Survival foods and water are the first things people scramble for when disasters and emergencies strike, at least that’s what we see in movies and apocalyptic shows. Other people prefer to loot appliance stores and get the latest LED TV or PlayStation. Unfortunately, these will be useless when the power grid goes down. If you want to be smart about this, you should start stockpiling survival foods in the event that society breaks down. Hopefully, the apocalypse never comes but if it does, the survival foods in your pantry will help you cope with the madness.
As Franz Kafka once said, “Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.” In this case, there’s always a need for survival foods so it’s better to have them right now.
1. Rice
Rice is a staple food of half of the world’s population so it shouldn’t be surprising that it’s a favorite among preppers. Rice is cheap, easy to cook, versatile, and has a long shelf life. There are different kinds of rice you can add to your stock of survival foods but stay away from instant rice and brown rice.
2. Whole Grains
Do you like to have your cake and eat it too? When you stock up on survival foods such as whole grains, you get to survive the apocalypse and get to eat cake, too. You can make your own bread, pancakes, cookies, and other pastries with your whole grains, especially with the help of a grain mill.
3. Pasta
Pasta is high in carbohydrates and has a long shelf life. You can prepare a variety of dishes with it.
4. Spaghetti Sauce
You already have your pasta so it’s just natural to hoard spaghetti sauce, as well. Tomato- and oil-based pasta sauces last a year after the expiration date while cream-based ones last 6-8 months.
5. Cereal
Most American families enjoy cereal for breakfast. Have little semblance of normalcy by munching on cereal while zombies wander aimlessly outside your home. Cereals go stale after some time so it’s better to stock up on individually packed ones.
6. Granola Bars, Power Bars
Granola bars and energy bars are great to snack on especially if you’re on the run. They don’t last as long as the other survival foods on this list but they take up little space in your pantry. They’re also portable (you can bring them on supply runs or rescue missions) and are packed with nutrients and carbohydrates.
7. Dried Fruits
It’s nice if you stumble upon an apple orchard and play baseball with the fruits like the two poor dudes in the 2012 zombie flick The Battery but, for your fruit fix, it’s wiser to have dried fruits in your stash of survival foods instead.
8. Canned Goods
There are a number of canned goods you can include in your stock of survival foods. There are canned meat, chicken, fish, vegetables, fruits, soup, beans, and chili. Most canned goods last for at least two years and provide different flavors and nutrients, making them great additions to any pantry. You can also eat them straight from the can. Just don’t forget your can opener.
9. Beef Jerky
Fresh or even frozen meat will not be readily available during the apocalypse unless you fancy rat burgers. Beef jerky has a long shelf life, can be eaten as is, and gives flavor to soups.
10. Cheese
If not stored properly, cheese can develop molds. To preserve hard cheese, wax it thrice before sealing it airtight. There’s also such a thing as dehydrated cheese, which lasts for over 5 years. Freeze-dried cheese has a shelf life of up to 25 years and may outlive your neighbor who laughed at the idea of prepping.
11. Peanut Butter
Unless you’re allergic to peanuts, go ahead and stock up on peanut butter. It’s rich in protein and healthy fats, and it gives you that jolt of energy needed to get up the mountain before the flood hits or the zombie horde comes.
12. Powdered Milk, Powdered Egg
Milk has to be refrigerated so it won’t go bad. Eggs don’t last a lifetime and poultry farms will likely cease operations in the event of an apocalypse. Since electricity is likely to fail, stock up on powdered milk and eggs instead. Powdered milk, which may last up to 25 years, is a great natural creamer for coffee, makes cereals a lot better, and is a good source of calcium and other nutrients. Dehydrated eggs can be used for baking and making yummy omelets. It also lasts up to 10 years if stored properly.
13. Condiments
Condiments like sugar, salt, and pepper add flavor and nutrients to any dish. Yep, even the raccoon you caught will taste better with some barbecue sauce and a little drizzle of Worcestershire sauce.
14. Coffee and Tea
When SHTF, most people will be struggling to survive. Not you. You’ll be sipping a glorious cup of coffee or hot tea while giving yourself a pat on the back for storing that much survival food. Strong coffee can also help you stay up at night and guard against thieves and zombies.
15. Multivitamins, Hard Candies
If you’ve seen Studio Ghibli’s Grave of the Fireflies, you know how important candies are to children in times of despair. Children will likely be the most affected during wars, natural disasters, emergencies, and the EOTW. To make things a little more bearable, let them have some candies. Better yet, give them multivitamins for kids.
Bonus: Bottled Water
Some may argue that water is not food. While these people continue to debate whether water should be included in lists of survival foods such as this, go ahead and buy packs of bottled water to add to your pantry. One person needs around half a gallon of water each day just for drinking. You’ll need more for cooking, washing, and brushing your teeth.
It is less expensive to buy in bulk but if your budget doesn’t permit so, buy a few extra items every time you do the grocery and add them to your stockpile of survival foods. Just remember to get from the back of the aisle where the ones with the long expiration date are usually found. Also, as a general rule, use up the items that are expiring earlier than the others.
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