Rockridge Press - The Preppers Cookbook

If your house was on fire, a flood was coming, or another event requiring you to leave quickly occurred, wouldn’t it be good to have all of your important documents and some emergency items altogether in one spot where you could quickly grab them? Of course it would, and that’s exactly what a bug-out bag is: a bag that’s already packed with vital items and a small supply of food in case you need to “bug out” in a hurry. You may hear this emergency bag referred to by the following names:

• 72-hour bag

• GOOD (Get out of Dodge) bag

• Go bag

• PERK (Personal Emergency Relocation Kit) bag

Regardless of what you call it, there are many different reasons to pack one. The idea originated with military personnel who were accustomed to being called out in a hurry and has been adopted by civilians who believe in being prepared.

What food goes in your bug-out bag depends upon several factors, including:

• What type of event you’re preparing for

• Who’s going to carry it

• How far it will be carried

• Where you’re going to store it

• Geographical needs

Regardless of these factors, several items should be in every bug-out bag. See the back of the book for a bug-out bag checklist BUG-OUT BAG CHECKLIST that includes food, water, and some standard items that should be in every bag, plus some optional items such as medications, blankets, pet food, and maps.

Building your emergency food and water supply may seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. The best way to begin is to ask yourself how many people will be using the supplies when an emergency happens. Government sources such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and most state disaster-preparedness departments recommend a minimum three-day supply of food and water. A week’s worth is a safer estimate, especially if you live in a disaster-prone tornado, earthquake, blizzard, or hurricane area. The following guidelines will help you create a plan.

When you look at commercially prepared food, you’ve surely noticed that there are serving sizes indicated on the containers. You may also have noticed that those servings are often small. If you base your emergency food supply estimations on those serving sizes, you will run out of food faster than expected. Instead, base your stockpile on caloric needs. See the following table for suggested caloric needs. If you need 2,000 calories, your significant other needs 2,000 calories, and your child needs 1,200 calories, then you need to store at least 5,200 calories worth of food per day.

When planning your daily caloric needs, be sure to do so with one eye on your macronutrient needs to maintain proper nutrition. That sounds all well and good, but the term macronutrients sounds pretty complicated, right? It’s actually quite simple, though. Macronutrients are just the major nutrients that your body needs to function properly and thrive.

There are five categories of macronutrients: protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrate, and water, and you need them in certain ratios to remain healthy. Fiber and water are independent nutrients, but protein, fat, and carbs work together to keep you healthy. The table below shows the proper protein, fat, and carb intake percentages for your family.

You need to drink at least 64 ounces of water per day and include between 20 and 40 grams of fiber per day in your diet, as well. Kids need a little bit less water. Use the following good rule of thumb when determining how much water your body really needs: half of your body weight in ounces. In other words, if you weigh 180 pounds, half of that is 90. You should drink at least 90 ounces of water per day to preserve proper hydration. At a minimum, keep 1 gallon of water on hand per person, per day for both drinking and sanitation needs. Remember: you can live for up to three weeks without food. Without water, you’ll die in a matter of days. Water storage and purification will be covered in Chapter 3.

Although making your own emergency food based on the delicious recipes in this book is recommended—they are more flavorful and cheaper in the long run—you can begin building your supplies immediately with store-bought foods. Once you begin making your own canned and dehydrated foods, swap these items out. Note that many of the items in this list do not have a long shelf life. Check the best-by dates regularly (it’s recommended you do this every 3 months).

• Baking and pancake mixes

• Baking powder, yeast, and baking soda

• Bouillon cubes or powder

• Boxed potatoes

• Canned beans

• Canned fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables

• Canned meat, chili, and soup

• Canned nuts

• Crackers

• Dried beans

• Dried corn

• Dried fruit

• Dry pasta

• Evaporated milk

• Fruit juices and sports drinks

• Granola and sports bars

• Instant coffee, tea, and cocoa

• Jams and jellies

• Peanut butter

• Powdered milk

• Ready-to-eat cereals and uncooked instant cereals

• Salt and other spices

• Sugar, honey, or molasses

• Vegetable oil or shortening

• Vitamins and mineral supplements

• Wheat or other flour (for bread making)

• White rice

Use the following table to plan the meals and water you and your family will need for one week.

Regardless of what is going on around you, you won’t be able to survive for long without clean, potable water. In fact, after just 24 hours without water, your brain stops functioning properly, and within three days, your organs will start to fail. In less than a week, you’ll be dead. Water doesn’t just keep your tissues hydrated, it also:

• Carries waste and toxins out of your body

• Helps keep your body temperature normal and regular

• Keeps your joints lubricated

• Keeps your blood liquid so it can carry oxygen and nutrients throughout your body