Prepper Mistake #1 - Food

There are plenty of mistakes people can make as they navigate the less traveled path of prepping. First of all, we don't even know what disaster we are preparing for! Unless you are wealthy, it is impossible to be ready for anything nature or our fellow humans throw at us. Not knowing what disaster to plan for can make us ill-prepared for any other life-changing event.

But there is one mistake I bet even seasoned veterans make when preparing for TEOTWAWKI. When stockpiling food, most people go to the store and throw canned veggies, fruit, and meat into a cart without much side thought. Don't get me wrong, canned food is great for stockpiling because of the shelf life and ease of storing. However, the failure to account for the daily calories necessary for survival is a huge factor many overlook.The average person needs around 2000 calories for optimal survival. This number rises if pregnant or with increased workload.

So, let's look at some favorite canned goods and analyze the calories.

• Tuna - 50 calories/serving or about 100 calories/can
• Green Beans - 20 calories/serving or about 70 calories/can
• Peaches - 30 calories/serving or about 100 calories/can
• Chicken Breast - 60 calories/serving or about 270 calories/can
• Peas - 70 calories/serving or about 240 calories/can

 This list is a short example and it shows how much canned food is necessary to maintain a healthy calorie count for survival. I am pretty sure you are going to hate life within the first day if you are eating a can of chicken, peas, 2 cans of peaches, 4 cans of green beans, and 10cans of tuna every day in order to survive. So let's look at some foods that are high in calories and still have a decent shelf life.

• Spaghetti - 210 calories/serving not including the tomato sauce
• Ramen Noodles - 280 calories/package
• Canned Chili - 520 calories/can
• Canned Baked Beans - 840 calories/can
• Canned Pinto Beans - 385 calories/can
• Rice - 200 calories/serving
• Peanut Butter - 180 calories/2 TBSP

Some of you will say - "But I have one of those dehydrated food kits that include 1500 calories worth of meals every day." To that I say, good job but how often do you eat dehydrated or freeze-dried food in your daily diet? Some families have experimented with these food kits that are purchased online by attempting to survive for a week on the supplies. Fortunately for them, they experimented with these purchases before actually needing them because the result was medical emergencies from diarrhea and other digestive issues. If this would have been a real disaster event, the entire family would have died because their body was not accustomed to these type of foods. I believe dehydrated and freeze-dried food kits are good to have in any prepping plan, but allow your body time to adjust to these foods before you actually need them. 

Stay always prepared!

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