Welcome!
Welcome to week #5 in the “Survival Kit Ideas: A week by week approach” series.
This series is all about making it simple and do-able (and a bit fun!) to get a survival kit (aka 72 hr kit, bug out bag etc) put together for you and your family: something that will help you care for yourself without the aid of others for at least 3 days!
Creating such a kit can be overwhelming and financially difficult to do all at once. So, through this series, I’ve broken it down for you into 26 small steps! Just take one small baby step each week and in 6 months you will have a well stocked kit!
You can even go through the series a few times over a year or two adding just the most basic supplies the first 6 months and then a few more “extra” supplies each time you cycle through it again.
And don’t forget that I give stuff away each week too! I not only want to make this simple for you, but each week, I’d like to help one of you out financially by providing supplies to help you fulfill the coming week’s goals. To enter the drawing each week simply leave a comment about what you have done or plan to do for your kit that week!
Last Week:
I hope all of you were able to add breakfast and lunch items to your kit last week. There were a lot of great comments left and it seemed like many of you were really working on it! Like I mentioned last week, you have one more week to get all the food you need in your kit. I know a lot of what I’ve got below is a repeat from last week, but I’ve included it just so you don’t have to jump back and forth between the posts…
Week #5: More Food
Goals:
You should have a few goals in mind when adding food to your kit. Keep in mind that you may be in a variety of situations if forced to use your kit. You may be on the move. You may not have much water. You may not have much fuel. You may be very busy. You may be overwhelmed / scared. However, there is no one answer for all families. Everyone is different and some of the following things may be more important to you than others. But as a general rule, you want your food to meet as many of the following requirements as possible:
- Lightweight
- Can be eaten without a water / heat source
- Easy to prepare (if you choose to use water / heat to prepare it)
- Nutritious
- Appetizing / familiar (consider a few comfort foods)
- High in Calories
- Long shelf life (in case you forget to rotate every six months). You can also vacuum seal much of what you include to make it last longer.
What to Avoid:
A few things I’ve learned from experience not to include (please add your own suggestions / thoughts in the comments):
- Pop-top cans (soups etc): They can pop open rather easily and create quite a mess in your bag.
- Jolly Ranchers: They melt! Once they’ve melted they are difficult to eat.
- Mint Gum: If kept with your other food, it makes everything taste like mint (but you could keep it elsewhere if this is a good comfort food for you)
- Nuts: Because of the high fat content, they go rancid rather quickly. If you are really good at rotating them every 6 months, they should be fine, but if you know you tend to rotate less often (like me), you may want to avoid them.
- Crackers / Granola Bars: These are great options unless they are in a position where they are easily crushed/ smashed. Then, they become difficult to eat. UNLESS, you use reader Tiffany’s tip: put them inside an older Pringles tube (or similar).
- Fruit / Applesauce cups: They just don’t stay sealed very well, which can result in a big mess all over your kit.
- Canned Goods: This is just personal preference, but they are heavy and bulky. They don’t taste great cold. If you do choose to include them, you will also need a can opener. I think freeze dried options are better. Ideally you would have water to hydrate them, but if not, they are safe to eat dry. I will include both options in the list below as canned goods are far less expensive and this benefit may be more important to you than weight.
Dinner Suggestions:
- Thrive Express! (I will actually be switching ALL my lunch / dinners in my kit to these. They taste fabulous and are nutritious. But you will need to make sure you have water to eat them)
- Tuna Pouches (the pre packaged ones at the grocery store with crackers and everything)
- Canned Ravioli / Spaghettios etc.
- Canned beans / chili / stew
- Canned chicken / tuna + mayo / relish packets
- Dried soup mixes (will likely need to be cooked to be eaten…most include dehydrated foods which must be cooked). These can be purchased in a larger size and then re-packed with a vacuum seal into smaller more manageable sizes..
- MREs (taste similar to Chef Boyardee. Usually come with their own heater and require no separate water / heat source. Relatively long (5 yr) shelf life. Are prone to exploding)
- Shelf stable sausage stick (like Hickory Farms. MUST rotate.)
- Hormel Completes (or similar)
How about you? / Enter Drawing
Leave me a comment and tell me how you’ve decided to add food to your kit. What are you adding? Why? What will you be doing this week? Remember, everyone who participates by leaving a comment between today, November 14th and 9:00 am PST on Wednesday November 21st will get one entry into this week’s free product drawing! This week’s winner will win a MSR WindPro canister stove which will help them fulfill next week’s challenge:
And don’t forget….
Add $1 per person to your survival kit this week. Make sure you use $1 bills and / or quarters.
Last Week’s Winner:
I had 23 entries (only 1 entry per person and only comments between November 7th and November 14th count) and according to random.org, comment number 8, or Vicki S., was the winner of the THRIVE Express!
Congrats Vicki! I will contact you by email with details about how to claim your prize that should help you with this week’s challenge!
Skip to:
| Week #4: Food Part One | Week #6: Cooking | Week #1: Packaging Your Kit | Series Into: Survival Kit Series, A Week by Week Approach |
I really like the foil pouch packed tuna. You can mix it up in the pouch and eat from it too. They have a long shelve life too. No need for a can opener..
I already have FD meats, fruits, and veggies in my kit. I regularly eat the tuna pouches also because they are ready to go and easy to use. (Discovery: Mixing a tuna pouch into a shells and cheese cup that was prepared in the microwave is an easy dinner for one!) Some manufacturers also sell pouches of ready to eat white and brown rice and other flavors that include veggies. Super easy and fairly light weight. Items I want to add to my kit and regular storage are the high calorie emergency bars and the just add water entrees.
This week (once I go to the store), I plan on adding- peanut butter (already have several jars on hand), saltine crackers, beef jerky, protein bars, Chicken in a pouch, and dried fruit.
I will be adding more water this week. I went to my local Kmart today because they are doubling coupons. I got several packs of mouse traps for free, those are good to have around! I need to restock on peanut butter so I am putting that on my list of things to do.
Right now I have nothing! I'm new here but am so glad I found this site. I will be stocking up on water this week, seems like a good place to start.
passthebutter@att.net
Glad to have found you from the Homestead Revival site. I have had kits for quite some time but am always looking for good food ideas for them.
In our kits now we have Jif-to-Go individual servings (3 to a pkg), chicken pouches, raisins, instant soup, instant oatmeal, 6 water bottles, sm cans of fruit, and a Payday candy bar for a mental boost.
Welcome Tightwad! I love the Homestead Revival! I'm working on her idea of having a few shelf stable meals all ready to go with all the ingredients TOGETHER in a tupperware or something. She has great stuff!
And I think the Payday candy bar is a GREAT idea!
I just found your blog and the OCD organizer in me is in love. I’m so excited to get our family’s survival gear in order!
Glad to hear there is someone else as OCD as me out there! (-:
After last weeks post, I decided to purchase some food from your THRIVE store. It is supposed to be shipping soon. I can’t wait to try it and stock up on our faves! Thanks!
Thank you for the support Lacey! I hope you enjoy it!
With the 2 person 72 hour kits you have the bars, but with two kids those will not work for three days. I have ordered a few thrive express packs (with my new Q) and also have a couple Mac n cheese and soup cans. I’m excited to just add the tribe express pouches to have a little extra food that is so light weight!
I’m glad Jennifer! I’ve loved the THRIVE express!
I recently found a suggestion for adding cured hard Italian salami to your kit. I wouldn’t solely rely on if for your nutritional needs since it is SO salty, but it would make a pretty nice addition to a kit to add variety from tuna, chicken or jerky. You can eat it with crackers if you are on the move, or toss it into rice or pasta if you are able to cook a little bit.
My kit currently contains jerky, ramen (takes longer but can be soaked rather than cooked if needed, peanut butter crackers, fruit snacks, oatmeal (see ramen) and hard candies. I also would love to pick up some FD meals like Thrive Express or Mountain House. I don’t have a small camp stove…yet
… but when I do get one I plan on putting a few “just add water” meals in.
Maybe you’ll win a camp stove this week?……(-:
Great info here. We really need to stock up our food stores and there are some good ideas here. Thanks.
Thanks Tim!
Technically I did this week’s assignment last week…I ordered some Thrive Express. Now I need to go back and do the breakfast and lunch. I will definitely do some FD fruit pouches, but I need to go back and read the last post for more ideas. I don’t really buy a whole lot of processed foods (granola bars and prepackaged oatmeal), so I’m really bad at rotating them when I put them in there. I will keep trying to come up with a plan.
Have you tried using the FD fruits and veggies as baby food? I’ve heard you can take the crumbs at the bottom of the can, or just blend it up and add water. My baby will be starting solids soon and I’m wondering how this would work.
Yes! Yes! Just crush it to a powder and add water to make it the consistency you want and it is fabulous! Same nutrition as fresh!
I’m actually still working on last weeks. I’ve got breakfast covered and have lunch on my grocery list. I also got my order with my backpack, water purification, and water bottle in it. I’m hoping to place another order and add some fruit. I’ve stuck extra clothes for the kids in their backpacks. I’ve found that big yogurt and cottage cheese containers work great for holding granola bars. I’m also working on my important information binder.
Sounds like you’ve done a LOT Natalie! Wow.
I found this site a cople of weeks ago as my family and I are just putting a kit together. Thanks for the awseome suggestions they are very helpful. Ipicked up some old el paso pouches of black beans, rice, and chicken at the grocery store. The ingredients are all precooked and are designed to be microwaved to warm. I tried some cold and they are edible and are much better heated up in a pan. We also have freeze dried fruit and my plan is to look for some veggies this week.
Sounds great Kim! I’ve glad you’ve found some helpful info!
We each added a “comfort food” that is quicker to cook. My husbands was Hormel Complete and mine is Uncle Ben’s Chicken Rice (90 seconds to cook). We have not tried the Thrive Express yet, but I will be ordering some. It sounds wonderful!
90 seconds!? Amazing!
I just rotated out my shelf stable sausage and realized I didn’t replace it so I need to do that and I’m going to get the tuna pouches. Great idea.
I’m the only person in my family who would eat tuna, but I love the suggestion to mix individual cups of tuna into other single-serving foods.
Thanks for the list of food to avoid, I would have never thought about things crushed or popping open!
No problem Tiffany! I just learned from experience! It was a mess!
I just found your site! My Mom made me a small 72 hour kit before I got married 6.5 years ago, so it’s definitely time to refresh! I’ve got a lot of work ahead of me, but I’m excited to start!
Yay! Welcome Jackie!
We are adding Mountain House meals to our kits. They are the freeze dried backpacking pouches of food and we got them in a big box from Costco.
Let me know how you like them Marie!
Great tip about the gum, Misty. I had never thought of that but it makes perfect sense.
Brigette
I can’t wait to catch up on the series! I’ve subscribed so I get the updates via email. Thanks again for all your work!
You are welcome Debbie! Thanks for joining us!
I just found your blog thanks to Pintrest, and I love it! It has motivated me to update our emergency kits. I started working on our important documents binder last night. I plan to finish it this week. I appreciate the info and motivation your blog has given me to get things in order! Thank you!
You are welcome Debra! I’m so glad to know it has been helpful!
We are also adding Barilla Whole Grain Mezze Penne with Tomato and Basil Sauce which is a 60 second warm up. The fiber in it is approximately 40 percent. The amazing thing is it tastes homemade!
I really like the Thrive foods for their quality and the basis of their food orientation goals so I am excited to try Thrive Express. If you can stock good food like Thrive before an emergency happens, I would chose to do that!
Thanks Melanie! That Barilla sounds amazing!
We’re working on not adding the same food to avoid food fatigue, so I’m dehydrating some fruits and veggies. And right now we’re adding food that’s freeze-dried and dehydrated…and I’m hopeful to add more to my stores.
Sounds smart Katie!
We have a few MREs in our packs, along with the high calorie bars. This week I am going to find more common foods to add as well as look into thrive express!
Sounds like a good plan Lindsay!
I just bought high calorie bars to add plus tuna. Still need to add more because im still updating. Thanks for your info it really helps!
You are welcome Melinda!
we served a mission a few years ago and before we left, got rid of a lot of our storage and finally decided we need to get back on the ball. This week we have been trying to put our 72 hour kits together, and just found your site today. Thanks for all the help.
You are welcome Sadimae! When did you return from your mission? Where were you at? Thanks for making that sacrifice!
I bought enough food last week, but thank you for the suggestion to add freeze-dried veggies. I added them to a list of things I would like to order when we get paid again later this month, and I’m reading ahead a little to come up with a few more.
You sound on top of it Aimee!
Just found your site … love all the great preparedness tips… Will be looking forward to passing along many of your suggestions to my son the “outdoors man” he loves to hike( must carry all he needs on his back)… he’s gathering all his own equipment and your tips will be great light weight alternatives for him to explore.
Glad I could help Kim! My husband loves to backpack as well.
I found your site through Pinterest today and I have to say I am excited! I have always had the basics tucked away in a corner but due to some recent forest fires near my town I have been trying to prepare a little more. I have been feeling a little overwhelmed until I found your site. I like the breakdown so I am able to buy a little bit every week.
I’m so glad it has been helpful Amy! It can see so overwhelming.
Started last week, so I’m catching up with food and water. Love reading all the ideas and suggestions. Thanks!!
Welcome Natasha! Don’t worry about playing catchup too much! Just do week #1 and then jump in on the current week. I will cycle through them all again! (-:
I absolutely love some of these great ideas! I have started my emergency kit, but as a novice it is so hard to know what to plan for and how to realistically achieve this- as far as meal planning, I plan on reinforcing squeezeable fruit pouches in ziplock bags for my very picky children as well as FD fruits and veggies. The tuna pouches are a great idea for nutrition and storage reasons- although I think I would reinforce these bags as well. Do you think instant mac and cheese individuals would work (given at least a water source)?
If your family likes Mac and Cheese, I think that is a fabulous option Kim!
Thanks for all the good ideas again. I am may have to order the Thrive Express stuff and give them a try. They sound pretty good. I also like the pureed fruit pouches. I feed them to my baby all the time, and they taste pretty good.
Yes, the pureed fruit is awesome! (and so are the THrive Express) (-:
We have some granola bars, trailmixes, and jerky that I am packing in foodsaver bags. Hopefully that would help them last longer. We have canned food, but because of weight want to try other foods. Tuna would be a good addition.
The foodsaver bags should help Melinda!
So many great ideas by you and your readers! I have only been working on our 72 hr kits for about 2 weeks now. I am planning to order 2 backpacks and some thive express by the end of this month. My husband installed four 50 gal rain barrells on Saturday and we received just over an inch of rain Saturday night and Sunday. All 4 barrells are completely filled! These are primarily for our garden right now but we do plan to expand on this for emergency use. I have bought a small binder for organizing all of our info. I also purchased 2 one gal purified water and plan to buy 2 each week until I have a good supply.
SO Jealous of your fabulous rain barrells! Tell your husband way to go! (-:
Just found your series and I am so excited to follow every week! Im looking to add some small lightweight foods to our bags. We are going to start adding the thrive meals to our bags as well and for on the move I’m going to add some 2400 calorie meal bars. Im also going to add larger stockpile to our car bug out pack. Im also going to add lots of tuna packs as my husband and I LOVE tuna
We recently had a baby and fortunately if we were to ever have to evacuate while she’s still an infant I am her food source right now as I am breastfeeding, so that saves room in our bags
Sounds like you’ve got some great plans Emily! I would include just a little formula for your infant though just in case something happened to you!
I just found your series on Pinterest and I’m SO glad because I’ve been wanting to create an emergency plan/kit for quite some time but just didn’t know where to start. I plan to start adding food to my kit by picking up extra cans of ravioli and stew at the grocery store. I will also throw in tuna pouches for me and my daughter, though I’m sure it would take my very picky husband and son a few days to get to the point where they would actually eat it.
Thanks for all this incredibly helpful advice!
You are welcome Katie! Good luck!
a mini jar of peanut butter would never be skipped over in our house. We also have Jerky and Emergen C drink mix to give us that extra kick we might need.
Peanut butter is a favorite here too Melanie!
I just found your site via Pinterest and have found it very helpful -I have NOT started a kit yet but have many of these items in the pantry so I just need to start packing one. Thank you for taking the time to help us all out and pray it never comes to anyone having to use it!
Welcome Stephanie! And I hope to never have to completely rely on my kit either, but it does come in handy: I’ve always got a little extra cash food and a change of close for me and my kids even if it is just on a drive! (-:
I just found this website on pinterst. I think it has great information. I hope to use it in my house.
Welcome Kristin!
i plan on buying some thrive express meals
You won’t regret it Callie!
I just found this site and am loving all the suggestions. I plan on starting tomorrow with week one to get caught up. I think adding the pouches of tuna and jars of peanut butter would be great. I would try to add some dried fruit for variety.
Variety is a great idea Sylvia!
I’m hoping to eventually add some full meals in my kit, this week im going to go through the food thats in there and check dates etc. and maybe add some more (cheap) food to it (thinking tuna packets since there are some sitting in pantry not being eaten-as long as date is far enough in future to do some good- and some other things just sitting there that would work well)
Always best to use what you’ve already got Megan!
This is great! some of these i wouldnt have thought of!
im going to get the tuna, crackers and peanut butter, my son could eat those every day and not get tired of them,lol!
And thanks for the pringles can idea!
I know! The pringles can idea was fabulous! Came from a reader! LOVE It!
baby formula cans would work also, same as the plastic tubs of formula. Bulky yes, but more durable and able to store bigger items.
Ooo! Yes, great idea too!
We’re planing on packing cans of chili for one of our dinners, but my two daughters (7 and 4) dont eat a whole can each, should I still pack a can each for them?
Only pack what your family will eat Pam! Keep it as light as possible! Maybe one can for them to share?
So I know this was posted months ago but I just found my way over here via Pinterest and have been reading through some the preparedness posts and maybe I just haven’t seen it yet but, I thought it might be a good idea for people to find a book on what things are edible (and what to avoid) in the areas they live in! So you have that option to gather food in the event something happens to your food or if the disaster issues go on longer before help arrives. If ever! I live sort of rurally in the pacific nw.
That is a great idea Leslie! I will add it next time I update the post (in just a few weeks, actually!)
I have decided that packing canned food just is not realistic especially with 3 small kids- so we are going to get a total of 6 pouches of the Thrive Express entrees instead and split them between my husband and I’s packs. I think my family will love the hearty chili and creamy chicken noodle soup! Thanks so much!
The Chili is my favorite and the chicken noodle soup is one of my husband’s two favorites!
I would like to add some chicken pouches to our kits. My DH is the only one who likes tuna and we could use more protein. Thanks for the great series!
You are welcome Julie!
We have a lot of tuna/salmon packets that can be used for lunch or dinner. We also have a number of dried meals, like potatoes and soups. I would like to add some Thrive meals as well, since I tried them at a party and thought they were delicious.
I do have a question, though, I can’t seem to add the packets to my Q, is there a trick to doing that?
What packets are you talking about Katie?
Nice idea with the freeze dried & tuna pouches. We had packed our kits from a boy scout list and there’s canned food in there. But since it will be heavier, I’m going to switch out to pouches. It includes meat sticks & jerky, as well, so we’ll keep those. Also, found that the pouch applesauce (with the straw mouthpiece) is a lil more sturdy that the cups. Plus I do like dried fruit. Thanks for the tips!
Yes, the applesauce pouch is better!
We JUST started making our 72 hour kits, we homeschool and we are using this as an opportunity to talk about emergency preparedness. Love your blog! Would love to win!!! Thanks!
Smart! Good for you for involving your kids!
I just added some ramen oodles and some canned beans and veges and fruit and of course spaghettios!!
I never thought of the tuna packets or the canned tuna/chicken/ham.
I just got a vacuum sealer for an early Christmas present. We are going to buy dry components from Sam’s or Costco and make pre-made meals. We have some Thrive meat that is open, so we will add that to make hamburger helpers and other mock box meals. They will be good for a few years and all we will have to do is add water. They also make an easy fast meal during the week to cycle threw them.
Fabulous idea! Similar to the THRIVE Express, but probably less expensive and more personalized!
right now I’ve got canned goods, tuna, granola bars, and peanut butter crackers. I plan to eventually get freeze dried food, but I’ll have to slowly by it because of the cost of it! the thrive meals sound great too, but not sure if they are worth the money. anyone out there try the thrive meals? thoughts? freeze dried seems to be the best and light weight! also formula and rice cereal for my 4 month old!
The THRIVE meals are great, but definitely a bit on the pricier side (although much less than a trip for fast food!). I would recommend adding more affordable things and then maybe switching out in a year or two…
I just rotated out old MRE’s that had expired and am replacing them with freeze dried meals. We also have some cliff bars in each back pack as a quick ready to eat option.
Those cliff bars probably pack a lot more punch than the little granola bars I’ve got Vicki. Good idea!
I went to Big Lots and picked up various pouch meals like couscous and instant potatoes to find out what my 2yo will eat. We already have a bunch of Mountain House meals but would like to add some “normal” food to our kit.
Comfort food, or foods we know we like is very important!
As always I am loving it, Thank you!!
Does anyone have any suggestions for lightweight high protein vegetarian foods?
Peanut butter is about the only thing we have in our kit but it’s not real light weight.
We have lots of options for good carbs but are definitely lacking in protein. Probably not a major concern for short term but I’d love suggestions.
You might consider freeze dried beans? They are lightweight and take a lot less water than regular beans. You can read more about them here:
http://www.yourownhomestore.com/product-highlight-instant-beans/
Kale is high in protein, you can dehydrate them and make chips out of them. Chia seeds are really good for protein and omega 3. Plus they are light weight. They are a really good “survival” food. Which reminds me, I need to get some soon.
Misty,
This has been such a wonderful series. I’m putting together our emergency preparedness kit and binder for my husband for Christmas. These have been most helpful. He’s a former Marine and he likes to be prepared, but not organized, and I’m more organized. So thanks for getting us on point.
Sounds like you are a good match for each other Laura!
I’m hoping to pick up several packages of Thrive Express during Shelf Reliance’s Black Friday Sale. What are your kid’s favorite Thrive Express Meals?
They like the chili, the chicken noodle soup, the scalloped potatoes and the pasta carbonara the best.
i am packaging rice and dry beans in vacuum package then putting them in a five gallon bucket with those o2 packets
Great! That will be fabulous is you are able to stay at home. Anything you can fit in a 72 hr kit though?
This is my first time to your website – nice! Had no idea about the THRIVE Express – so I will check them out. I don’t know if others worry about this – but I’ve begun adding a crate of canned cat food – not for the family of course – but the furry members – I want to make sure I have them covered too!
Yes! Many others worry about it! Check out week #22 which is all about preparing for you pet!
I am so glad to have found your website! I have been trying to create a survival stockpile for my family but the task has been very overwhelming! I love how your site breaks this huge process down into a manageable weekly process! I will be following you weekly. I also really like how you give lots of options and then tell what you and your family have decided to go with. Thanks for all of the great info!
YOu are welcome Jennifer. I’m so glad you’ve found it helpful! And I think your plan of focusing on bug out bags first is a smart one!
I think for us, I am going to focus on food for our bugout bags first. I think we are going to stick with dried foods for our packs because they are so lightweight and have a long shelf life. Then once we get the bugout bags finished, I will have more piece of mind and be able to focus on stocking up on items for our pantry.
I am packing dehydrated fruits too and I like your idea about oatmeal. Only concern with the oatmeal is having enough water to cook it. If water supply is limited, not sure what else I could do with the oatmeal to make it edible, other than just eat it dry (if that would even be possible).
Yes, that is why I’ve got lots of ways to purify / filter water in my pack too!
Just discovered your site. I have been looking for something like this since Y2K
Thanks for all your hard work. I do have a question about food. Our family on a strict gluten, dairy and sugar free diet. I noticed that all of the Thrive meals are things we cannot eat. In fact, it looks like all we would be able to eat would be tuna pouches, jerky, freeze dried fruits and veggies, nuts and seeds. Have you ever found meals like the Thrive brand that are not so heavy in the sugar/carb/dairy category?
Most premade meals will have at least one of your restricted items…
However, most THRIVE is actually sold as individual ingredients which allows you to use it to make your own recipes that fit your needs. THRIVE actually has an entire gluten free grain line. (-: