We have no idea know whether or not you belong to that group comprising the vast majority of survivalists/preppers who subscribe to the idea that only non-perishable, zero-preparation food items that contain a balanced proportion of calorie and nutrition should be deemed the ideal survival foods. However, we do know one thing for sure – it doesn’t always have to be like that!
What about taste?
Is there any such rule that says it’s a crime to have tasty food during a survival situation? Of course not!
Granted, taste should not be your top priority when stockpiling survival foods. But what if we told you that there’s a certain type of all-encompassing solution that not only can turn the food you eat more appealing to your beloved taste buds, but also comes blessed with medicinal properties that your body would gladly accept any day?
Spices, The Forgot Addition To Your Survival Foods List
We are talking about spices – the most forgotten and constantly ignored survival food item there is.
Right now, some of you may be wondering whether or not spices have the ‘non-perishable’ quality that any ideal survival food must have. The answer is – YES and NO.
While spices don’t usually spoil even after staying unused in the pantry for years (meaning they won’t make you sick), they do lose their potency over time. And frankly, there’s hardly any practical use of having spices that lost their zest in your food inventory.
Air tight, dark containers kept in a dry and cool spot generally make the ideal storage place for spices. Most of your ground spices will taste their best for two years or so from the date of production. Compared to that, whole spices tend to last far longer (3 – 4 years on average).
To know if your stored spices have not lost their potency, pour a little in your palms and examine it. If the color has changed and aroma is not as strong as it used to be, there’s every chance that it has lost the zest. That would mean that you may have to experiment a bit on how much more of it must be added to gain the intended flavor.
Common Spices:
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Garlic Salt
- Parsley
- Oregano
- Black Pepper
- Bay Leaves
- Crushed Red pepper
- Chili Powder
- Minced Garlic Onion Powder
- Cinnamon
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Uncommon Spices
The items in this list are made out of mostly the same ingredients mentioned above. However, they contain a much higher proportion of sodium. And of course, as you probably already know, they are great for enhancing the taste of even the most boring and bland item/dishes that made it to your list of survival foods.
- Meat Spices
- Tabasco sauce
- Sriracha Sauce
- Balsamic Vinegar
- Chinese 5 spice
- Dash
- Pickled peppers (jalapeno, banana, and pepperoncini are my all time favorites)
- Wasabi Powder
- Cajun Seasoning
- Olive oil
Now Onto Something Completely Different
You could also add honey to that list. Despite not being a spice, it possesses many of their qualities such as the ability to enhance the taste of (sweeten) a wide variety of items; medicinal value; and a seemingly forever shelf-life.
Check this incredible list of articles on Honey. These guys cover everything from why it’s a great food and its MANY uses to how to start your own hive.
It is worth noting here that almost all of the spices mentioned above come with their own medicinal properties. A simple Google search (or click here) would probably help establish that fact.
And finally, before we wrap-up, spices also have the magical ability to keep insects away – we’re pretty sure that’s another important characteristic that make them an ideal fit in your list of survival foods.
You can read more about uncommon foods items to prep here.
I also wrote an article way back in the day that you can read here about honey.
