Top Five: Survival Food

In case of emergencies and disasters whether urban or natural, it is advisable that people should have food supply for each person, good for at least three days. This is in case you don’t get rescued or can’t get out from where you are temporarily staying to search for food and water. It is also recommended that all foods stored are non-perishable. The foods that you choose for this type of situation must come from all food groups to ensure that you still get proper and sufficient nutrition.

Here are five major food groups that can help you survive while awaiting rescue operations to find you:

1 – Meats and proteins must be priority on your list. There is no issue with spoiling since these foods are now canned. Make sure to check the expiration dates. The later the expiration dates, the better.

You can also store up on loads of beef jerky. Unlike other cold cuts, this does not require refrigeration and are vacuum sealed for longer shelf life. You can also store meat items that need to be cooked but be sure to cook it first before deciding on consuming the canned products. For these types of food that require cooking, you need to have a burner or any portable heating device.

2 – Energy bars, mixed nuts, beans and peanut butter are good sources of protein. Be sure to store some of these too.

3 – Fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of carbohydrates and other vitamins and minerals that you will need for survival. Canned fruits such as peaches, oranges and pineapples are good fruit choices and have long shelf lives. You can also store dried fruits. Aside from the fact that it can be eaten alone, they have high carbohydrate content and can be kept for six to nine months.

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4 – Whole grains such as crackers, bread sticks, rice and cereals are good choices for survival foods. You may also want to consider storing an amount of brown rice because of the extra fiber that it contains and the B vitamins that it supplies the body. Unfortunately it doesn’t last longer than white rice so if you’re looking for whole grains that have a variety of flavors, store granola bars.

5 – Water is the most essential fluid to have. Make sure that there’s enough supply of bottled water that you can drink. Each person shall have a gallon’s share of water per day in order to avoid shortage. Separate drinking water from water that will be used for cleaning and hygiene purposes. Aside from water, fruit juices, coffee, powdered milk and tea must also be stored. Other food items include candy bars, chewing gums, condiments specifically salt to preserve foods and pepper to add flavor to your main meals, honey and other types of sweeteners. These food types can help divert your palate from the usual taste that you might grow tired of while waiting to be found by rescue operations.

If you have pets, make sure that their food and water supply are also sufficient or if you have an infant with you, store extra water that you can use to prepare infant formula. It is important that the health of every member of your family is secured in times of disaster.

The Author:

David M. Kingston

Photo. Natic_ua, Jens Johmsson