What About Food During Survival Situations?

Thinking toward the future, anything can happen, so it’s best to be prepared for any situation. Depending on where you live and the potential for a variety of different disasters, you could end up taking different steps to become prepared. No matter what you’re preparing for, though, food will be a concern. Make sure you have plenty of food and water on hand in case there is an emergency. Whether it’s a natural disaster in the area, global disruptions, or any other situation in between, you and your family will need food to survive. 

Types of Survival Foods to Consider

When it comes to survival foods, there are short-term and long-term solutions to consider. In the case of a natural disaster, you may only need to make it a few weeks before more food is available. Your needs might be different from someone who is prepping for a potential economic collapse that could make getting food difficult for a longer period of time. Keep this in mind when you’re deciding what to purchase and store. 

1. Canned Goods and Non-Perishable Items: Canned goods and non-perishable items will last a significant amount of time while still being safe to eat, so it’s a good idea to stock up on them. They will last long enough for you to start looking into other potential food sources to feed your family. Keep an eye on expiration dates and rotate your stock so you don’t have to worry about whether you can eat expired food if something does happen. Choose foods you typically like eating and that will last as long as possible. 
2. MREs: MREs are commonly used in the military or by those who do hiking and camping as they’re lightweight, easy to carry, and last a long time. They can be purchased by anyone at places like Prepared Bee and are an excellent source of full meals if you’re in an emergency situation. Plus, they can last as long as seven years with the right storage, so you can stock up now and not be worried about whether they’ll be expired when you need them. It’s easy to cook them and they can be tossed in a backpack if you need to head out of the house. 
3. Storing Seeds: Seeds can be a great option, too, especially if you’re worried about long-term access to food. Choose a wide range of seeds for vegetables that grow quickly in your area and that can be grown throughout the year. Though you might have limited options for growing foods in the winter, indoor growing is possible, too. Store seeds carefully to make sure they’ll still have a high chance of germination when you do need them and rotate like you would with other foods. 
4. Plenty of Water: You’ll want to make sure you have plenty of water if there is an emergency. Most recommendations say to have one gallon of water per person per day. You’ll also want water for things like bathing, cooking, and cleaning. Water may not last very long and still be potable, so it is a good idea to rotate it more frequently than food. If you’re prepping for a natural disaster, fill the bathtub with water to use for things like flushing the toilet, but do not depend on that for drinking water. 
5. Storing Your Food and Water: Make sure you have appropriate shelving in the home to store all food supplies in a cool, dark place within the home. All food should be stored off the ground in case of flooding or other issues and should be checked regularly to make sure it hasn’t expired. The shelving doesn’t need to be fancy, but it is a good idea to use some sort of shelving system so it’s easy to see what you have and to rotate the foods as needed. 

Creating a Garden in the Yard

A garden can be started by anyone, even if you don’t have a green thumb. Starting a garden now gives you access to fresh foods if an emergency does happen. If you do store seeds, knowing how to garden and what grows well in your area can help you ensure you have the right seeds on hand to feed you and your family. 

1. Supplies Needed: You can get started with very few supplies. You’ll want a shovel, a knife, and some containers for starting the seeds. You can always purchase more gardening tools as you continue to grow your own food if desired. A hori garden tool is an excellent tool to have on hand since it works both as a shovel and a basic knife for cutting when you’re in the garden. Plus, it takes up less space in your storage. 
2. What Foods to Grow: Start with plants that are easier to grow and do well in your area. It might take some research to figure out what to start with. Make sure, before planting and growing anything, that it will be something your family enjoys eating. If no one likes hot peppers, don’t waste space growing those. Use the space for bell peppers instead. Some foods are easier to grow than others, so if you’ve never gardened before, these might be a good choice. 
3. How to Start Seeds: The paper towel method is one of the easiest ways to start seeds. Place the seeds on a damp paper towel and place this in a baggie or glass jar. Close or cover this, then place it in indirect sunlight. Within a few days to a week, you should see the seeds start to sprout. Carefully move them to the soil and watch them continue to grow. Some plants can’t be started this way and must be started directly in the soil. To do this, keep the area damp and protected from direct sunlight to give the plants the best chance of growing. 
4. How to Nurture the Plants: Keep an eye on your plants as they grow. Check daily for pests and use pest control to keep them away. Look for any possible diseases or other issues that may mean pulling some of the plants to save the others, and pull some of the plants if an area ends up being overcrowded. Make adjustments to what you’re doing based on how the plants are growing and thriving in your area. 

Gardening During an Emergency

When there’s an emergency situation, it might not be possible to wait weeks or months for food to grow. It’s a good idea to have non-perishable foods and MREs on hand for this situation, but what if you run out of those before the garden starts producing? 

1. When You’re in a Hurry for Food: Plant berries and fruit trees ahead of time so there will be something growing when you need it in an emergency. Another option is to grow microgreens. It can take a few days for the plants to sprout, but once they do, you can trim off the sprouts and eat those in a salad for fresh greens. A wide range of seeds can be used as microgreens, so keep some of these stored in case you’ll need them. You may also want to go ahead and plant some fast-growing varieties of vegetables you enjoy, as some can grow much faster than others. 
2. Growing Plants That Last: If you have time to prep for an emergency, look into varieties of plants that come back year after year or that are going to create vegetables that can be stored for longer periods of time. Some foods, like pumpkin or watermelon, are easier to store, but they will go bad if they aren’t stored properly. Other foods like broccoli and asparagus are perennials, so once you start growing them, they’ll come back year after year. This can make gardening a little easier and ensure you have food to harvest every year.
3. Choosing Alternative Planting Methods: What if you don’t have a big yard? Square foot gardening is a way to get as much food as possible out of a small space, so you don’t need acres of space to grow your own garden. If you don’t have a backyard at all, container gardening might be the best option. Containers can be placed on balconies if you’re in an apartment or you can use them to grow food indoors. If you do decide to grow food indoors, make sure you have everything set up ahead of time, as plants will need the right light to thrive. In an emergency, you can always use the light coming in through a window, but it is best to set up everything with lights if you’re going to grow a lot indoors. 

Food is not something you can go without, so if you’re looking for ways to prepare for an emergency, consider what you enjoy eating and what you might need if you can’t access food for a period of time. From canned goods to growing your own vegetables, there are plenty of options to try out so you can make sure your family has the food they need to survive.