Our grandparents knew how important it is to have supplies. If the supply of essentials is no longer available, they ensure that you don't starve and die of thirst. Even the German government has been issuing recommendations on crisis preparedness for years. But how do you choose the right prepper food?
In this article, you will find out how to choose the right prepper food for a crisis-proof stockpile. So that you can protect yourself and your family from the worst in the event of a pandemic.
What is a prepper?
The term prepper is derived from the English word to prepare, which means to prepare. It's about being prepared. Prepared for what? For an emergency or a disaster that may occur and restrict your life for a certain period of time.
The degree to which prepping is practised is individual. Some preppers prepare for the end of the world with a six-month supply of food and NBC masks. Is this really necessary?
A far more realistic scenario is that you can't get food for a few days because the supermarkets can't be supplied or you are snowed in. If you now have sustainable food as a prepper, you can bridge the gap for 10 to 14 days until you can go shopping again.
My tip: Wholesome foods such as Drinking meals and Powder from SATURO are also a good choice. They contain all three macronutrients in an ideal distribution and fully cover the energy, vitamin and mineral requirements. Their long shelf life of up to one year makes them the ideal prepper food
.What important things do you need for prepping?
The most important thing with an emergency supply is that it covers all essential items. Particular attention should be paid to food and drink. However, documents, hygiene products and medicine are also essential in an emergency.
Prepper food that you should always have at home
On the prepper food list, you should only include food that has a long shelf life and which you like to eat. There's no point in buying rows of tinned green beans if you can't get them down in an emergency.
When making your selection, make sure that all three macronutrients - carbohydrates, proteins and fats - are covered. It is also important to ensure that energy requirements are adequately covered. To do this, assume a daily calorie requirement of 2000 kcal per day per person.[<[sup>3
For emergency food supplies, a combination of the following is recommended:
- Carbohydrate-rich cereal products such as pasta, potatoes and rice
- Protein foods such as pulses, seitan, dried meat or whole egg powder
- Fatty foods such as nuts and oils
Canned fruit and vegetables, chocolate, jam and other foods are good for adding variety to your diet.
Don't forget to stock up on water! We recommend 14 litres per person per week. For a family of four that wants to stock up for two weeks, that means 112 litres of water.
House first aid kit - first aid kit and necessary medication should not be missing when prepping
A first aid kit is generally a good idea for treating minor injuries. This includes bandages such as plasters, triangular cloths and gauze bandages. A thermometer and tweezers as well as medicines are also part of the first-aid kit.
These include medicines prescribed by a doctor as well as freely available remedies. For example, medicine for diarrhoea and nausea as well as painkillers and antipyretics. Don't forget wound and skin disinfectants!
Hygiene products - soap and toothpaste reduce pathogens and bad moods
Regular hygiene is important to keep pathogens to a minimum. Socialising would also suffer if hygiene was avoided. That's why there should always be enough toothpaste, soap, detergent and toilet paper in the house.
In the event that the water supply fails, gloves and kitchen roll are also part of the emergency pack.
Light & power - candles, lamps and camping cookers bring light into the dark and heat food
In a crisis, it's not unusual for the power to go out (temporarily). Without a backup plan, you will quickly find yourself in the dark with no way to prepare your food. So make sure you have tealights, candles, torches and spare batteries.
A camping stove is perfectly adequate for preparing food. With a few extra cartridges, this will easily suffice for the recommended prepper food. A gas heater with a large gas cylinder also provides warmth.
Documents - family documents, certificates and contracts provide proof of identity and existence
If an emergency arises and you have to leave the house, the documents must be to hand. This ensures proof of your identity.
Birth, marriage and death certificates must be carried as originals; a certified copy is sufficient for contracts, certificates and income statements. Land register extracts, passports, ID cards and driving licences are sufficient as a simple copy, as they are stored centrally and can be retrieved by the authorities.
How to build up a stock of prepper food
When putting together emergency rations for your home, you should first make a list of how much of which food you need. This makes shopping easier, as it enables a systematic approach.
A good way to avoid hoarding is to buy everything bit by bit. Simply buy an extra tin of food every time you go shopping. This way, your prepper cellar will slowly but steadily fill up.
Online shopping is also an excellent way to stock up on food. Complete meals such as SATURO can be conveniently ordered online.
Go shopping when there is no crisis situation. If the emergency has already arrived, you are no longer alone with the idea of "preparedness" and there is a high probability that certain items are already sold out.
What to look out for when choosing food
Shelf life - A long shelf life of at least 6 months saves administrative effort
The food stock should be created when it is not needed. That's why a long shelf life is essential. Anything from 6 months in the future is suitable, longer best-before dates are preferable.
The longer the shelf life of the food, the less often you have to go through the prepper food and possibly sort it out. This saves a lot of effort. The advantage of SATURO here is clearly the long shelf life of three to 12 months.
A tip for labelling: The best-before dates of the food can be easily marked using insulating tape and a sharpie. This eliminates the need to turn over each individual can just to read the best before date.
The first in - first out principle should be applied when eating and refilling. This means that supplies (with a later best-before date) are stacked towards the back and food with an approaching best-before date is eaten first.
Space - favour food that provides a lot of energy and nutritional value for its size
Food for 2 weeks for one person can be stored in the smallest flat. A family needs more space. Priority should therefore be given to food that provides as much energy and nutrients as possible for its size.
This could be rice, tinned bread or dried meat. Powders that can be used to make wholesome meals are also suitable. However, Asian noodles in a bag or 5-minute terrines are not on the prepper food list.
Flavour - prepper food should taste good, think of fruit, snacks and chocolate
As mentioned at the beginning, emergency provisions should taste good. Of course, it is possible to eat only flour and honey, but stress factors must be avoided as much as possible, especially in crisis situations.
Therefore, make sure you have a wide range of products in stock. If you store tinned fruit, chocolate, sweets or other snacks in addition to your basic food supplies, this will keep morale high.
My tip: With liquid nutrition or shakes from SATURO you have crisis-proof nutrition that provides you with everything you need, tastes good and has a long shelf life.
The government's recommendations on prepping
Designation: Description
Food: 3.5 kg cereal products, potatoes and rice
4.0 kg vegetables and pulses
2.5 kg fruit and nuts
2.6 kg milk and dairy products
1.5 kg meat, fish, whole egg powder
approx. 350 g fats and oils
20 litres of water
If required, chocolate, sweets, ready meals, jam, etc.
House first-aid kit: Medication from the doctor
First-aid kit
Skin and wound disinfectant
Medication for pain, nausea, sunburn and insect bites
Fever thermometer
Tweezers
Hygiene products: Soap and detergent
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Toilet and household paper
Waste bags
Disposable crockery and cutlery
Hand sanitiser
Light & electricity: Candles and tea lights
Lamps and batteries
Gas cookers and gas cartridges
Gas heaters
Documents: Originals: Birth, marriage and death certificates
Originals / certified copy: certificates, contracts, income statements
Simple copy: passport, ID cards, driving licence, land register extract
Preparation is half the battle
Don't want to have to worry about your food supply even in crisis situations? Then plan ahead! Prepper food for your emergency stockpile should be long-lasting, healthy and tasty.
Stock up on food for 10 - 14 days and you'll be prepared for most situations. After all, a prepper stockpile is only intended to bridge the gap in the short term.
FAQs: Questions about prepper food
Which foods have a long shelf life?
In principle, processed foods such as white rice, white flour and industrial sugar have a long shelf life. Tinned food also generally has a shelf life of several years. The same applies to whole egg or milk powder, as well as dried meat.
A good addition is also Astronaut food like SATURO. It is designed for a long shelf life and optimal nutrient supply and therefore combines the most important requirements for prepper food.
How long should the stock last?
How long your supply should last depends primarily on your safety requirements. The official recommendations are 10 to 14 days. For most likely scenarios, this is enough to bridge the shortages.
Are there any non-perishable foods?
Sugar and salt are non-perishable foods.5As they do not contain any unbound water, they do not provide a breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. Two other foods that can be stored almost forever if handled correctly are rice and honey.
What is a prepper?
Preppers are people who prepare for potential disasters and crises by stockpiling supplies, learning survival skills and often also purchasing protective equipment. The term is derived from the English "to be prepared". This includes both short-term emergencies such as natural disasters or power outages as well as long-term scenarios such as pandemics or economic collapses.
Does prepping make sense?
In principle, it certainly makes sense to be prepared for emergencies and crisis situations - this includes, for example, food supplies and drinking water for at least 2 weeks, first aid knowledge and an emergency plan for the family. However, some preppers go to great lengths in their preparations and equip themselves for rather unlikely doomsday scenarios, which can quickly lead to scaremongering and paranoia. It is therefore important to remain realistic and level-headed when preparing and to focus on conceivable events.
How do preppers live?
There are different forms of prepping: some preppers limit themselves to stockpiling emergency supplies, while others also train in survival strategies such as hunting, self-defence and civil defence techniques. Some preppers move to the countryside to grow their own food and be less dependent on the infrastructure. So-called "bug-out bags" with equipment and supplies for a quick escape are also common. Extreme preppers build nuclear-proof bunkers or prepare for a "fight for survival" against looters.
You might also be interested in this
Sources
- Austrian Broadcasting Virgental: Food is becoming scarce. Retrieved 7 August, 2020 from
- Dolomitenstadt.at Online Magazin MPREIS in Prägraten has food again from today. Retrieved 7 August, 2020 from
- Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung e. V. (October 2007) Statement of the German Society for Nutrition e. V. on the use of "Guideline Daily Amounts" (GDA) in the voluntary labelling of processed foods
- Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (December 2018), Guide to emergency preparedness and correct action in emergency situations
- WDR Can sugar go bad? Retrieved 7 August, 2020 from
