Survival Food

[gadgetMe]

<strong></strong> Geocaching has become a sport. It can be used for survival purposes also.<br><br>Below are a couple examples I found at <a target="_blank" href="http://www.survivalblog.com/cgi-bin...earch=caching&amp;IncludeBlogs=2&amp;limit=20">survivalblog.com</a><br><a target="_blank" href="http://www.survivalblog.com/">Link to homepage</a><br><br><br>

The best ways to protect cached gear from metal detectors are: 1.) Pick cache locations on side-hills where no one is likely to be wandering with a detector, and 2.) Find rusty scrap metal to use as false targets. Bury a couple of layers of those <em>above</em> your caching container. That way, upon finding the "trash" target, most people with detectors will simply move on. (Even the most dedicated hunter with the very best equipment wil give up digging if they think that they are in an old dump. )

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The Afghan solution for extremely simple and cheap caches was to<strong> use an old [truck] tire tube like those that some Americans tube down rivers in</strong>. Cut the tube all the way through, which creates an open rubber tube. Fold one end over in a gooseneck fashion, and tie it off. Insert your supplies in the open end. Once loaded, fold the open end in a gooseneck fashion and tie it off. Once in the tube with both ends tied off, the equipment is protected from dirt and moisture.

<br><br><br>I check out his site almost daily, there is a wealth of info there<br>Putz<br>

 

[oldnjung]

<P>My cache of food is at Walmart. Don't have to worry about varmints digging it up. Usually. They are everywhere I want or need to go. And I don't have to buy it till I need it.</P>

 

[sl1966]

Which while everything is status quo, Wallmart is great! Matter of fact that's how I plan on surviving myself. However if things were to collapse completely (as some suggest) then good luck getting Wally to restock those shelves.&nbsp;<div><br></div><div><div><br></div></div>

 

[sl1966]

<div>Now just for giggles I decided to do the math on 240 serving package that wisefoodstorage sells. It's technically supposed to be 2 servings per day for 4 adults or 2 adults and 4 kids for a month @ a total of 240 servings for $450.</div><div><br></div><div>Since it's just little old me. This works out to a 4 month supply at 2 servings per day.&nbsp;<br></div><div><br></div><div>The cost comes out under $2 per serving regardless of how many people partake.&nbsp;</div><div><br></div><div>The only possible drawback (as Seraphim astutely pointed out) is that you need water to make this food. Whomever goes to the lengths to prepare for an emergency should also be storing water to begin with. In this case you'd store extra water just for the food.</div>

 

[sl1966]

Best if you can buy some reusable containers

<div><br></div><div>Already got those by way of a trio of 5 gallon collapsible water containers. Those are for the times I go camping off grid.</div><div><br></div>

 

[Vern M]

<p style="margin: 0px;">MREs are only one of the solutions. I have 60-90 days worth of stable, nutritional food stored in half of a plastic tub that rides in my van's trailer. It is made up of&nbsp;Mountain Foods bug-out packets, requiring a cup of hot water each, dehydrated more substantial meals and even a 16-ounce sealed bottle containing 30-days worth of dehydrated&nbsp;chewable pills that'll give you 1500 calories a day. Might not be fancy, but it'd keep you alive. Also pack three gallon water jugs full and 24 bottles which can be refilled p.r.n. and Berkey back-pack water filter.</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">GatorAde 24 ounce bottles will keep your electrolytes in balance too. I have a case on board, courtesy of WalMart's customer service. Worked out to about 75 cents a bottle.&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">&nbsp;</p><p style="margin: 0px;">For some good information, check out <a href="http://www.survivalblog.comd" target="_blank" target=_blank>www.survivalblog.com</a>&nbsp;and its advertisers. Don't waste your money on Rawles "best seller" books, though. Just the blog will keep you reading for months.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

 

[WanderingRonin]

My solution for when SHTF... Make friends in Canada.<div>Chances are, Canada will be a-ok. Somehow, we always talk about everything falling apart here (and they are already) but we never think about how other countries will fare. Australia, based on what I have seen, will be pristine and perfect. They have their own industry and can actually survive without international trade if need be. No army can reach down under without having to cross an ocean to get to it first. Even if the chaos affects China, they'll declare martial law and because of the large military, will be fine. Europe is a mixed bag but I would put my money on stability rather than chaos... But the nearest stable country when it all goes will be Canada. If ever something truly bad happens... You can count on it that our neighbors to the north will shut their borders and call up the mounties. Shelter with friends and it should be a ok... Meh.,.. I'll just go up to Canada and take my chances.</div>

 

[sl1966]

I've already got family there in Canada I can stay with, but I have no desire to go there. I'd prefer to stay in the southwest knowing most people will avoid it based on the perceived harshness of it. It really isn't bad at all so long as you do your homework now. I figure having the cache of food is a good move regardless of circumstances and/or my geographical location.<div><br></div>

 

[Annie W]

the Mormon Church has canneries all over the place. anyone can use their equipment to can food that they sell.
there's lots of info on YouTube and other sites. the food is mostly stuff that's meant for long term storage, and put up in #10 cans.
the only thing is you need a few people to help you, it's an assembly line type of set up. but the only thing you pay for is the food, use of the machinery is free.

Can people still buy food from the mormons?  is that current?

 

[tav-2020]

Does anyone on the forum freeze dry or dehydrate their own fruits and veggies?
Any preferred units for doing so?

 

[Trebor English]

Does anyone on the forum freeze dry or dehydrate their own fruits and veggies?
Any preferred units for doing so?

Dehydrators are heaters and use a lot of electricity. I used a couple of big aluminum foil disposable roasting pans and a computer fan to use a propane camp stove as a heater. It worked. It was difficult to control the air flow so that the moist propane exhaust was consistently excluded. The lowest flame on the camp stove is too high. I kept turning it off and relighting it. The propane consumption was still too high.

It's nice to know techniques that work. Sometimes it's enough to know what doesn't. Propane powered dehydrating doesn't work.

 

[tav-2020]

did some googling and, duh, solar ovens can be used for dehydrating...lots of info online! Will post my findings if there is interest.

 

[user 15857]

Can people still buy food from the mormons?  is that current?

No, many of the locations are no longer open to non-mormons. The local stake (church) used to offer it but stopped several years ago.

 

[Ticklebellly]

My comment is to the original post and question. I have had similar thoughts but their idea of a month's worth of food would leave me very very very hungry. Not much fussed on the taste of those MRE style and type of product. Don't like the cost either. Other replies note the need for a water supply when we start to talk survival. My interest in survival food came from lots of times going off grid for several weeks at a time.

A quick scan of my current pantry (for one) shows I could last a full month with what I have and eat more than 2000 calories a day. I do carry a lot of dried products like milk powder, eggs, rice noodles, bean curd noodles, tomatos, oats (porridge), peas, and egg noodles. Protein portions are my problem. Have not found anything freeze dried that comes back to an enjoyable flavour. Tinned meat and other protein products come with a weight penalty but balanced against water needs, not really an issue.

 

[Jodietraveller]

Mountain House freeze dried meals seem a lot cheaper. &nbsp;

I have personally tried Mountain House and found them to be fairly good. Having stocked up for Y2K , which was a waste at the time ; I opened the cans of soup mix 10 years later. It was still quite good , however, not as good as the samples I had tried at the Y2K expo .
I do not recommend foods sold by ' my patriot supply.com , '. They are cheap , not tasty and contain hydrogenated oils.

 

[highdesertranger]

you need to add some kick to you freeze dried/dehydrated/MRE food. that's why the food tasted better at the expo, they added some kick to it. most long term food is bland. you need to add seasonings to it. herbs, spices, peppers, hot sauce or what ever. fresh pepper, oregano, basil, chives, cayenne pepper, cilantro, thyme, garlic(x2), onions, etc, etc. highdesertranger

 

[Bacawind]

In 2002 our three teenagers and I lived on MREs for a month. It wasn't pleasant, but now we look back and laugh. I mention the year because all three kids joined the military and the MREs are better now.

My husband and I currently get 50-75% of our food from Harmony House Foods. I usually go heavy on the spices and seasonings, but I really like Harmony's food as is. My husband loves their seasonings. It's hard to compare prices on dehydrated foods compared to fresh, canned or frozen, but it's worked out for us as more economical in most cases, and less packaging. I emailed to ask and they said everything they sold is plant-based.

I have some electric dehydrators but in the bus I use a hanging drying rack. I bought it on Amazon, it's 6 or 7 tiers, black mesh, I believe it was sold for "herb" drying.

There is a website/blog with recipes/how-to on dehydrating food, I think the theme of the website was backpacking or kayaking. I remember one of the recipes was about making dehydrated spaghetti meals, the pasta, sauce and all.

 

[Dingfelder]

Most prepared foods are sky-high in sugar, fat, and especially salts. Unless you are unduly healthy, I'd advise caution in treating them as anything but last resorts. And even then ...

 

[hausmutti]

Rather than the freeze dried meals, I buy individual ingredients from Thrive Life. Now that kids are grown, I don't grow, can and dehydrate a big garden anymore. The pantry size cans fit real well in smaller spaces and I like broccoli and asparagus right out of the can. That way I am in control of any salt or sugar.

 

[wasanah2]

I have been a prepper awhile due to living in hurricane country. This is what I learned (only speaking from my own experience). The wise food storage food tastes exactly like the dollar Pasta Sides they sell at Dollar Tree and Walmart for a buck a bag. Wise food is more expensive. That said, Wise said they have a 25 year shelf life. Who needs to keep food that long? Just use it up by the use by date and spend a dollar on it at Dollar Tree. So I do. I keep some. But these foods have got a ton of preservatives, SALT, and all kinds of stuff I can't pronounce. It's a side dish. Wise is selling these as meals, but if you look at the ingredient list, you'll be more wise to find an additional protein source.

Anyway that said, I did buy some freeze dried food, mostly fruit and veggies. Also 25 year storage life. The raspberries tasted metallic. They were from the USA if anyone is wondering. Blackberries were delish. Made cobbler with them and awesome. Peppers work nicely to add to almost everything. Corn is like field corn for pigs--at least the corn I bought. You have to try all of it because some items freeze dry well and others don't. Some brands might be different too.

So my big advice, before relying on a lot of foods, you should try them. See what you like and try them before launching. If you can use some freeze dried veggies and fruits, it saves on space and it saves on refrigeration if you only cook enough for one meal. I have used a dehydrator in the past, and dehydrated veggies and fruit are good as well, just their shelf life isn't as long. You can dehydrate without a lot of special gear right there in the desert if you're located there. We have used clean, new netting stretched over a frame and hung food out in the sun.

Mormons (generally speaking) are happy to teach ANYONE about preparedness. I'm not a Mormon, but many of them excel in this subject. There is a blog called FOOD STORAGE MOMS that is run by a very knowledgeable Mormon woman. I think others on here have mentioned that website. Worth a look see. I got on her email list and I go over there whenever she has a new posting. Learned a lot from her because she's not only Mormon but also a minimalist, which has taught me a lot about rethinking what I need for this nomadic lifestyle.