Emergency Food Recommendations

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  • Relatively Ninja

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 30, 2011
    394
    18
    Indianapolis
    I'm looking for some advice on different types of emergency rations. The situation I'm planning for is something along the lines of a natural disaster that involves the loss of one or more major utilities (water and/or power) and the inability to obtain food from my local grocery store for three days. I live by myself in a small apartment, so space is an issue, as is money.

    Essentially, I want something that I can throw in my closet and more or less forget about until I need to use it.

    Originally I was thinking of picking up some MRE's, but after researching them I've heard lots of mixed reviews. I like the idea of having a chemical heater included with every meal and having the meals come already hydrated. I'm not so crazy about the things that these will (allegedly) do to your digestive system. Then again, my plan only accounts for three days of eating this food.

    I looked into some dehydrated meals (such as Mountain House), but I don't like the added complications of the extra water and external heat source needed to re-hydrate the meals. There are flameless heaters available (like this one) but I don't like the limited number of uses. On the other hand, they seem to get much higher reviews regarding taste and the whole not messing with your digestive system thing.

    The final option I've considered would be to keep some non perishables and canned foods on hand (nothing special, just from the grocery store). However, heating them would require some kind of camping stove and it would be more difficult to create distinct meals. I'm just one guy, and I really don't care for my dinner to be an entire can of corn. :n00b:

    Again, the purpose of this food is to nourish me as I hunker down in my apartment and wait for utilities to be restored. I won't be out camping and exerting myself all day, just laying low at home. I won't be making a fire to cook food; using a small camp stove or something similar on top of my stove is about as flammable as I'm looking to go.

    To boil it down, my questions are as follows:
    • Are MRE's really that bad for you to eat, even for just a couple days?
    • Are dehydrated meals worth the extra hassle of storing the extra water and finding an external heat source?
    • Are canned and non-perishable foods worth the reduced cost?
    • Is there anything else I may have overlooked that you could recommend to me?

    Thanks :ingo:
     

    Mcolson181

    Marksman
    Rating - 75%
    3   1   0
    Nov 11, 2012
    144
    18
    SE Indiana
    MRE's taste pretty good from what I have had and are nice because of the chemical heater. From what I understand they aren't "bad" for you but you shouldn't live off them.

    As far as canned goods go you can get something simple like spam or tuna and they don't need to be heated.
     

    Relatively Ninja

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 30, 2011
    394
    18
    Indianapolis
    As far as canned goods go you can get something simple like spam or tuna and they don't need to be heated.

    True, but since the other two options I listed included a heating method I figured I would like to include it with canned foods to level the playing field and make for a better direct comparison.
     

    kycrawler

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Dec 8, 2009
    64
    6
    Crawfordsville
    You seriously dont have 3 days worth of food at home ?

    I lived off mre's for about a month at a time during a deployment to panama then later afghanistan , too expensive and better options available if your at home and dont have to carry it with you . 10 cans of spaghetti o's would get you through 3 days and cost about $7 A 25 lb bag of rice and some canned meats /fruits would get you through a month . To cook rice or noodles use a cook stove to boil the water pour water and noodles or rice in a thermos and cap it and let it sit .
     

    Relatively Ninja

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 30, 2011
    394
    18
    Indianapolis
    You seriously dont have 3 days worth of food at home ?

    I usually have three days worth of food at home. I should have mentioned that this is a college apartment. While I could probably survive off the food remaining in my pantry, there is also a possibility of a storm coming through when I'm out of groceries. That's why I'd like to have a few days of rations in my closet; just in case.
     

    Justin Case

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    May 30, 2012
    689
    16
    Brown County
    Here are a few items that can easily be stored and used in an emergency. These require little or no cooking. If you want to heat your food then get a couple of small cans of sterno fuel. There are of course more nutritious options, but these are easy to prepare, low cost and you're only talking about a few days.

    Peanut Butter
    Saltine Crackers
    Ritz Crackers
    Canned Tuna
    Beanie Weenies
    Pork & Beans
    Spaghetti O's
    Quaker Quick Oats
    Clif Bars
    Energy Bars
    Breakfast Bars
    Sports Drinks
    Bottled Water
    Graham Crackers
    Vanilla Wafers
    Canned Beef Stew
    Canned Soup
    Pretzels
    Fritos Corn Chips
    And of course, ramen noodles!

    It is of course recommended that you eat what you store and store what you eat. This makes rotating your emergency food easier.
     

    pirate

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    19   0   0
    Jul 2, 2011
    968
    18
    I saw walmart is now selling 5 gallon buckets full of prep food for around 60-70 bucks. Supposed to last 25 years in the bucket. didn't read much more than that when going by.
     

    10-32

    Sharpshooter
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Nov 28, 2011
    631
    18
    B-Burg
    Here are a few items that can easily be stored and used in an emergency. These require little or no cooking. If you want to heat your food then get a couple of small cans of sterno fuel. There are of course more nutritious options, but these are easy to prepare, low cost and you're only talking about a few days.

    Peanut Butter
    Saltine Crackers
    Ritz Crackers
    Canned Tuna
    Beanie Weenies
    Pork & Beans
    Spaghetti O's with meat balls (protein with carbs)
    Quaker Quick Oats
    Clif Bars
    Energy Bars
    Breakfast Bars
    Sports Drinks
    Bottled Water
    Graham Crackers
    Vanilla Wafers
    Canned Beef Stew
    Canned Soup
    Pretzels
    Fritos Corn Chips
    And of course, ramen noodles!
    Beef Ravioli
    Soups that are not condensed - progreso soups


    It is of course recommended that you eat what you store and store what you eat. This makes rotating your emergency food easier.

    I personally would just keep these items with the rest of my food and only store a few cases of bottled water in the closet if you're only looking for a few extra days supply on hand.
     

    netsecurity

    Shooter
    Rating - 100%
    22   0   0
    Oct 14, 2011
    4,201
    48
    Hancock County
    My favorite so far is the individual tuna/salmon packs, which are good for a few years, and don't need heated. They taste great and make a healthy meal by themselves.
     

    LtScott14

    Master
    Rating - 0%
    0   1   0
    Apr 13, 2008
    1,516
    83
    Porter County
    Good list Justincase! Have a lot with minimal cost. Keep a small gas grill and /or hibachi with charcoal, and you have a picnic! Frozen burgers, steaks, chops can all go into a cooler w/snow to maintain. Watch your mayo stuff though, can turn quickly. During the last 5 day power outage we cooked, played board games, read books, and heated our home with a vent free nat gas fireplace. Was better than going to Turkey Run for a weekend. Note: our towns water wells were also not working, so melt snow when needed.
     
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 24, 2012
    1,508
    38
    Avon
    Just in case gave you a good list. But if you are a college student that stuff would get eaten by your friends. You can throw some freeze dried food in your closet and forget it for about 25 years...I gave my nephew who lives in a dorm an emergency care package. He has freeze dried chicken, eggs, corn, green beans,carrots, potatoes, rice, oats and strawberries; with some water he can live off that for over 2 weeks if needed with shipping it cost me 93 bucks. The benefit is most could be eaten with out cooking.
     

    4sarge

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    21   0   0
    Mar 19, 2008
    5,894
    99
    FREEDONIA
    I'm not planning on living for 25+ more years so I've gone with the normal canned items listed above, sardines, meat soups, canned bean soup, bottled water, some dry soup mixes, dry rice & beans, canned chili, ramen noodles, spam, canned fruit, PB & Jelly, whole tomato's canned, Chef Boy AR Dee, Jerky, candy bars, sugar, flour, quick oats, etc all the good stuff. Crackers taste nasty once stale and they have a relatively short shelf life. All the above items that I can always use & rotate easily.
     

    dukeboy_318

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    12   0   0
    Jan 22, 2010
    1,648
    38
    in la la land
    I saw walmart is now selling 5 gallon buckets full of prep food for around 60-70 bucks. Supposed to last 25 years in the bucket. didn't read much more than that when going by.

    I have a couple of these myself. The food is actually not too bad in taste. Not sure on the 25 yr shelf life as I only got these back in August. :D
     

    Indy60

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    7   0   0
    Nov 10, 2012
    848
    18
    Central IN
    Don't overlook the medicinal alcohol. Cheap vodka, rum & whisky. You can drink it, trade it, disinfect wounds with it and start fires or make molotov cocktails with some of it.
     

    PistolBob

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Oct 6, 2010
    5,387
    83
    Midwest US
    I've eaten Ramen noodles that were in the pantry for at least a year...or more. A couple jars of peanut butter and a spoon works too. Canned beans, black, red, kidney, great northern, butter, you name it...all good protein and fiber filled. Stash a couple bags of beef jerkey and a few gallons of water too. 3 days is not too difficult or expensive.
     

    PistolBob

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    4   0   0
    Oct 6, 2010
    5,387
    83
    Midwest US
    BTW...Kroger in Greenwood has Red Gold diced tomatoes for 59c a can, and Freshlike cut green beans for 59c a can right now, and Kroger peanut butter 10 for 10$.
     

    karatejoe

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Aug 4, 2012
    86
    6
    Greenwood
    MRE"s are good for you up to 3 months but are not ment to be your only food source long term. I have a 40 day supply of ffod for 3 people. The food companies claim even tho there is an exp. on canned items unless the can is damaged the food is good indefinatley.
     
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