The American Red Cross and other disaster preparedness organizations all agree that the best food to store up on is something you can eat for a long time without getting sick of. so pack things close to what you already eat. if you don’t normally eat cans of garbanzo beans now – a disaster is not the time to try them out!
One big consideration other than that – is the amount of nutrition and calories versus the amount of space the cans take up. for example – a can of ravioli in sauce has about 250 calories in it, while a can of green beans has about 70. You need over 3 cans of the green beans to have the same amount of calories that the can of ravioli has. also – the ravioli has protein, carbs and fat – while the beans are primarily carb with a little protein.
Space and weight is a big consideration if the house you are/were in is no longer safe and you have to relocate – are you really going to have the time and energy to haul around cases of canned food that is not calorically dense?
True – normally the green beans are the better choice – but we are talking about survival and not optimal nutrition. You aren’t going to have to eat this way for the rest of your life.
Some things people bring up often – like canned Tuna – may not be a good choice if you aren’t used to eating it right out of the can and without fresh foods to add in like mayo and onions. so try to pick things, that are palatable eaten right out of the can and unheated. also – pick foods that you can eat the entire can of at one sitting because you most liklely won’t have refrigeration. Things like the canned tuna or other canned meats may only make sense if you are with other people who you can share with when you open the can – or the remainder is going to spoil.
Above all don’t forget to include in your supplies:
* several can openers…there are small ones called a P38 can opener that fit on a key chain. There are compact versions of the hand cranked ones you use at home. Pack MORE THAN ONE! do this in case one gets lost or misplaced or stolen!* WATER – canned food is almost all salty by default – you need to store drinkable water for several days.* consider storing some dehydrated foods. It is very light in weight but it requires water (that does weigh more) in order to rehydrate..some of it needs heat as well.
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