For short-term emergencies, it is highly advised to have a minimum of 72 hours’ worth of food and water as a fundamental suggestion. Nevertheless, we prefer to err on the side of caution and suggest maintaining a stock of food that can last for at least two weeks. Short-term emergencies encompass events like severe blizzards, snowstorms, power outages, and hurricanes in close vicinity.
In the event of a short-term emergency, where municipal power, water, and gas supply can become unavailable, it is important to ensure that the food you have stored for such situations is easy to prepare.
The fresh food that you currently have at home will come in handy to support the immediate emergency situation.
The Best Survival Foods for Long-Term Emergencies
Long-term emergencies present greater complexities as they jeopardize one’s reliable access to food and water. Instances like nuclear warfare, EMP attacks, or civil war have the potential to disrupt the availability of these essential resources. In the most extreme scenarios, your usual food and water sources might cease to exist for an indefinite period of time.
Consequently, a greater and more dependable reserve of emergency food is needed. When it comes to preparing for prolonged emergencies, freeze-dried and dehydrated emergency foods stand out as the most optimal choice.
Freeze-dried and dehydrated food has been a go-to choice for astronauts, campers, and backpackers for several years now, thanks to its convenience and rich nutritional content.
The durability of certain freeze-dried fruits and vegetables is a remarkable aspect, exemplified by our freeze-dried products that can endure for up to 25 years. This extensive and dependable shelf life is ideal for prolonged storage, be it an imminent disaster or one occurring 15 years from now.
Healthy Survival Food Options to Stockpile
Peanut Butter, Trail Mix & Nuts
Peanut butter is not just irresistibly tasty, but also rich in wholesome fats and proteins that provide the body with the fuel required for strength and energy.
It is an excellent choice for the top survival foods and is perfect for inclusion in your survival food bucket due to its ability to be stored without refrigeration.
In terms of convenience and being a reliable source of energy, nuts or trail mix that are packed in individual sealed packages are highly advantageous.
Make sure that the peanut butter and trail mix you choose meet the standards for healthy emergency food, as it is possible to find extremely unhealthy alternatives for these products. Thus, we advise checking the nutritional information provided on the packaging.
Freeze-Dried Fruit
have a much higher shelf life than fresh fruit, making them an amazingly healthy survival food. Similarly, dehydrated foods have a very reliable shelf life. Both also contain all their nutrition after the drying process and remain delicious. Bananas, strawberries, pineapple, apricots, and coconut are just a few of the available freeze-dried fruits on the market.
Canned Fruits, Vegetables, Chili & Soup
Canned goods are advantageous to include in an emergency kit due to several reasons, such as their convenience of being consumed directly from the can, ability to remain unrefrigerated, long shelf life, and their ability to offer necessary nutrients required by the body on a daily basis.
It is important to exercise caution when selecting emergency food for its healthiness, similar to the way one would choose trail mixes and energy bars. Certain canned goods may lack adequate nutrition and be unhealthy. Therefore, it is advisable to examine their nutritional values and ingredients, just like with trail mixes.
Before purchasing canned goods for your stock, avoid instantly selecting cans labeled as “healthy” or “low-fat” without verifying the facts. Take the time to personally verify whether the canned items you are buying truly meet the criteria of healthy survival food.
Whole-Grain Crackers & Cereals
Crackers, with their longer shelf life (especially when vacuum-sealed), and their supply of carbohydrates and fiber, can serve as a great alternative to bread as they fulfill the body’s requirements for proper functioning.
Purchasing whole-wheat and whole-grain crackers will enhance their position on our best survival foods list, in addition to those two factors alone.
Whole-grain cereals function as a comparable nutritious survival food, as they possess an ample amount of fiber, rendering them satisfying, quick, and effortless as a snack choice. It is advisable to seek out cereals with individually wrapped portions to ensure prolonged freshness.
Baby Food & Formula
If you have an infant, it is essential to have baby food and formula in your food storage, as infants need a variety of nutrients to grow healthy and strong.
Are there no children in the household? Adults can still gain advantages from the nutrients present in baby foods.
Having an average of 50-100 calories per jar, baby food can serve as a convenient choice to keep you satisfied until your next complete meal, while also prolonging the lifespan of your supply of nutritious emergency rations.
Energy Bars & Sports Drinks
If professional athletes find them suitable, wouldn’t they be suitable for your healthy emergency food supply too?
However, similar to a majority of food available in regular stores, it is essential to ensure that the selection is nutritious and does not contain artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners.
Canned & Freeze-Dried Protein
Including canned proteins in a healthy emergency food kit is a great way to ensure maximum energy levels and strength, as protein is necessary for both.
Powdered eggs are among the best healthy survival foods you can add to your supply, offering competition to canned proteins like tuna fish, sardines, or salmon in terms of quality and benefits.
Over the past few years, there have been significant advancements in the freeze-drying process of proteins, transforming its taste from resembling dog food to now containing all the flavors found in regular protein. This remarkable progress is attributed to revolutionary breakthroughs in freeze-drying techniques.
Water
Water is one of the most critical elements of any emergency food supply. Regardless of an abundance of food items in your storage, survival is impossible without adequate water.
Ensure that your healthy survival food kit includes an adequate amount of fresh water, bearing in mind that its supply could deplete, necessitating the need for an alternative water source.
Herbs & Spices
Your meals can be both nutritious and flavorful when cooking in the aftermath of a disaster by incorporating herbs and spices into your food.
In addition to enhancing the taste of your food, dried herbs and spices bring about an improvement in the appearance, scent, and nutritional composition of the dish. Herbs and spices contain properties that help reduce inflammation, combat oxidative stress, and prevent the development of cancer.
Dried Meats (a.k.a. Jerky)
Including dried meat, or jerky, in every prepper’s food supply is highly recommended due to its exceptional durability and consistently long shelf life. An assortment of protein options, including beef, elk, buffalo, fish, turkey, venison, and duck, can be utilized to create this perfect addition to prepper pantries.
In addition to being a significant protein source, dried meats provide essential vitamins including B3, B6, B9, and B12. Jerky also contains a range of minerals like calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and sulfur.
Sweeteners
Including sweeteners in your prepper pantry holds equal significance to having an extensive assortment of herbs and spices. Maple syrup, honey, agave, and sugar are crucial additions that enhance the taste and, significantly, the nutritional value of various meals.
Maple syrup, renowned for its extended and trustworthy shelf life, offers a range of nutrients including zinc, iron, potassium, manganese, and calcium, when incorporated in your oatmeal.
Coffee & Tea
When it comes to the top survival foods, coffee and tea are indispensable items. Both beverages provide comfort and a morale boost, particularly in cold weather.
Caffeine is found in the majority of coffee and tea variations and it functions as a performance-enhancing stimulant that has the ability to boost concentration and energy levels. As such, caffeine can prove useful in the mornings and in situations where you require an energy boost during challenging survival circumstances.
Cooking Oils & Lard
Cooking oils and lard are vital elements you must include in your practical prepper food supply, not forgetting their significance.
Cooking oils like vegetable, canola, peanut, olive, soybean, sunflower, or avocado oil, make for excellent options in the kitchen. They are perfect for deep-frying, pan-frying, and searing your dishes. Additionally, they aid in preventing your food from sticking to the pan or baking sheet, while also enhancing flavor and texture.
The Best Emergency Food Supplies That Last For Years
