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If you had to make a quick run through the local grocery store for some survival-friendly foods, what would you grab?
There are a number of options that are calorie-packed and shelf-stable. But I wanted to round up a food products that will keep for years, resist freezing, be ready to eat, and reside in containers that are bug and rodent proof. After a lot of taste testing (and no shortage of indigestion), here are six foods that I wouldn’t mind eating again, emergency or not.
Brown Bread ($2.89)
This can of fun is exactly what it sounds like. A creative cannery puts some batter in a can and then runs it through a heating process that steam-bakes the dense little loaf, yielding a molasses-flavored log that contains 1,040 calories and has a “best used by” date that is 3 to 4 years distant
Smucker’s Goober Grape ($3.85)
For those of you who cannot eat a jar of peanut butter by the spoonful, this glass jar contains alternating stripes of peanut butter and grape jelly. The rat-proof, 18-ounce glass jar packs an impressive 2,400 calories and sustaining amounts of carbs, protein, and fat.
Red Salmon ($7.19)
Canned with the bones of the fish mixed in, Red Salmon is high in healthy fats and calcium. A 14.75-ounce can contains 700 calories and tastes great cold or cooked. This one’s pricey, but very nutritious.
Spam ($3.39)
No list of survival foods is complete without Spam. This WWII-era meat treat has too much salt for most people to live on, but that high sodium level does allow the Spam to last for years on a pantry shelf. This processed ham product contains 1,080 calories per 12-ounce can.
Sardines ($2.79)
A large can of sardines has some of the calcium that the salmon has, without the high price. If you need some help coaxing these little fish down, you can find sardines packed in hot sauce, tomato sauce, mustard, and a variety of other sauces. One of the large, 15-ounce cans carries 560 calories and a full day’s supply of calcium.
Corned Beef Hash ($3.29)
This Scotch/Irish-inspired product provides carbs, protein, and fat. If you can eat a whole can, you’ll have had too much sodium for the day, but received 780 calories. The salt gives the hash a 3- to 4-year shelf life.
Do you have a go-to canned or jarred food for emergencies? Tell us your favorites in the comments.