There are several different reasons a person might be considering home made bug out bag food. Most people considering homemade bug out bag food are likely either on a tight budget, or have specific dietary restrictions. Or, you could be planning for having to bug out in the aftermath of a SHTF scenario. Maybe you’ve already eaten all your mountain house meals and you need something else. Either way, it’s good to know what foods you can make that’ll last a long time.
You want food that is rich in calories and nutrients and is light weight. Some people subscribe to the ideology that you don’t want food that tastes good. This sounds stupid, but the thought is that you’ll be rationing. I can’t ration a snickers bar, but I can ration something bland and tasteless. I’m not in that camp. I enjoy food way too much. Most of the foods we suggest aren’t things you’d normally find in a restaurant, but they don’t have to be cardboard either.
Do You Have a Freeze Dryer?
This article is written with the expectation that you don’t have a freeze dryer. Ideally you’d want freeze dried food. It doesn’t get any lighter, and is very well preserved. Most “regular” foods can be freeze dried as well, so you could stick to a similar diet to what you normally eat. Many people choose to buy mountain house, or other similar freeze dried food options. If you’ve got the equipment to make similar meals, you’re well on your way. If its an investment you’re ready to make, we certainly love them, but its not for everyone.
The Top 8 Homemade Bug Out Bag Foods
We’ve identified 8 different foods you’ll want to be able to make for your bug out bag. Hardtack, oatmeal, dried fruits, dried vegetables, Jerky, pemmican, granola, and trail mix.
Hardtack
Hardtack used to be the military homemade bug out bag food before the MRE came around. Hardtack is essentially a dry, hard, salt bread cracker. This falls on the list as being bland, and mostly just calories. It’s on this list because it kept soldiers alive for hundreds of years. Additionally, some hardtack used during the civil war was stuff made for the Mexican-American war, 20 years earlier. Hardtack can be improved significantly with additional spices though. Get creative and see what you like.
Oatmeal
I’m not just talking about putting some oats in a bag and taking it with you, though that’s better than nothing. You can actually make your own premade oatmeal mix. To your quick oats, add some fat free powdered milk (it lasts the longest), a little bit of salt, some sugar, and whatever other spices or dried fruits you may like. I personally go for brown sugar, cinnamon, and a touch of nutmeg. Just like that you’ve got carbs, electrolytes, and something tasty for a pick me up.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits are huge and are almost like candy. Dried blueberries are one of my favorite snacks in the entire world, but I also love dried peaches, dried pears, dried bananas, mangos, pineapple, apples, and I could go on. The only fruit I don’t love dried are raspberries and blackberries, because of all those seeds. However, even those you can blend, strain, and make into fruit leather, which is also incredibly delicious.
Dried Vegetables
There are a number of vegetables that you can dry that are tasty. The most common one people think of are sun dried tomatoes, even though tomatoes are technically fruits. Dried tomatoes are quite tasty, and can be eaten on their own, or added to stews, or many other types of dishes. You can also dehydrate onions, peppers, and the list goes on.
Jerky
Jerky is delicious, and dried meat is one of the oldest survival foods on this planet. The cavemen were making it for sure. We’ve added some more flavors since then, but the concept hasn’t changed. The salt and taking out moisture extends the life of meat, all while making it smaller, lighter, and easier to carry. Jerky is always my favorite trail snack, and definitely what I’d want to be munching while bugging out to keep my spirits high, and my belly full.
See other Tips for Making Jerky Last Longer
Pemmican
Pemmican is called by MeatEater’s Steven Rinella the oldest recipe on the planet. Early man discovered that by grinding dried meat down to a powder and mixing that with animal fat, it would hold more calories, nutrients, and the fat would help protect the meat, along with giving it more flavor. They they began grinding in dried nuts, seeds, and dried fruits as well. This isn’t the most appetizing item on the list, but this stuff works for survival grub.
Granola
Another oat based sweet treat, granola is a good source of the many nutrients you’d need on a daily basis. Granola doesn’t need any on the trail preparation though, unlike some of the other homemade bug out Bag foods on this list. Granola, like oatmeal, is another versatile food that you can flavor to be however you like, and you can add nuts, seeds, and other nutritious tidbits in there as well.
Trail Mix
Nuts are a good source of natural fats and protein. They also lend themselves really well to salt, and the natural oils help that salt adhere. Then you mix in your dried fruits, and possibly some candies or other sweet things. You get your fruits, fats, protein, and sugar all in one, and you can put your own mix together to be any way you may want. Me, I love cashews, and always add some to my trail mix.
Other Bug Out Bag Foods to Consider
Other food ingredients you may want to throw in: rice, beans, salt, pancake mix, grits, flour. Rice and beans are a staple food around the world, but dried beans can take a long time to make, and when you’re bugging out, you don’t want to be sitting around. Do some bug out meal planning. What basic ingredients do I need to make food while bugging out? What foods do I want on hand for a bug out situation? How far away is my bug out location, how long will I need to stay there, and what resources does it have?
Be sure to pack them with oxygen absorbers to maintain freshness. The last thing you want is to be out in the wild, away from home, and to pull out spoiled food. See our article on oxygen absorber use, or you can see our favorite Amazon deal on oxygen absorbers HERE.
What’s the Status of Your Bug Out Bag?
Food is a vital part of your bug out bag, but you need all the right gear in a SHTF scenario, and there is little margin for error. When your life depends on it, you want to make sure you’ve got all the things. For that reason we put together an extensive bug out bag checklist to help you determine if you’re prepared, should you ever need to get out of dodge.
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