Survival Food Sources

Whether you are in your survival planning stage or have experienced a natural disaster, man-made disaster, or cataclysmic event, food presents one of your biggest challenges. How much food will you need? Where do you get the food you need and how do you store it? What options do you have to prepare the food? Here are some ideas to get you started.

Nutritional Requirements: Food consists of the nutrients that provide nourishment to your body and is essential for growth and maintenance. Nutrients fall into seven basic groups: Carbohydrates, fat, protein, fiber, minerals, vitamins, and water. All these groups are essential to your good health and should be considered as you are planning for your survival food needs or preparing the meals for the day. The approximate Calorie requirements for individuals are as follows:

Infants under one year old - 45 Calories per pound daily
Children 1 to 3 years old - 1000 to 1400 Calories daily
Children 4 to 5 years old - 1200 to 1600 Calories daily
Children 6 to 8 years old - 1400 to 2000 Calories daily
Children 9 to 18 years old - 1600 to 3200 Calories daily
Adult Men and Women - 2000 to 3200 Calories daily

The approximate fiber requirements for ages 2 years and older is 14 grams per thousand Calories daily. Infants require approximately 19 grams of fiber per thousand Calories daily.

The approximate protein requirements are 0.3 to 0.5 grams per pound of body weight daily.

Vitamins and minerals are also essential to maintaining good health, especially while enduring a disaster or catastrophic event. See our supplemental nutrition page for more information on additional sources of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals useful in a survival environment.

Food Sources and Storage: The perishable items in your refrigerator and freezer did not survive the disaster or have been greedily consumed by you and your family. What food is left while you recover from the disaster? Hopefully, you have planned in advance and have non-perishable goods in your pantry or other storage area. Sources of non-perishable foods include:

Canned Goods: Soups, pasta, fruits, vegetables, fish, and meats all packaged securely in cans meant to last a few years without refrigeration. They can be eaten hot or cold. A great source of food when your refrigerator and freezer are out of service. Learn more about Canned Goods.
Meals Ready to Eat (MRE): Full meals that come in containers that are waterproof and airtight. They are designed to provide nourishment in a military environment. Just like canned foods, you do not have to add water. The food is ready to eat using a fork and spoon included in the package. Under proper storage conditions, they can last two to ten years. Learn more about MRE's.
Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Foods: Fruits, vegetables, meats, entrees, and desserts are examples of survival foods that are lightweight until you are ready to eat them. The addition of water to freeze dried or dehydrated foods can then make a tasty meal. Freeze dried survival foods last at least 10 years, and lots of them can last 25 years or more under proper storage conditions. Learn more about Freeze Dried and Dehydrated Foods.
Super Pail Grains, Legumes, and Vegetables: During long time periods of disrupted food supplies, it may be to your benefit to have the ability to mill your own flour for bread or have plenty of dried beans and legumes for soup. Super Pails can provide long term storage up to 25 years for such foods as wheat, spelt, farro, quinoa, rye, and other nutritious grains. Also consider dried green beans, black beans, lima beans, kidney beans, and other types of beans, legumes, and dehydrated vegetables in Super Pails to provide long term nourishment. Learn more about Super Pail Grains, Legumes, and Vegetables.

In the event of a long-term disaster or cataclysmic event, you may have to plan for the long term. Hunting, gathering, and growing your own food may be your only options for the long run. Here are some ideas on how to provide food for the long term:

Seeds: Your long term survival may rely on being able to grow your own food year after year. Seeds give you the ability to eat the harvest and save the seeds to plant again next year. What kind of fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants appeal to your culinary needs? What seeds give you the edge you need to survive? Learn more about Seeds.
Survival Hunting and Fishing: Your long term survival may also rely on your ability to replace domesticated sources of animal protein with wild caught animal protein from land and water based sources. Whether you hunt on land or fish the waters, you need the proper equipment to acquire your prey. Once your hunt is successful, how do you butcher and prepare your newly caught protein for consumption? Learn more about Survival Hunting and Fishing.
Wild Plants and Bugs: Who wants to eat bark, roots, or grubs? When all else fails, your long term survival may rely on your ability to identify edible wild plants and bugs that provide protein and nutrition safe for human consumption. What kinds of wild plants and bugs can be integrated into your diet in the least objectionable way? Learn more about Wild Plants and Bugs.

You have to protect your food from water, insects, and animals. Maintaining a controlled temperature will help extend the shelf life of your food. A well-constructed storage area or underground shelter may provide the safety and security you need for your food.

Food Preparation: Your electric and gas utilities are down. Forget about the stove, oven, and microwave. What are you going to cook your food on? Consider one of these ideas:

Outdoor grill: How about a cookout? An outdoor grill is an option within everyone's comfort zone that does not rely on electricity. Be prepared with a propane gas tank or plenty of charcoal depending on your grill. Remember lighter fluid for your charcoal grill and a fire starter for both. Now take your available proteins and vegetables and start grilling outside. Learn more about Outdoor Grills.
Camp stoves: Want a stove that doesn't rely on electricity and can be used outdoors? How about a stove that you can fold up and lug around like a suitcase? You got it, the Camp Stove! Just like an outdoor gas grill, a butane or propane gas tank will make this device function almost like your indoor stove. Learn more about Camp Stoves.
Campfire: Smores anyone? Of course that's everyone's favorite outdoor dessert. You can actually cook the same things on a campfire that you can cook on an outdoor grill. How do you select the best location for your campfire? Do you build the fire above or in ground? Most importantly, let's prevent forest fires. Learn more about Campfires.
Solar ovens: If you are an advocate of green energy, a solar oven is a great choice for you. To cook your meal, all you need is lots of sunlight and your shiny solar oven. Once you buy the oven, your fuel is free. No burning of petrochemicals or wood, or electric outlet is required, just plenty of sunlight. Learn more about Solar Ovens.
Primitive grills and ovens: Have you ever wanted to create your own grill not out of a box? Do you want a grill that lasts longer than one that comes out of a box? If you answered yes to one or both of these questions, building a primitive grill or oven is for you. Once built, a primitive grill or oven is just like a campfire. All you need is firewood and a match to get cooking. Learn more about Primitive Grills and Ovens.

What are you going to cook your food with? Consider one of these ideas:

Cast Iron Skillets: Cast Iron Skillets are a time-honored way to get your food cooked indoors or outdoors. Using a gas stove, grill, campfire, or an oven, you can make a tasty meal, followed by a simple cleanup. Learn more about Cast Iron Skillets.
Dutch Ovens: A Cast Iron Dutch Oven simplifies cooking a casserole, soup, or stew on an outdoor grill or campfire. Even roasts, biscuits, and desserts are within your reach with a Dutch Oven paired with an outdoor grill or campfire. Learn more about Dutch Ovens.
Old Kitchenware: Have any wooden spoons, Presto or Revere Ware, vintage roasting pans, old metal bean pots, or other old kitchen utensils from Grandma and Grandpa? You probably don't use it often if at all. Save it in your survival kit to use in the case of an emergency. Learn more about Old Kitchenware.
Pie irons: Mmm, pie! Pie irons are actually capable of being used to make just about anything you can think of in between two pieces of bread or dough. Only want one serving? That's what a pie iron gives you and there's no need to cut pieces or slices. Learn more about Pie Irons.
Aluminum Foil: No one likes leaving crumbs of food behind on the grill that makes clean up more tedious. Good news, there is a simple solution - a piece of aluminum foil! Normally we see corn on the cob grilled in aluminum foil, but you can grill almost anything else inside or on top of aluminum foil. You get to eat the crumbs and save yourself extra work. Learn more about Aluminum Foil.
Skewers: Toasting marshmallows for smores over the campfire is a fond memory involving a skewer. However, you can also achieve healthy eating with skewers by using them to cook vegetables and proteins on a grill or campfire. Learn more about Skewers.