Emergency Survival Foods

Having survival food on hand in the event of an emergency can mean the difference of life and death for some people. Whether the emergency is a natural event like an earthquake or hurricane or something unforeseeable that requires you to live off your own food supply for weeks or months, knowing the types of food that will serve you well in this situation is important. Many foods will not be edible within a short time if refrigeration is not available, but some foods are perfectly suited for survival purposes regardless of storage capability.

MRE

• Meals Ready To Eat (MREs) are packaged foods that contain a complete meal sealed in a vacuum-packed container that can easily carried and stored. An MRE has an extremely long shelf life and is a quick and easy way to eat a nutritious meal, according to Survival-Center.com. These pre-packaged meals are handy for survival food, but they can be quite expensive and do not provide enough roughage over the long term. Without other supplemental foods along with the MREs digestive problems may result in a month or longer. They are ideal for short-term use, however. MREs were developed for military use.

Food Bars

• Food bars look a lot like candy, but they are actually high protein, nutritious snacks well suited for survival use. These snacks, often called protein bars, are made to provide lots of energy and do not result in excessive thirst. They typically contain more than the recommended daily requirements of major vitamins and minerals and can contain up to 3,600 calories per bar--enough to provide the body with enough energy for an entire day if necessary, according to BAProducts.com. These foil wrapped bars can withstand extreme heat and cold without damage and can be left in their packages for up to five years while remaining flavorful and pleasant to eat. The Coast Guard often uses these bars to stock lifesaving watercrafts.

Canned Goods

• If you do not have to move out of your home, then a large supply of canned goods can be the ultimate in survival food during an emergency. An enormous variety of foods come in cans that will store for a long time without the need refrigeration--and many of them are edible without cooking. In addition, these foods are generally inexpensive and offer far more options that MREs or protein bars. The main disadvantage of canned goods for survival is the inability to take large amounts with you. They are excellent if you are stuck at home without power, but they may be too cumbersome to pack and carry for long distances.

Water

• Humans can live a surprisingly long time without food, but they will not make it long without water. Regardless of what kinds of foods you have chosen for your emergency survival kit, be sure to always have a supply of bottled water. If a storm or other event contaminates the drinking water where you are, you will need clean water in order to survive for more than a short time.