What can you do when you reach the point in your prepping journey where buying another eight-pack of Spam or six more pounds of spaghetti doesn’t seem to move the needle? If you are ready to take it to the next level—and I don’t mean Mountain House or MREs—here are some options to consider.
Fats
If you made the mistake of buying those commercial buckets filled with carb-heavy foods like macaroni and cheese or oatmeal that lack meat, you will need some fats in your emergency diet.
Why, you may ask, do you need fats? First, it’s a necessity for cooking and some baking. Second, fat is an excellent source of calories (energy), helps your body generate heat in the winter, and is required by your brain. But fats can be hard to store because they go rancid over time. Here are a few ways to address that:
Ghee – Clarified butter can last two to five years when properly stored. If you make it yourself, store it in a pint canning jar. If you buy it, look for it in a dark jar, which can preserve its shelf life . To prolong its shelf life further, refrigerate or freeze it.
Tallow – Beef tallow is available in glass jars and plastic buckets. For prepping purposes, glass jars will give you a longer shelf life. Tallow’s storage life is similar to Ghee and it will also last longer if frozen in an airtight container.
Oils – If you are looking for an animal-free fat, consider vegetable oils. An excellent choice for shelf life is coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil has a recommended shelf life of five years, although I have some on my shelf that is older.
We regularly use both avocado and olive oil, but we store only about a year’s worth because they can go rancid. The tin cans of olive oil are reported to protect it from light and may give you the longest shelf life. Like coconut oil, the least processed oils, like virgin olive oil, are your best bet for storage.
Proteins
While you get protein from plants, a survival diet based on pasta, wheat berries and garden vegetables may leave you wanting in the protein department. Here are a few options to consider beyond dried beans and canned meats (both of which we recommend, but should already be in your basic prepper pantry).
Peanut Butter Powder – The jar of peanut butter in your kitchen cabinet provides both fat and protein, but its storage life can be just a year or two. That’s where peanut butter powder comes in. When stored in #10 cans or other containers designed for long-term storage (not the original plastic container which is gas permeable) it can last five to 30 years.
Powdered Protein Supplements – Do not make whey or other protein-based shakes and similar products targeting the weightlifting or workout market your primary source of protein, but they can be useful to add some protein to a diet that is dominated by rice and other carbohydrates. Another plus is that they often come in variety of flavors, so they can help combat meal fatigue or be used as a treat.
Powdered Whole Eggs – Our last powder to consider is powdered eggs. I have chickens, but I also have #10 cans of powdered eggs stored away. While you can buy a scrambled egg mix, whole eggs are better for baking, and most are 100 percent egg. That’s not always the case with scrambled mixes.
Specialty Items
While I may be OK with a basic prepper menu, my wife will quickly grow to hate it. That’s where what I am calling “specialty items” come in. You should change this short list to include things that are important to yourself and your family. They should help lift spirits and add a bit of normality to an otherwise unpleasant situation.
Green Coffee Beans – If you drink coffee, consider green coffee beans, which are more stable than ground coffee or even roasted beans. Of course, you must roast your own green coffee beans, but if you are desperate for coffee, I expect you’ll figure it out.
Freeze Dried Cheese – This can be quite expensive, but short of raising dairy animals or living near someone who does, you can count on your supply of cheese drying up in a long-term survival scenario. But cheese—like bacon—makes everything taste a little better. It is also a key ingredient in many things my wife cooks and a source of protein and fat.
Dried Fruits – I don’t know how many #10 cans of banana chips we have, but I would guess a least ten. Bananas are another of those foods that will be hard to find after a collapse. While we have apples, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries and even some peaches and persimmons growing nearby, bananas, citrus, and other tropical fruits will be unavailable. If we want them, we’ll have to store them dried or freeze-dried.
Baking Mixes – While I have some Bisquick stored away, what I am talking about is things like blueberry muffin mix, brownie mix, cake mixes, and other baking mixes that need only water, oil, and/or eggs. Because everyone needs a treat now and then, and too much oatmeal makes Jack a dull boy.
Don’t Forget to Rotate
While true long-term storage foods packed in #10 cans or Mylar bags in super pails may have a shelf life of ten to 30 years, the items listed above should be rotated out of your storage pantry and onto your dinner plate every three to five years. After you move a jar of beef tallow or a bottle of olive oil, replace it with a new one. That will help keep you from wasting food and will ensure you eat what you store and store what you eat.
Food is the number one survival item on our list of the Big Three (food, water, and shelter). It’s worth revisiting now and again to ensure you are putting up food you can not only live on, but will enjoy while it provides you with balanced nutrition.
