The never-ending debate continues: what is the ideal food for your bug-out bag?
Lots of people have lots of different opinions. Some folks fill ‘er up with freeze-dried meals and little stoves. Others stash granola or survival bars. Aden wrote here about getting the maximum calories at the lowest possible weight in his own bag.
I recently did a podcast with Brian Duff from Mind4Survival and we discussed what we believe to be the best food for your bug-out bag.
I had a completely different opinion on bug-out bag sustenance before going to Croatia and taking a survival course with Selco. In fact, it changed my perspective on nearly all things bugging out, something I wrote about in this article.
The Best Food for Your Bug Out Bag
Check out our conversation below:
Brian also wrote an article on this topic, which you can find here. Our views are pretty much in alignment with a few minor differences. We had a lot of fun with the interview. I hope you enjoy it! If you do, be sure to leave Brian an honest 5-star review.
What are your thoughts about this debate?
What do you think? Do you agree with our consensus in the podcast? What choices do you make about food for your bug-out bag? Let’s talk about it in the comments.
Couldn’t listen so I read the article.
I carry two categories: eat on the go and sit down.
MREs, tuna, granola, protein bars as examples of eat on the go
Freeze dried meals like Mt House or heater meals are an example of sit down
oatmeal/whey, trail mix. in wide-mouth plastic bottles so no mess or cleanup.
I don’t watch videos of interviews. I prefer to examine the text, stop and go, or go back to discern. Some interviewers talk to fast, some use words I don’t understand. In the future I would PREFER you provide a text cc with all videos. In this instance I saw no text to read. Thank You. Otherwise ~vacondios . . ..
Hi, Ernie! That was a podcast so there’s no close-captioning.
99% of our content is written, but we do occasionally post interviews and videos. Wishing you the very best!
Agree!!!
As to bug out food, it’s whatever I have in my RV, or can add to my truck on short notice.
The RV stays mostly stocked, except for short term things, i.e. fridge or frozen.
No, I’m not being a smart @$$.
My wife has limited mobility, so if we have to go, it will have to be by vehicle.
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I would like to download the interview.
MRE’s, tuna, protein bars, trail mix, nuts.
But…for now. Not ever doing that. Yes I know never say never, but you can bury me where I fall.
I am not running.
Unless I am doing a forced march, I still do the hump for 50 minutes, take a 10 minute break for GORP (add M&Ms), jerky (that I make), hydrate.
Check for blisters, adjust boot laces, pack.
I like freeze dried foods best if I have to make camp.
Excellent podcast, Daisy [and Brian]! It was fun to listen to, and it was informative. With marketing, we are led to believe that those meal in a pouch are perfect. But what you said was so true — you don’t want to stop to cook, and you don’t want others to smell your food cooking. Keep it simple, premade, and ready. We have to remind ourselves — this isn’t forever. It’s just for the hike.
I like JarHead’s suggestion of Gorp (with the much needed peanut m&ms, of course, for a moral booster), jerky, and water. And I like Brian’s suggestion of keeping these in extra pant pockets so that you don’t have to dig through your bag.
I like to have options. I keep granola bar type foods ready to go. I have a small bag I keep stocked with 19 mountian house meals, a small jar of peanut butter and two small instant mashed potato packs – my grab and go food for whatever purpose.
I have a small food bag with my camping gear that has a few cans and some staples in it. Spam, a couple of cans of beef, a chunky soup, corned beef, rice, instant mashed potatoes. It’s geared more towards hiking but it’s ready to go.
I learned long ago when I did a lot of hiking that there was trail food to keep you going and sit down food for once you’ve set up camp for the night. I still use that model.