I set about to put together some simple ration packs, which I'm calling Bug Out Meals, also known as tactical black-ops snack packs. I had the following criteria in mind:
- Off the shelf components only--available from major chain stores (Wal-Mart, Costco, chain grocery stores, etc.)
- No heating or prep required - can be eaten on the go, with one hand.
- Total calories of around 1100-1300, with a good mix of fats, carbs and protein
- A decent variety of food. My realistic usage scenario for these will be on hikes, day trips, camping, car drives, travelling, etc. Variety isn't a survival necessity--a few cans of Spam, for instance, will keep you going for a while--but these are full of pretty good stuff and will be eaten and rotated. Variety can be a definite morale booster, too, which is always good.
- Total cost less than an MRE or equivalent calories of Mountain House (most 2-serving MH meals are about 600 calories)
Shelf life is a compromise when using off-the-shelf components - I'd rotate these on about a yearly basis - but they will probably be eaten before then. I've packed them in quart-sized freezer zip locks - they're cheap, easily available, easily opened and multipurpose.
I've gone through two versions of the Bug Out Meal - Mark 1 and Mark 2 we'll call them. Full contents list and more information after the jump. Click below to get there!
This is my first go-around. I found it to be a bit too sugar heavy and not generally filling enough. Also could not find a good local source of the single-serve packs of Almonds in the flavor I like (Habenero BBQ!).
Contents:
- 1.25oz Pacific Gold Jerky (Costco)
- Cliff Bar (Grocery Store)
- Welch's Fruit Snack (Grocery Store)
- Peanut M&Ms (Grocery Store)
- Jalapeno Smokehouse Almonds (Gas Station)
- (2) Lifesaver's Mints (Grocery Store)
- Mini Oreo Cookies (Grocery Store)
Nutritional Info:
- Calories: 1095
- Fat: 49g
- Carbs: 137g
- Protein: 40g
Cost: About $4.45 each
Bug Out Meal Mk 2
This is the latest version; I've swapped out the Cliff Bar for a Met-Rx Colossal protein bar, swapped out the almonds and Mini M&Ms for trail mix, removed the Life Saver's mints and added two packets of Gatorade drink mix.
Contents:- 1.25oz Pacific Gold Jerky (Costco)
- Met-Rx Colossal Big 100 Protein Bar (Grocery Store)
- Welch's Fruit Snack (Grocery Store)
- Peanut M&Ms (Grocery Store)
- Kirkland Trail Mix (Costco)
- (2) packets of Gatorade G2 Perform (Grocery Store)
Nutritional Info:
- Calories: 1330
- Fat: 53g
- Carbs: 152g
- Protein: 65g
Cost:
About $5.25 each
Thoughts
Some random thoughts that I have about these:
 |
| Size comparison with a Bug Out Meal and an MRE. |
- Obviously some processed/junk food in 'em - you could substitute homemade stuff fairly easily.
- You obviously need water to wash down this stuff, but you shouldn't really be eating if you don't have access to water.
- I'm not the biggest fan of the fruit snacks; they do have Vitamin C, though. Might sub in some Caffeinated Jelly Belly Sports Beans or something similar though they're more expensive and less common.
- I'm not a fan of them particularly, but a 5 Hour Energy or similar energy shot could be a good add for the long hours that may be needed in a bug out scenario.
- The Trail Mix and Peanut M&Ms are a bit of a peanut overload.
- At about $.50 a pop, I'm looking for a better deal on the Gatorade packets.
- Will probably add in some kind of mint or gum - something Altoids like, that doesn't leave your mouth/teeth sugar coated-feeling afterwards (unlike the Lifesavers mints).
- No cooking means less noise and little in the way of smells, for those worried about E&E.
- The quart-bag size fits well in a cargo pocket.
- The bag is also a good improvised water carrier - I left one full and zipped for three days with nothing in the way of leakage. Clear, which means it can be used for SODIS (solar water disinfection).
- Smaller and lighter than an MRE, which has similar calorie count.
- You can easily scale and adjust these based on your budget and personal prefs.
- If you need some "real" food, you could look at adding something like the Bridgeford sandwiches
; they're used in the military's new First Strike Ration (which was an inspiration for these Bug Out Meals). They're about $4 a pop, though. An MRE entree or a pack of Tuna, Mayo and crackers or MRE tortillas would be another option.
- For longer shelf life, you can sub in MRE components, though cost goes up and you're not off-the-shelf unless you have a good Army Surplus/MRE vendor nearby.
- Familiar, kid-friendly stuff. Putting these together could be a good family activity, though some of the good stuff might be plundered quickly if you're not careful/sneaky.
- I might mock up some stick-on labels for fun, though they're not really necessary.
