A Bug Out Bag (BOB) is a personal emergency relocation kit that contains essential items one would require to survive when a disaster strikes.
As ‘bugging out’ means a person’s decision to evacuate their home or office during an emergency, either caused by a natural disaster or because of a manmade situation.
The name “bug out bag” possibly has been derived from the “Bail Out Bag” emergency kit, which the military aviators carry.
Other bug-out box names are quick-run bag (QRB), battle bag, grab bag or GOOD (Get Out of Dodge) bag.
A bug-out bag is slightly different from a survival kit as it contains items that can support the owner only for about 72 hours. Hence, it is also called a 72-hour kit.
No matter the name, an emergency bag’s function is to store supplies for a person to survive for approximately 72 hours in an SHTF scenario.
A bug-out bag contains essentials such as food, water, air, shelter, first aid, light, heat, defense, multipurpose tools, navigation tools, clothes, and other miscellaneous items.
This article is to help you with preparing for a bug-out situation. So, we will discuss the 15 best Bug Out Bag foods that wouldn’t spoil along with their health benefits.
Read on to know about these 15 foods to help you survive when out in the wilderness.
You will need to understand a few points like how much food you will require to survive through 72 hours, their shelf life, calorific value, preparation time, and of course, the weight of carrying such foods in your bug-out bag.
Though you will not get enough time or a chance to prepare an elaborate meal while on the trail, picking up foods ready to eat would be ideal.
Contents
What Foods to Consider While Planning Your Bug-Out Gear?
While preparing for a bug-out gear, consider food items that wouldn’t spoil soon and provide you with the necessary nutrition and energy to stay fit.
During a disaster such as floods, hurricanes, storms, earthquakes, or a manmade situation such as war, the person bugging out would require food that would last for at least three days.
Stocking up high-calorie foods in the BOB is important as that would take up less space while providing you with enough calories to sustain for a few days.
Also, you need to ensure that you stock up food items that are easy to prepare.
You may not know when a disaster strikes and when you are on the go, you will require foods that are not rotten and provide you with the required energy.
So, pick up food with a longer shelf life, lightweight, easy to cook before you put them in your quick run bag.
15 Best Bug Out Bag Foods During Emergency
#1 Dried Fruits & Nuts
Nuts and dried fruits are an excellent source of calories with a longer shelf life. They are considered the powerhouse of Protein, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Vitamin B6, Copper, Riboflavin, and Zinc.
Almonds, cashews, dates, pistachios, raisins, dried figs, apricots, walnuts, dry coconut, etc., are lightweight and are super loaded with nutrients.
Keeping a pouch of mixed nuts and dried fruits will help you meet your calorie requirements while in the wilderness.
A handful of these dried nuts and fruits will provide you with the required nutrition during an SHTF situation and help you face what may come.
#2 Dried Seeds
Dried seeds are considered to be superfoods.
Seeds such as sunflower seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, etc., are excellent sources of vitamins and other essential nutrients that you will require to stay healthy.
Adding them to your bug-out bag will help you get the necessary dose of nutrition when you are on the go.
Dried seeds are considered to be comfort foods and are also capable enough to reduce your stress level. They can keep blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol level in check.
Besides, dried seeds have a longer shelf life, making them the ideal choice to add to the list of your bug-out bag foods.
#3 Peanut Butter
Peanut butter is a high-calorie food. It helps to maintain your blood sugar level and boost heart health.
Eating peanut butter will ensure a good amount of Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, Niacin, Manganese, Copper, and Magnesium. A tablespoon of peanut butter will provide you approximately 190 calories.
You can eat it just on their own, add them with a few slices of banana, pear, apple, etc. and get a protein boost during breakfast or snack time.
You may also add it with your instant oatmeal and eat a wholesome meal to sustain through the crisis.
#4 Instant Oatmeal
Oatmeal is healthy yet filling. Oatmeal is one of the most nutritious grains, gluten-free, and provides vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants.
Cooking oats is easy and quick, making it one of the best choices to add to your bug-out bag foods list.
Add some water to a bowl, heat it, pour the oatmeal from the pouch, stir it for a few minutes, and you are good to go for a satisfying meal.
A full meal of oatmeal will help you go for a long time without feeling hungry.
#5 Muesli
Muesli is rich in protein, vitamins, and fiber. They are healthy and a good energy source while strengthening bone health. The protein-rich muesli makes for a list of healthy food.
You can consume it in various ways, and the simplest way is to pour some soy milk on it. You can also cook muesli with water.
The best part is that you can eat it in your breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Muesli contains less sugar than many other counterparts, and carrying it in your bug-out bag will ensure that you meet the healthy dose of nutrients during a crisis and help you get the required energy from it.
#6 Instant Noodles
Instant noodles are easy to carry as it takes less space in the bug out bag. As the name goes, instant noodles are easy to cook and can fill your tummy perfectly.
All you need to do is pour some water on a bowl, heat it, add the instant noodles, stir the content for a couple of minutes, and your noodle is ready.
Buying cup noodles is also a great choice as you will need to pour some hot water into the cup, and the noodle will be ready-to-eat in minutes. Eat it, feel happy, and plan for your next move to come out of the crisis.
#7 Chocolate Bars
Chocolates are nutritious and are a rich source of antioxidants. They are a good source of fiber and minerals and are also known for improving brain function.
Keeping a few bars of chocolates in your bug-out bag will give you the necessary energy boost and beat your hunger pangs.
Chocolates are also known for reducing stress, tension and promoting relaxation. Chocolates provide approx.
One hundred forty-five calories per ounce can leave you with a satisfied tummy for a long time after eating one bar.
Eating a bar of dark chocolate will lower your blood pressure while taking care of your heart health during the bugging-out situation.
#8 Soup Mix
Soup mix or dried soup is easy to carry, and this reason makes it to the top in the list of the best bug-out bag foods that would not spoil. Many but out mission preppers prefer these soup mix pouches over other foods.
You can pour the content of a soup pouch in hot water, and you are up for a healthy quick meal. Also, they keep you hydrated and keep you fine while you are juggling to sustain in the wilderness.
#9 Tuna or Chicken Pouches
Tuna, as well as chicken, provide you with a good dose of calories. You can conveniently carry the single-serve pouches when you are in a bug-out situation.
You may eat this tuna or chicken straight out of the package, add it to your salad or eat it with your freshly prepared noodles or oatmeal.
You can buy tuna pouches in different flavors and make your meals more interesting. No matter what way you eat them, your body will get the right measure of calories, helping you sustain through the situation.
#10 Canned Meat
Adding canned meat would be a great way to ensure your protein dose. Meat is a good source of nutrition. It provides a good amount of calories as it is rich in iron, vitamin B12, zinc, omega 3 fatty acid, iodine, etc.
Though canned meat can be heavier in weight, carrying a couple of them would not make much difference.
So, if you plan to put canned food in your bug-out bag, then carrying meat would be the best idea. You will get up to 40 calories per ounce of canned meat and stay strong during the tough time.
Moreover, it is tasty too. Why not add some tasty treats and keep your tummy happy?
#11 Fruitcake
If you are prepping for a bug-out run, adding some fruitcake would be a good idea. Fruitcakes being prepared with dried fruits; provide a good amount of nutrition and health benefits.
Though the shelf life of fruitcakes is not as long as the dried fruits, they remain fresh for about a month at room temperature.
Moreover, fruitcakes are lightweight and make for a good filling food to keep your tummy happy. You can carry fruitcakes easily in your quick run bag and eat them as and when you feel hungry.
#12 Sardine Tins
Many bug-out preppers prefer sardine tins as it is full of nutrition.
Sardines are small oily fish that provide a good amount of Omega-3 fatty acids, protein, vitamins, calcium, and minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and niacin.
Sardine tins are easy to carry, good in taste, and eating them will ensure a good nutrition dose while on the trail.
#13 Rice Pouches
Rice pouches are easy to carry and can be prepared by simply adding hot water to them. The shelf life of rich pouches is pretty long, may stay fresh for up to 4 – 5 years, and easy to carry.
Adding a few rice pouches to your bug-out bag will ensure that you keep your tummy full and satisfied all the time.
#14 Protein Bars
Protein bars can help you through the tough times by providing you with the right amount of nutrition and energy. Protein bars are tasty and have a couple of years’ shelf life.
Adding some to your bug-out bag will be a great way to keep your nutrition level at an optimum level and sustain it effectively through the wilderness.
#15 Multi-Vitamins & Supplements
We also suggest you keep multivitamins and supplements in your bug-out bag, along with the above list of food items.
They will provide you with the energy boost that you will require to keep your head clear and figure out a way to come out of an SHTF situation successfully.
Vitamins and supplements also help you reduce fatigue, stress, and anxiety, leaving you with enough space to think and find a solution.
The Bottom Line
We hope that the information on the best bug-out bag foods proves to be insightful. Understanding the bug-out situation will help you prepare for it beforehand.
You will be able to collect all the necessary items and fill your bag accordingly and sustain through the tough times of unwanted crisis successfully.
Note that you cannot carry everything in your bug-out bag as it will make the bag heavy to be carried around.
You need to ensure that your bug-out bag contains all the required items along with the necessary foods to be able to carry around your way comfortably.
Decide carefully before you stock up foods in your 72-hour kit and put enough quantity to sustain for about 72 hours while on the run.
Resources:
