Basic Emergency Supplies

Tools

  • FIRE: axe [wood], hatchet [kindling], pocket knife [tinder], fire starter kit (matches; lighter; flint stone, steel, & char cloth; magnesium block, steel blade, & ferrocerium “flint”)
  • COOKING: camping grill, open-fire pot, open-fire kettle, dutch oven
  • STORAGE: food-grade containers with non-permeable seal
  • MISC: shovel (digging fire pit, latrine, etc.), buckets (for water, etc.)

Long Shelf-Life Foodstuffs

! * WATER * ! – Not really food, but nothing else will help you for long without a supply of potable water. Have both a water filtration device and 3-7 gallons of stored water per individual (extra water in places it might be hot, or are remote).

  • rice, dried beans, pasta, popcorn, rolled and steel cut oats/oatmeal
  • cornmeal, polenta, corn flour
  • salt, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, spices, tea, instant coffee, powdered milk
  • honey, maple syrup
  • vinegar, soy sauce

Emergency Recipes

Hard-tack:
2 cups flour
0 – ½ tablespoon salt
½ – ¾ cup water

Mix ingredients well into a dough just pliable enough to shape. If you had too much water by accident, just add a bit more flour until it comes back together. Roll the dough out to about 1/3rd inch thickness, form 15 3″x3″ hardtacks, and poke 16 holes (in a 4×4 grid) into each to help the crackers bake evenly. Bake at 250°F for at least 4 hours, turning over once half-way through baking. They should not darken much.

Corn Crackers:
3 cups corn flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Stir the dry ingredients together. Mix in the water until just blended. Bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes until crisp and light brown.

Irish Soda Bread:
3 cups flour
½ – 2 teaspoons salt
0 – 2 tablespoons sugar
¾ – 1 teaspoon baking soda or powder
1½ – 2 cups buttermilk

Whisk dry ingredients. Stir in buttermilk until dough is fully moistened and no pockets of flour remain. Bake in dutch oven covered at 450°F until risen and golden (~45 minutes). Uncover and bake until chestnut brown (~10-15 minutes).

Last Modified: Thursday, January 25, 2018