Best Survival Food

When it comes to survival foods, there are many choices. Let's review some of the top choices of survival foods that work best for different situations.

Canned Foods - For many people just starting out, canned foods are the most practical and inexpensive to buy. Little will go to waste, if the foods you stock up on are items your family actually will eat. Simply rotate the cans as you buy new ones. Write the expiration dates largely on the front of each can with a felt tipped permanent marker, place them on the back shelf and pull from the front. This is how supermarkets rotate their old stock. While out shopping, be sure to grab the cans from the back of the shelves as they usually have a longer shelf life. Canned foods can give you almost unlimited choices, be sure to pick up canned fruits, vegetables and sauces. Broths can be combined with dry foods like rice and beans and make a rather tasty meal. Canned foods are best if you have a place to store them, and you are staying put in your home or shelter. The downside is the cans are very heavy as the food is preserved in water. They also can go bad if the can is dented, if you ever notice a can that has a bulge, throw it away. This is a sign that bacteria has started to grow and the seal has been compromised.

Dry Foods - Dry foods like grains rice wheat and beans are easy to store. They can have a shelf life of many years and will last a very long time if kept in a dark, cool and dry environment. When storing dry foods in large volumes, make sure they are stored in rodent proof containers. Also, beware of nuts as they will not last unless vacuum packed and then be sure to check the expiration date. Similar to canned foods bulk dry foods are something you typically don't want to have in your Bug Out Bag unless they are in smaller quantities.

Dehydrated Foods - The most popular of all survival foods, dehydrated foods are vacuum packed and all the water is removed. They are known to have an extremely long shelf life, as all oxygen is removed from the packaging. They are also known as "Meals Ready to Eat" (MREs) and while not a gourmet meal, they are actually not too bad to eat. The packets are extremely light weight and easy to carry, their foil pouch also doubles as a dish. Just add boiling water and you can eat your food right out of the bag. These type of survival foods are favorites of campers and hikers and the military due to their light weight and easy prep. They come in many different flavors and are available for breakfast dinner and even dessert. Since no cookware is required, this can save you even more weight and let you bring more food along instead. While there are many different manufactures of dehydrated survival food, always be sure to check the manufacture website or package labeling for shelf life.

No matter which survival foods works best for you, stocking up is the key to make sure you have food available when you need it most.