10 canned foods to survive in extreme situations

From the beginning of time, Human beings have known how to take advantage of what the earth offered us and store for the months of cold or absence of harvest.

Salting, dehydrated foods such as dried apricots or raisins, fermentation, burying in sand or coconut fiber that is applied to roots such as carrots or red beets and other preservation systems have been with us for millennia and others such as sterilization by bain-marie for centuries.

In the 21st century having a good pantry is quite simple and we have a variety of products and preserves to choose from, both for the freezer or the fridge and to keep at room temperature.

Shortage of food or energy: this is how they are prepared

For a few months the movement of the “preparers” which are people who store food and other survival items such as flashlights or water for possible emergency situations or shortages of gas, electricity or food

Therefore, it would not be a basic pantry to consume in the family menus of the following weeks and help us in the logistics of the shopping basket, but rather food to store for the long term.

In these circumstances we can resort to a variety of cans and preserves both vegetables and fish or sausages / meat products and even processed as energy bars or sweets.

But we could also prepare a long-lasting pantry 100% vegetable and healthier.

How to prepare a long-lasting pantry

The list of a possible vegetable pantry can be very long, but the best is:

Choose few foods but very nutritious, easy to heat or cook and long lasting.Mark the expiration date well. Some of the products mentioned, such as legumes, dry cereals or pasta, can last for years in the right, dark, dry place, away from moisture and in hermetic containers, although it is recommended to consume them within 18 months. In the rest of the foods, the expiration date must be checked in each case and taken into account to consume and replace them.For added protection, we can use cloves and dry bay leaves because they repel insects. They can be placed inside containers or on shelves.

10 basics in an emergency pantry

This is the list of long-life canning alternatives to be prepared to follow a canned vegetable diet if circumstances so require.

1. Legumes in all their forms

They are the vegetable protein par excellence, satiating and very nutritious and can solve our basic diet in any type of social-economic crisis. We can store them both dry – if we later have the resources and fuel to cook them – and cooked. Glass preserves without preservatives are the most appropriate.

2. Cereals and pseudocereals

Rice, oats, spelt, corn, quinoa, buckwheat… have been the basis of the diet of different civilizations and can enrich many meals.

We can store them both in grain and cooked and they can even be frozen with the tray method, which consists of placing the cooked and cold grains on a tray and when they are frozen they are stored in jars. In this way they remain loose and not caked together. Here we would include flour and pasta, always counting on the fact that we have options to cook them.

3. Nuts

the dry fruits, preferably with the shell, they will also be the protagonists of this pantry of the future because they are powerful foods and, in their small size and small quantity, they offer many nutritional benefits, as well as being energetic and protein.

We bet on local nuts and we have a wide variety to choose from such as walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews, pistachios, chestnuts… And let’s not forget the nutcracker or similar device.As nuts are highly concentrated foods, a handful a day is enough.

4. Classic preserves

The classic canned vegetables cooked are the referents of the concept “pantry” and they will make any dish more delicious.

Asparagus, roasted peppers, artichokes, peas, chard, green beans, raw tomato or fried tomato sauce… are examples of vegetables that are easily found in glass jars.

5. Pickles

Quality, fermented pickles such as olives, pickles, gherkins, sauerkraut, kimchi, and others are good probiotics and fit into this type of equipment.

6. Seeds

The seeds are authentic nutritional pills because they contain all the elements that the plant needs to develop.

Flax, sesame, sunflower, pumpkin or hemp seeds are easily found and lWe can keep you in glass jars or vacuum.

7. Dehydrated foods

Nor can all kinds of dehydrated products be missing, which we can easily prepare at home both in the sun, in a low-temperature oven or in electric dehydrator appliances.

Mushrooms, tomatoes, julienned fruits and vegetables, the more options, they will be delicious to the palate and a great resource in our pantry. And dried fruit can substitute for other unhealthy treats.

8. Canned protein

Regarding other vegetable proteins, beyond legumes, in order to cook all kinds of recipes and preparations, the veggie market has evolved a lot in recent years and we can find tempeh, tofu or seitan in jar, textured soybeans, jack fruit (tropical fruit with a meat-like texture) or cans of carnita (gluten and almond-based product).

9. Oils, vinegars and sauces

Of course there is a wide list of foods that will be the perfect complement to our food logistics:olive oil, coconut oil, vinegar, soy sauce…

10. Dressings

It is a good idea to have available miso (ferment-medicine with which we can prepare a rich soup in seconds by adding a teaspoon of miso to hot water), aromatic herbs and spices, seaweed, some powdered superfood or food supplement, sweeteners such as stevia, coconut sugar, cereal molasses; cinnamon, chocolate, vegetable drinks in brick or powder…