Trunk Food

[Algo1911]

Hi all,

Just want to introduce myself. I have been lurking for sometime and finally I have a question that I can not find much info on. I live in the southeast U.S. and temperature fluctuations can go from the low 100's during the summer and the low teens in the winter. These kind of temperature fluctuations have to dramatically decrease the shelf life of emergency food in your trunk. Currently I have a stack of power bars and a few MRE's in my trunk. I have been contemplating changing over to Mountain House or Mainstay bars. I don't like either one of those options though. I need water for mountain house and Mainstay bars are.......a last resort. What are your recommendation on long term food storage in a vehicle. Thanks in advance for advice.

Algo1911

[kyratshooter]

I have lived in the SE most of my life and know the contidions you discribe well. TN for 50+ years and KY for the past 10. Where I am now temps run from above 100 in the summer to weeks at a time below freezing in winter.

Based on the tarrain, population density and probable use of the food, there is no need to try and keep vast quantities in the vehicle. Most of us southerners just want to get home or get to Granny's house in an emergency. You are not going to be rebuilding civilization from the back of your car. I have only a 72 hour supply in my vehicle if more than one individual is present. I could go for a week on my supplies individually.

Since you have the vehicle to bear the burden, switch to canned goods. Most aversion to canned foods is the weight and since you are in a vehicle that is not a problem. They will hold up longer under the temp changes and have longer shelf life. Most need no additional water. If you have to abandon the vehicle you can still carry a substantual amount of canned food in your pack. I was in the C-rat Army and we carried a week at a time when necessary. It ain't normal backpacking but it can be done.

The alternative is to continue with the shelf items and rotate them out seasonally. I have items in my packs that are replaced each fall and spring. Most of us here do that as a matter of course. It's part of the deal, just like changing the oil in your car.

Other items you will find are not so sensitive as you might think. I have kept bottled water in my vehicle through the winter with no leakage or splitting of the bottles. Properly sealed meals would not be as sensitive to the temp changes as you suspect.

But grainola bars and high fiber items and high suger items seem to transform into some new element on the periodic chart. I try to aviod those items in my vehicle kit.

I would keep water in the sealed bottles and store the bottles in a second watertight container. I use two Stellite containers, one for water and the other for general gear. I have never had a water bottle burst but I am sure others here have. If there is one item you definately want to keep it is a good supply of bottled water in the vehicle, espically here in the south. Sealed bottled water will keep for a year and still taste fresh in spite of the use by date. I have tested it.

[hunter63]

Bar none this is the best example of a reasonable/sensible kit I have ever seen....... has been a staple of my vehicle preps since I first found it....including the cooler....second cooler is used for bottled water....in case they break in the winter.

This works for me........

Changed out of daylight saving time clock change day....spring and fall...as well a batteries, in everything.

Buy buying in the prepackaged qualities that are sold, (hard to buy just one" of something.)....little more money, but you will have almost enough for 2 kits

This has been edited for size, and i suggest that you look up and read the whole artical
>Quote

http://www.backwoodshome.com/articles2/yago104.html

Issue 104 Mar/Apr 2007


A 10-day supply of dehydrated food and drink mixes, medical supplies, and cooking equipment fits easily in a small plastic cooler.

A “6-Pack” size cooler makes a perfect emergency food storage container for your car or truck.

The two biggest complaints I hear from people when it comes to buying emergency supplies are the high cost for items they may never actually use and the need to replace out-of-date food that was never eaten. Yes, those tasty freeze-dried, ready-to-eat meals from most camping stores are expensive, and yes, many may never actually be used. But that is also true of buying a fire extinguisher, as you don’t intend to ever actually use it either, but it’s a real life saver if you do.
To address these high-cost concerns and the difficulty to locate camping stores that stock hard-to-find survival equipment, I decided to assemble a 10-day emergency food supply by shopping only in a typical chain grocery store, and I kept the total cost under $25. This is very cheap insurance if you travel through areas where you would not want to be stranded, and you will not be out that much if you have to occasionally replace items that have reached their expiration date.
Drinking water supply
Select only dehydrated foods that can be prepared by adding hot water.


Medical supplies you may need including water purification tablets, toilet tissue, band aids, and travel-size hygiene supplies.


Canned heat and an enameled-steel cup is all you need to boil water.

Finally, toss in a few self-tie kitchen-size plastic trash bags. They take up almost no room, and are a great way to store your discarded food and trash, which will reduce problems with waste smells and insects.
What's in my cooler?
QUAN. ITEM SERVINGS
Food Items
1 Knorr chicken and pasta dinner 2
1 Knorr beef and rice dinner 2
1 Knorr chicken and rice dinner 2
2 Maruchan ramen noodle soup 2
1 Idahoan home-style instant potatoes 4
1 Idahoan four cheese instant potatoes 4
1 McCormick onion gravy mix 4
1 McCormick mushroom gravy mix 4
2 Armour treat in metal can 2
2 Armour Vienna sausage cans 2
1 Star Kist tuna in foil pack 1
2 Sardines in soybean oil 2
10 Single serving coffee pouches 1
6 Nestle instant cocoa pouches 1
10 Herb-ox beef bouillon pouches 1
4 Country Time lemonade pouch 2
4 Bigelow herb tea pouch 1
2 Peanut bar candy 1
Free Salt, pepper, creamer, sugar pouches --
Other Items
1 Small sauce pan --
1 Enameled metal cup --
3 Canned heat --
-- Matches and/or lighter --
-- Water purification tablets --
1 set Eating utensils --
1 Pocket or kitchen knife --
1 LED-type flashlight --
3 Extra batteries --
-- First-aid supplies --
-- Aspirin, Tylenol, Unisom, Benadryl, and Advil caplets --
3 Plastic trash bags & ties --
Other items to consider stashing in your trunk
QUAN. ITEM
** Toilet tissue**
2 Water -gallon jugs
1 50-foot roll of 1/8 inch nylon rope
1 10x10 ft. plastic sheet
2 Duct tape
1 Sleeping bag
1 set Extra clothing
50 Paper/plastic plates
2 rolls Paper towels
1 each Toothbrush &toothpaste
1 each Shampoo, hand lotion, bar soap, hand sanitizer
2 Disposable razor
** Since a standard toilet paper roll is huge to pack, I always tell people to save the roll from their bathroom when it gets to a much smaller size, compress flat, and place in a zip lock bag.

Jeff Yago is a licensed professional engineer and certified energy manager with over 25-years experience in the energy conservation field. He is also certified by the North American Board of Certified Energy Practitioners as a licensed solar installer and a licensed journeyman electrician. He has extensive solar thermal and solar photovoltaic system design experience and has authored numerous articles and texts.
Read More by Jeff Yago
Read More Self Reliance Articles
________________________________________
Comments regarding this article may be addressed to editor@backwoodshome.com. Comments may appear online in "Feedback" or in the "Letters" section of Backwoods Home Magazine. Although every email is read, busy schedules generally do not permit a personal response to each one.

[Cast-Iron]

Great ideas H63 & KY. I like the idea of rotating it out twice a year too. If you include things you would normally eat, and rotate them often enough, there shouldn't be much waste from spoilage. The list provided in Hunter's post would be a great place to start.

One food suggestion I didn't see mentioned would be packaged nuts of some kind. They pack a lot of calories for the weight, require no preperation, and shouldn't be too sensitive to a range of temps.

[hunter63]

Good point.....
Personally I stay away from nuts....on the do not eat list for Gout.......

FYI, One should take care when packing food as a lot of people have allergies....sometimes the ready packed "snacks/energy bars have stuff in them that may be trouble.

[Seniorman]

FROM HUNTER 63"s POSTED ARTICLE " ...** Since a standard toilet paper roll is huge to pack, I always tell people to save the roll from their bathroom when it gets to a much smaller size, compress flat, and place in a zip lock bag.

The roll becomes even flatter when one carefully takes the cardboard tube out from the center. There are only three or four tiny glue spots to secure the paper. Easy to remove.

S.M.

[finallyME]

I know you don't want to hear this.....but I say......mainstay bars. You don't need to cook them, or need water to rehydrate them. They are very calorie dense. And they last for 5 years. Temperature doesn't affect them too much either. They do take some dedication to finish one off, but when you are hungry.........Sure you can put other food in the car, but I would start with that. I used to have a box of MREs, but the mainstay bars take up much less space, and I don't have to worry about freezing.

[Rick]

MRE or MRE type foods don't spoil because of temperature fluctuations. They just are not as appealing and some of the vitamins can be impacted by high heat. I have MRE style packs in my get home back in the truck and van and won't hesitate to eat it if I need to. It might not look as good or taste quite as good but it will keep you alive and that's really the goal if you're down to eating that stuff.

[ElevenBravo]

In the heat you will see in your trunk, I personally would stay away from ANYTHING with any moisture in it. MREs are a great item, but not stored in the heat... I found it out the hard way! Even the PACKAGING broke down!!!

I would personally suggest ONLY freeze dried meals, which "should" survive for much greater time in the ranges you specify, I am firstly thinking of Mountain House packages.

I am in process of putting together a GHB (Get Home Bag), I hope to toss a HiPoint 9mm, a tarp, a cheap sleeping bag, water pills, Mountain House, etc. in it. Just what I need for 3 daze & nights, just to make it home, is all I will want.

I will need to mod it for the seasons... if it gets to the freezing mark for a while, makes sense to put a zero degree bag in place of the "regular" bag, etc.. etc.. Every year, rotate a fresh box of ammo, etc.. etc..

HTH,
Andrew

[crashdive123]

+1 on the Mainstay bars.

[Delta 5168]

Do you guys who use coolers, use them primarily for storage. or to protect the contents from temperature fluctuation? From hard experience, I'd be thinking about my first aid kit or any other specialty kit that you might have, too.
Also, from hard experience, make sure handles of first aid kits, etc do not connect directly to the inside of the case. Water ruined my "first" one!

[Phaedrus]

I like Datrex bars. To my palate they're tastier than store bought cookies (probably because they're less sweet and very coconutty). Canned food would be pretty hard to eat where I live for three or four months of the year...unless you enjoy eating ice! It's 10 degrees F right now, and -35 F is not unheard of.

[Algo1911]

Thanks for the input. I like the idea of having one cooler for water in case of a leak and another for food to regulate temps. I think I may just go with mountain house and Mainstay for my pack and keep a couple of cans of food in the cooler and rotate each season. Maybe put a pack or two of gravy in my bag in case I need to add it to something to make it more appetizing.

AG

[finallyME]

I like Datrex bars. To my palate they're tastier than store bought cookies (probably because they're less sweet and very coconutty). Canned food would be pretty hard to eat where I live for three or four months of the year...unless you enjoy eating ice! It's 10 degrees F right now, and -35 F is not unheard of.

I have a mix of both Datrex and Mainstay. Gives a little variety. Before I bought a lot, I bought one pack of each (I can buy them at a store here, so shipping isn't a concern). Then I opened them up and taste tested them all. I had three brands. There are even some small one serving bars of different flavors. I found those small bars very unpalatable, and the Mainstay and Datrex the most palatable. So, I stick with those two brands. I have also tested how much I need for heavy activity (like backpacking). Basically I ate 1200 calories worth for a meal and gauged how hunger I was by the next meal. It was really hard to eat that much. The first third was easy, the second a little harder, and the third took some dedication. It wasn't gross, more boring and not appealing. But, it did provide enough calories so that I didn't feel underpowered or hungry. Now I always carry a 1200 calorie pack in my backpack for emergency purposes.

[Highhawk1948]

I keep a medium size pack in the back seat of my truck. In it is first aid supplies, compass, sheath knife, leatherman, three ways to start a fire, tinder, 2 space blankets, cordage, etc. for emergencies. For food I have 4 packs of unsalted peanuts, 4 cranola bars and 3 MREs with heaters. Six bottles of water in the door compartments.

[Phaedrus]

Since I'm a chef I probably shouldn't admit this, but I love Datrex! I could seriously eat a block of them every day! I dunno what it is about them, just the coconut flavor or something, but I really dig 'em. For me there's no need to have any other bar because the the Datrex is by far my fave.

[ElevenBravo]

Last time I used Datex bars, I could squirt though a key hole... just sayin....

[Phaedrus]

Nothing much seems to affect my digestion. I think I have guts of iron!