This is one of the great declarations about coming to know God

"It is given unto many to know the mysteries of God. Nevertheless, they are laid under a strict command that they shall not impart, only according to the portion of his word which he doth grant unto the children of men, according to the heed and diligence which they give unto him. And therefore, he that will harden his heart, the same receiveth the lesser portion of the word. And he that will not harden his heart, to him is given the greater portion of the word until it is given unto him to know the mysteries of God until they know them in full. And they that will harden their hearts, to them is given the lesser portion of the word until they know nothing concerning his mysteries."

5 Cordage for Your Bug-Out Bag

5 Cordage Types for Your Bug-Out Bag

When we talk about what belongs in your bug-out bag, we often focus on things such as food, water, clothing and first-aid items. But if we look at the essential tools that helped everyone from early humans to pioneers survive, it’s clear they also mastered the use of another important item – cordage.

These people used cordage for everything from hunting to fishing to sailing. They wove nets and ropes from plant material, even using animal fibers such as sinew or catgut for making bows and arrows. Making cordage is essential to survival.

In the context of modern survival strategies, cordage is a blanket term that includes everything from nylon string to hauling rope. While you’ll find cordage on most bug-out bag lists, I want to discuss the specific types you’ll need and situations where it will come in handy. Here’s a brief rundown of five essential types you should consider including in your bug-out bag.

Rope

You’ll want to have a length of rope in your bug-out bag for dragging heavy items like game back to your campsite. Yes, rope is bulky, but you can easily fit a decent length (say 50 feet) in the bottom of your pack, or even strap it to the outside.

While plain old braided rope is cheaper, climbing rope is more durable. In addition to hauling stuff, you can use it for navigating steep terrain or hoisting up a food bag at night to keep it away from critters.

P-Cord

Parachute cord (a.k.a. Paracord or P-Cord) is lightweight but very strong. Look for military-grade P-cord with 550-pound test strength. A decent-sized spool of 50 feet or so only costs a few bucks, and will easily fit in your pack.

You can use it for any number of tasks, from binding logs to making a splint to lashing a tarp to a tree. P-cord is so strong when braided together, it’s even been used to pull vehicles out of ditches and snow banks.

Nylon Thread

You’ll want at least a spool or two of nylon string as part of your mobile survival kit. It’s cheap, and can be used in a wide variety of situations. For one, you can use it to mend your clothes (just remember to also pack a few sewing needles). Beyond the obvious, however, nylon thread also has several other key uses.

They include binding shelter rafters together, making animal snares and fishing lines, or bundling firewood and kindling. In an emergency, you could even put together a kite to help rescuers find you by using some string, duct tape and a bit of brightly colored rain poncho or tarp. Fishing line or monofilament provides added durability if you want to spend a few extra dollars.

Metal Wire

In some cases, metal wire is preferable over nylon string, such as tying up meat to roast over a fire. We’re talking about steel baling wire or floral wire here, not the copper stuff used for electrical wiring that’s insulated with plastic.

Thin metal wire is also useful for making trip wires, small game snares or even small repairs. You don’t need a huge length here, only a couple dozen feet or so.

Duct Tape

Duct tape is an all-purpose material that can be used as cordage, even if it isn’t technically cordage. For example, you can use duct tape to make a sling, handcuff bad guys or string up lights. Duct tape has about a zillion other survival uses, of course, but that’s a whole different discussion. The best part is you don’t have to pack an entire bulky roll of it – you can just wrap it around your water bottle and tear off a bit when you need it.

Even if you don’t need or know how to use all of these items, they can be useful for bartering or helping you strike up a partnership with others attempting to survive. You never know just what you might need in a bug-out situation, but you can be sure that having a variety of cordage types will make your life easier.

Ephesians 6:12

"For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." Ephesians 6:12

Best Gun Builds for Preppers

Firearms are at the core of survival and prepping. Without some form of protection and a means to hunt food, you won’t make it in a survival situation. It’s that simple. For this simple reason alone, it’s easy to understand why preppers are so into guns and ammunition. This article is going to be about various gun builds for preppers.

Building your own guns is another common practice for preppers. For a survival weapon, we can’t say enough about how much we recommend building your own weapon. First of all, it allows you to customize every aspect of the weapon. You’ll be able to maximize your performance with the weapon by building it yourself.

Another aspect to keep in mind is the added positives of building from an 80% lower or frame. Starting with an 80% lower allows you to have an additional layer of security, due to the fact that you don’t need an FFL to purchase one. For some preppers, this is a huge positive, because it protects you in the event of a gun confiscation.

However, what are some of the best guns to build for a survival situation? In this article, we will talk about some of our favorite builds for preppers.

AR-15

Of course this weapon has to be on the list. It is one of the most popular weapons in the world, and is the epitome of a modern sporting rifle. It’s relatively small, pretty lightweight, has thousands of aftermarket parts available, easy to use, semiautomatic, and can fire some potentially deadly rounds. In a survival situation, it’s hard to think of a more perfect weapon to have on hand.

The “standard” AR-15 fires .223/5.56 NATO. This round is used in the United States military, and is pretty easy to come by. It’s relatively inexpensive, and does pretty well in terms of terminal performance.

For hunting smaller game, 5.56 is a more than acceptable round. For larger game, there are better options, which we will get to momentarily. For personal protection, 5.56 will get the job done, but we would argue that there are better options out there for that purpose as well. Overall, 5.56 is a pretty decent round. It’s a pretty versatile cartridge, and is more than acceptable for pretty much every survival purpose. If you had to choose one weapon for prepping, I would choose an AR-15 in 5.56 every time.

As far as gun builds for an AR-15 in 5.56, your options are pretty much endless. You could start with a forged 80% lower (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/black-80-lower-fire-safe-engraved-1-count/) or a billet 80% lower (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/80-lower-black-1-pack/). However, to be able to mill these, you will need a jig, such as this 5D Tactical jig (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/ar-15-80-lower-5d-tactical-jig-with-tooling/) or this Easy Jig Gen 2 (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/easy-jig-gen-2-tooling-ar-15-308-jig/).

To finish the lower, you’ll need a lower parts kit (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/ar-15-premium-lower-parts-kit/) and a butt stock and buffer tube (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/blackhawk-adjustable-carbine-stock-buffer-tube-assembly/). Lastly, you’ll need an upper. I like this 18” barrel with M-Lok (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/223-wylde-18-barrel-15-m-lok-handguard-ar-15-upper-assembly/), but there are other options (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/5-56-16-barrel-12m-lok-handguard-ar-15-upper-assembly/).

If you want to make all of this easy on yourself, you can by the Ultimate Build Kit (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/ultimate-build-kit-ar-15/), but that obviously won’t allow you to customize too much.

.300 Blackout AR-15

Obviously, we are fans of the AR-15 platform, especially for preppers. However, like we talked about earlier, there are other calibers available that would be better for hunting larger game and would do more damage against a human.

One of the biggest pros of the AR-15 is that it can easily shoot larger cartridges. It utilizes the exact same lower receiver that we already talked about, only with a different upper receiver. For most rounds, you’ll need different magazines, but everything else should be more or less identical.

There are dozens of different cartridge choices out there, but .300 Blackout is one of our favorites. It’s a little more expensive than 5.56, so it’s not as easy to stockpile a large quantity, but the results speak for themselves.

If you’re interested in gun builds for an .300 Blackout AR-15, all that you’ll truly need is an upper. I would choose either the M-Lok (https://www.300-blackoutupper.com/collections/300-blackout-rifle-upper/products/300-blackout-16-barrel-15-m-lok-handguard-ar-15-complete-rifle-upper?variant=44621633938) or the Keymod (https://www.300-blackoutupper.com/collections/300-blackout-rifle-upper/products/300-blackout-16-barrel-lightweight-keymod-handguard-ar-15-complete-rifle-upper?variant=44621635538).

Sidearms

For survival and prepping, I would always recommend having a sidearm. This serves as yet another personal protective measure, but could also be used as a hunting sidearm if the need arises.

While AR pistols are cool, I don’t see them as hugely useful survival weapons. If you wanted gun builds to create one for fun, you could try out this 5.56 AR pistol (https://www.ar-15lowerreceivers.com/ar-15-pistol-kit-5-56-caliber-10-5-barrel-magpul-hand-guard-w-80-lower-receiver/), but for prepping purposes, I would definitely look towards a 1911.

When it comes to 80% 1911 frames, there are plenty of different options as far as size, caliber, and color. I would personally start with this 9mm variant with a 5” barrel (https://www.1911-frame.com/collections/1911-frame-kit/products/9mm-government-5-inch-tactical-anodized-black-1911-8-frame-and-jig-bundle), but would also love this smaller .45 for carrying (https://www.1911-frame.com/collections/1911-frame-kit/products/45-acp-commander-4-25-bead-blasted-1911-80-frame-and-jig-bundle).

The aforementioned frames come with the jig, but there are still some other parts you’ll need to finish the weapon. The matching parts for these frames would be the following kits (https://www.1911-frame.com/collections/1911-parts-kit/products/9mm-government-5-inch-anodized-black-slide-1911-parts-kit) (https://www.1911-frame.com/collections/1911-parts-kit/products/45-acp-commander-4-25-inch-anodized-black-slide-1911-parts-kit).

Mass Exodus From The Church: The Percentage Of Young Adults With No Religious Affiliation Has Nearly QUADRUPLED Since 1986

We are witnessing a religious shift that is unprecedented in size and scope in American history.  With each passing year, the percentage of Americans that claim no religious affiliation is growing, and this trend is especially pronounced among our young people.  If things continue to steadily move in this direction, that is going to have enormous implications for the future of our society.  The United States was founded by people that were extremely committed to their faith, and now we are rapidly becoming a nation where people are choosing no religion at all.  We live at a time when there is a mass exodus from Christian churches, and while it is true that some smaller faiths are growing, the reality of the matter is that most of the people that are leaving are remaining unaffiliated.  According to PRRI, if you go back to 1991 only 6 percent of all Americans were “unaffiliated”, but today that number has shot up to 25 percent…

In 1991, only six percent of Americans identified their religious affiliation as “none,” and that number had not moved much since the early 1970s. By the end of the 1990s, 14% of the public claimed no religious affiliation. The rate of religious change accelerated further during the late 2000s and early 2010s, reaching 20% by 2012. Today, one-quarter (25%) of Americans claim no formal religious identity, making this group the single largest “religious group” in the U.S.

The most dramatic change during this time period has been among our young people.

If you go all the way back to 1986, just 10 percent of Americans in the 18 to 29-year-old age group were “unaffiliated”.  Today, that number has skyrocketed to 39 percent.  Here is more from PRRI…

Today, nearly four in ten (39%) young adults (ages 18-29) are religiously unaffiliated—three times the unaffiliated rate (13%) among seniors (ages 65 and older). While previous generations were also more likely to be religiously unaffiliated in their twenties, young adults today are nearly four times as likely as young adults a generation ago to identify as religiously unaffiliated. In 1986, for example, only 10% of young adults claimed no religious affiliation.

And just because Millennials claim a religious affiliation of some sort does not mean that they actually go to church.

In fact, a study from the Pew Research Center discovered that only 27 percent of Millennials say that they “attend religious services on a weekly basis”…

Millennials – especially the youngest Millennials, who have entered adulthood since the first Landscape Study was conducted – are far less religious than their elders. For example, only 27% of Millennials say they attend religious services on a weekly basis, compared with 51% of adults in the Silent generation. Four-in-ten of the youngest Millennials say they pray every day, compared with six-in-ten Baby Boomers and two-thirds of members of the Silent generation. Only about half of Millennials say they believe in God with absolute certainty, compared with seven-in-ten Americans in the Silent and Baby Boom cohorts. And only about four-in-ten Millennials say religion is very important in their lives, compared with more than half in the older generational cohorts.

Of course not all of those that are “attending religious services” are going to Christian churches.  Some are going to mosques, others are attending synagogue, and yet others are involved in other faiths.

At one time you could count on fast growing groups such as the Southern Baptists and the Mormons to produce positive growth numbers, but those days are long gone…

The Southern Baptists have lost more than a million members over the last decade, according to LifeWay. Giving and attendance are down, and Baptists are seeing more gray and silver heads in the pews.

Meanwhile, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has seen its once-enviable U.S. growth rate slow to under 1 percent in each of the last two years. Mormonism, which grew by just .75 percent in this country in 2017, is barely keeping pace with the growth of the U.S. population (+.71 percent).

Europe has been described as a “post-Christian society”, and we are well on our way to joining them.

So what is causing this to happen?

Well, there is certainly a lot of debate about this within Christian circles.  From the outside, many experts are pointing to demographic changes.  The following comes from a recent article by Jana Riess…

One of the biggest demographic trends of our time is that millennials are delaying marriage or not getting married at all. And since there’s a strong correlation between being married and being involved in religion, the fact that fewer Americans are getting married is worrisome news to clergy.

In addition to a decline in marriage numbers, experts also point to the fact that Americans are having fewer children these days…

The number of children a family has is related to the couple’s religious involvement — couples without kids are a bit less likely to be religious. So the fact that fertility is on the decline is, again, worrisome news for organized religion.

But are those factors a cause of the decline of religious faith in America, or are they the result of it?

It could be argued that churches have always heavily promoted marriage and family, and if young Americans are no longer as engaged in church it would make sense that they put less of a priority on those things now.

The good news for churches is that even though atheism is rapidly growing, most Americans (even the unaffiliated ones) still believe in God…

Despite their lack of connection to formal religious institutions, most unaffiliated Americans retain a belief in God or a higher power. A majority of unaffiliated Americans say God is either a person with whom people can have a relationship (22%) or an impersonal force (37%). Only one-third (33%) of religiously unaffiliated Americans say they do not believe in God. Strong majorities of Americans who belong to the major Christian religious traditions hold a personal conception of God. Compared to Christians, Americans who identify with a non-Christian tradition are significantly less likely to hold a personal conception of God (33%) and are more likely to say God is an impersonal force in the universe (49%).

Americans still have a keen interest in spiritual things, but many of them are now attempting to fill that void in alternative ways.  For example, it has been claimed that Wicca (a very popular form of witchcraft) is now the fastest growing faith in America.

Many like to focus on the political changes that are happening in this country, but the truth is that these cataclysmic shifts in our faith numbers are going to have far more to do with determining the future course of this nation.

If we ever hope to restore the Constitutional Republic that our founders once established, we must return to the Christian values and principles that this nation was originally founded upon.

Any other approach is simply not going to work, and time is running out.

Home Made Booby Traps

Home Made Booby Traps

Over at survivethewild.net we’re all about taking the 9-5 prepper who is getting started prepping in their spare time, and transforming them into a survival junkie. Which is why we’re honored to be here with you on the American Prepper Network! We love this site and the amazingly valuable articles, so it is beyond a privilege to have some time with y’all.

Now let’s make some booby traps!

We’re not talking about pulling a lever and some looney toons style chute opens up to whisk your annoying neighbors away (although, if amazon sold those I’m pretty sure I’d have one at every door). We are going to go over practical ways to booby trap your house to add another level of safety.

Again, let’s bear in mind that we are not going to have elaborate chutes and ladders set up. These are going to be very accessible ways to protect your home. We’re not looking for ways to “eliminate” the enemy, just hinder them physically and mentally. And for someone who’s just getting started and doesn’t have much time or resources, this will be a great first step.

We’re going to break this into steps so it’ll be easier to follow

• Step 1: Justify what you are defending and what are your space restraints
• Step 2: Don’t shoot yourself in the foot, or face (make it avoidable to those that know it’s there
• Step 3: Your booby trap options

What Are You Defending, & What Are Your Space Restraints

It only makes sense to justify what you’re about to spend time and money on to defend. If it’s a double wide trailer with a limited edition Nascar table set you might as well leave your doors unlocked all the time. However if there’s a secret cache of weapons and resources under said Nascar table set, then you have a good reason to take some precautions in protecting your stuff.

Don’t make the mistake of having these traps just because they’re something cool.

If you’re dedicating the time and resources to make these things happen then make sure you’re protecting something that will last and be of value later.

Next you need to measure the space you’re working with to set up a booby trap. This should be as easy as getting a tape measure and measuring the dimensions of the rooms leading into the danger zone. Make sure there are ways to set up trip lines, hang things from the ceiling and any other restraints, but we’ll get into more detail about the traps later.

For now just get accurate measurements of the space you’re working with.

In the end booby traps will most likely be used to slow an intruder down long enough for you to get to something that can help you, whether that something has bullets or a cellular connection is up to you.

The booby trap won’t incapacitate an intruder; rather they will inflict enough damage to make them think twice about moving forward. That’s the magic of a booby trap, it usually only takes one! Imagine you go to walk through a door and you get shocked to death from touching the wrong thing, you’re going to be paranoid of EVERYTHING after that and moving much slower and cautiously!

Make Sure The Traps Can Be Safely Removed Or disarmed With Ease

For God’s sake, please don’t set these things up and forget they’re there when you ask someone to go check on your house. The last thing you need is someone calling you saying they have a monkey fist with nails impaling their shoulder. Be considerate and make sure these traps can be taken down or avoided by those who know they’re there.

The traps that we will show you are meant to be easily disarmed for the safety of those using them, and those who might be unwilling “testers” of these traps.

These traps are meant to be in an almost obvious place, but to someone who’s moving fast and never been through your home, they will be most likely to get caught in these. Please keep that in mind.

And these booby traps don’t need to be all over your house. They only need to be in the most valuable areas, like where you keep your weapons. Medical resources and highly valuables. What you don’t want to do is set one up around your bug out bags and get yourself or a family member caught in one in an already dramatic situation.

Before you set up a single trap, you need to have a way to dismantle or disarm it within about 4 seconds. And if it’s a gun rigged to shoot as soon as you open the door then I guess just kick open the door, that would be the fastest and most fun way to do it J. But in all seriousness, you need to have a plan in place with those around you to be able to take these bad boys down in a dire situation

Also you don’t want to set something up that’s going to be worn down by time, or even worse, one that needs to be changed every day. Which is why we will bring you the best ideas later in this post for booby traps that are best for the 9-5 prepper, or the person who doesn’t have all the time and resources at their disposal.

Booby Trap Options       

This is the moment you’ve all been waiting for, and it would be kind of funny if I just posted screen shots of Looney Toons traps, but I’m not that mean. So here’s the best booby traps that require minimal maintenance, are easiest to set up and take down and most of all are pretty affordable to set up time wise and money wise.

A Trip Wire

Yup, old faithful. This is the one that I use in my home, it’s the easiest to set up and you can’t do much harm with it to any well meaning people who stumble on it(quite literally stumble haha). It’s just enough to buy you a few precious seconds to get to a safe room, or give you the upper hand in a struggle for your home.

Connecting this trip wire to a c4 charge…KIDDING, connecting this wire to an alarm system will add more protection. Yes you could connect this trip wire to more lethal things, but for the sake of others involved in your life, don’t do it!

 Thumb Tacks and Razor Blades

When someone your chasing slams a door shut behind them what do you think the pursuer will do, well reach for the handle of course! But what if that handle has a razor blade mounted to the inside of it? Again this isn’t an extremely technical or elaborate trap, but will buy you enough time to get to what you need, and will hinder your intruder in a pretty serious way depending on how hard they went for the handle.

You can dismantle the handle, make cuts in the handle and place the razor blades in the cuts to make it less noticeable than the handle shown above. However, when someone is chasing you, it’s not like they’re going to be familiar enough with your house to notice that there’s something off about this handle.

Tasers & Door Handles

This one can be a bit dangerous, so only set this up if you have a way to break the circuit (by flipping a switch or something on the other side). This involves running a wire from an electrical source, either a taser or a small battery, to the door handle. There are ways to mount these wires into the door frame and set it to a wall mounted switch. That way all you have to do is shut the door behind you, flip the switch and there you go!

Also the switch adds another level of safety for the non intruders, just make sure there’s a sign or something on the switch!

How to Escape From Dangerous Forest Animals

No doubt, everyone loves to have fun. No matter how busy or tight our schedule is, we will always find a time to hang out with family and friends or go on a vacation. Nowadays, people like to go to the forest. They believe there lies almost all the beauty of nature. You get to see different species of animal and plant. You can also, get to see amazing waterfalls and flowing river. To some people, they like the forest because of the calmness- no noise except the pleasing sounds of birds and some other creatures.

But do you know the forest can be dangerous? Don’t forget, all that glitters are not gold. Even though, being in the forest can be fun you still need to put the fact that you can encounter wild animals into consideration.

Of course, animals are literally quiet and interesting. The other side of the coin can tell a different story. When the other side comes up, and you are all alone in the forest, you would be left with your inferior instinct to protect you.

You need to understand that the dangerous animals that are found in the forest have different ways they react to you when they encounter you. Some of them might run away, some might stand and scream, while some might be ready to attack you. Either way, have you ever thought of what you would do if you find yourself in this scenario?

Read on as we will show you how to escape from dangerous forest animals. Some other important information will be discussed for you to have a full knowledge of the subject matter.

WHAT IS A FOREST AND WILD ANIMAL?

Yes, let’s start from here. This will give you a basic knowledge of what a forest really is. A forest is a large area of land covered primarily with trees. Its area can be thousands of kilometers. It is obviously different from a bush.

Wild animals could be found in all ecosystems. They are animals that are not domesticated or tamed. They learn to survive on their own, in all weather and climatic conditions. Some of the wild animals you can come in across while adventuring in the forest are Bears, Wolf, Cougar, killer bees and much more.

WHAT WEAPON CAN YOU TAKE ALONG?

There are lots of weapons you can take along with you, but you have to make sure they are legal. You can take along firearms if allowed. You can also take a deterrent (like boar or pepper spray) along; it is safer. Do you know your greatest weapon while in the forest? It is definitely your brain. You need to be mentally active and ready. Trust the instincts of your gut; it might be the best thing you can do to keep yourself active, sensitive, and safe.

HOW CAN YOU ESCAPE DANGEROUS FOREST ANIMALS?

We are going to answer this question by showing you how to escape from the common dangerous forest animals.

1. Bears

Generally, all bears are dangerous. If you come in contact with them, you have to be very careful, especially if their cubs are around the area. The first thing you should do is move away from the cubs if there are any. If you know, you are not alone in the forest and noticed the bear does not pose a threat, try and shout to alert people.

In case, the bear, approach you, raise up your hands. It will make you stand tall. If you are with friends or family, you can all come together. You can also put someone on your shoulder to make you look tall. It would intimidate the bear and make him/her move away. Always remember, do not look at the bear eye to eye. This applies to some other wild animals too.

2. Snakes

Having the snake boots for hunting is the most important thing you want there to be with you.If you encounter a snake, you should not try and capture or kill it. You can just change your direction of movement. If you see that the snake is not ready to back off, bang your leg on the ground. This should be okay to get it off your way.

But if you are bitten, you can:

• Pull the snake away instantly
• Call the emergency service with no delay
• Tie the bitten area to slow down the venom from reaching your heart
• Do not suck the venom, drink alcohol, and use ice
• Increase your water intake and go to a nearby hospital

3. Cougars

It is also known as a mountain lion. If this animal sees you as a treat, it will follow you up looking for a perfect time to attack you. If you have the prior knowledge of the forest having Cougar, it is advisable you wear a big cloth or walk in groups. Wearing a big or large cloth could make if work away. Also, they hardly attack people moving in groups.

However, if it attacks you, fight back by hitting the mouth and eye hard while

4. Wolves

You need to watch out for this cunning animal too. They are always after ripping off the muscles of the legs. When you see a wolf, do not make any attempt to run. It can result in an immediate attack. Try yelling at the wolf; it should back off. However, if you are surrounded by a few numbers of them, it might be time to show your attacking skill. Take out your weapon. A firearm will work better this time. Fight them off and get to safety.

5. Bees

In case you mistakenly disturb a bee hive, it is time to make a run for your life. Do not just run in a random direction. Run against the wind; it will help you knock off the bees. Look for a shelter to hide and stay there till you are very sure that they have left. Do not enter the water; it might be a costly mistake.

We know there are a lot of wide animals you can possibly encounter in the forest. The ones discussed above are the common ones we believe you should know. If you  are  going to hunt, create a must-bring bag  so you’re never without that one thing you forgot to bring: hunting boot, hunting light, weapon.. Always, remember, in any situation you find yourself in the forest, your brain is your greatest weapon. With this, you can survive any dangerous forest animal attack.

Which Foods Have the Longest Shelf Life? Pantry Stockpiling Tips You Need

One of the basic prepping tenants is stockpiling easy-to-store foods that are readily accessible in case of an emergency or crisis. Yet, it goes without saying that while a fresh deli sandwich might sound great, some foods store easier and for longer than others. Today, let’s take a look at some foods that make excellent hoarding basics and can fill you up in a hurry.

1. Honey

There have been accounts of archeologists discovering pots of honey in ancient tombs while excavating the pyramids of Egypt. The oldest sample they found was reported to be around 3,000 years old! The best part? It was still totally edible. Not only is honey excellent to have on hand as a meal supplement, it also acts as a great natural sweetener for oatmeal, teas, and other semi-bland foods in your prepping pantry. Moreover, honey is also touted for its medicinal properties and makes an ideal throat soother or even a topical antibiotic in a pinch.

2. Dehydrated Milk, Whey and Eggs

Acting as a basis for other dairy products such as yogurt, sour cream, cream cheese and more, dehydrated milk can be reconstituted quickly to serve as an excellent source of protein, potassium, vitamin D and calcium – all critical elements your body needs. The same goes for eggs, which can be purchased in powdered form and stored without harmful additives or preservatives. It’s helpful to store dried milk and eggs alongside moisture absorber packets to ensure they stay dry. If your milk is packaged in #10 cans, this may be unnecessary.

In addition, it’s also helpful to stockpile another nutrient-rich ingredient: whey. One of the most complete proteins available, whey is chocked full of essential, branched-chain amino acids. Unlike casein, which constitutes the thick part of milk after it sours and separates, whey is the yellowy, liquid portion. In powdered form, both casein and whey offer a protein power boost, but a scoop or two of whey powder added to a quick smoothie catalyzes protein synthesis quickest.

3. Dried Beans

Some studies have shown that dried beans can last up to 30 years and still retain their taste and health properties. Packing around 1,250 calories per pound, beans make an excellent, fiber-rich and carbohydrate-heavy meal. Store your beans in a dry, enclosed container, inside of mylar bags if possible. While they can last decades, it’s best to consume dried beans within 7 to 10 years if possible. To increase softness when you cook them, add ¼ of a teaspoon of baking soda for every pound of beans into the pot while cooking.

4. Salt

This one won’t act as a meal replacement, but it’s an essential part of any stockpiled pantry. Stored in the absence of any moisture, salt can last indefinitely. It’s a critical part of many other food preservation methods such as canning or picking. In addition to those salts, also stock up on simple iodized salt. In addition to flavoring food and restoring electrolyte balance, it can also help kill bacteria from wounds. Like honey, it can also be mixed with water for a quick sore throat remedy. Iodized salt is also used to cure meat.

5. Rolled Oats

If you’re used to starting each morning with a bowl of oatmeal, you’re in luck. Rolled oats have a shelf life of around 30 years and are great sources of fiber, while also being low in saturated fat. If you plan to cook the oats, be sure to have plenty of distilled water on hand to do so. To cut down on cooking time the next morning, you can soak the oats overnight. One cup of oats to about four cups of water is a good ratio to use. Then, the cooking time should only be around 10 minutes instead of the standard 30.

6. Pasta and Rice

There’s a reason marathon runners “carb up” on a big bowl of pasta the night before the big event. Arguably no other food packs as powerful of punch when it comes to carb-fueled energy. Dried pasta can last up to 30 years, while white rice can last around 20 years. The best part about stockpiling pasta is that it’s typically found already dried, with little to no moisture content or fat. Feel free to get creative with this one and mix it up a little, as eating bowl after bowl of spaghetti can bore even the most ambitious prepper. Stockpile a few boxes of rotini, macaroni, penne, or linguini. You can even add gnocchi pasta (made with potatoes), couscous, or even Asian-inspired pastas such as ramen, soba, rice noodles, or chow mein.

7. Potato Flakes

Nothing says comfort food like a warm bowl of mashed potatoes, and with dehydrated potato flakes on hand, you can have just that in a matter of minutes. Lasting around 30 years if stored properly in a #10 can, these handy flakes have an incredible shelf life. In mylar bags, they can last around 15 years. In addition to simply mixing them with hot water for a quick side, you can add potato flakes to other recipes, such as onion rings or even breads, for a satisfying crunch.

8. Dehydrated and Freeze-Dried Fruits

Dehydrated and dried fruits make great snacks for a quick jolt of energy. In particular, raisins are jam-packed with fiber, iron, protein, and vitamin C. Keep in mind that dehydrated and freeze-dried are two different terms, and depending on the preparation method of your fruit, you’ll need to store them differently. Dehydration removes around 80% of the moisture from the fruit, while freeze drying removes up to 99%. In general, dehydrated fruits will last around 15 to 20 years. On the other hand, freeze-dried fruits can last a little longer, around 25 to 30 years.

9. Dehydrated Carrots

One of nature’s most delicious and nutritious vegetables, carrots are loaded with vitamins and minerals and are rich in beta-carotene. When dehydrated, they can last up to 20 years! Excellent as a meal or snack on their own, they can also be powdered and added to other vegetable powders such as onion, beans, and potatoes for a great seasoning.

10. Canned Meat

Lasting only around three years, canned meat doesn’t have quite as long of a shelf life as other items on this list, yet it’s an essential in any prepper’s stockpile. One surprisingly nutritious and convenient option? Spam. Reasonably priced and high-quality, the meat consists of pork shoulder and ham, unlike other processed meats that are otherwise mechanically recovered remnants. While it might not win you any health awards, it does provide a quick dose of protein, sodium and fat – all items that your body craves when it’s working hard. It’s also versatile, and works just as well straight from the can as it does fried on a sandwich or chopped and added to a stew. Also look for canned, chunk chicken breasts, canned beef stew, chili, and canned tuna. When it comes to the latter, look for options canned in oil, as they’ll last longer than water-canned alternatives.

Stockpiling Your Prepper’s Pantry

While the above list isn’t exhaustive, it serves as a basis for your stockpiled pantry. The key to achieving the maximum shelf life for all of these items is to store them in an area that has very little to no moisture present. If kept cool and dry, these will last you for years to come, ensuring that no matter what happens, you and your family won’t go hungry.