A Healthy, Paleo-Friendly Food Option for Your Bug-Out Bag

I've been eating Paleo-style for the last couple of months and I have noticed great changes in my health. My digestive system is working well, my aches and pains are greatly diminished, and I've lost 15 lbs.

One of the challenges of a Paleo lifestyle for the preparedness-minded is that so many food storage staples are no-nos. I'm still working on replacements for a lot of the key foods, but I do have a great item I can recommend for your short-term food storage, particularly for bug-out bags (BOB).

A PaleoKit from Steve's Original

A PaleoKit is a vacuum-sealed package full of nutritious goodness. I am not a big beef jerky aficionado, but I really like this and consume the jerky, nuts, and dried berries with gusto. I eat at least one of these PaleoKits per week as a meal replacement. They come in several sizes: small (snack size), large (meal size), and even a 1,006 calorie MRE option. They are compact and can easily fit in a glove compartment, purse, or BOB.

I have tried both the original and the grass-fed versions of the PaleoKit. I hate to say it, but I prefer the original PaleoKit; the grass-fed beef jerky is quite tough and requires an extraordinary amount of chewing. The jerky in the original PaleoKits I've eaten has been quite tender.

The other thing to keep in mind about the PaleoKit is that it only has a shelf life of 5-6 months. That's because the food is very minimally processed and has no preservatives. The very thing that makes the PaleoKit great for health-conscious preppers works against it as a long term food storage item.

The ingredients list of a Grass Fed PaleoKit 

You could make your own version of a PaleoKit by vacuum-sealing jerky, nuts, and dried fruit in a FoodSaver bag. It would be cheaper for you to make it yourself, but at least where I live, it would be a challenge to find jerky without a bunch of junky preservatives. 

Another item I can endorse from Steve's Original is the PaleoKrunch grain-free granola bar. I have tried both the original and Espresso flavors and they are delicious! They are a great, healthy snack option with about a 6 month storage life. 

You can buy PaleoKits and PaleoKrunch bars directly from Steve's Original here. 

Do you have any healthy food items in your bug-out bags? If so, I'd love to hear your ideas. 

March 2012 in Review, Part II: Bug Out Bag Upgrade

As I discussed in this post, I am in the process of upgrading and updating our bug out bags (BOBs). One thing the show "Doomsday Preppers" reminded me of is that preparedness isn't all food storage and gardening. (It also reminded me NEVER appear on reality TV.) Those are my favorite parts of prepping, so of course I have been focusing my attention there, but I can't neglect other important (but comparatively boring) areas.


Bug Out Bag Upgrade

The first item that I upgraded was my backpack.

TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Internal Frame Backpack 

I chucked the uncomfortable, conspicuous red backpack my emergency kit came with and tried this one out. It holds a lot and has enough pockets and compartments to keep everything organized. You can easily adjust it to fit your body comfortably and it is relatively inexpensive. It's definitely a keeper. 


My next purchase was a nifty survival knife.
 

Gerber  LMF II Black Infantry Knife 

 I am by no means an expert in weaponry, but I think this knife is pretty cool and very useful. You can use the end to break glass or as a hammer. There are holes in the handle so that you could lash the knife to a stick and create a spear. The sheath has a built in sharpener and can attach to a belt or even strap to your leg if you're going for a full-blown Rambo look. It's a quality knife and made in the USA. 
Lastly, I tucked a coil of paracord into my new BOB. I'll continue the upgrade over the next few months.
Anyone else updating, upgrading, or building a bug out bag? What are you adding?

Bug-Out Bag Redux

One of the tasks I aim to complete over the next several months is an overhaul of our bug-out bags. Bug-out bags (also known as G.O.O.D. bags and 72 hour kits, among other names) have the essentials you need for survival in the event you need to evacuate quickly or simply hunker down in place for a few days.

Our bug-out bags were the first preps I completed back when I was a wee baby prepper. I based them around these kits from Emergency Essentials.

The Trekker II Emergency Kits from Emergency Essentials 

The Trekker II kits have supplies for two people; we are a family of six with several small children. I bought extra sets of certain supplies (ration bars, emergency blankets, etc.) and added in things like diapers and formula. Then I created an emergency binder with vital information such as phone numbers, photos of each family member (in case we get separated), insurance information, and so on.

And that was that. Our BOBs have sat in the floor of our closet for a year and half. I have added a few odds and ends but I haven't truly updated them. The clothing I packed for my children is now two sizes too small, the family photos show an infant Baby Dear who doesn't much resemble the ornery man-child he is today, and I never replaced the flimsy multi-tools included in the kits with proper cutting instruments. Oops. Naughty prepper.

It's time to update and upgrade our BOBs and emergency binder. Here's the plan:

Bug-Out Bag Update Checklist:

1. Emergency binder - Check all information for accuracy. Update with new photos, financial information, etc. as necessary. 
2. Double-check to make sure all components (ie. flashlights, headlamps) are still functional. Make sure those darn Aqua Blox aren't leaking and consider a switch to the water packets mentioned by Bitsy. 
3. Update clothing and shoes included in bags. Make sure they are appropriate for the season. Add extra pairs of socks for Hubby Dear and I. 
4. Make a few upgrades. See below. 

Upgrades:

1. Backpacks - The bags included in the Emergency Essentials kit are inadequate. Not only are they on the small size, but they are also very uncomfortable to wear when fully loaded. I want to try out some new backpacks that will better distribute a heavy load. 
2. A better knife - The kits came with two generic multi-tools. I am far from knowledgeable when it comes to topics like a proper survival knife, but even I know that I wouldn't want to depend on the flimsy blades that came with my kit. 
3. Another way to purify water - The kit came with a few water purification tablets and some of the notorious Aqua Blox. I'd like to get a hiking filter so that we could drink whatever water we come across on the go. 
4. Some cordage - Our kit currently doesn't have much rope or other cordage. Cordage is just too handy not to include in a BOB. 
5. Upgraded electronics - The flashlight, headlamp, and radio included in the Emergency Essentials kits are pretty cheap quality. I'm looking for more sturdy replacements. I'm also considering getting a solar battery charger.
6. Sleeping arrangements - Our BOBs currently include plastic tube tents and mylar "sleeping bags". If we ever really had to use these, we would be less than comfortable. I'd like to find light, compact, and warm sleeping bags. If we have room in our bags, I'd like to get a better tent as well. 

I still think kits like the one pictured above are a wonderful beginning for those newly-converted to preparedness. If lack of time and zero know-how are obstacles, these kits are great. Buy them and you're set. Just don't forget about updating them like I did and you might consider upgrading a few of the crucial components.

If you have not checked your bug-out bags recently, why not take this opportunity to make sure they are ready to go? Are you set for an emergency or are you overdue for an update?

Quick Tip: Add some freebies to your Bug Out Bag

Some of the freebies in my BOB: shampoo and conditioner, lip balm, deodorant, and lotion

In the first incarnation of my bug-out bag, 72 hour kit, or whatever you want to call it, I didn't include any toiletries. I figured that if I was hunkering down in the woods somewhere, I probably wouldn't care if my armpits were springtime fresh.

That may well be true, but springtime freshness never hurts, especially when you can do it for free. Lots of companies offer free samples of their products in convenient travel sizes - perfect for your BOB!  The Krazy Coupon Lady and Money Saving Mom are two sites that frequently post offers for free products. As a bonus, the freebies often come along with high-value coupons to aid your stockpiling efforts.

In a SHTF situation where we have to break out the BOBs, I can now comfort myself with the fact that my lips won't be chapped! ;)

Month Ten in Review and Month Eleven Prepping Plan

I feel so accomplished. Hubby Dear and I really got a lot done around the homestead this month.

1. I upgraded my EDC. BTW, thanks for all the great comments and ideas. The stuff some of you all carry around is quite impressive. 
2. Our Food Storage Blitz Month was quite successful. It's such a nice feeling to know that we wouldn't have to go hungry during an emergency or job loss.  
3. We did a ton of work in the yard. Literally, we moved a ton of materials into our garden, a few bags at a time. First, Hubby Dear finished filling all 19 of our garden boxes with Mel's Mix. This was a major undertaking, especially since we had to drive 50 miles each way to get the materials and could only fit a certain amount in the ol' mini-van. I think we exceeding the load limit a few times.
   
   

   

   The boxes - filled with Mel's Mix and grids in place

We're also nearly done putting down pea gravel to cover the pathways between the boxes.
   
 



The grids are optional, but handy. The larger areas are where we're planting
 pumpkins. Radishes, lettuce, and peas are in the smaller boxes.


We planted radishes, peas (sugar snap and shelling), lettuce (both a romaine and leaf lettuce mix), cabbage, strawberries, and onions.



The Thinker's radish seedlings.

We also added a few more raspberry canes, doubling our raspberry patch in size.  We're still waiting on the organic seed potatoes we ordered to arrive. The delay is irksome enough that I think next year we'll buy our seed potatoes closer to home, even though they may not be organic.                                 
4. You might be asking what happened to the cloth pad project? Well, I got sidetracked with all the gardening work. And I got a huge stack of uber interesting books at the library. Then the NCAA basketball tournament started. (We are giant college basketball fans.) The result? I still have only two (partially completed, at that) cloth pads. I will get back and finish the project, eventually.   

What's in store for Month 11 of my Prepping Plan?

1. I want to add more cash to our BOBs/at home emergency stash.
2. We're going to craft our own water filter using food safe buckets and ceramic filter elements.
3. Using some of the suggestions from my Ask the Readers post, I'm going to stock-up on some more can openers.
4. I'm going to buy some garden seeds for long term storage.
5. We're going to continue building our food and oh-so-important toilet paper supplies.
6. We'll be very busy in the garden. Hopefully we'll have some lettuce to harvest.  
7. I have some preps of a unique nature that I'll discuss with y'all in an upcoming post. I've got to pick your brain again!