I was wondering if having emergency food bars in my BoB would be a good idea to help save space and weight. Or should I have it along with a MRE or two?
When you think of bugging out, how far are you planning to go? How will you get to your bug out location? I would think that snacks and energy bars would be useful for times when you want to keep moving and don't want to stop for a meal.
I would add a Datrex or Mainstay food bar to your kit. Ditch the MRE's......go freeze dried instead......lighter and less preservatives and costs per meal about the same. Freeze dried tends to have a longer shelf life and more variety. An MRE can "bind" you up......something you don't need if bugging out. Not saying MRE's don't have a place.....Lord knows I have had to eat plenty of them.........just not my first choice.
I just got this the other dayLink Also would I need a portable (Ultraportable) stove to take and heat the water to mix with the freeze dried food? (Like mountain house or something?)
Clif bars are good. You can get them in the pharmacy at Walmart, as well as other places. They come in tons of flavors, are really good, and have probably an average of 250 calories apiece so they are a good meal substitution in a pinch. One of DW's friends is a marathon runner and he got me started on them.
I have been thinking about buying a box or two for work (When its busy we don't really have time to eat) When I get paid next month I will grab a box or two.
I have saddle bags in my Jeep that hold a large box worth of granola bars (as well as other things). Two granola bars keep me satisfied for upto 4 hrs. I also carry zip-lock baggies filled with trail-mix - combination of nuts, seeds, granola, M&M's, raisins, currants, coconut ... etc. Just whatever I feel like throwing into the package that day. I like some of the power-bars, but, I feel that the price of them is a little high, so I do my own.
I carry Millennium Bars, jerky, and home made gorp (~equal amounts by weight of low-salt premium mixed nuts, plain M&Ms, and diced dates). Millennium Bars: Emergency Essentials - Be Prepared Emergency Preparedness Food Storage I prefer these for the flavor variety and the single serving packaging over the more common life boat rations.
I love jerky. I'm always tempted by the selection at Bass Pro. It's so tasty. But it makes me gassy so I try and keep away from it. Super tasty though.