PREP TIPS & ESSENTIALS
A practical field guide — whether you are starting your first 72-hour kit or hardening a decade-long setup.
FOR NEW PREPPERS
FOR LONG-TIME PREPPERS
SHELF-STABLE FOODS TO CONSIDER
| Food | Shelf Life | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White rice | 30+ yrs | Store in mylar + O2 absorbers. Staple calorie base. |
| Dried beans / lentils | 8–10 yrs | Complete protein when paired with rice. Cheap and dense. |
| Rolled oats | 2–3 yrs | No cooking required; easy to eat cold with water. |
| Pasta | 2–3 yrs | Needs water to cook; pair with canned sauce. |
| Canned meats (tuna, chicken, spam) | 3–5 yrs | Ready-to-eat protein; watch sodium. |
| Peanut butter | 2 yrs | High calorie, no refrigeration, kids will eat it. |
| Honey | Indefinite | Never spoils; antibacterial and barter gold. |
| Salt | Indefinite | Essential nutrient, preserves food, top barter item. |
| Canned vegetables & fruit | 2–5 yrs | Vitamin C and morale; drain liquid to save water. |
| Powdered milk | 2–10 yrs | Calcium and calories; rotate for taste. |
| Hardtack / pilot bread | 20+ yrs | Dense carbs; nearly indestructible if kept dry. |
| Canned soups & chili | 2–5 yrs | Heat-and-eat meals in one can. |
| Coffee / tea | 1–2 yrs | Morale and barter; vacuum-seal for longer life. |
| Cooking oil | 1–2 yrs | Rotate often — it goes rancid. Store cool/dark. |
| Dehydrated / freeze-dried meals | 25+ yrs | Lightweight, just add water; pricey but reliable. |
| Canned tomatoes | 2–5 yrs | Base for many meals; acidic so cans last well. |
Store in cool, dark, dry places. Use mylar bags + oxygen absorbers for bulk grains. Rotate with FIFO — eat what you store, store what you eat.
OTHER PREPS WORTH CONSIDERING
💧
WATER
- Berkey or Sawyer filter
- Bleach (unscented) for purification
- Rain barrel / catchment
- Collapsible water jugs
- WaterBOB for bathtub storage
🔦
LIGHT & POWER
- Headlamps (per person)
- Solar yard lights (cheap, reusable)
- Power bank / Jackery station
- Solar panel (100W+)
- Candles + lighters + matches
🔥
COOKING
- Butane camp stove + fuel
- Rocket stove / rocket mass heater
- Cast iron skillet
- Manual can opener (two of them!)
- Dutch oven
🩹
FIRST AID
- CAT tourniquet (real, not knockoff)
- Hemostatic gauze (QuikClot)
- Ibuprofen / acetaminophen / aspirin
- Antihistamines + electrolyte powder
- SAM splint & ace bandages
📻
COMMS
- GMRS handhelds + license
- NOAA weather radio (crank/solar)
- Baofeng UV-5R (HAM license)
- Paper frequency & contact list
- Whistle for signaling
🧼
HYGIENE & SANITATION
- Hand sanitizer + soap (bars last)
- Toilet paper & baby wipes
- Feminine supplies
- Trash bags (contractor grade, many uses)
- 5-gallon bucket toilet kit
🔧
TOOLS
- Multi-tool (Leatherman)
- Fixed-blade knife
- Ax / hatchet / folding saw
- Duct tape + paracord + zip ties
- Wrench to shut off gas/water
🛡️
SECURITY
- Reinforced doors & strike-plate screws
- Battery-powered motion lights
- Pepper spray / bear spray
- Fire extinguisher (per floor)
- Safe room or hardened interior door
⛺
WARMTH & SHELTER
- Wool blankets (military surplus)
- Mylar emergency blankets
- Quality sleeping bags
- Tarp + tent stakes
- Hand/body warmers
📄
DOCUMENTS & CASH
- Waterproof document bag
- USB copy of critical records
- Small bills ($200–500)
- Hard copies of insurance & IDs
- List of medications & allergies
Stay prepared. Stay alive.
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