As part of my Spring emergency kit review, I have put together some emergency food packs, and thought I would share my thoughts on the topic.
The easy, but expensive, options include military surplus MREs or freeze dried camping meals. The former include a water-activated heating pouch, but also includes a lot of waste for me due to food allergies. The latter is light and compact, but usually best prepared with hot water.
My quest, then, is to combine a variety of options. I found some MRE entree-only pouches at Winco a couple years ago which met my dietary needs, and I have some freeze dried camper pouches. Eating on-the-go still needs to be addressed, and the junk food that comes with most MREs leaves something to be desired. Imagine my excitement in finding Larabars and Epic jerky bars on sale. Simple ingredients and a good balance of protein and carbs are better than empty calories.
Packed in zip lock snack bags, these add a lot to any emergency kit. They are easy to eat on the go, the bag may serve as a foraging container once empty, and the waste is minimal. Expiration dates are about 6 months out, so if you are packing similar foods, check those dates and plan to rotate/replace accordingly!
Tangential lecture: Don't litter. It's a dick move no matter what, and if you're trying to escape and evade in an emergency, you don't want to make tracking you easier. The wrappers should be pocketed, or returned to the bag for later disposal.
Future projects to enhance emergency food stores further include making hard tack. If your preparations include stocking your home larder instead of camping gear, car emergency kits, combat loads, or bug-out bags, visit your local library. Mine has lots of books about canning, salting, and drying foods. Yours probably does, too. After COVID and news of Russian invasion, you have had two wake-up calls. Don't hit that metaphorical snooze button again! Bad stuff is happening, and it can happen to you. Even starting from scratch today and taking baby steps is progress.
