Nuts and dried foods provide energy and are easy to pack and eat on the run.

 

Bug Out Basics

Your bug-out bag should contain the things you need to survive while you’re on the road to your survival retreat. You’ll need water, food, a good knife, fire starting materials, and a first aid kit, among other things…check out our handy list for the basics.
 

Water Takes Priority

You can survive up to 3 days without water, but the longer you go without water, the more difficult it becomes to think logically. If you can’t think straight, your survival rates plummet. So be sure to pack bottles of water, water purification tablets, and a good filtration bottle. This is a priority for a well stocked bug-out bag. Check out our reviews of some water filtration systems here and here.
 

 

Next Up – Food

After water, you need to have some form of sustenance to keep your body fueled for the trip ahead. Candy bars and chips aren’t gonna get you far, folks…so choose your food wisely. I tend to lump survival food into 3 categories…quick and easy, heat and eat, and foraged from the wild.
 

Quick and Easy

When you have to get out of Dodge fast, you need food you can eat on the run. Pack foods that provide protein, carbs, vitamins, and minerals to keep your body functioning on your trip, especially if you need to walk or bike to your destination. Stash a variety of ready to eat foods and rotate them often. If your bug out bag is packed and left in a closet for a couple years, some of those foods could get moldy…so use it and replace it. Here’s my list of favorite quick foods you can eat as you hike:

• Jerky
• Nuts and Seeds
• Dried fruits
• Power bars
• Granola bars
• Protein powder (mix into your water)
• Honey sticks

 

 

Heat and Eat

If your bug out trip is going to be lengthy, or you have no real destination in mind, you’ll want some heartier fare. When the nights get cold, a hot meal can do wonders for morale. So try packing some of these mixes that are ready to eat after adding boiling water, stirring, and letting them cook for 5 minutes or less. These mixes are a lot like the cups of instant soup available at the store, except it is a lot cheaper to make your own and you can take a thermos mug and your mixes in plastic bags in a lot less space than those soup cups.
 

 

Cheesy Potatoes

• 1 cup instant mashed potatoes
• 1 Tbs cheddar cheese powder
• Dash of salt and pepper (omit salt if cheese powder contains salt)

Mix ingredients in a plastic bag and store in a dry place. You can add dried veggies to increase nutritional value. To heat: Pour contents into a large mug or a bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover mix. Stir and add more water if necessary. Let stand for 5 minutes and eat.
 

Tex-Mex Beans and Rice

• 3/4 cup instant rice
• 1/4 cup dried instant refried beans
• 2 Tbs freeze dried sweet corn
• 1 Tbs dried tomato powder
• 1 tsp taco seasoning
• Dash of salt and pepper

Mix ingredients in a plastic bag and store in a dry place. To heat: Pour contents into a large mug or a bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover mix. Stir and add more water if necessary. Let stand for 5 minutes and eat.
 

Cous Cous with Veggies

• 1 cup whole wheat cous cous
• 2 or 3 Tbs dried vegetables (peas, carrots, green beans, onions, etc)
• ½ tsp Italian seasoning
• Dash of salt and pepper

Mix ingredients in a plastic bag and store in a dry place. To heat: Pour contents into a large mug or a bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover mix. Stir and add more water if necessary. Let stand for 5 minutes and eat.
 

Cinnamon & Sugar Oatmeal

• 1 cup quick oats
• 1Tbs powdered milk
• 1 Tbs sugar
• Dash of salt and cinnamon

Mix ingredients in a plastic bag and store in a dry place. You can add raisins or other dried fruit to your instant oatmeal for added nutrition. To heat: Pour contents into a large mug or a bowl. Add enough boiling water to cover mix. Stir and add more water if necessary. Let stand for 5 minutes and eat.
 

 

Foraging for Wild Food

Edible greens, nuts, and fruits grow in the wild, we just need to know what’s safe to eat. Pack a guide to edible plants for your area in your bug out bag and practice foraging before the SHTF. It will slow you down if you need to forage for all of your food on your trip, but having this knowledge may keep you from starving when you run out of bug out bag stash.
 

What Else?

• Foil containers of tuna, salmon, or chicken
• Small cans of meat
• Tea bags or coffee (if you want them)
• Small pot to boil water
• Sharp knife
• Can opener
• Mug and spoon
  
• Container for gathering wild edibles

You may find other items that you want in your bug out bag. I try to keep it to the essential items I will need to boil water and prepare the basic foods.
Don’t fill your bug out bag with junk food! Make sure you have a variety of ready to eat, and ready to heat foods to keep your body going strong through a grueling trek. And get it ready now! You may not have time to think carefully about what goes in your bug out bag when the SHTF. It would really suck to get out in the wild and only have a package of crackers to munch on. So prepare now and survive later!
Note: The recipes for mixes can be made up in larger quantities. You can also change the seasonings, or add other dried ingredients that you like. Just be sure to keep them in a dry place and rotate once every 4 to 6 months.