Best Survival Foods to Stock Up On

While the rest of the world is panic buying toilet paper and other non-essentials, now is a good time to review your stock of survival foods and make sure you have what it takes to weather a prolonged societal collapse.

Here are some of the best foods to stock up.

 Grains and Legumes

Grains such as rice, wheat, barley, oats, and quinoa last for long periods of time in their whole state—often for years on end without spoiling. This is in fact the primary reasons these foods have become the staples of civilizations all over the world.

When consumed in large amounts, grains can be unhealthy, but there’s no denying that you can survive on them for a long time.

There is a large variety of beans, and they have a higher protein content. One of the good things about grains and beans is that their protein profiles are opposite, so you can combine them and get a protein profile that is fairly close to meat.

Canned, Dried, Frozen Meat

It’s hard to survive for extended periods of time without the protein and nutrients found in meat products. Unfortunately, these products spoil easily, and need to be canned, dried, or frozen—with frozen meat being the healthiest and also most perishable.

Beef and fish products are the most nutrient dense. Quality fish, such as sardines, comes almost exclusively in cans, and is a good source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Beef can be bought in bulk frozen and in cans.

Dried Milk, Whey Protein & Coconut Milk

Dairy products are even more difficult to store for long periods of time, but there are a few alternatives you can use as disaster food, namely dried milk and whey protein, which can be combined into shakes and smoothies, as well as coconut milk, which is rich and fatty and can be cooked into grains for a flavorful, nutritious meal.

Fruits and veggies?

Fruits and vegetables don’t contain enough calories to be survival foods, but they are nutritious and add variety to meals. Pound per pound, however, it’s debatable whether or not it’s worth it to store them. Dried fruit is a good option—but in its dried state it is essentially sugar and can lead to more cravings for calories. It’s not a bad idea to have on hand during a crisis, but not essential either.

For fruits and vegetables, it’s a better idea to have a small garden with seeds where you grow your own. These are some of the easiest things to grow, even on a small plot of land, especially compared to meat products and grains. So, focus your gardening efforts on fresh fruits and vegetables and your disaster stockpile on the other items above.