I've read about Mayday, MainStay, and other kinds of emergency food bars, and I'd like to try them, but I don't want to have to buy a case of each one to do that.<br><br>Does anyone here know where I might be able to buy smaller, sampler quantities of such food bars?<br><br>Craig<br><br>

If you write the respective brands they will send a single sample.Palatability varies considerably,but in a survival scenario you would supplement with gathered plant,insect and animal resources.Their main attraction is nutrition and weight with long shelf life.I also carry a can of sardines(great trap and fishing bait if local resources are plentiful),trail mix and pemmican which are rotated.For pemmican take lean ,jerked meat,dried berries and a clear,fresh,rendered fat.Pound meat and berries and then mix in fat and allow to solidify.Cowboys and soldiers in the civil war relied on hardtack of corn or wheat.My saddler is in possession of such a biscuit authenticated as going up San Juan Hill with a rough rider!<br><br>

As a wannabee, can you be a little more detailed about pemmican. I've heard and read about it but haven't had enough sack to try to make it for fear of rancidity! Can you use store bought jerky or must it be "real", 1/4 inch thick slices of various meats dried in the sun for a day. How about proportions of meat, berries, and fat? What kind of fat is clear, fresh and rendered? How about "trail life" (as opposed to shelf life)? Please have patience with my ignorance, but i'd like to try it at home and be ill rather than on the trail. Thanx!!<br><br>

Todd,your a gonnabee,not wannabee.Pemmican was made with lean meat,Ie. buffalo,venison,or the texas longhorn.The jerked meat is pounded into thin fibers.Cut any fresh fat into walnut size pieces and "try" over low fire.Do not allow it to boil.Discard all lumpy material from the clear liquid.Mix 50/50 with meat.I like to blend in approx.another 25% of dried berries. This will have the finished consistency of sausage.It must be wrapped.Clear sausage skins or even vacume packing will do.This was the survival and travelling food of the Northern Plains peoples.Remember the temperatures are pretty cool up there.I use the sniff test for rancidity.It's a lot of work!Commercial jerky is full of chemical preservatives, teriyaki,peppercorns and is the industry's way of moving inferior meat.Try the specialty supplier's,kosher butchers and any friends who hunt for suitable cuts.It's alot of work.I had to hole up for a night in the rainstorms here(Calif).My squaw fire and pemmican had me almost to warm in my bag.temp was 32,wind chill unknown. <br><br>

Drying or even smoking meat for a day will not produce jerky.This is merely searing the meat to keep insects out.Drying actually takes several days.A food dehydrator or open oven are faster.Moisture content can vary.Dry it to cardboard and nutrients are lost.I like it to flex like heavy leather."Trying" or rendering fat is just like the production of whale oil in 19th century.You can actually see three or more distinct distilations in a single container.For our needs,just heat until you can skim off all visible particles.Prime early winter buffalo will have concentrations of fat in the hump etc.You will not see the "marbling" in domestic beef.I cheat and use bacon leavings.<br><br>

Thanks, Chris!! Finally after a really long time of wondering I can get an answer in DETAIL to my questions. I'm really enjoying this website and really appreciate the info. Todd<br><br>

I neglected to give a rational for pemmican!Jerky will absorb moisture and putrefy or develop mold.Pemmican is in fact early canning.The fat is a sealer and added nutrient.Pemmican with berries is more susceptible to spoilage,but I like the flavor and vitamen C.Native peoples wrapped theirs in rawhide. Examples are known to have remained fresh up to 30years!<br><br>