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Let’s face it. For most disasters, up to and including hurricanes and earthquakes, you really don’t need to be thinking a huge amount about nutrition. Between what you have stocked up in the pantry and any emergency rations you have on hand, odds are you are going to be able to eat balanced meals for the duration if you have prepared. After all, you have food, water, alternate lighting sources, and alternate cooking sources; plus, in most cases, you are talking restoration of power and such within about four weeks. Not always, but in general.
While weapons are the third rail for many discussions on preparedness, getting into nutrition and the disasters that need you to consider it is also one of those things that drives people away. After all, the government is there and will rescue you and any talk of any disaster that would require looking ahead for a year or more is just some sort of preparedness/survivalist/right-wing/libertarian/other fantasy/wet-dream. I wish it were.
While nuclear war is indeed one of those scenarios that means you need to be looking at a year or more of getting by on your own, it is not the only one. Modern logistics is built around the idea of “just in time” deliveries. Your local grocery no longer has a huge storage area in back because instead of every week (or longer), the truck(s) come 2 or more times a week. They don’t keep a week or more of X in stock because they only need to keep about two to three days worth on hand total. Smaller footprint, saves money, reduces inventory hassles and paperwork, and a few other things.
We depend on ships that use Bunker C or similar to get raw materials or products from overseas to the U.S. Then, we depend on rail for a large amount of transport, and guess what most locomotives use for fuel: diesel. That which is not transported by rail is transported by trucks, which again use diesel. Planes do carry a good bit, but it is rarely food or other items but rather finished products for the most part. It really is fascinating to look at the breakdown of what goes how, and when. Again, though, planes are dependent upon specialty fuel.
The thing is, we get the raw materials to plants where they become products. We get products and ship them to where they are needed, using one or more large distribution centers along the way. Some of these are not just one building, but huge warehouse complexes that depend on computers and automation to track and move the contents. Even more amazing is that in some of these complexes the contents can completely turn over in as little as a day in some cases. From the large centers things can go to smaller centers but quite often they go directly to the final destination.
The dance that is modern logistics truly is amazing. It is a very intricate mechanism, and the problem with intricate things is that it does not necessarily take much to jam them up. For example, automation and computers drive the system, much less make it possible to move the products. Without computers, hand-helds, and other systems, nothing moves. Loss of electricity, malware, and other delights, and nothing moves. Without diesel and other specialty fuels, there is no way to move the goods. For that matter, without the fertilizers (some key ones require oil to produce) there would be no crops, and without the specialty fuels there is no way to pick and prepare the crops, much less mine or otherwise produce raw materials. Given the system, if it goes down for a few days to a week, it could take months (or longer) to get it back up and running again. Just look at the continuing problems getting stock after the lockdowns as but one example.
To cut things short, there are a number of things that can happen that disrupt the logistics chain. Nuclear war, loss of fertilizer and such overseas, fuel problems (cough, diesel, cough), a transportation strike (cough, railroad strike, cough), or other disaster that impacts fuel, electricity, or the ability to move the products, and things can get interesting. Combine “normal” disasters (much less human stupidity, particularly political stupidity) into the mix, and things can get very interesting.
Which is why for advanced preparedness you need to have some basic knowledge of nutrition. That knowledge can help you prepare to ride out a longer-term disaster as best possible.
At the most basic, the human body needs about two liters of water a day (at rest, directly and from food) to survive, along with about 72 trace elements and 20 essential amino acids in about 1200-1400 calories a day (you can survive on less, 600-800, but not recommended if you can avoid it). Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins, as well as a good bit of the human body. Our body can actually produce 11 of the essential amino acids we need to survive and thrive, but we need to get the remaining nine through our diet.
Now, there are foods that contain complete proteins, that is they have all 9 of the essential amino acids needed by the body. When you eat fish, poultry, dairy, eggs, and meat you are getting complete proteins. In grains, quinoa is a complete protein.
You can also “mix and match” to get complete protein. For example, legumes with rice can do the job, but if you mix legumes, a veggie, and a grain, you can as well.
As I’ve noted before, just as there is no one magic list for preparedness, there is no one perfect recipe for nutrition. You have to find what works for you and any known dietary problems or needs. Now, when I say dietary problem I mean a diagnosed medical condition, not that you hate X, Y, or Z or avoid them because of virtue signaling. While I find low-carb works well for me right now, in an emergency I’m an omnivore and will eat whatever I have to ensure proper nutrition.
If you have the storage to do canned goods and the like for a full year, go for it. If you don’t, look at dried legumes, whole grains, and similar items that will have a long shelf life and not take up huge amounts of room. Keep in mind, however, that dried legumes can take a lot of processing and can’t be eaten raw. Most grains, however, can be eaten raw or moderately processed. Also, space being at a premium, keep in mind that the pouches of tuna are pretty much a meal for one — and if inside hunkered down you really may only need one meal a day.
Some other things to consider. There is a good argument to be made for getting canned tuna in oil, as you need a certain amount of fat to survive each day. I’ve also heard good arguments for tuna in water as that water will stretch out your water supply. I will also note that while six medium to large moths can get you the required amount of fat for a day, it’s much more pleasant to get that fat from other sources.
As for those 72 trace elements, stocking up on Himalayan pink salt can help as you need salt, and that salt has traces of about 60 or so of those trace elements. Every bit helps, and the more you get from food the less you have to come up with from elsewhere. Supplements may be a topic for tomorrow, especially since the lockdown crowd is now wanting government control over all supplements and to make them a prescription item.
The other thing you need to consider is gardening. Indoor, outdoor, whatever. Yes, you do need to look at doing this to ensure a supply of veggies as well as ensuring proper nutrition. Buy seeds now. Put them away. Remember how Michigan banned the sale of seeds during lockdown, so get them now and remember the first rule of preparedness club. You will be amazed at what a well-planned garden can provide you. Done inside under the right conditions, you can do at least some things year round.
Plan now. Buy now. Prepare now. Being prepared to garden when you can may make all the difference between squeaking by and doing okay in a disaster. Remember, Preparedness Always Pays!
Preparedness On The Fly Series
Preparedness On The Fly (Food)
Preparedness On The Fly: Water
Preparedness On The Fly: Light
Preparedness On The Fly: Cooking
Preparedness On The Fly: Protection
Preparedness On The Fly: General Thoughts
Of Interest
Start Of All Posts On Preparedness
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I’m guessing your site hates my VPN; identifies me as a spammer
Given that I use a VPN, think not. That said, not sure what my host does or does not approve of.
EAAs are important of course, but in a factory farmed meat culture like ours it’s easy to forget essential fatty acids. It’s not just the amount you need (think rabbit starvation) but the kinds of fat you need. The body cannot manufacture alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) or linoleic acid (LA) at all, and cannot efficiently manufacture EPA or DHA. So if you’re prepping ahead try to include sources of the former (e.g., flaxseed and soybean oils) and of the later (fish oil pills, or better still, dried fatty fish).
Excellent points, and may need to add this into the cooking post to come. Thank you!
Really enjoy your commentary. Very informative. Glad I could contribute!