, try planning for the next month or couple of months.
It is important to give yourself some variety in your menu. Also plan for a few feel good extras such as sweets and deserts. Just because you’re in a desperate situation doesn’t mean you can’t make it a little more enjoyable.
Sugar, flower and other items can be preserved for a long time and can be used to make a lot of items including deserts. If you have kids this will be very helpful in keeping their spirits up and give them something to do by having them to help you bake their favorite treat. It can help you also by getting your mind off the situation for a while.
Plan your menu to keep as much normalcy in your life as possible. You will feel better and have less stress over the difficult situation you’re in.
Stocking up your survival food kit
Begin building your survival food kit slowly by buying a couple extra items on your list during each visit to the store. Most people live on a budget and cannot afford to buy a few months worth of food in one or two trips.
Building your emergency food supply slowly gives you the ability to spread out the cost and keep from breaking the bank. Food and water are only a couple things you will need as part of your overall survival plan.
Buy a permanent marker and date each of the items you purchase. Rotate your stock by using the oldest items first. Arrange your storage to make it easier to rotate your food supply or you will end up never using the older supply.
Don’t forget water
You cannot live more than three days without water and it should be a big part of your survival food kit. Plan to have two gallons per person per day. You may not use that much but it is better to have too much than not have enough.
Your water supply stability depends largely on where you live. Your water supply can be seriously crippled if you live in an urban area and the pumps that supply water to your neighborhood go down. Everyone should have no less than three days supply of water for each member of the family.
If you get caught and your supply begins to run low, remember that you still have water in your water and also in the tank of your toilet. If you don’t want to get to the level of using those sources for water then make plans and take action TODAY to build up your water supply.
I am fortunate to have a couple very stable water sources on my farm. I have a small creek behind the house and a pond that is fed by an underground spring. There’s also plenty of fish to help boost my food supply.
Water straight out of a creek or pond needs to be purified before you drink it. Bring it to a rolling boil for a few minutes to kill any bacteria.
Replace the resources you use
No survival food kit will last forever. The longer the situation lasts, the more of your resources you will use. It’s important for you to develop a plan to replenish those supplies as soon as possible.
A generation ago it was common for people to raise a garden as part of their food supply. People would also preserve many of the fruits and vegetables they raised.
We raise a garden each year ourselves and since the outbreak of the coronavirus more people around my area have decided to plant a garden themselves.
A good garden can help sustain you for a long time. Learn which foods grow well in your area and learn how to grow them.
Replenish your supplies as they become available in your local stores. Don’t buy the store completely out but get the items you most desperately need to replenish your supplies.
Have a survival plan
Every part of sustaining yourself during a survival situation is important. Some parts are more important than others. You need to spend time to develop a plan to deal with any situation you could be in.
Build up your supplies as well as your skills. Work with your friends and neighbors to build up your own survivalist network where each of you can help the others in a time of need.