Preparing emergency food for your bug-out-bag? Think camping and save money!

I’ve been advocating that you stock up for winter by gathering food in the time of plenty for a time of scarcity.  I’ve told you not to buy emergency dehydrated food rations in order to prepare for an emergency, but to use food that you have on hand.  Prepared food rations are generally made from GM ingredients.  They are expensive.  They are high in allergens and sugar and increase packaging and food-miles.

By preparing your own, from scratch you save money, save time, avoid allergens and obtain your ingredients from trusted sources.  If you are stocking up for winter you probably already have most of the ingredients on hand — but if not, a visit to your bulk food store will prepare you to prepare for any emergency.

Here’s some family-tested recipes to put together today that will help you get your bug-out-bag assembled this weekend.

Your goal is light weight, dry food that you can eat on the run or cook within an hour, in an emergency — that also tastes good and is packed with the kind of nutrition that you need to maintain your energy level and keep your blood sugar stable.

Each family member needs 2,500 to 3,000 calories per day.  These recipes are suitable for a vegetarian meal plan.  You can increase the protein by adding dried or canned meat or fish.  Substitute ingredients to accommodate individual needs.

Lentil Soup (serves 2) For lunch when you are settled

(Double the recipe if you are planning for 4)

In a 1 litre ziplock bag combine:

1 cup lentils

1/2 cup rice

1/3 cup combination of dehydrated carrots, tomatoes, beets, broccoli, chard, peppers or other dried vegetables.  (You’ve been drying your own organic veggies, right?)  You can get dried vegetables at the bulk food store, if you don’t have your own.

1 tbsp. dehydrated onions

1/2 tsp. dried garlic

1/2 tsp. each, thyme, oregano, basil, parsley

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Cooking Directions:  Add 5 cups boiling water to pot.  Take off heat.  Add contents of the package.  Allow to soak for 1 hour or more.  Bring to a boil.  Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 30 min., adding more water if necessary.  Serve. (300 calories)

Peanut butter and chocolate chip Energy Bars (serves 12) for snack or meal replacement

1 cup coconut oil or butter (coconut oil has a longer shelf life)

1 cup peanut butter (peanut allergy?  Substitute other nut or seed butters — tahini, sunflower butter, almond butter for instance)

1 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1/2 cup grated dried carrots or zucchini

1/2 cup Ground flax

1 cup Dried fruit, like raisins, apples, pears, prunes, cranberries (snip larger fruit into smaller pieces)

1 cup sunflower seeds, raw

2 cups oatmeal

1 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 cup. of chocolate chips

Cream together coconut oil (butter), peanut butter and brown sugar.  Beat in eggs.  Add grated carrots or zucchini and mix well.  Add ground flax, dried fruit, seeds, oatmeal, flour and baking soda.  Spoon batter into 2 greased 9 x9 or 8 x 11 pans.  Bake at 350F for 15 minutes, or until set and golden brown.  Cool and cut each pan into 12 bars.

Wrap bars individually in plastic wrap and seal in a ziploc bag for your emergency kit.   Or eat as needed.  Serving size 2 bars as a meal replacement (600 calories).  1 bar as a snack (300 calories).

 

Granola Bars (12 bars — 6 servings) for snack or meal replacement

1/2 cup butter or coconut oil, melted (coconut oil has a longer shelf life)

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup dried fruit

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup ground flax

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking powder

2 cups oatmeal

Cream together coconut oil or butter, and brown sugar.  Beat in eggs and vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients and thoroughly mix together. Spoon batter into greased 9 x9 pan.  Bake for 15 minutes at 350F. Cool to warm before cutting into bar.  Cool completely before packaging.

Package by wrapping in serving size portions with plastic wrap.  Insert enough for each family member in a medium ziploc bag.  Serving size: 2 as a meal. (600 calories per 2)

Mueseli for breakfast

4 cups oatmeal

1 cup dried fruit, snipped into raisin size pieces

1 cup sunflower seeds or other nuts, raw

1/4 cup brown sugar (if desired)

1/2 cup skim milk powder (if desired)

Serving size 3/4 cup.  For your bug-out bag:  Divide recipe into  8 equal portions.  Store each portion in a sandwich bag and place the individually wrapped portions into a zip lock bag.

To serve:  Can be moistened with cold water, boiling water or milk, if available. (350 calories without milk)

Trail Mix

2 cups sunflower seeds, toasted in 2 tbsp. coconut oil

6 cups dried fruit, snipped into raisin size pieces (raisins, cherries, apples, pears, prunes, cranberries, etc.)

Mix together.

Package into 8 portions about 1/2 cup each.  Package each portion into a sandwich bag and seal the sandwich bags into a medium ziploc bag. (600 calories)

Quinoa and adzuki bean Dinner Casserole

1/2 cup adzuki beans

1 cup quinoa

1 cup dried veggies – carrots, zucchini, peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, beans, peas, turnips etc.

1 tsp. parsley flakes

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. dried onions

1/2 tsp. madras curry spice

1/2 tsp. salt

Mix ingredients into zip lock bag.  Serves 4.

Cooking Directions:  To cook, pour contents into pot with 5 cups boiling water.  Cover and let sit for 30 minutes.  Bring to a simmer and simmer until vegetables and bean are tender. (750 calories)

Options:  Add 1/2 cup of dehydrated cheese (you can dry grated cheese in your dehydrator for this — package separately) or 1 can of salmon to the meal to increase protein. (don’t forget to put a can opener in the bug-out-bag, if you pack canned food.) (with cheese, 800 calories) (with cheese and salmon, 850 calories)

You can make several variations of this by alternating the grain (rice, quinoa, millet, barley) or the spices.  If you want to alter the beans, options include green lentils, red lentils, split peas, mung beans, or adzuki beans, which are all quick-cooking beans)  Proportions remain the same.  Cooking time is sped up when you soak the vegetables and grain for at least an hour before cooking.  If you don’t have time to soak, bring to a boil and turn off the heat for 30 min.  Then return to heat and resume cooking time until beans and grains are fully cooked and tender — another 10 minutes.  This will save fuel.

Emergency Rations per person per day – 2700 calories – includes 1 serving each of Museuli, Trail Mix, Energy Bar or Granola bar, soup and casserole.  For increased energy needs add a second serving of Trail Mix or Energy Bars.

Once you pack your Bug-Out-Bag with sufficient water and food for each member of your family for 72 hours — remember to replace the food with fresh food at least once a year.  More often for the Energy Bars.

Bug-out bag Food CheckList:

20 feet of rope

10ft x 10ft plastic sheet to create shelter for cooking and eating

8 cup capacity flame-proof, metal pot with lid

Tin mug and bowl for each person

Spoon and fork for each person

Solid fuel cooking appliance, such as a Kelly Kettle, sterno stove, or other solid fuel, portable stove.

Water proof Matches, fire starter tool

Solid fuel fire starters (optional, but helpful in an emergency)

2 litres of water per person, per day plus extra for washing — 5 gallons of water will meet cooking, drinking and washing needs, if rationed.

Food for 72 hours including 3 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners and enough snacks to fill out caloric needs at various energy levels – for each person.

Soap, dish towel, and dish cloth for clean up.

Hand sanitizer for handwashing before eating.

Set aside 2 hours this weeks and you’ll be done.  If you have the ingredients on hand, you can bake the granola bars and the energy bars in 45 min. and while the bars are baking you can assemble and package the other meals.  Package the food in individual serving sizes ahead of time.  The soups and casseroles can be packaged per meal portion.  Vary the types of beans and grains to add variety, but limit the bean choice to quick cooking beans, rather than those that require long cooking times.  Shelf life of beans and whole grains is indefinite.  Spices will last a year if kept air tight.

So don’t delay — Make some camping meals, get your bug-out bag assembled, store some water, gather the other essentials and put it all together near your back door, just in case.  Preparing a bug-out bag is like insurance — you’ll probably never need it, but if you do, then you’ll be glad you have it.

My goal through these articles is to help you become more self sufficient, living a more creative and sustainable life, with more time and resources to do what you love, where you want to live.  These articles won’t resonate with everyone.  But if they resonate with you, check out the Purple Sheep page and subscribe to the Purple Sheep newsletter — a weekly newsletter with tips and recipes to help you become more self sufficient and to help you fulfill your dreams of doing what you love, where you want to live.

Some resources to help you become more prepared for emergencies:

Stove In A Can – Portable Outdoor Camp / Cooking Kit – Perfect for Camping, Backpacking, Hunting, Tailgating, Emergency Survival, Food Storag

Esbit Pocket Stove

Kelly Kettle USA – Volcano Kettle – Ultra Fast Boiling Kettle. Large Aluminum Base Camp Kelly Kettle Complete Kit, perfect for Cooking, Hiking, Camping, Kayaking, Fishing, and Hunting. The Kelly Kettle is the Outdoor Enthusiasts best friend. Kelly Kettles are also ideal for Emergency Preparedness Kits and being prepared for any disaster. Not only is the Kelly Kettle the perfect camping kettle for Emergency Preparedness, but it is also the perfect camping kettle for Car Camping. Boy Scouts also love to use the Kelly Kettle on all their campouts. The Kelly Kettle comes is 3 sizes. The Kelly Kettle you are buying is the Kelly Kettle Aluminum Large Base Camp Kit. Statement will show a charge by Sephra Kelly.