Emergencies happen without warning and if you aren't prepared, they will catch you by surprise and you will helplessly be stuck in a dire situation. Emergencies are of many types and forms – natural disasters terrorist attacks, camping accident, getting lost on your hiking or camping trip, caught in a car accident, etc.
These situations require the right prepping supplies. You can prepare a bug out bag backpack and store in the trunk of your car in case something goes wrong. You can do the same at your home; you can store food for emergencies. If you have a cabin you like to go to for adventures, you can store emergencies MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) in the cabin in the woods, etc.
Product Name | Our Rating |
|---|---|
Our Top Prepping Supplies Recommendations
Prepping supplies can help you avoid the dangers of starvation, sleep deprivation and dehydration.
MRE (Meals Ready-To-Eat) Genuine US Military Surplus w/ Menu Selections
The Genuine US Military MRE pack comes with a diverse range of food flavors, guarantees great taste and bursts with food with high-level nutrition to keep both the mind and body health and active.
source: ccpreppers.com
Other features of the product include:
Sopakco MRE Meaks
A single Sopakco MRE case contain 14 packets of ready to eat meals that come in multiple flavors that include Veggies lasagna, spaghetti with meat sauce and beef ravioli. The ingredients used in the MREs are low in salt.
source: mreinfo.com
Other features of the product include:
Mountain House Just In Case Essential Bucket
The Mountain House Just In Case ready to eat meals is exactly what you need if you find yourself stuck in an emergency with limited resources. The brand offers 3 different entrees that can be prepared quickly and with ease.
source: mountainhouse.com
Some of other features include:
Wise Company 52 Serving Wise Prepper Pack
This is the ultimate in survival food prepping, providing you with a quick and delicious source of food that is low in sodium and high in vitamins and minerals. The Wise Company 52 Serving ready to eat meals come in a variety of different flavors.
source: wisefoodstorage.com
Some other features include:
Explorer Tactical Gun Concealment Backpack
It does not get any better than the Explorer Tactical Gun and survival backpack. It is one of the most trending survival bug out backpacks in the market today.
source: explorerbag.com
Some other features include:
Personal Survival Kit And Emergency Pack For Cars
The Personal Survival Kit offers a combination of storing food supplies and essential survival gear. You can store a plethora of items and store the bag in the trunk of your car for easy and quick accessibility should you find yourself in an emergency.
source: getreadynow.com
Some other features include:
The 8 Best Foods For Prepping
When push comes to shove you have to be prepared in advance – and when stocking up food for weeks you need to ensure you get foods that are healthy and will keep you nourished throughout the ordeal. You have to select various food items that have good nutritional value and are high in proteins, vitamins and carbohydrates.
However, before you do all that you also need to consider total weight of the food you are planning to stock, which also include the weight of the packaging.
Sure, you’ll be wondering why the total weight of the food you are packing is so important – well, that is because when you have to abruptly evacuate your home and have no time at all, you will have to grab your bags and stuff them with the food you stocking up.
However, you will regret it when the bulk of the food that you have is canned. Canned food can be heavy and will take a majority of the space in all your bags meaning you will not be able to pack a whole lot of food and other survival gear with you.
In light of this, mentioned below is a balanced list of canned and non-canned food that you should stock up on as a part of your prepping supplies:
Coffee
Coffee is also an important item to store. If you have never tried to quit drinking coffee and have depended on it to get you through the morning at work, then imagine what it would feel like not having it in a survival situation. It is smart to pack small packets of instant coffee to help get the body in gear for what’s to come throughout the day.
In addition, coffee is great for your cardiovascular system as well. If you don’t have enough of it during your trip or an emergency your body will end up going into coffee withdrawal, which can result in fever, lethargy and lack of energy. These are all things that you don’t want to experience in a situation where you have to survive and get through the day successfully.
Dried Beans
You can also select different types of dried beans for example, chickpeas, kidney beans, black-eyed beans, etc. Beans are high in protein, iron and numerous types of vitamins and minerals. They contain a decent protein count per serving. What is even better is the fact you can purchase them in packets instead of cans.
However, keep in mind that all types of beans require a considerable time soaking in water. Kidney beans and black beans for instance, require a 30-minute soak time – and some require a few hours soaking in the water. Split peas on the other hand have the quickest soak time.
Moreover, when you talk about the best shelf time of dried beans, the best thing you can do is get packets of dried beans. Dried beans have a long shelf life and do not deteriorate in terms of their nutritional value. You can store dried beans anywhere you want, in the trunk of your car, in your cabin in the woods, your survival kit, etc.
Compared to carrying heavy canned foods hurting your back and shoulders stock up on packets of dried beans that are considerably lighter and offer more nutritional value.
Loads Of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is considered as the best mre food and is ranked amongst the best foods for prepping. Peanut butter is also recommended by several professional weightlifters as a great source of protein and different minerals.
For example, this food item contains essential nutrients such as iron and copper. However, it is important that you can purchase peanut butter from a company that manufactures it without adding and food preservative or additives. Peanut butter is the best food to eat in case there is an emergency and you are running low on food supplies.
Canned Salmon (Alaskan Wild Salmon)
Salmon can provide you with a powerful combination of omega 3 fatty acids, proteins and healthy fats. In this regard, always go for the Alaskan Wild Salmon. This is what indigenous folk inhabiting North America and Alaska used to eat to keep their hearts healthy. Moreover, salmon also minimizes the risk of experiencing a stroke.
The Alaskan Wild Salmon typically does not come with any contaminants, which means you don’t have to prepare the fish, just open the can and start eating it. However, if there are any salmon leftovers you will need to refrigerate it so that it doesn’t spoil. However, in emergencies, arranging for electricity can become impossible.
In this can, in order not waste anything, try to share a couple of cans of salmon with others.
A Do It Yourself Trail Mix
Trail mix is a combination of different dried nuts, dried cherries, peanuts, raisins, etc. This mix is a favorite amongst campers and hikers and can give you a powerful boost of energy. The mix can also contain dried fruits such as apples, apricot, peaches, strawberries, etc.
Consider it as a homemade batch of energy bars that can last a couple of days to a week depending on how much you make it.
You can also use sunflower seeds, Brazilian nuts, chia seeds, almonds, etc. Moreover, for a bit of taste you can add a bar of milk chocolate or dark chocolate. Dark chocolate is strongly recommended for giving your brain a morale boost and by enhancing your glucose levels.
You have to maintain your glucose levels as they quickly diminish as you exert yourself, which is what happens in emergencies. You will end up feeling lethargic, tired and sluggish – which is what leads to dehydration, low levels of energy and a decreased will to do anything. So, keep a batch of this trail mix handy whenever you need a quick boost of energy.
Beef Jerky And Other Dried Meat
Unprocessed proteins such as meat and turkey do not contain the amount of bacteria, contaminants or harmful ingredients that a majority of manufacturers use to make beef jerky. This is why it is important to look for brands that use non-GMO ingredients to make jerky – which lasts longer in terms of its nutritional value and taste.
Jerky is a tasty and healthy type of dried meat. It is something that Native Americans used to eat to survive the long winters. This is also what other ingenious people used to all around the globe. Buy beef jerky in small or large packages, however, keep the weight of your bug out bag backpack in mind.
Brown Hot Cereal Rice
Brown rice packs a heck of a lot of carbohydrates and protein. Moreover, they also contain loads of vitamins and other nutrients to help keep the body healthy and active. On top of that, as it is a non-perishable item and is dried, you don’t have to worry about the shelf life of the food item.
However, when you talk about brown rice, you need to understand one thing, and that is the fact that brown rice takes somewhere from a half an hour to forty-five minutes to cook.
Now in the case of emergencies, when you are stranded the one thing you must always remember is not to waste precious resources such as fire-wood, propane or electricity to prepare something that takes a long time to cook.
So instead of brown rice, when you are preparing your survival food kits, buy loads of hot cereal brown rice. Why? Well, first of all hot cereal brown rice can take five to eight minutes to cook. Secondly, they are full of important nutrients, proteins and carbohydrates as well.
A single cup of this food item contains 12 gm of protein and 16% of iron. One cup contains 600 calories. You can also conveniently split hot cereal brown rice into smaller portions.
However, brown hot cereal rice needs to be stored in airtight packing or containers. This could pose a problem in a survival situation. The best possible solution to this is getting packets of freeze dried hot cereal brown rice that can last considerably longer and will not required airtight storage.
Dried Fruits And Nuts
Dried fruits and nuts should also be a part of your bulk survival food. Go your local food store and compare prices with the products you find online. Dried fruits and nuts can be expensive, so you have to be smart about what you select. Moreover, abstain from buying dried nuts that contain a lot of salt.
Remember, consuming too much salt can cause symptoms of dehydration and in a survival situation you have to ration and save as much precious resources as you can and water is perhaps the most important resource.
Go for dried nuts like sunflower seeds or almonds, both of which are low in salt and burst with essential fatty acids that can keep the body energized. Plus, some dried nuts like walnuts also contain a bit of protein.
On top of that, carrying dried nuts in packets is easier as they are lightweight. It is also wise to buy a couple of airtight glass jars in which you can store dried nuts to extend their shelf life.
A Guide To Selecting The Ultimate Bug Out Bag
Now that we have covered the best prepping supplies in terms of food, it is also important to understand the significance of a proper, survival bug out bag backpack that can help store emergency supplies, the best mre food and other things.
A bug out bag is the most important component when it comes to disaster preparedness. In light of this, mentioned below are some very important tips and pointers you should consider when buying a survival or tactical bag:
The typical types in bug out bags include:
Important Factors To Keep In Mind When Selecting The Best Bug Out Bag
The Fitting And Comfort Of The Backpack
There is no question that in an emergency situation, you will have to carry your backpack for a long time. You cannot afford to carry something that gets your tired every 10 minutes; you need something comfortable and ergonomic.
A backpack that makes you uncomfortable and limits your mobility can hamper your efforts to survive. This is why it is important to select a bug out backpack with the following qualities.
Shoulder, Hip Padding And Straps
This is one of the most important features to look for in a tactical survival bug out bag. You have to look for one that can offer you comfort and a nice fit.
You need to ensure you buy one that has proper shoulder and hip padding and straps to adequately adjust the weight of the bag throughout your body – which will eliminate the chances of any one of muscle group exhausting.
Support strapping on the hips are designed to help maximize the utilization of your thigh muscles, which are the strongest in the human body. Plus, these straps also considerably increase balance by reducing the center of gravity, minimizing the risk of shoulder and/or back injury.
Total Width Of The Straps
Avoid getting a bug out gear back that has straps designed to dig deep within your shoulder and hip muscles, the load will compel you to stop every 5 or 10 minutes and you will like taking off your bag.
This expends more calories, which isn't good because you will have to eat and drink more to keep your stamina up. Instead look for a bag that is designed with strong, wide and soft padded straps to help you comfortably carry all that weight over long distances.
Clip For The Sternum
The sternum clip is an important feature that can help keep the bag in a comfortable position on your body. The clip is placed at the center of your chest, near the bony part. It acts as a counterbalancing component, stabilizing the weight of the bag whenever the bag pulls back as you climb or are walking on a steep hill.
Airflow At The Back
There is no doubt walking all day with a heavy backpack full of prepping supplies will result in a sweaty back. This in turn can lead to chafing, excessive itchiness and rashes. Top quality bug out gear bags are designed with pockets that allow adequate airflow at the back keeping perspiration to a minimum.
The Total Mass And Volume Of The Bag
Before doing anything else you need to determine how much space you want in your backpack. You can do this by identifying the number of people who can carry the bag and the total amount of the best survival food.
Secondly, you can also determine this by prioritizing everything – will you be taking the bare essentials or will you be packing everything except the kitchen sink.
If you have a lot to pack in case of an emergency then you will need a tactical bug out back with plenty of space and pockets for added compartmentalization.
Accessibility
After review your bug out checklist and getting all the essential items to survive a disaster, the last thing you will need to consider is accessibility. Yes, you need a bag where you can take out things easily without having to put down the bag.
If you have a big bag and many things packed – you will need to compartmentalize. You can’t just store things without having an idea of what’s where. You need to organize and prioritize your packing. And for that you will require a top quality tactical survival backpack.
For example, you need to know where you’ve stored your medical kit should someone get hurt or if you hurt yourself. Not knowing can lead to bigger problems like taking out everything from the bag. This wastes time and energy.
Conclusion
Emergencies strike without warning. Being prepared with the right supplies can help you deal with the most difficult situation effectively. We have given you a detailed guide on how to prepare and offered you a selection of different survival kits. It's up to you to choose and be prepared to protect yourself and your family when push comes to shove.
Resources:
Wikipedia
DoomsdayNews
