# Scouts and Food Storage Quantities



## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

http://www.survivalblog.com/2012/09/letter-re-scouts-and-food-storage-quantities.html

The recent post about scouting from Louie in Ohio brought back a flood of memories for me and the scouting program of so many decades past. One such memory was from a wise Scoutmaster at the beginning of a 50 mile 6-day hike through Alpine wilderness . He stated that in 6 days we would walk out of these woods a different person than had walked in. Most of the twenty or so young men scoffed at hearing such counsel. Of course we ran out food on day four, we were responsible for allocating our food per day and we over-ate in the first two days. Yes our packs were lighter but that foolishness was soon evident.

For a group of young men in their mid teens to struggle on those last two days hungry, tired and our Scoutmaster driving us on those last 20 miles was a life changer for me. Yes we tried the 'Living off the land approach.' We caught plenty of those high lake Cutthroat trout. No matter how many we ate we were still famished. To this day I still carry a MRE packed with my First Aid kit when I travel.

This brings me to a key point. *No matter how much food storage you think you have, you don't have enough.* I cringe when I watch on YouTube when people show off their "one year supply" of food. At best they have half of that. I use a very simple formula: people eat three pounds of food a day, some more some less. So at 365 days you need a minimum of 1,000 pounds of food per person per year. All food weight is calculated at the time of eating. So dehydrated food would weigh much more when re-hydrated. Please stock up now when food prices are so incredibly low. To prove my point I was standing in the check-out line in my favorite restaurant supply store last month and three young ladies were pushing those flat bed carts , each were heaping with food. I had to ask the one young lady with the clipboard who were they feeding? She stated they were feeding a Girl Scout camp of 150 girls and 20 staff members for one week. I was astonished, I stated there is no way a bunch of girls could eat that much food in one week. She laughed and smiled and said "Oh yes they can!" The food would easily weigh down two pick-up trucks. Please stock up now. We are about to enter a life changing experience, and no you don't have enough food.


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

Interesting ...

We now live in a world, where we can super size up any meal we want ... All you can eat food bars, with cake and ice cream to boot. So living off Cutthroat trout would not be easy for most folks.

But (IMO) even if you have a 1000 MRE packed away, it would still be the same feeling... Just because it would be a different world. 

Mind set would have to change ... On for the first few days it is fun, cooking out and all that stuff. Till things start to run out. 

First rule of thumb ... "Eat what you store and store what you eat"

Try it for a week.


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## OldCootHillbilly (Jul 9, 2010)

As ta what ta store, it be normal groceries fer us. We simply buy more en we need an put the extra aside. Some of it be stored different er what not, but it be the same stuff we eat everday.

We've had ta slow down some on ours cause a the money crunch, but were still puttin it aside. After I get back ta work were gonna hit er again. Now be cannin season cause temps have cooled.


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## tsrwivey (Dec 31, 2010)

That's why I determine how much food storage I have by the number of meals. I know how much of each item it takes to feed my family & how much we eat at one meal. I've also figured in a lot of snacks, FD fruit, nuts, crackers, popcorn, cake, brownies, snack breads, etc. to add extra calories & keep anyone from feeling deprived.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

Everyday I walk to the commissary and get my lunch. I make sure to buy extra. Like example today, there was a sale on 15oz canned Mixed Vegies. I bought 4 cans. Tomorrow I'l buy something else always pay attention to expiration dates.


Like the turtle, slow and meticulous. It adds up.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

I remember a camp out like that in Scouts only I wasn't quite as old and it was not quite as long. I was maybe 12-13 years old and it lasted about 4 days. The first night we feasted on crawdads found in a stream bed and thought it was the good life. Then came day number 2. It didn't take long for me to be "starving to death". The few snacks that I snuck along into my backpack were gone in a hurry. When I got home I think I ate my parents out of house and home.


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## UncleJoe (Jan 11, 2009)

I believe anyone that was in scouting went through something like that. Our patrol went on trips that were 3-4 days. It's not as easy as one might think to carry enough food to last the entire trip. It also makes you realize that "living off the land" involves a little more than reading a book about it.


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## Woody (Nov 11, 2008)

Folks will just have to start thinking about eating and food differently. 

Yes, we live in a supper sized society where half of the food we produce gets thrown away. I forget the percentage, I believe it was in another thread. My doctor told me to lose some weight last year, I am down about 35# and where I should be now. I did most of it by changing diet but also drinking a lot of water to feel full. Having an overly active, field stock, black lab pup who is now 10 ½ months old also helped to shed some weight!

No matter how much salad you eat it doesn’t fill you for long. You can easily eat enough food to supply you with all the nutrients you need in a day without ever feeling full. Just went through it! Your body will have to adjust to the new normal and it won’t be on double cheese burgers and extra large fries. It is going to take a whole new attitude towards eating to survive.

I was in scouts and had the trips, was fun as I remember. I don’t remember ever running out of food though, maybe just our troop. We didn’t carry our own we carried a portion of the troops meals.


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## Sentry18 (Aug 5, 2012)

In contrast to all of this, my oldest son is a Scout and his troop is in no danger of camping out the old-school way or really learning any kind of survival skill. They go to established camps with recreational activities, restrooms, almost cafeteria style meals and nothing that I would consider "roughing it" at all. They are almost like summer camps without the cabins (and sometimes with). His camp out this summer was so pussified that two weeks later I took a few days off and took him camping for real. We brought our food and slept on foam pads, but no one gave is a participation medal and we did not enjoy a cookie after quiet time. More importantly he learned (again) what is is like to be hungry and tired.


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## ComputerGuy (Dec 10, 2010)

LOL Sentry. For those of you who do not know, My DW of 32 years and I are having to raise 2 of our grandkids due to their parents stupidity. We have had them most of our lives, and honestly, we don't get to do the things that other empty nesters do, but we have made a commitment that they will have a great experience growing up even though PAPa saves a lot of stuff and raises chickens and gardens and does other weird and cool things!

Back on subject, each year the cub scouts go to cub camp and the fall carnival. Great time and you are right, pussified!

The campsights have showers, toilets, and everyone eats at a cafeteria. Great food. Hey, it's cub scouts. The hardest thing is sleeping in the tent. LOL.


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