Quote:
Originally Posted by mapuc
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The problem with
The Big Bucket 'O Food packages is that you're supposed to normally eat your way through them prior to restocking. If the Big Bucket features a sturdy weather resistant sealed top, that makes it a pain to open so the Big Bucket winds up in a closet, garage, or basement where it eventually turns into the
Big Bucket 'O Biology Experiment.
I try to keep it simple.
Small- Easy to grab and store.
Sealed and Shelf Stable- Can be stored at
room temperature for extended periods while also being portable and easy to open.
Pre Cooked- All you have to figure out is how to open the container, cutlery and plates are optional. So is a camp fire.
These are normally not foods for the health conscious, they often contain high levels of salt/sodium and animal fats plus preservatives but you should be able to choke down a small can of Spam or Vienna Sausages or a Hormel Ready To Eat meal once a month with no damages while you replenish/rotate your stock.
Something that usually goes unrecognized- that lowly tin of Sardines.
Canned sardines packed in oil can be stored for YEARS with no hassles. You are also getting a healthy dose of vitamins and minerals. Kippers (canned smoked sardines) actually benefit (IMO) from getting stored on the shelf for several years, their flavor mellows out a bit.
Things I would avoid in survival foods-
Nuts or oily seeds. The oil WILL go rancid sooner than you would think. If you stashed a bag of TRAIL MIX on the shelf, make sure you pick out all of the nuts and seeds before it gets too old. Dried fruit and grain will hold up nicely in dry conditions, rancid nuts and seeds will quickly turn the entire bag into garbage.
ANYTHING which includes directions such as "Simply boil in the pouch for 35-45 minutes", as an example. Think this stuff through, you
might have time to build a camp site and a latrine, you
might find a source of clean water, why are you wasting
all of it to build a Sous Vide kitchen?
One last note to ponder- Are you
sure you need that camp fire?
Building a fire takes time and effort. It also acts like an open invitation to anyone who is cold, hungry, or alone. While I strongly believe in getting a group together to maximize your odds, maybe its better to figure out the situation before you put down those roots.
