Cheap Car Iron Ration

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

So in the vein of the old military Iron Rations, I have an idea to create a 48hr "iron ration" to keep in the trunk of my car of non-perishable foods to provide about 4000 calories as basis on top of any other preps (I work in a large city and am trying to formulate a plan to get out of the city)

So what I got is a 3600 calorie datrex lifeboat ration block, 2 300 calorie packages of mixed nuts, 4 half liters bottles of water and gatorade single serve packages and 2 vitamins.

Anything else cheap and able to be thrown in my trunk for months at a time and that does not require heating to eat would you guys recommend?

This isn't a full rig for a 2 week LRRP patrol in the boonies or anything but just something to get me out of the city and also I figure things like water and food can be found a bit easier then if I was out in the desert or something, this is more of a "Oh crap" emergency reserve

 

[IndyDave1776]

Peanut butter is cheap and nutritious for its volume and weight.

 

[Butch627]

For 2 days a case of cliff bars, a few bags of trail mix, and a case of water. Why make it complicated?

 

[rhino]

So in the vein of the old military Iron Rations, I have an idea to create a 48hr "iron ration" to keep in the trunk of my car of non-perishable foods to provide about 4000 calories as basis on top of any other preps (I work in a large city and am trying to formulate a plan to get out of the city)

So what I got is a 3600 calorie datrex lifeboat ration block, 2 300 calorie packages of mixed nuts, 4 half liters bottles of water and gatorade single serve packages and 2 vitamins.

Anything else cheap and able to be thrown in my trunk for months at a time and that does not require heating to eat would you guys recommend?

This isn't a full rig for a 2 week LRRP patrol in the boonies or anything but just something to get me out of the city and also I figure things like water and food can be found a bit easier then if I was out in the desert or something, this is more of a "Oh crap" emergency reserve

The nuts are a great idea. As mentioned, peanut butter is ideal for just about any scenario. You can keep a jar of it or some MRE packets (which are pretty good). Some of the non-chocolate coated granola bars are good choices too, like the Nature Valley Honey Oat.

Also, have you actually tried the Datrex rations? If not, I shall assist you: they suck and they make you really thirsty. Get the SOS instead. Of the more common brands of emergency ration bars, they taste the best, kind of like a moist coconutty cookie. Mainstay is better than Datrex, but it's like eating a block of sugar with a vague lemon taste.

I did a taste-test review on the three a few years ago, so you should be able to search for it.

And Datrex sucks.

 

[Dorky_D]

FYI - Walmart has ration bars in the camping section of the store. They have pretty good nutrition info on it, meaning that they have a little bit more vitamins and stuff than some of them out there (not that they are power foods). They are like $5 each, which is much cheaper than you can get with shipping elsewhere. UST is the brand. Just make sure the seals are not broken. I have seen quite a few where they are broken. I vacuum seal them again and then wrap them in a couple grocery bags as the foil may be getting punctured at the store.

They have a light cinnamon apple flavor similar to the old McDonald's apple pies (though very light). The texture is kind of a crumbly compressed flour/particle board like texture (hard to describe). I ate some, and they are not too bad. I would not want to live on them, but they are for emergencies and stuff.

 

[YoungMilsurpGuy]

FYI - Walmart has ration bars in the camping section of the store. They have pretty good nutrition info on it, meaning that they have a little bit more vitamins and stuff than some of them out there (not that they are power foods). They are like $5 each, which is much cheaper than you can get with shipping elsewhere. UST is the brand. Just make sure the seals are not broken. I have seen quite a few where they are broken. I vacuum seal them again and then wrap them in a couple grocery bags as the foil may be getting punctured at the store.

They have a light cinnamon apple flavor similar to the old McDonald's apple pies (though very light). The texture is kind of a crumbly compressed flour/particle board like texture (hard to describe). I ate some, and they are not too bad. I would not want to live on them, but they are for emergencies and stuff.

Much appreciated will look into