Survival Kits Food Planning: Avoiding Common Mistakes

When preparing survival kits, most would agree that food planning is critical yet complex, with many potential pitfalls.

Carefully avoiding common mistakes can lead to an optimal, well-stocked food supply that truly sustains families in emergencies.

This guide outlines key strategies for navigating the complexities of survival kit food prep - from storage solutions to supply rotation and beyond - helping readers collaborate and prepare effectively.

Navigating Survival Kit Food Planning

Assembling well-stocked survival kits with ample emergency food supplies is fundamental for preparedness. However, many preppers make common planning mistakes that compromise their readiness. Avoiding these pitfalls is crucial when building your stockpile.

The most frequent issue preppers face is underestimating caloric needs during a crisis. The average adult requires around 2,000 calories per day for basic functioning. Stressful emergency situations increase this demand substantially. Failing to account for higher caloric needs jeopardizes health and resilience.

Additionally, overlooking nutritional variety is problematic. Sticking solely to freeze-dried foods or MREs leads to vitamin deficiencies over time. Incorporating balanced nutrition across food groups into kits boosts long-term viability.

Finally, neglecting water storage is unwise. Water maintains crucial bodily functions. Dehydration escalates rapidly during survival scenarios. Stockpiling ample drinkable water alongside food reinforces preparedness foundations.

Carefully weighing caloric intake, nutritional variety, and water storage prevents common pitfalls when putting together your family emergency food supply. These considerations transform good survival kits into great ones.

What do you put in a survival kit for food?

When creating a survival kit, food is one of the most critical components. Having nutritious, long-lasting foods can help sustain you and your family during an emergency. However, choosing the right foods and avoiding common mistakes is key.

Here are some tips for selecting survival foods:

Focus on calorie-dense foods. In a disaster scenario, you'll need foods that provide a lot of energy from limited quantities. Things like granola bars, nut butters, dried fruits and jerky are good options.
Choose ready-to-eat items. Avoid foods that require cooking since you may not have access to utilities. Canned goods, MREs, and foods like survival bars are convenient ready-to-eat choices.
Include comfort foods. Having some familiar or morale-boosting foods like candy or chocolate can lift spirits in stressful times. Just don't make them the bulk of your supply.
Rotate and replace food. Check expiration dates every 6 months and replace items that are expiring. This avoids wasting money on spoiled goods.
Have variety. Getting bored of eating the same few items can lower morale. Packing a diverse range of flavors, textures and nutrition helps maintain positivity.
Consider special needs. If anyone in your family needs specific foods for health conditions, include some in your kit. Things like diabetes-friendly foods, baby formula or allergen-free items.

With some planning and attention to detail, you can assemble survival food kits customized to your family's unique needs. Just be sure to avoid the common pitfalls of choosing low-calorie or highly perishable items. Focus on nutrient-dense foods with long shelf lives for optimal emergency preparedness.

What are the top 10 survival foods?

When stocking survival food kits, focusing on versatile, nutrient-dense foods is key. Here are 10 must-have items to include:

Best survival food kits

Canned and Dried Fruits and Vegetables

Canned goods like green beans, carrots, and peas are shelf-stable and pack in vitamins. Dried fruits like apricots and raisins travel well too. Prioritize produce high in vitamin C to support immune health.

Peanut Butter and Whole Grain Crackers

A spoonful of survival kits food like peanut butter packs protein and healthy fats. Pair it with hearty crackers for an easy meal. Look for whole grains to get extra fiber.

Nuts and Trail Mixes

Stock up on nuts like almonds and walnuts for nutrition. Combine with dried fruit for homemade trail mix. These snacks provide protein, healthy fats, and carbs for energy.

Canned Fish

Canned tuna, salmon, chicken, and other proteins are versatile additions, perfect for salads, sandwiches, tacos, and more. Choose fish packed in water when possible for less sodium.

With compact, nutrient-rich picks like these, you can build well-rounded survival kits food supplies on a budget.

What foods should I stockpile for survival?

When building a survival food kit, it's important to have a balanced mix of non-perishable foods that will provide enough calories, protein, nutrients, and variety to sustain you and your family. Here are some of the most important types of survival foods to stockpile:

Canned and Dried Meats

Canned varieties of meat like chicken, tuna, salmon, turkey, or beef are great for survival kits. Just a few cans provide protein and they store for years. Dried meats like beef jerky also store well. Having emergency food supply with meat ensures you get adequate protein if SHTF.

Canned Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and veggies provide essential vitamins and minerals. Choose canned varieties with lower sodium and skip ones packed in syrups. Get a mix - like peas, carrots, green beans, corn, pineapples, peaches, etc. Rotate stock every 6-12 months.

Whole Grains and Legumes

Whole grain pasta, rice, quinoa, oats, and dried beans are nutritious and non-perishable. They store for extended periods, provide fiber, and help stretch food supply. Consider adding MRE survival food meals to your stock.

Water and Fluids

Store at least 1 gallon of water per person for 3 days minimum. But consider stocking 1-2 months supply if possible. Also include powdered drink mixes to provide electrolytes and prevent dehydration if the grid goes down.

What are 20 items in a emergency kit?

When creating an emergency preparedness kit, it's important to have the essentials covered to survive for at least 3 days if a disaster strikes. Here are 20 key items every survival kit should include:

First aid supplies like bandages, gauze, antibiotics, pain relievers, etc. These treat injuries and prevent infections. Consider creating a separate first aid kit just for emergencies.
Prescription medications for at least a week for those who need it. Also pack copies of prescriptions.
Plenty of water - 1 gallon per person per day. Water packets or boxes take up less space.
Food - Canned goods, MREs, granola bars. Enough for 3 days. Rotate stock.
Can opener - Essential for opening canned food.
Weather radio - Battery-powered or hand crank model to get weather updates.
Flashlights - Crank or battery-powered. Bring extra batteries.
Matches & candles - Alternate light sources during power outages.
Pocket knife - Useful survival tool for cutting, opening cans, etc.
Blankets & warm clothes - It may get cold during or after a disaster.
Hygiene items - Toilet paper, baby wipes, feminine products, etc.
Garbage bags - Useful for waste disposal and waterproofing.
Duct tape - Temporary repairs and sealing leaks.
Rope or paracord - Tie or secure items. Can also be used to build shelter.
Battery bank - Charge essential electronics if no power access. Consider solar powered.
Radio - Stay updated on news without WiFi/data. Crank or battery-powered.
Cash - ATMs may be unavailable post-disaster. Have small bills on hand.
Local maps - Navigate if cell phone service is disrupted.
Pet supplies if needed - Food, water, medicine, leashes, etc.

Having these survival items on hand better prepares households to handle disasters and their aftermath. Check and refresh kit items twice a year.

Comprehensive Food Strategies for Survival Kits

This section discusses the best survival food kits on the market and what makes them ideal choices for various emergency situations. Having a well-stocked food supply is crucial for surviving disasters and unexpected events. When selecting survival kits, it's important to consider shelf life, nutritional value, calorie count, and dietary preferences.

Choosing the Best Survival Food Kits

When researching survival food kits, focus on ones that provide balanced nutrition and enough calories to support your family. Reputable brands like Mountain House and Wise Foods create emergency food with a 25+ year shelf life. Their food pouches and ready-to-eat meals are convenient, lightweight, and easy to transport if evacuating.

However, many pre-made kits lack variety and appeal after prolonged use. An alternative is to create your own custom survival food kit. You can tailor it to your family's tastes and pack more nutrient-dense foods like nuts, peanut butter, and MRE dishes high in protein. Mixing ready-to-eat foods with items requiring cooking also provides options if fuel sources are limited.

No matter what survival food you select, rotate and consume items before they expire. Also avoid pitfalls like only packing sugary, starchy, or salty foods which can lead to fatigue and health issues over time.

Planning an Emergency Food Supply for a Family of 4

When emergency prepping for a family of four, a good rule of thumb is to store at least a two week food supply. To determine the amount needed, calculate approximately 1,800 calories per person for a minimum subsistence diet.

For example, for a family of two adults and two children for two weeks, you would need:

2 adults x 1,800 calories x 14 days = 50,400 calories
2 kids x 1,200 calories x 14 days = 33,600 calories
Total calories: 84,000

Some tips for meeting nutritional needs include:

Pack more proteins like canned fish and meats
Include canned fruits and vegetables
Incorporate 4Patriots food buckets with freeze-dried produce
Don't forget comfort foods like chocolate, honey, peanut butter
Ensure food preparations match cooking fuel availability

Having an ample, balanced food supply tailored to your family takes the stress out of emergency situations when resources are scarce. Investing time upfront to carefully evaluate your options allows you to endure extended periods without access to fresh food or grocery stores.

Understanding and Utilizing MRE Survival Food

This section delves into the world of Meals Ready-to-Eat (MREs), highlighting their role in survival situations and how to incorporate them into your food planning.

The Role of MREs in Your Survival Kit

MREs can play an important role in your survival food kit due to their portability, long shelf life, and calorie density. Unlike homemade meals or freeze dried foods that require preparation, MREs are fully self-contained, allowing you to eat them directly from the package. This makes them ideal for on-the-go situations when cooking facilities are limited.

However, MREs do have some downsides to consider:

They tend to be more expensive per calorie compared to alternatives like beans, rice, pasta, etc. Budget may limit how many you can realistically stock.
Taste fatigue can set in if relying solely on MREs for extended periods. Flavor variety is limited.
Packaging creates more waste compared to homemade meals.
Shelf life, while long, is still limited to around 5 years depending on storage. Proper rotation is important.

When planning your survival kits food, here are some tips for effectively utilizing MREs:

Use MREs to supplement your stockpile, not as the sole food source. Combine with freeze-dried goods, canned items, etc.
Prioritize MREs for your mobile/evacuation kits where portability is key. Rely on cheaper bulk items for main supply.
Stick to simple MRE flavors like spaghetti or chili to avoid taste burnout. Add hot sauce!
Practice with a couple MREs now so you know what to expect in a real emergency.

By understanding the unique capabilities of MRE survival food, yet balancing them with other goods, you can build an emergency food supply that is practical, shelf-stable, and tailored to your situation.

Avoiding the Pitfalls of DIY Survival Kits

Many people try to save money by creating their own survival kits, but this can unfortunately lead to critical oversights in preparation. When compiling your own survival kits food supply, it's important to avoid some common pitfalls.

Failing To Account For Caloric Needs

One of the biggest mistakes with DIY survival food kits is not packing enough calories. The average adult needs around 2,000 calories per day to maintain body weight and energy levels. However, in a crisis scenario, your caloric expenditure could increase significantly due to physical activity, stress, and exposure to the elements. You'll want to pack food that meets the caloric needs of every member of your party. A good guideline is to pack emergency food supply for family of 4 with at least 2,400-2,800 calories per person per day.

Packed foods like Mountain House Emergency Food Supply or 4Patriots food kits are specially designed to deliver balanced nutrition and enough calories to sustain energy in an emergency. Relying solely on snacks like protein bars could leave you lacking critical macronutrients. Consider your unique needs and pack food accordingly.

Neglecting Important Nutrients

When foraging your own survival kits food, it's not enough to just pack calories - you need a balance of protein, carbs, fat, vitamins and minerals to maintain health. For example, lots of sugary snack foods could lead to crashes while too much salt could dehydrate you faster. Ensure you have a nutritional variety of foods that provide long-lasting energy from complex carbs, muscle-protecting protein, mood-boosting fats, and essential vitamins/minerals from fruits, vegetables and MREs.

Cross-check the nutritional labels of packed foods or use an app to analyze the macro/micronutrient breakdown. Strive for a balanced distribution that aligns with established dietary recommendations. Having a nutritional variety is key for health and wellbeing, especially in stressful situations where your body needs added support.

Overlooking Critical Tools & Accessories

In your quest to pack ample calories, don't forget essential accessories like a can opener, mess kits, utensils, portable stove, fuel, lighter, knives, resealable bags, etc. Without these tools, you won't be able to safely store, prepare and serve your food. You'll also need water filtration, medicines, first aid kids and other gear for survival needs beyond just eating.

When budgeting for your best survival food kits, allocate funds for critical tools and accessories so you have a fully-functional, comprehensive setup. Things like portable stoves, utensils, and water filtration allow you to properly cook and serve meals while keeping you hydrated, minimizing contamination risk and preventing disease.

By being aware of common pitfalls, carefully calculating needs, packing balanced nutrition and allowing room in your budget for vital accessories, you can create affordable yet complete DIY survival food kits tailored to your situation. Test kits in practice runs and continue optimizing as needed.

Failing to Consider All Scenarios

When prepping survival kits, it's crucial to think through various emergencies that could occur, from natural disasters to civil unrest, and pack food accordingly. Failing to plan for diverse situations is a common mistake that leaves preppers underprepared when crisis strikes.

To avoid this pitfall, first take stock of potential emergencies most likely to affect your region, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, blizzards, civil unrest, or supply chain disruptions. Consider how each scenario could limit access to food or water for days or weeks.

Next, research and pack emergency food supplies suited for those situations. For example, lightweight, nutrient-dense foods like Pemmican bars or Mountain House freeze-dried meals make good additions for bug out bags when evacuating is necessary. Canned goods or MREs store well for sheltering in place during disasters like blizzards or floods.

It's also wise to pack foods accommodating special dietary needs, like gluten-free or diabetic-friendly items. Don't forget comfort foods to lift morale during stressful times.

Additionally, pack adequate water filtration/purification gear and alternate cooking sources for scenarios where utilities are disrupted. A multifuel camp stove that uses propane or wood pellets maintains cooking abilities.

By gaming out various emergencies and packing food/water/cooking equipment to match, your survival kit will sustain your household despite the crisis at hand. Don't let a simple oversight leave your family's emergency food plan vulnerable. Careful consideration makes all the difference.

Choosing the Best Food Options

When selecting emergency food, the most important factors to consider are calories, nutrients, shelf-life, portability, and palatability. It's best to streamline your choices down to versatile staples that check all these boxes.

For example, Mountain House Emergency Food Supply products are lightweight, boast a decades-long shelf life, require minimal preparation, and offer balanced nutrition. Their buckets conveniently provide over 50 servings of rice, vegetables, eggs, meat, and more to fuel your family in an unforeseen crisis.

Similarly, 4Patriots food is specifically designed for longevity, providing tasty meals with a 25+ year shelf life. Their food kits come with gluten-free entrées like chili, pasta, and oatmeal that will satisfy comfort food cravings when times get tough.

When stocking your emergency survival kits for disasters big and small, it pays to choose reliable brands focused on nutrition, portability, and longevity. Avoid getting overwhelmed by all the options and instead streamline your food supply around staples like Mountain House and 4Patriots that deliver on all fronts.

Benefits of Mountain House Emergency Food Supply

Mountain House earns its reputation for having some of the highest-quality and longest-lasting emergency food in the industry. Their freeze-dried meals can last 30+ years in storage and still retain their flavor and nutritional integrity.

Specific benefits of Mountain House food include:

Extremely lightweight and portable for bug out situations
Requires minimal preparation - just add hot water
Provides balanced nutrition with protein, carbs, vitamins
Tasty flavors including spaghetti, chicken teriyaki, eggs & bacon
Offers food variety with meat, veggies, grains, and fruit options
Features durable packaging ideal for emergency kits

With minimal storage space needed and meals ready in just minutes, Mountain House is one of the most versatile and reliable emergency food supplies to meet various disaster survival needs. Their impressive shelf life ensures you can set it and forget it in your stockpile for years.

The Advantages of 4Patriots Food for Longevity and Taste

For the ultimate combination of great taste and exceptional longevity, 4Patriots food delivers on both fronts. Their meals offer restaurant-quality flavors you'll actually look forward to eating, with a 25+ year shelf life unmatched by competitors.

Specific advantages of 4Patriots food kits include:

extremely long 25+ year shelf life
made in the USA with high safety standards
gluten-free recipes using real food ingredients
great flavors like hearty chili, creamy potato soup, and blueberry pancakes
convenient grab-and-go pouches for portability
made by military veterans and prepping experts

With 4Patriots, you never have to choose between taste and longevity again. Their meals check every box to keep your family satisfied and set up for success no matter the situation. It offers everything needed for reliable short and long-term food survival kits.

Failing to Rotate and Refresh Supplies

Rotating and refreshing your food supplies is a critical component of maintaining an effective survival kit. However, many preppers neglect this important task, leading to wasted resources and compromised preparedness. The key is to build a schedule for methodically consuming and replacing your food before expiry dates.

Create an Inventory Tracking System

The first step is creating a detailed inventory of all the food items in your kit, noting purchase dates, shelf lives, calorie counts, and other relevant details. Tracking this over time allows you to monitor what needs to be rotated out and replaced. Useful inventory methods include:

A spreadsheet detailing all supplies and expiration timelines
Labeling all containers and packages with purchase/open dates
Building a visual storage system so older items come up front

Updating inventories quarterly ensures you have an accurate account of the survival food on hand.

Follow "First In, First Out" Principles

When pulling food out of your supply, always follow "first in, first out" guidelines. This means consuming your oldest cans, MREs, and freeze-dried meals first before tapping into newer additions. Setting reminder alerts on a calendar can prompt you to check older items and integrate them into regular meals.

Plan Cyclical Replacement Purchases

As you eat down survival food over time, you'll need to cycle in new supplies to avoid shrinking reserves. Planning cyclical replacement buys every 6-12 months maintains strong stock levels. Mark your calendar for these re-supply reminders.

When making replacement purchases, revisit your inventory records and focus on items close to expiration first. You can also evaluate if different food types make more sense for your needs now.

Donate Unopened Items Annually

If you surface unopened cans or meals reaching expiration, donate these to local food banks to avoid waste. This allows the supplies to still benefit those in need, rather than tossing them in the trash. Dedicate a time each year, such as after taking inventory, to gather soon-to-expire items for donation.

Following these best practices for rotating and refreshing means your survival food stays safe, nutritious, and ready to sustain your household when an emergency strikes.

Selecting Poor Storage Solutions

When planning the food for your survival kit, one of the most important considerations is proper storage. Without adequate storage methods, your food can quickly spoil or become contaminated, making it unsafe to eat when you need it most. Here are some of the most common storage mistakes to avoid:

Relying on Inadequate Containers

One of the biggest mistakes is trying to store your survival food in containers that are not durable or airtight enough. For example, using regular plastic food containers or bags leaves your food vulnerable to pests, moisture, and oxygen. This causes early spoilage. Instead, invest in good-quality, long-term storage containers like heavy-duty buckets with gamma lids or thick plastic containers meant for prepper food storage.

Neglecting Proper Conditions

Equally important is storing your survival food kits in less-than-ideal conditions. Keeping food in places that get too hot, cold, wet, or exposed to sunlight will quickly degrade quality. Be sure to store in cool, dark places like a basement or closet. Consider adding desiccant packs to containers to absorb excess moisture. Monitoring conditions with a thermometer helps prevent spoilage.

Not Rotating Stock

A common organizational mistake is just piling food into a container without a system for regular rotation. This causes older food to get pushed to the back while newer items get used first. Make sure to establish a first-in-first-out system by clearly labeling containers with purchase dates. Then be diligent in checking dates and using the oldest food first to avoid waste from expiration.

Upgrading Packaging

Sometimes you may end up with survival food packed in low-quality bags or containers instead of the durable, long-term packaging you need. When this happens, be sure to repackage into better storage materials like heavy-duty Mylar bags or food-grade buckets for improved shelf life. Add oxygen absorbers to help remove oxygen that fosters bacteria growth.

By avoiding these common pitfalls around storage solutions, you can significantly extend the shelf life of your survival food kits. Investing in high-quality containers and diligent monitoring of conditions will go a long way in ensuring you have safe, nutritious food when you need it most.

Going It Alone Rather Than Collaborating

Preparing for emergencies alone can seem daunting. However, partnering with others in your community or family to share resources, skills, and labor can make prepping more feasible and affordable. Here are some tips for effective collaboration when stocking survival kits with food:

Build a Network of Support

Rather than tackling emergency preparedness solo, connect with like-minded neighbors or relatives to share costs, stockpile surplus items, and trade skills. More people means more hands available for security, supply runs, food production, and developing self-sufficiency.

Work together to buy bulk pallets of survival kits food like freeze-dried entrees, MREs, canned goods, rice, beans, etc. Splitting cases lowers per-person expense. Store items in a central location for community access.

Swap Homegrown and Foraged Goods

Trade home-canned foods, eggs from backyard chickens, or wild edibles foraged locally. Diversify your collective emergency food supply with items grown and produced within your network.

Build Community Resilience Together

More people collaborating on preparedness makes the entire community more resilient in crises. Share knowledge, tools, seed banks, greenhouses, hunting expertise, and water access freely to lift up everyone's capacity to handle disasters.

Rather than prepping in isolation with limited time and funds, connect with others to share valuable resources and skills for facing emergencies. Unified communities thrive together in times of hardship. Consider hosting a preparedness fair to bring like-minded neighbors together around this goal of emergency resilience.

Final Takeaways: Preparing Effective Survival Food Kits

When assembling survival food kits, it is crucial to avoid common mistakes that can render your food supply ineffective. Careful planning and wise choices are key to building emergency kits that can reliably sustain your family in crisis scenarios.

Research Shelf Life and Proper Storage

Foods like MREs or freeze-dried meals often boast long shelf lives but improper storage can still lead them to spoil or lose nutritional value prematurely. Research specifics of your chosen survival foods - how to store them for maximum longevity and what environmental factors may impact shelf life.

Account for Individual Dietary Needs

Custom tailor kits for each family member's nutritional requirements and restrictions to avoid critical gaps in sustenance when it matters most. Track quantities closely as needs evolve over time.

Set Reminder to Cycle and Replace

Even with 25+ year shelf lives, periodically cycle out older pouches and replace them before expiry. This maintains integrity of your supply and avoids wasting money on degraded or inedible foods.

Careful sourcing, storage and management of emergency food prepares your family to weather dire straits and supports reliance in uncertain times.