Oatmeal is more than just a breakfast cereal. In fact, some consider it as the ultimate survival food. Preppers know how important it is to stockpile oatmeal in their pantry. It’s cheap, has a long shelf life and is full of the good stuff. When you need to be constantly on the move, oatmeal is a good food to have since it’s lightweight and easy to prepare. Plus, it usually comes in flammable packaging, which will come in handy when you’re out of tinder.
Aside from filling your tummies, oatmeal has lots of other benefits and uses that may be surprising to you.
Health Benefits of Oatmeal
1. Acne Treatment
Who knew something you eat (or despise eating) in the morning can be effective against those gross and embarrassing pimples. If you prefer not to put chemicals on your face, use oatmeal to get rid of acne.
Mix a couple of tablespoons of oatmeal with 1 teaspoon of honey and one tablespoon of lemon juice.
Apply the resulting paste on your face, especially on the affected areas, by massaging it gently in circular patterns. Leave it for 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water then pat dry with a clean towel.
2. Relieves Stress and Anxiety
A dystopian future will certainly be stressful. It’s a good thing then that oatmeal helps relieve stress and anxiety. Oatmeal is a comfort food so that in itself makes it a stress reliever. However, the real reason why it helps fight stress, anxiety and even insomnia, is that it helps increase serotonin, which has a calming effect on the brain.
3. Provides Energy
Most foods provide the body with energy necessary to go about with daily tasks. Oatmeal, meanwhile, is packed with dietary fiber, which not only provides energy but also slows down the use of energy. In other words, you feel more energetic longer than usual, which is great if you’re dealing with a zombie apocalypse or alien invasion.
Other Practical Uses of Oatmeal
4. Meat Extender
Oatmeal has very mild taste so it doesn’t affect food that you mix it with. What it does is it acts as an extender. Mix a few portions to ground beef and you got more burger patties to grill.
Do you have an appetite for breaded chicken? Crush some oatmeal and use it as breadcrumb alternative. Meatloaf will even feel more filling if you add oat flakes along with ground beans and lentils.
5. Fuller Tummy
Aside from extending meat, ground oatmeal mixed with flour will make breads, biscuits and other pastries healthier, more fibrous, and more filling, which is especially important when an economic collapse strikes. Since oats are cheap, adding some to other meals will let you eat more without spending too much. It also keeps you feeling full for longer.
6. Treats Skin Issues
If you’ve been out in the sun for too long, oatmeal can help soothe your sunburn. Simply add it to your bathwater or mix it with a little water to make a paste, which you will then apply on the affected area. This will also help treat insect bites and soothe dry, itchy skin.
7. Soothes Burns
Many people, even scientists, believe that the electric grid will go down when SHTF. This means you’ll be using fire a lot for cooking, boiling water, keeping warm, and having light. The chances of getting burned will increase significantly. When you get burned, treat it immediately with cold oatmeal.
8. Makes Dry Shampoo
When society breaks down, the water grid will likely be one of the first things to go down. This means, you can’t enjoy a shower as often as you used to leading to itchy and scalps and dirty hair.
Mix ground oatmeal and baking soda, another prepper must-have, and use it as a dry shampoo. Simply scrub it on your scalp with your fingers to absorb the natural oil and soothe the itchiness. Brush it off afterwards.
9. Treats Pets with Fleas
Do you have pets that have fleas? Use the DIY dry shampoo mentioned above. You can also mix the oats with equal part water then rub the mixture on the affected areas. Rinse it off after 10 minutes.
10. Makes Play Dough
One of the pressing issues when a disaster or any other emergency situation happens is the emotional and mental health of young children. Keep them entertained by making play dough out of oatmeal and other ingredients you can find in the kitchen. Just mix 2 cups of water and 1/2 cup of salt in a saucepan and boil until the salt dissolves.
Remove from heat then mix 2 cups flour and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil into the solution. Let the mixture cool then knead until it has a doughy texture.
Add food coloring and 1 cup of oats then knead followed by another cup. Continue kneading until you get your desired texture. Add flour if it gets too sticky.
Of course, you’d want to conserve your stock of oatmeal for your dietary needs, particularly when SHTF. In an EOTW scenario, you wouldn’t be thinking of using oatmeal to treat your acne, would you? That’s why you should stockpile as much oats as possible or replace the ones you use for your face on your next grocery trip. The key is to have enough oatmeal that you can afford to use some for other needs aside from eating it.
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