Survival Food List for Short and Long Term Scenarios (PDF?)

Survival food preparation is an essential aspect of emergency readiness.

Whether preparing for a natural disaster or facing an unexpected calamity, having a reliable and nourishing source of sustenance can mean the difference between survival and devastation.

This article provides an in-depth guide to help you curate an optimal survival food list for both short-term and long-term disaster scenarios, tips for gathering and organizing your survival foods, as well as key considerations for situations requiring mobility, often referred to as “bugging out”.

Short-Term Disaster Survival Foods

During short-term disaster scenarios, such as power outages, storms, or other emergencies that could last from a few days to a week, your food choices should prioritize ease of access, minimal preparation, and balanced nutrition.

While fresh produce and perishable goods may be an initial option, as time progresses, non-perishable and ready-to-eat foods become indispensable.

Here is a comprehensive list of short-term disaster survival food items to consider:

1. Canned Goods: A vital category of survival food, canned goods offer a wide variety of options, providing a balance of protein, fiber, and essential vitamins. Canned fruits and vegetables, beans, soups, chili, and canned meats like tuna, chicken, and corned beef are all good choices.
2. Ready-to-Eat Meals: These include meal kits, prepackaged noodle bowls, and military-style MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat). They require minimal preparation and often come complete with condiments and a heating packet.
3. Dry Foods: This category includes foods like rice, pasta, instant noodles, oatmeal, and cereals. These items are lightweight, easy to store, and can be easily prepared with hot water.
4. Jerky and Dried Meats: These are excellent sources of protein and can be eaten straight from the package.
5. Snack Foods: Energy bars, granola bars, trail mix, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and whole grain crackers provide quick energy and are easy to store.
6. Baking Ingredients: Flour, sugar, baking powder, and oil can be useful if you have access to a heat source for baking or cooking.
7. Spreads and Preserves: Nut butters, jelly, and honey are versatile foods that can add flavor to bread or crackers and provide a quick energy boost.
8. Powdered and Evaporated Milk: These can be reconstituted with water and used on cereal, in cooking, or drunk plain for a protein and calcium source.
9. Cheese or Peanut Butter Crackers: These are a good source of calories and can be used as a quick snack or added to soup for more substance.
10. Bottled Water and Drinks: Clean drinking water is critical. In addition, having powdered drink mixes, tea bags, instant coffee, or bottled juices can provide hydration and added nutritional value.
11. Infant/Baby Foods: If you have infants or small children, don’t forget to stock up on baby formula, jars of baby food, and baby cereals.

Remember, the goal in a short-term survival situation is to maintain your calorie intake and hydration level to support your energy needs. Even though some of these food items may not be part of your usual dietary habits, they could prove invaluable in an emergency. Being prepared and having a variety of options can alleviate stress and help maintain a sense of normalcy during trying times.

Foods That You Don’t Want On Your Short-Term Survival List

While compiling a survival food list, understanding which items to exclude can be just as important as knowing which to include. Here’s a detailed look at the types of foods you should avoid when preparing for short-term or long-term survival scenarios:

1. Perishable Foods: Foods that spoil quickly without refrigeration, such as fresh dairy products, meats, and many fruits and vegetables, are not practical for a survival food list. In a disaster scenario where power outage is a factor, refrigeration may not be possible, making these foods a liability.
2. Highly Salted Foods: Foods that are high in salt can lead to dehydration, a potentially serious risk in a survival situation where water supply may be limited. Items like salted nuts, chips, and certain canned foods might increase your thirst.
3. Foods Requiring Significant Cooking Time: Foods that require extended cooking time, like raw beans or certain whole grains, are not practical for most survival situations. They not only require a heat source, but also a significant amount of water and time.
4. Complex or Gourmet Ingredients: Ingredients that are intended for complex recipes or gourmet cooking are usually not practical for survival situations. Your focus should be on simple, nutritious, and easily prepared foods.
5. Alcohol: Alcohol can dehydrate the body and impair judgment, which can be particularly detrimental in a survival situation. While a small amount for medicinal purposes could be considered, it should not be a significant part of your survival food list.
6. Sodas and Sugary Drinks: While these may provide short-term energy due to their high sugar content, they’re often not practical due to their weight and lack of nutritional value. They can also lead to a sugar crash, leaving you feeling lethargic.
7. Food You or Your Family Don’t Like: This may seem obvious, but stocking up on food that you or your family members don’t enjoy eating can lead to unnecessary stress during an already challenging situation. Comfort can play a crucial role in morale during survival scenarios.
8. Food with Low Nutritional Value: Avoid foods that provide little nutritional benefit. In survival situations, you want to get the most nutritional value possible from each meal to maintain health and energy levels.
9. Items You’re Allergic to: Again, an obvious point, but sometimes allergies are overlooked in emergency situations. Make sure to consider all family members’ dietary restrictions and allergies when stocking up.

Remember, the goal of a survival food list is to provide practical, nutritious, and easily accessible food options in emergency situations. Keeping these considerations in mind when compiling your list can improve its overall effectiveness and ensure that you are better prepared to maintain health and wellbeing during a survival scenario.

Long-Term Disaster Survival Food

Long-term survival scenarios present a unique challenge when it comes to food supply. Whether you’re preparing for a large-scale natural disaster, economic instability, or long-term power outages, nutrition, variety, and food shelf life are key considerations.

Let’s delve into a comprehensive list of long-term disaster survival food items:

1. Grains: Staples like rice, oats, barley, cornmeal, and wheat can provide a solid foundation for your food supply. They are high in calories and carbohydrates, essential for long-term energy needs.
2. Legumes: Beans, lentils, peas, and chickpeas are excellent sources of protein and fiber. Stored properly, they can last for years.
3. Pasta: Pasta is an affordable, non-perishable food that is easy to cook and provides a high calorie count.
4. Canned Foods: Canned goods are not only for short-term survival scenarios. Foods like canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and even canned bread can last several years on the shelf.
5. Dried Foods: Dehydrated fruits and vegetables, along with dried meats like jerky, retain nutritional value and have a long shelf life.
6. Freeze-Dried Foods: While somewhat more expensive, freeze-dried meals and ingredients can last up to 30 years and retain nutritional value.
7. Honey and Syrups: These natural sweeteners are calorie-dense and don’t spoil. They can be used for cooking, baking, or as a quick energy source.
8. Powdered Milk and Dairy: Powdered milk, cheese, and butter can be stored long-term and rehydrated when needed. They provide a good source of protein and calcium.
9. Seeds for Sprouting: Compact and easy to store, seeds for sprouting can provide a continuous supply of fresh, nutritious greens.
10. Cooking Essentials: Items such as salt, sugar, pepper, spices, baking soda, and cooking oil are vital for meal preparation and can significantly improve the palatability of your food.
11. Preserved Foods: Foods that are smoked, salt-cured (like ham or bacon), or preserved in sugar (like jams and jellies) can have extended shelf lives.
12. Meal Replacement Shakes: These are compact, easy to prepare, and typically contain a balance of essential nutrients.
13. Vitamin and Mineral Supplements: To ensure you’re getting a full range of essential nutrients, it may be worthwhile to include multivitamin and mineral supplements in your food storage.
14. Emergency Food Bars: Often used in lifeboats and survival kits, these bars are compact, have a five-year shelf life, and are formulated to provide a balance of essential nutrients.
15. MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat): Although they’re heavier and more expensive than some other options, MREs can be stored for several years and provide a lot of variety.

Remember, when assembling your long-term food storage, consider your dietary preferences, nutritional needs, and cooking abilities. A longer survival situation will also necessitate sustainable practices such as gardening, hunting, fishing, or foraging, where possible. A carefully curated long-term food supply will not only prepare you for the unexpected but can also give you peace of mind in your daily life.

How to Store Your Long-Term Survival Foods

Storing long-term survival foods correctly is crucial in preserving their nutritional value, taste, and shelf-life. Even foods known to last for years can spoil if improperly stored. Below are detailed strategies to help you effectively store your long-term survival foods:

1. Choose Appropriate Storage Containers: Invest in high-quality, food-grade storage containers. These could be mylar bags, food-grade buckets, or vacuum-sealed containers. They are designed to keep air and moisture at bay, preventing spoilage and contamination.
2. Use Oxygen Absorbers: These small packets absorb oxygen in the storage container, helping to extend shelf life and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi. They are especially useful when storing foods in larger containers.
3. Maintain Optimal Storage Conditions: Your survival foods should be stored in a cool, dry, and dark place. Heat can degrade food quality and shorten shelf life, while moisture can lead to mold growth. Direct sunlight can cause temperature fluctuations and degrade nutritional value, especially for vitamins A, D, E, and K.
4. Rotate Your Stocks: Use a “first in, first out” system to ensure you’re consuming your oldest food items first and replacing them with new ones. This will keep your food stores fresher and more nutritious.
5. Label Everything: It’s important to label all your containers with the date of storage and the estimated expiration date. This will help you keep track of the foods that need to be consumed soon or replaced.
6. Store Variety: Store a variety of foods to prevent food fatigue and ensure you get a range of different nutrients. This includes grains, proteins, fruits, vegetables, and comfort foods.
7. Preserve Properly: If you’re canning, drying, or otherwise preserving your own foods, make sure you’re following safe food preservation guidelines to prevent foodborne illness.
8. Consider Special Diets: If anyone in your household has food allergies, dietary restrictions, or requires specific baby or pet foods, make sure to account for these needs in your long-term storage.
9. Protect From Pests: Store food off the ground and consider using deterrents for rodents or insects. Regularly inspect your food storage area for signs of pest activity.

Remember, successful long-term food storage is about more than just having a large quantity of food; it’s about preserving the quality, nutritional value, and usability of that food for as long as possible. Good storage practices will ensure you have a safe, tasty, and nutritious food supply when you need it most.

Survival Food List for “Bugging Out”

“Bugging out” refers to the decision to evacuate your home in response to an emergency situation. The key factors in selecting food for your bug-out bag are weight, volume, preparation time, nutritional value, and shelf-life. Here’s an in-depth look at suitable food options for your bug-out bag:

1. MREs (Meals, Ready-to-Eat): Originally developed for military use, MREs are complete meals that are precooked and vacuum-sealed, ensuring they have a long shelf-life. They are relatively lightweight and require no cooking, which is a major advantage when you’re on the move.
2. Energy Bars and Protein Bars: These are compact, lightweight, and high in energy. Look for bars that offer a balance of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
3. Trail Mix and Nuts: These are excellent sources of energy due to their high fat and protein content. They’re also easy to pack and carry.
4. Jerky: Jerky is a dried meat product that is lightweight and high in protein. Opt for jerky that is low in salt to prevent excessive thirst.
5. Dehydrated Meals: Dehydrated meals are lightweight and take up less space. They require rehydration with hot water, so you’ll need a portable stove and a source of clean water.
6. Freeze-Dried Fruit and Vegetables: These are a great way to ensure you’re getting vitamins and fiber. They’re lightweight and can be eaten as-is or rehydrated.
7. Peanut Butter: High in protein and healthy fats, peanut butter is a compact and high-energy food. Small, individual-serving packets are available and are perfect for a bug-out bag.
8. Tuna Pouches: Unlike canned goods, pouches are lightweight and don’t require a can opener. Tuna is a great source of protein and omega-3 fatty acids.
9. Crackers: Opt for whole grain crackers, as they provide longer-lasting energy and can be paired with peanut butter or tuna.
10. Powdered Drink Mix: Staying hydrated is key, but water can get boring. Having a flavored drink mix can provide some variety and additional vitamins.
11. Instant Coffee or Tea Bags: A small luxury that can provide comfort in a stressful situation. They’re lightweight and compact.

Remember, in a bug-out situation, you must balance the need for nutritionally dense food with the practicalities of weight and space. Include a small camping stove and utensils in your bug-out bag if your food choices require cooking or heating.

Also, consider a water filter or purification tablets to ensure access to clean drinking water. Pack your food in a waterproof bag or container to keep it dry and safe.

Your bug-out food selection should sustain you for a minimum of 72 hours, though a longer supply may be beneficial depending on your situation.

Tips for Gathering and Organizing Your Survival Foods

1. Gradual Stocking: Instead of purchasing everything at once, gradually stock your pantry to spread the cost over time.
2. Variety: Make sure to include a variety of foods to avoid “food fatigue” and to ensure a balanced intake of nutrients.
3. Rotation: Practice a ‘first in, first out’ approach. Use the oldest foods first and replace them with new supplies.
4. Organization: Keep your food organized. Label and date everything and keep track of expiration dates.
5. Special Needs: Consider any dietary restrictions or allergies in your family when creating your survival food list.

Final Thoughts

Preparation is key to surviving any disaster. A well-thought-out survival food list can significantly improve your resilience in times of crisis.

By understanding the different requirements for short-term and long-term survival scenarios, you can make better choices in preparing your emergency food supplies.

Remember, the goal is to have access to foods that are not only sustainable but also nutritionally dense and palatable under stressful conditions.

After all, food not only sustains our bodies but also uplifts our spirits, a crucial factor in surviving and thriving in adversity.