Why Conventional Survivalist Food Advice Is Horrible

The majority of us wish to take steps to reduce the risk of problems in our lives for ourselves and our family. That is why most of us have house and auto insurance, purchase smoke detectors and gas alarms, and get our homes and cars inspected for safety on a regular basis.

However, just 5% of people are prepared in the event of a crisis. Why?

Because the perceived danger level is substantially lower than that of a home fire or other catastrophes that occur more frequently than a disaster, most people have less motivation and interest in acting.

Another issue is the imagined big, massive, focused work required to "make food." What is the source of this perception?

If you Google "survival food" or "food preparation," you'll discover a wealth of knowledge from survivalists. Many of these survival websites offer excellent professional survival and food-preparation guidance.

Much of the survivalist advice, though, is for individuals who are determined to investing a significant amount of time and effort into being prepared.

Buying in bulk at large box retailers is frequently recommended on survival websites. That is, buy grains, flour, and other food items in 50-pound sacks. Then there's the time spent splitting it into food storage containers, marking those containers by date, using dry ice to extend store life, and so on.

The next step is to devote a significant amount of time to cooking and eating that bulk food on a regular basis, as well as to occasionally "stock-up" to protect your "not so fresh" inventory from spoiling. To ensure that the food you utilize today is the oldest in your home warehouse, keep an eye on your labeled, bulk food "home warehouse" and keep a FIFO (first in, first out) inventory system. Does this appeal to you? Will your existing way of life be able to handle this constant effort to be prepared?

What if you need to restock on bulk grain and there's a shortage? In this system, timing is crucial, and you might put in a lot of work to be prepared yet still be unprepared due to poor timing.

Do you believe you are ready to go through all of the following in order to be "prepared"? Even if you are inspired right now and say "yes," what are the chances you will abandon your "preparedness is my life" commitment and send the majority of the 200 lbs of bulk rice you just purchased to the landfill?

While I respect these people's passion to being prepared, I know that most of us are not motivated to go to such lengths to be prepared. Not everyone wants to, or will, make such a significant lifestyle shift to ensure food security.

Is the survivalist approach described above the only way to store food for months or perhaps a year?

Is there another option that isn't as expensive?

How can a significantly larger percentage of Americans than 5% truly become food prepared, reducing the strain on relief organizations in the event of a disaster?

Freeze-dried food is the simple answer. Mountain House #10 cans can last up to 25 years if purchased once. Put it away in a cold, dry location and forget about it until you need it. If you don't utilize it in the following 25 years, you can write 'Expires in 2047' on the boxes.

Then you won't have to go to the huge box every six months to clear away pallets of rice, as survivalists advise. When you need to restock your 200 lbs of bulk grain, you won't be caught off guard if there's a scarcity.