Food is one of humanity’s basic necessities. We all need calories and nutrients to keep us going. Food gives us the energy to, well, survive. Of course, when circumstances are dire, food may be hard to come by. Many of the conveniences we’ve all come to depend on, like making a quick trip to the local grocery store or having takeout delivered to our front door, may no longer be an option.
Granted, most of us have a selection of foods to draw from at home, but those limited stockpiles may not last. If there’s no electricity, the meats, vegetables, and dairy products in the refrigerator will quickly spoil. Foods we keep in our pantries may have longer shelf lives, but those may not hold out for very long, either. Most people only keep a few days’ supply of those items on hand.
Staying Fed In Times of Crisis
Being able to meet your family’s nutritional needs in an emergency is essential. Since conventional meal solutions may not be readily available during a crisis, being prepared in advance is the key to staying fed even when modern conveniences are out of reach. That may mean stepping outside the box. Dehydrated foods, freeze-dried survival meals like those available at PreparedBee.com, and having the skills to live off the land can be life-saving resources at times like these.
Understanding Basic Nutritional Needs
Before delving into the previously mentioned solutions for keeping your family fed, let’s explore people’s basic nutritional needs. In general, the recommended daily calorie intake for men is 2,500. For women and children, it’s about 2,000. Those calories shouldn’t come from just any source, though. They need to come from healthy fats, carbohydrates, and essential nutrients, especially in survival situations.
Vital Macronutrients
We all need certain amounts of macronutrients. Those are the nutrients we need in larger volumes. They include proteins, carbohydrates, and fats. Fats give us energy and help to insulate our bodies. Healthy fats come from several sources, including avocados, eggs, tofu, and yogurt. That being said, those may not be the most viable options in emergencies. In survival scenarios, it may be best to get those much-needed fats from nuts, seeds, and nut butters.
Proteins fall into the macronutrient category as well. We need proteins for energy and maintaining muscle strength. They also aid in hormone production, tissue repair, and strengthening the immune system. Meats are generally people’s main sources of protein, but again, in a crisis, those may not be readily available. At times like these, jerkies, beans, nuts, and canned sardines are great sources of protein to fall back on.
Carbohydrates are crucial too. They’re the body’s primary source of energy. Without adequate carbohydrates, people tend to start feeling weak, tired, and lightheaded. Healthy carbohydrates come from grains, fruits, and vegetables. Excelling sources of carbs in survival situations include rolled oats and dried blueberries, kidney beans, and chickpeas.
Important Micronutrients
In addition to macronutrients, we need certain micronutrients. Those are vitamins and minerals we need in smaller amounts. We may not need the same volumes of vitamins and minerals as proteins, carbs, and fats, but they’re no less important. Numerous micronutrients are essential for optimal health, including vitamins A, B, C, and D; potassium; magnesium; calcium; and sodium. These vitamins and minerals come from a wide range of sources, and they serve numerous roles in the human body. From bolstering immunity to ensuring we’re able to process other foods, we need a constant supply of these nutrients.
Taking a Closer Look at Freeze-Dried Foods
With all that being said, it’s time to take a closer look at freeze-dried meals and how they can help keep your family alive in times of need. These are foods that have been preserved using a unique process. First, the foods are frozen. Then, they’re placed in a vacuum and exposed to low levels of heat. That causes the ice in the foods to sublimate, or transform directly from a solid to a gas. That effectively removes moisture from the foods to make them last longer. They can be rehydrated later on simply by adding water to them. Freeze-dried foods offer a long list of benefits that prove particularly helpful in emergencies and survival situations.
Retaining Nutrients
Cooking and dehydrating foods can detract from their nutrient content, so they’re not quite as beneficial as they could be. That’s not the case with freeze-dried meals. Freeze-drying locks in nutrients, so foods retain their nutritional value. That means you’ll get almost as much value from these foods as you would from their fresh counterparts, so they can truly help to keep your family healthy.
Long Shelf Life
Another advantage of freeze-dried foods is their shelf life. Since their moisture is removed in the preservation process, freeze-dried meals can last for up to 25 years as long as they’re packaged and stored properly. They don’t require refrigeration, so you don’t have to worry about them spoiling if the power goes out even for extended periods.
Size and Portability
Additionally, freeze-dried meals are extremely lightweight and portable. Eliminating their moisture content also eliminates most of their weight and much of their bulk. That makes them smaller, lighter, and easier to carry. They take up less space than fresh or canned foods as well, so you can pack more meals into a smaller space. Whether you’re packing an emergency backpack for meals on the go or creating a stockpile in anticipation of a global disaster, freeze-dried foods are a great solution.
Easy Preparation
Preparing freeze-dried foods is simple too. In most cases, all you have to do is add hot water to them for a quick, hot, nutritious meal. In survival situations, you may not have the convenience of a large kitchen and modern appliances to work with. That can certainly make meal preparation a challenge. With freeze-dried foods, though, all you need is water, a fire, and a pot for putting the two together.
Taste and Variety
On top of those benefits, freeze-dried foods are tasty, and there’s a wide variety to choose from. That means you can choose foods your family enjoys to keep on hand for emergencies. Whether you have a picky eater in your family or someone who’s dedicated to a vegan lifestyle, there are freeze-dried meal options to accommodate. You don’t have to serve your family the same meals night after night, either.
With freeze-dried foods, you can enjoy extensive variety, high nutritional content, simplicity, portability, and convenience. These are long-lasting solutions that can serve your family well during temporary power outages and extended emergencies alike. Still, it’s best to have a few backup plans in place in case your stockpile of freeze-dried meals runs out.
Beyond Freeze-Dried Foods
Freeze-dried foods are wonderful solutions to have on hand, but they can’t cover all your nutritional needs. That’s particularly true in long-term survival situations. As such, having other options to fall back on is crucial. Fortunately, nature provides many of the nutrients we all need for survival. You just need to have the knowledge, skills, and tools to take advantage of what’s available.
Foraging
Foraging for food is one of the most basic means of survival. Our ancestors were doing it millennia ago, and it kept them sustained well enough to eventually give rise to modern civilization. All you really need to do to find a nutrient-dense meal is step into the woods. They’re teeming with wild berries, seeds, greens, and other healthy foods that can provide many of the vitamins and minerals you need to survive.
It’s important to understand just which plants are edible and which ones aren’t, though. If you choose the wrong ones, you might end up requiring medical intervention, which may not be at your disposal in times of crisis. You can even glean the protein you need from insects if you’re willing to go that far. Many people swear they’d never resort to such measures, but in survival situations, they often change their minds.
Hunting and Fishing
Being able to hunt and fish is also crucial in a survival situation. Though plants, seeds, nuts, berries, and insects pack a good nutritional punch, they fall short in terms of fat and calories. Fish and wild game are excellent sources of those macronutrients. If you don’t know how to hunt and fish, consider learning. It could save your life if push comes to shove. Be sure to add fishing gear and hunting supplies to your emergency preparedness arsenal as well. All the knowledge in the world can’t help you if you don’t have the tools to put it to good use.
Never Go Hungry In an Emergency
Meeting your nutritional needs and those of your family is essential. Under normal circumstances, that’s fairly simple thanks to all the modern conveniences we’ve come to depend on. Those may not always be available, though. Even a short-lived power outage or appliance malfunction leaves many people stumped these days. When life takes an unexpected turn, being able to feed your family will be one of the keys to survival.
Freeze-dried foods offer a helpful solution. They’re fast, convenient, and packed with nutrients. Keeping them on hand can make a major difference when you’re faced with a crisis. Stocking up on them before you actually need them is advised. That way, they’ll be there when the need does arise. Although freeze-dried foods are a wonderful resource, they may not be enough to sustain your family for the long haul. Being able to fill the void in other ways is crucial. Knowing how to forage, hunt, and fish can bridge the gap.
