7 Types of Long-Term Survival Foods You Can Stock Now

Stockpiling food is an essential element of your preparation routine and emergency readiness in general.

This is a required activity that necessitates meticulous preparation and budgeting. Food and water will always be your first concerns when things go wrong, no matter how you look at them.

It's critical to choose the right survival foods for your pantry since you'll need them to survive if grocery stores go out of business. Each survival pantry should be well-stocked to last the owner(s) for at least six months, and the important term to remember is "variety."

Even the pickiest eaters should be satisfied by the foods you store, and you should do everything you can to minimize appetite fatigue. There are various survival foods on the market today, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Whether you purchase the goods or prepare them at home, you should be aware of these distinguishing features before storing them in your pantry.

Freeze-Dried Food

Freeze-dried food like our Numanna Freeze Dried Chicken Food Storage has grown in favor in recent years among our ranks, and you can buy it already packaged for long-term storage. Some others have purchased a freeze drier and are now preparing their food. Although not for everyone, such an appliance will deliver an excellent long-term return on investment.

Pros:

Freeze-dried foods have a long shelf life, making them excellent for a survival pantry, in my opinion. This cuisine is low in moisture and can be readily reconstituted. We can personally attest that freeze-dried food is better kept and has a superior flavor than dehydrated food. 

This is, in my opinion, the best way to store dried meat for lengthy blackout periods. Furthermore, even after reconstruction, the freeze-dried commodities will preserve their original shape, color, and texture. When compared to traditional freezing, where certain items can become mushy, it's far more appealing, and you won't have to guess what you boxed.

Cons:

This is likely the most expensive food storage choice for preppers, and such foods cannot be adequately stored in our survival stores. You are one of the good preppers if you have your freeze dryer, but as we previously stated, it is not available to everyone. Another downside is that you'll need water to make freeze-dried food, which, as we all know, might be a problem in an SHTF situation.

It would help if you also kept in mind that these items are significantly larger than their dehydrated equivalents, so you'll need more storage space to prepare an ample supply. Also, while bugging out, freeze-dried foods may be more difficult to transport than other survival foods.

Dehydrated Foods

Dehydrating food is an ancient food preservation process that our forefathers employed extensively. Drying food has become a hobby since the introduction of the classical oven and the modern food dehydrator. This is a beautiful way for long-term food preservation for the dedicated survivalist. If you're on a budget, you can improvise a solar dehydrator to lower your operating costs.

Pros:

Because practically all of the moisture content is removed, dehydrated meals are substantially lighter than other foods. This food produces no waste and may be stored for several years without spoiling because of its low water content.

It's a great addition to any bug-out bag, and the extra weight won't bother you. Because it's a simple DIY project that you can accomplish in the comfort of your own home, it's probably the cheapest food storage option for your pantry. Additionally, because you can utilize a solar dehydrator and food from your garden, your operating costs are minimized.

Cons:

Preparing dehydrated food, like freeze-dried food, necessitates the use of water, and in some circumstances, a lot of it. Water, as we all know, can become a luxury in a survival situation. Therefore you'll have to figure out how to prepare your meal using the least amount of water possible.

These meals don't provide a good picture of appearance, and children may refuse to eat them. Most dehydrated foods lose their original taste when reassembled, and their nutritional content is reduced compared to freeze-dried foods.

MRE

This self-contained, field ration meal that is wrapped tightly and cleanly is one of my favorites. Although the US military originally purchased this cuisine for its servicemen, it is now available to the general public. A ready-to-eat meal offers practically everything you need for a complete meal and is high in nutrients to keep your body going during tough times.

What was previously only utilized in battle and other situations where food was scarce has become a prepper's favorite. If you want to stockpile MREs in your pantry, we recommend doing it when they are on sale.

Pros:

These are particularly convenient because they provide everything you need in one package. To prepare the meals, you won't need any cooking abilities, and you won't have to rely on your survival improvised culinary skills.

Even though the texture is different, these foods are highly comparable to what you eat every day. You won't need any water to cook the meal, and you won't have to combine or blend it. Because they take up minimal room and don't require electricity to prepare, they're great for a bugging-in situation or a grid-down catastrophe. They are a good "on the go" lunch and can be eaten straight from the pouch.

Cons:

The biggest issue is that the flavor and texture might not be to everyone's liking. There are as many different types of food as there are individuals. Even though it contains everything a meal should, we can attest that you will frequently wonder if the meal indicated on the packets is the exact item you are eating. If you can't get various MREs, you'll eventually run out of food. MREs should not be consumed for an extended period.

The significant content of additives added to MREs is worth noticing. Not only will they be more expensive, but some people will be unable to keep them down. We recommend doing some research before purchasing significant volumes. You can consider them a decent alternative for your survival larder if you're in good health and your stomach isn't upset after 24 hours since your last MRE.

Because of their weight and packaging, carrying MREs in your bug-out bag can be tricky (the foil pouches can be punctured if not packed properly).

Canned Goods

Canned food is America's number one choice for food storage (regardless of whether or not one is a prepper). The majority of folks we know have a monthly budget set aside for buying canned products. This is a low-cost option for stocking a pantry, and it may offer you enough variety to last a long time.

Pros:

You can get a lot of variety from canned foods, and you won't be hungry. It's a low-cost option, and there are numerous sales to take advantage of. Canned food is packed tightly, so there's minimal risk of air or moisture getting in. Canned products are easy to get by and are a fantastic alternative for that last-minute shopping trip.

When properly maintained, most canned goods have a shelf life of three years or more. Nonetheless, you can rotate your supplies to ensure that you never run out.

Canned food trash can be used for a variety of survival purposes. If you know how to work with and transform metal, it will become precious. Most foods include juice content that can be used as a water substitute and in cooking (depending on the canned food).

Cons:

Canned items are bulkier and take up a lot of space in the pantry. These items cannot be frozen, and temperature changes will cause difficulties if the cans are exposed to them. Also, exposing the cans to water or humidity causes corrosion, which compromises the cans' integrity and food safety over time.

There are several "unknown" chemicals in the cans, and you have no way of knowing if what's on the outside is what's inside. A diet consisting primarily of canned foods poses a health risk.

If you're planning on bugging out, don't rely on tinned food. Aside from being heavy, the cans can make a lot of noise when you move them around, signaling your location to everyone nearby. If you rely solely on canned food, you'll need a lot of storage space.

Survival Food Storage

Food storage is also something that you can add to this list. They last long, and you can even pick your food because of how much variety it has in every container. You can even choose to have the Numanna Family Pack Food Storage, which has 116 servings of Lunch and Dinner, and 30 servings of breakfast. For more information, visit our collection page by clicking the link below.

Energy Bar

Originally created for athletes and outdoor explorers, an energy food bar can now be found in every rucksack. These are quick replacements for a full meal and have become a popular snack among many individuals. Some people purchase them, while others prepare them at home.

Pros:

Energy food bars are pretty inexpensive in the United States when compared to other survival foods. These are designed to give both adults and children the proper quantity of calories. You may need more than one snack bar depending on the various physical activities and other factors such as weather, time, and exposure.

These are great for bug out situations, and some of these snack bars have ridiculously long shelf lives. When you're working with a limited amount of room, these are an excellent option for urban and apartment preppers. Energy snack bars are small and convenient, and every child will enjoy them because they contain sugar and other components that children enjoy.

Cons:

These energy bars are low in nutritional content and should not be consumed regularly. Furthermore, the taste varies from brand to brand, necessitating extensive testing before settling on a particular brand. They should be regarded as transition foods because they are insufficient for long-term survival. Energy bars can't be heated or prepared. Therefore they're not a good substitute for a cooked meal.

Lab Food

There has been an increase in processed, manufactured food, or lab food in recent years. You've probably heard of Soylent, one of the first alternative meals on the market and likely the most well-known. It was first developed for the Japanese market to shorten the time to market and boost the productivity of primarily office workers. Still, it has since spread to other civilized countries, including ours.

The goal behind this product (and many others like it) was to eliminate the need to waste time eating out or preparing/heating food by replacing all of an average adult's nutritional needs with a liquid and powder (you mix the two, or you mix the powder with water or milk).

Pros:

These are viable options for those who can afford them. They are simple to store and do not take up a lot of room. They're perfect for city preppers and people who are constantly on the move. Powder and liquid forms are both available, with the powder form having a long shelf life.

Because the FDA has approved these genetically modified foods, we can presume that they are safe for long-term consumption. If you're a vegan prepper, they are an excellent choice because they don't include any animal ingredients or byproducts.

Cons:

It takes some time to get used to the flavor, which is not for everyone. We gave it a shot, but it wasn't for me. There have been reports that these have created health problems for certain people because they are not GMO, gluten-free, or allergen-free. Because we can handle gluten and have no documented allergies, we are unable to verify their claims. You can't rely solely on this type of meal because you'll need variety.

Conclusion

Preparing a survival pantry is a time-consuming task that will impact your family's budget in the long run. This is why it's critical to do your homework and determine whether the survival foods on the market are the best option for you and your family.

Before you buy, as we usually say, "test, test, and test some more!" We hope the information in this article will assist you in making an informed decision and determining whether your pantry is stocked with adequate survival supplies.