72 Hr Kit Food

Posted by: leemann

72 Hr Kit Food - 01/18/05 08:39 PM

Gang.
What food do you include in your Bobs, 72 Hr kits like freeze dried, mre ect.

Thanks
Lee
Posted by: joblot

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/18/05 08:59 PM

Hi
For my Bob I've opted for the basics:
Lifeboat rations and beef jerky. Both have a long shelf life and together I get calories/fat and protien. Good enough for a few days.... However if any one can think of anything more inspiring.....
Posted by: Susan

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/18/05 09:34 PM

I wish there was a good-tasting, modern version of pemmican. I haven't found a granola bar worth eating yet.

Sue
Posted by: Chris Kavanaugh

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/18/05 10:36 PM

Who, and how many people are involved? The humanitarian, culturally sensitve emergency rations dropped in Afghanistan were unpalatable to the recipients. If your in a stressfull 72 hour situation gastric upset is the last additional worry. Spring a chicken enchilada MRE on grandmother and you may have problems. <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> For 72 hours you won't be worrying about spoilage, it's the 72 days before use we have to be concerned with. 72 Hours= 9 tradition meals in western tradition. I figure the first day as a 'buggie' I'll be lucky to snack on something cold. A hot meal is probably most important at night to keep our internal furnace fueled while sleeping and our caffeine addictions mean tea or coffee in the morning . Water may or may not be palatable even after treatment. So I pack Coffe,tea or Cocoa and powdered Gatorade, Honey packs ( thankyou Starbucks and Randy <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />) and condensed milk for fluids. The milk can be used in many scratch cooking recipes and MOST IMPORTANT We may encounter other folks with infants. Oatmeal is easily carried and prepared with dehydrated fruits to provide variety and nutrition. The infamous PSK bulion cube is flavoured salt, but in a community effort makes a good stock to work from. Canned foods are heavy and much is water, but, once opened you have another coffee cup or cooking utensil. Toss in a can of beef and watch the legendary 'stone soup' come together.
Posted by: Brangdon

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/18/05 10:51 PM

Currently I just have one RTE meal and some dried noodles in my BOB.

The RTE came from a camp shop and tastes pretty awful, and it's also heavy, but I figured it was worth having one that didn't need preparation. Noodles are light and easy to prepare, if you have a fire etc. You need to carry water in addition, but that's probably a good thing.

I keep plenty of food in the house. Frankly I'd be reluctant to leave it.
Posted by: X-ray Dave

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/18/05 11:05 PM

MRE parts, Bouillon packets with no MSG and low salt, hard candy (boiled sweets), chewing gum, dried onion and garlic, fast cook rice , Tobasco sauce from MRE , cocoa mix,water.
Dave
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 12:57 AM

One fuel tab in my Esbit stove burns just exactly long enough to cook a package of ramen noodles, coincidence? I think not!
gino <img src="/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: Bugman37

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 01:38 AM

I mostly have MRE's. Just because they pack nicely. I have freeze dried meals, but they are bukly because of the air space needed in the pouches for reconstitution. Were I to go backpacking though, I would use the freeze dried meals after opening them and compressing the air out of the packages. They are lighter than MRE's. As someone mentioned earlier, I also have triox tabs and stoves to heat up water for coffee. (gotta have it in the morning) Other than that I do have salt and pepper and the little tabasco sauces that come with some MRE's. Just my two cents, both taken by the government.

Charles
Posted by: Burncycle

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 01:54 AM

On the one hand, you're not likely going to starve to death in 72 hours... You might die of thirst though, so water is more important in this case than food. Use common sense; what is your environment? If you are in a desert, having a higher ratio of water to food might be better, as you probably won't come across many natural sources.

If you're in a location where you are working hard, and water is easily found nearby, you can have a higher ratio of food to water in order to keep up your energy. Same with extreme cold/snow.

Food is important for energy and morale. Most 1st world country inhabitants haven't gone longer than 12 hours without food, much less 3 days, so it would be a major shock to the system <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I mainly use MREs, but I'd like to get some Air Force GP-1 rations for hiking, and some MRE's for my 72 hour kits. Unfortunately, the only place I can find the GP-1's are on ebay and I don't have an account there. I don't know anything about the commercial rations like mainstay, mayday, SOS bars, other than that they taste horrible. I guess a good side effect is that you won't snack on them, so they'll be around in case of an emergency!

I'm not an expert so take it for what it's worth
Posted by: Susan

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 03:05 AM

I thought Mainstay was dog food... is it made by the same people?

Sue
Posted by: Raspy

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 07:05 AM

Susan actually there is a modern version of pemmecan. It uses peanut butter instead of fat. It doesn't last as long in storage but if you like peanut butter it ain't half bad.
Posted by: Susan

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 06:34 PM

I hate peanut butter.
Posted by: leemann

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 07:38 PM

Thank you all lots of info the kit is for 1 man so lots to decide food and other things.

Again Thanks
Lee
Posted by: Chris Kavanaugh

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 07:45 PM

Mainstay is a survival 'cake' that looks like cornbread mix before baking. It has a slight lemony flavouring and comes in foil packets of 9 bars each. It is not at all unpleasant to eat, boring maybe. I dined on a unit for 3 days. It was more than adequate nutritionally. On day four I went to a pizza parlour. Remember, there are 3 pertinent diets; the one our body needs, the one our culture/religon dictates and what advertising tells us is good.
Posted by: lazermonkey

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 09:51 PM

Those coastgaurd approved rations are good if you have about the same weight in peanut butter, almond butter, etc. Good eats
Posted by: bountyhunter

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 10:36 PM

Oh my gosh, a soul mate!

Peanuts and peanut butter give me headaches if I eat them. I eat practically every other kind of nut and I love lightly roasted pecans when I can afford them.

The odd thing is I like regular M&M's which have peanuts as part of their list of ingredients, and there are hot Chinese recipes that use peanuts and I like them and suffer no ill effects.

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: X-ray Dave

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/19/05 11:16 PM

For whatever reason Peanut Allergies and Reactions are worse than other nuts, and peanuts (as well as other nuts) can trigger Migraines. Peanut allergies in children seem to be espeacially bad.
Dave
Posted by: Hutch4545

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/20/05 01:18 AM

[color:"blue"]"...Spring a chicken enchilada MRE on grandmother and you may have problems."[/color]


<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> They say a picture paints a thousand words but that one sentence created a half hour sitcom in my head.

Thanks for the laugh, I needed it.

Hutch4545
Posted by: brian

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/20/05 09:20 PM

No food in my 72 hour or 144 hour kits. In larger kits I use Mainstay rations exclusively.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/21/05 07:52 PM

Shuts small children up
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/21/05 07:54 PM

wasabi peas

- keeps the sinuses clear
Posted by: Be_Prepared

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 03:40 AM

If you decide to use "lifeboat" style rations, another option is made by Datrex. They are very similar to Mainstay rations. They come in a brick of 18 bars, packed in six separate sub-packs with 3-bars in them to keep them fresh. One "brick" is enough for one person for 3 days. (In theory <img src="/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />)

They taste ok, I did a 2 day trip with only what I could carry in my fanny pack, and a brick of these Datrex rations kept me going with some jerky thrown in for variety. They are not supposed to be thirst provoking, but, I always drink lots of water with them for some reason, probably because I've always been hiking when I have eaten them. I think that the Mainstays have more of a lemon cake flavor, these are more like coconut flavor. I happen to like that better than the lemon, but, you'll get bored of either one if it's all you're eating. Then again, if it's all you have, it'll taste pretty good.

I leave a couple bricks in the car kits, and have some on my boat. They take minimal space, and can handle heat, cold, whatever. Here's a link to one place you can get them:

http://www.nitro-pak.com/product_info.php/products_id/554
Posted by: GoatRider

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 04:16 AM

I tried datrex. They have coconut in them. My wife and I both hate coconut.
Posted by: bountyhunter

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 06:35 AM

Has anyone found emergency rations to cause constipation problems if adequate amounts of water are not available?

I know the "runs" are more hazardous to health, but being blocked up is a lot harder to relieve.

Bountyhunter
Posted by: brian

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 02:57 PM

Why would you eat if you're low on water?
Posted by: norad45

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 03:08 PM

It's funny, but I've never had "that" particular problem out in the field and so have never really thought about it. I have sure had my share of the loose variety however. What is a safe way to deal with backup without carrying yet another medication? I'm sure there are natural remedies--any thoughts?

Regards, Vince
Posted by: brian

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 03:38 PM

The forest is certainly full of fiber. If you're in the desert you've got problems though. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: norad45

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 04:41 PM

Thanks for the tip! But rather than twigs and bark, I was thinking of something more along the lines of pine-needle tea or cactus cacciatore. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Vince
Posted by: bountyhunter

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 04:58 PM

Brian:

The problem with available fiber in the wild, even if you know it is safe to use, affects things "coming down the pipe" later. If you are already "stopped up", using the mathematical professors solution is rather hard to do if you are alone.



















The professor worked it out with a slide rule. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Bountyhunter <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: bountyhunter

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 05:01 PM

Norad45:

If you have never been "stopped up" in the wild, how do you know the tea or cacciatore will work on the existing problem?

Bountyhunter
Posted by: bountyhunter

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 05:04 PM

Brian:

It is not a matter of being low on water, but rather how the emergency meals react with what one would consider normally sufficient intakes of water. In other words, does your body seem to need more water with emergency rations than the food you normally eat?

Bountyhunter
Posted by: norad45

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 05:52 PM

I don't. It was merely my poor attempt at humor. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Vince
Posted by: Susan

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 07:10 PM

Bountyhunter, Mainstay is cornmeal based, & this other one is wheat-based. Being grains, they are probably considered roughage/fiber. Both are the main ingredients in cheap dog foods, and the backyard is usually ample proof that it keeps them going.

But conditions away from home can cause gastric problems of all kinds, just because the conditions are different, not necessarily bad. Some people seem to have more delicate GI tracts than others, that's all.

For instance, if I don't get a suitable amount of chocolate, fat & sugar on a regular basis, my digestive system suffers and my mental condition deteriorates! <img src="/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

Sue
Posted by: Susan

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 07:20 PM

I was looking at the photo of the Datrex product. Then I looked at the ingredient list again:

Wheat Flour, Vegetable Shortening, Cane Sugar, Water, Coconut and Salt.

So what are all those brown chunks in the product photo?

Also, since there aren't any preservatives, the long shelf life must depend on vacuum packing. If a person had one of those units that sucks all the air out, you could probably make your own, & tailor it slightly to fit your own taste buds.

Sue
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 09:23 PM

Eat (yes, eat) a cigarette, works for constipation, also cleans out intestinal parasites. Charcoal, powdered and mixed with water, then drank works pretty well for most cases of internal poisoning. Plantain (the green weed, not the banana like fruit), stewed and eaten is good for just about anything that ails you. There are a lot more "wilderness" fixes, as a start, I'd reccomend Chris Jankowski's book, "Wilderness Survival" as a good place to start reading.

Troy
Posted by: corpsman

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/25/05 11:00 PM

Susan said: "For instance, if I don't get a suitable amount of chocolate, fat & sugar on a regular basis, my digestive system suffers and my mental condition deteriorates! "

Just add my carbonated caffeine and you got me, too. <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: bountyhunter

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/26/05 01:00 AM

At home, I have what I believe is a protein addiction. If I don't eat meat for breakfast, I will get headaches and nausea.

I gave up a 12 to 20 cup a day coffee habit about 20+ years ago. I always had my own coffee maker and coffee no matter where I worked.

Bountyhunter
Posted by: norad45

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 01/26/05 02:48 PM

I've quit tobacco, but I do seem to remember it did have "that" effect on me. Thanks for the suggestion on the book.

Regards, Vince
Posted by: jshannon

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 06/28/05 03:38 AM

Logan bread

http://www.true-patriot.com/loganbread.htm
Posted by: Todd W

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/10/05 07:34 AM

How do Power bars and the like work for emergancy food?
Posted by: UTAlumnus

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/10/05 08:59 AM

Have you tried the Snicker's Marathon bars? The crunchy version tastes way better than the other energy bars I've tried. They're a Snicker's bar with the nougat replaced with a multi-grain bar.

The chewy version tastes like the rest of the energy bars. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />
Posted by: Burncycle

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/10/05 11:21 AM

They'll keep you moving in the short term, but as a meal replacement for 3 days? I dunno...
Posted by: handyman

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/10/05 12:41 PM

I think mre's are too expensive. I carry some small cans of tuna , some power bars, and some single serving packets of meal replacement/energy drink mix. i found them in the health food section of my local supermarket. the packets can be mixed in water . I get the vanila flavored kind. They have soy protien and lots of vitimins , and a good shelf life.
Posted by: Todd W

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/10/05 04:13 PM

3 days is not to long for food.
-A few power bars.
-Beef Jerky
-couple things of tuna
-tea packets to flavor water
-spam possibly

Should easily last 3 days but could be stretched for a week or more depending if you can force yourself to ration in your situation

These 3 day meals for $75+ seem so expensive since in the first 3 days you should really be able to survive on a powerbar or two and mainly have a good amount of water. right?
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/10/05 05:28 PM

I usually don't reply to posts from teh past, but since I'm looking at repacking the BOB in a few weeks....

I suggest two or three MREs for everyone, becuase you don't have to do anything with them other than open and eat. If it is cold, ytuo just have to heat water, and you have what is almost a real meal. Your body will thank you, partially from a moral point of view, partially becuase something warm inside is more efficent that something warm outside.

Also pack Mainstays (when I'm bugging and running, I want to be able to eat on the go if needed), and real food. For me right now, that is rice, home made beef jerky (dry, hard, and almost able to hold an edge), dried carrots and peas, some soy nuts, dried fruit, and a tiny squirt bottle of canola oil. Add butter buds, salt, pepper, MILD chilli powder, ketchup and bbq sause packets, along with morale items like hard candies, bullion cubes (beef, chicken and veggie flavors), honey packets, lemon crystal packets, tea bags (earl grey, green, and the red stuff from south africa), coffee bags (for trading), and electrolyte tablets to disolve in water with pre-sweetened koolaid-type stuff.

Yes, my BOB has a variety of food in it. But that whole load is fairly small. The spices are in tiny shakers that hold about a table spoon each (found them at a yard sale); the oil is in a 4 ounce flask.

And I just found these guys:
http://www.theepicenter.com/mre_military_meal_ready_to_eat.html
$1.75 for entrees, and they have the cheese spread packs. *licks lips* I might be running for my life, but why eat like it. :P And if any one knows of a civilian manufacture who is currently making the ham omlette, let me know. I liked it.
Posted by: benjammin

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/11/05 04:25 AM

Can't help you with finding the omlette, but I would like to add my two cents to this thread:

Since bugging out is a daily reality check here, I've tried to think of what is most important aspect of the things I want to pack. Ultimately, everything in my BOB is about efficiency, meaning size vs. consumption. In the case of water, I must take as much as is practical for me to get me through 72 hours, realizing that at the end of that time I will be somewhat dehydrated because there's no way for me to take enough water to last on my own for three days. That being the case, the food I take must create the least interference with my water uptake, which means I must concentrate the calories without adding bulk, fiber must be kept to a minimum, but a balance of carbs and fats needs to be maintained or you will end up with the same effect.

To that end, I have found a product called Sesame snaps. These are small crackers made from sesame seeds mixed in a sweet yet crisp base. The packets are fairly small, smaller than a candy bar, yet pack over 300 calories each. They are satisfying and keep well. Since I have plenty of fat reserves, enough to last me a couple weeks of malnourishment, these really are more a comfort food to keep the hunger beast within quiet. It is not luxury, but it is the most practical.

Something even more significant, I keep a small bottle of Centrum Multivitamins in my BOB as well. They don't do much for the hunger, but they make a big difference in energy levels come the end of day two.

Home made Pemmican is about the only other alternative I can think of that would meet my requirements. But you won't get that here in the IZ.

Forget cooking anything. It is another luxury that I don't have to have for three days. If you want a little variety, a few jolly ranchers and a small pkg of beef jerky really make a big difference to the pallette. Listerine strips help a lot too.
Posted by: duckear

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/11/05 05:41 AM

WWII studies on lift raft rations and starvation:
You need 300 or calories per day to burn fat and not protein (muscle). This amount of food will allow you to "starve gracefully" and burn your fat reserves (the BOB most Americans carry 24/7, LOL) instead of breaking down muscle.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/11/05 09:38 PM

Ben, in your enviroment, I'd pack what you do. One thing I have to keep in mind is that other people don't always have the cold weather issues I do.

At least once a winter here, it goes well below zero and sits there for a week. In the summer, it rains almost as much as it does in Seattle, and it can drop from 80 to 40 in the course of a night if it rains at sunset. Add in some wind. In either case, you really should get something warm in you to regulate. I'm more worried about hypothermia than I am dehydration, becuase you have to go at most a mile before you run into water than is purifiable. Also, my plan-B is to bug on foot 80 miles to the family land.

Different locations, different issues. And I'm going to look for those sesame snaps, those sound interesting.
Posted by: benjammin

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/12/05 05:35 AM

Here's a link to a web page that tells you about the Sezme brand Sesame Snaps.

http://www.national-foodservice.com/products/product.asp?warehouse=00&partnumber=1570035

As for weather, my wardrobe back home is built around the same basic premise as you have. Elk hunting in the high country is tough business. You might take a look at Rivers West brand fleece clothing for real wintertime comfort.
Posted by: Anonymous

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/12/05 10:07 PM

Cool, thanks.

For winter, the usual jeans and BDU-knockoffs, but with wool under them, and a pretty standard light parka. If it is getting really cold, wool pants, medium weight, and add silk long johns under the woold ones. For the top half of me, wooll shirt under wool icelandic fishing sweaters, and the same parka.

And yes, I've been razzed about my "sissy silks". I just smile and wave to those people at 30 below. :P
Posted by: corpsman

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/13/05 08:01 PM

Peanuts aren't nuts...

I carry several of the foil packages of tuna, a coupule of chicken, some rice (instant and regular) dried apricots, lipton oinion soup mix (makes anyhing taste good,) salt sugar and spices. Small noodles (must be small and hard) also work well. Grits (instant) and instant oatmeal. Several pkgs of hot choc mix - can use either hot or cold. A jar pf peanut butter and a tube of honey.

THis is the "meal" stuff. I also carry a supply of gorp (my mix) and jerky (beef, venison, whatever's on hand.)

This is not as heavy as you might think, since the meat is the heaviest part and there is little spare moisture in it.
Posted by: KG2V

Re: 72 Hr Kit Food - 07/14/05 11:57 AM

the simple answer:

Store what you eat, eat what you store.....

aka, make sure the stuff in your 72 hr kit is "Normal" food for you - stuff you will eat - you don't need MORE stress when your in disaster mode. And to rotate and keep it fresh, buy new stuff, eat the old, on a regular basis