# Planning for your Food in a "disaster kit"



## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

After reading the mis-adventures several folks have had with so-called 'bucket food' - I thought it worth to discuss panning and add a way to measure energy usage, water required and some other side bits. Clearly, doing this planning for your specific needs is required, but I thought I'd put this up for folks new to the game, so to speak.

Storing food is a smart thing to do, _bu_t _if you don't also have *both* the water and fuel to go with that food_&#8230;life will get real interesting just before yours gets real short. Too many folks have bought a bucket of dry Chow and think they are covered....

It is entirely possible to store 30 days' worth of Chow that requires no cooking and no refrigeration. For this exercise, I'll focus on a 4 day block - the oft-abused 72 Hour Kit that seems so popular. BTW - You really can go without food for 72 hours suffering only some hunger.

Water is both essential, and the least planned for item in any disaster kit. This post will look at food; water required for cooking with related cleanup and fuel needs. Hot food and beverages may be a simple matter of morale in warm areas. In cold climates, hot food can be a matter of life and death.

_A word about fuel_. There are about a jillion and half of different stoves in use by the denizens of the board. Some burn butane, others burn white gas, still others, alcohol. So, how can I possibly put something up that addresses such a disparate user base?

I offer for your planning consideration - the* Energy Unit*. An Energy Unit or *EU* is the *amount of fuel your stove uses to produce 2 cups of boiling water.
*
So, as I describe a food item that is cooked, I'll list the EU needed, and you can convert for your specific system.

Sample menu for one person now re-worked to show water and fuel use

SPAM single slice in pouch x4 w soy sauce packets (Sodium warning!)
Oatmeal, instant x 8 packages with sugar and dry milk (NIDO)
Soup, dry, chicken noodle x 8 packages (Sodium warning)
Jif to Go, peanut butter x 2
Breakfast bars, 4 bars to package x 4 package
Clif bars x 9
MRE meal - meatballs & tortillas, peanut butter pouch, mixed nuts - x1
Energy bars - x2
MRE beverage bags with 3 cups Minute Rice (total)
Coffee dry x 4 sleeves
Tea bags x 8 foiled bags
Chewing gum, large pkg

NOTE - 2 liters of water per person / per day is a *baseline item*. Water used for cooking and cleanup is *in addition* to the baseline.

Possible menu -
*Day 1*

Breakfast - Oatmeal (1 cup) coffee or tea 4 cups water 2 EU

Oatmeal takes 1 3/4 cup of water, the rest goes in the drink .
Another cup of water can be used for clean up. You could use your coffee to rinse out the oatmeal bowl. Better yet, line the bowl with a ziploc bag, that's what I do. The extra cup hot water can then be used for a hot washcloth cleaning for hands, face, etc.

Lunch - Clif bar x 2, Drink mix 2 cups water 0 EU

Dinner - SPAM, diced, boiled in chicken broth with ¾ cup instant rice added , green tea. 4 cups water 2 EU

Cut SPAM into cubes and rinse well with ½ cup water. Discard this saltly water.
Bring 2.5 cups to boil, add SPAM, chicken soup and rice. Remove from heat, bring tea water to boil.
Use remaining water to clean soup pot.

In addition to 2 liters of baseline water, add 9 cups (2.2 liters) of water , 4 EU for this day

******
*Day 2*

Breakfast - Oatmeal (1 cup) and coffee or tea 4 cups water 2 EU (as above)

Lunch - Clif bar x 2, drink mix 2 cups water 0 EU

Dinner -SPAM, diced, boiled in chicken broth w/ ¾ cup instant rice, with peanut butter added to soup, tea 6 cups water 2 EU

As above. The peanut butter in the mix (don't knock till you try it) is to add additional calories/fat. It will also require some soap and water to clean up - at least 2 cups. This is Day 2, so plan on another 2 cups of hot water for you - to wash hands and face, with a wet washcloth body wipe down.

In addition to 2 liters of baseline water, add 13 cups (3.2 liters) of water , 5 EU for this day

******

*Day 3*

Breakfast - Breakfast bars, 1 pkg, coffee or tea. 2 cups water 1 EU
If you make Tang or other cold drink, 0 EU

Lunch - Clif bar, Breakfast bars, 1 pkg, tea 2 cups water 1 EU

Dinner - Meatballs in sauce, tortillas with peanut butter, drink mix
4 cups water 1 EU

Boil MRE pouch in water, save that water for you to wash up with. Peanut butter goes on tortillas.

In addition to 2 liters of baseline water, add 8 cups (~2 liters) of water , 3 EU for this day
(Note - this is an extra calorie uptake day)

******
*Day 4*

Breakfast - Oatmeal (1 cup) and coffee or tea 4 cups water 2 EU (as above)

Lunch - Clif bar, peanut butter pouch drink mix 2 cups water 0 EU

Dinner SPAM with 1.5 cups rice, soy sauce, mixed nuts, Tea. 2 cups water, 2 EU

In addition to 2 liters of baseline water, add 7 cups (1.6 liters) of water , 4 EU for this day

Bottom line for 4 days of (minimal eats) 
*Water - At least 17 liters + 15 EU*

"extra food" may used as snacks or to stretch to a 5th day.
Clif bars x 5
Oatmeal, ½ cup packets x 2
Breakfast bars x 2 pkg
Energy bars x 2
Some kind of camp soap and hygiene items.

This offers a possible way for folks to plan on food, water and fuel use.

Good luck, any feedback on the notion of an EU is welcome.

Thanks


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

Anyone want to buy some MREs? LMAO!


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

Replacing all that food with those emergency bars sure would simplify things a lot. Plus they last for 5 years under any climatic condition!


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

That might be a good idea for some, but cliff bars and spam are not in my supplies.  We raise and preserve most of our own food and can't stand the processed stuff anymore. A jar of chicken has enough liquid to make up some gravy or a bit of rice. No extra water necessary.


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

I dont get it... is this for a 4 day bag or something? I've never planned for only 4 days survival. My get home bag that rides in my truck has enough for me to survive 3 days. Any longer and I will scrounge food up.
Why wouldn't you just throw 4 MREs and a couple emergency water rations in a bag and be done?
Day 1: MRE 0 EU
Day 2: 1 MRE 0EU
Day 3: 1MRE 0 EU
Day 4: 1 MRE 0 EU


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

LastOutlaw said:


> I dont get it... is this for a 4 day bag or something? I've never planned for only 4 days survival. My get home bag that rides in my truck has enough for me to survive 3 days. Any longer and I will scrounge food up.
> Why wouldn't you just throw 4 MREs and a couple emergency water rations in a bag and be done?
> Day 1: MRE 0 EU
> Day 2: 1 MRE 0EU
> ...


You may do as you wish, of course. Many folks purchase "kits' that have a few bars of lifeboat rations and a limited number of the pouched water.

I'm trying to show there are _alternatives_. As I live in Alaska, I am mindful of the cold. - it may not be your cup of tea, but for someone new at the game....why they just _might_ find it useful.

I agree the MREs offer an easy, no planning, no thinking required way to have some Chow on hand. The list I posted has a stripped MRE as part of the listing.

If anyone is planning on MRE's, I would suggest _at least_ 2 per day and at least 2 liters of water. A full gallon is better. The MRE heaters do a fairly good job of providing a warm meal.

Best wishes


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

tsrwivey said:


> Replacing all that food with those emergency bars sure would simplify things a lot. Plus they last for 5 years under any climatic condition!


Lifeboat rations are a popular choice for many.

I purchased some an_d actually ate_ them over two days (Ick). This is way I carry "all that food' - variety is, as they say, the spice of life...

Folks chose what they do for their own reasons.... 
Best wishes


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## AmishHeart (Jun 10, 2016)

I package my own MRE type meals in mylar. At least they resemble real food. I can tolerate Mt House for a day or two, but something familiar resembling home cooked is better.


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## bacpacker (Jul 15, 2011)

Your list would fit me well in my Get Home Bag I keep in the truck. I work almost 40 miles from home and have 2 major rivers and 1 city to navigate. For my bag I have a couple of freeze dried meals(for 2), several energy bars, some dried fruit, jerky, and a couple drink mixes. I also carry some hooks, line, and sinkers. Gives me a chance to set a quick and dirty trotline, or a small trap to supplement my food while resting, if.
The homemade MRE's are a great idea.


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