The quinoa and rice take longer to cook by a wide margin.
but I haven't found a replacement yet
(and depending on which product I bring,
the food item can be used for 4 out of 5 family members.
*Bugging Out - Planning for Allergy Needs*
By: Viking365
28 September 2011
If my family and I are in a situation where we need to leave our home (bug out), and either head to a friend / relatives house, or (God forbid) to a government shelter, there would end up being significant challenges when it comes to our dietary requirements. Three out of five of our family members carry epinephrine (epi-pens) in case of allergic reactions to foods that are quite common, and would most certainly be on the menu in shelters or places we could end up. So, in preparation over the last year, I have spent much time looking for alternate foods that we could stock and carry with us should the time ever come when we need to bug out.
Although I have done my best to eliminate foods that may cause an allergic reaction in one of my children, I also must face the reality that we will not always be able to avoid those products (especially in a volatile survival situation). In light of that, we carry extra Benadryl and other allergy meds with us, as well as Epi-Pens.
Some of the items that I need to watch for include...
No nuts of any kind
No pork
No wheat
No Dairy
Minimal on preservatives (not an anaphylaxis reaction, but causes pain / digestive issues)
Ideally, I have tried to find foods that are calorie dense, easy to prepare for eating, readily available, have a long shelf life, and are as nutritious as possible. Below is a table that includes items that are typical bug-out bag foods, as well as the alternates that I have chosen (where possible, I have included photos for the products).
| Typical Bug-Out Foods | My Substitutions | Description / Notes |
| Mars Bars, Energy Bar,
Granola Bars, Ritter Sport Bars
|
Fruit Bar, Raisins,
Dried Fruit, Rye & Oat Bran flat bread
|
Still looking for a more calorie dense product that we can integrate |
| MR. Noodle / Raman
Noodles / Kraft Dinner
|
Rice Noodles
(Vermicelli) / Natural Bouillon Cubes, and Quinoa / Rice
|
Same approximate calorie
intake, less sodium. The quinoa and rice take longer to cook by a wide margin. |
| Peanut Butter
|
Pea Butter or Soy Butter
|
Not great options as we
have allergies to both peas and soy... but I haven't found a replacement yet (and depending on which product I bring, the food item can be used for 4 out of 5 family members. |
| Tang or Fruit Mix | Natural lime / lemon
juice with natural sugars / Tea
|
Less sugar obviously, but that's not necessarily a bad thing |
| Pre-packaged oatmeal | Quick oats with separate
package of brown sugar
|
|
| Hard Candy / Comfort Food | Hard Candy (usually natural products made from honey or cane sugar |
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