I went to a food storage class a while back and someone there had packed routine shelf stable food – enough for one week – into a bucket. I thought it was such a great idea. A 7-day emergency food cache, with ready-made daily menus of “regular” grocery food.
I am imagining: Immediately after the bad thing happens and I’m all out of sorts, I can grab the convenient bucket and execute easy to prepare meals without using any brain cells. After we eat, the bucket may come in handy for …well … the other things that happen after you eat…
And, although it would be too heavy to carry in a bug-out situation, it would be a great grab-n-throw-in-the-car bucket. Anyway, I don’t know the person or how to contact them, so I am attempting to re-create her idea using my food items.
My goals – feed 2 people for 7 days. 2,000 calories per day with some basic nutrition and variety. Everything must fit into a 6 ½ gallon plastic bucket with a gamma lid. (I’m not planning to pack in a Mylar bag.)
Here’s what I have so far, but I’m nowhere near my 2,000 calories.
For the sake of this project, I assume that I have the ability to supply water, cooking and cleaning requirements separately. And oh by the way, if you decide to do something similar, I found that I can stuff the underside of the gamma lid with small items. (tea, coffee, crystal light, P38 can opener, etc.)
p.s. if you are looking for more ideas, check out our complete survival food list.
| Breakfast | Total Calories |
Water Required? |
| Oatmeal, Quaker, individual packets (12 total) |
1560 |
yes |
| Pancake mix, 5.5 oz. |
660 |
yes |
| Syrup, Aunt Jemima, 8 oz. |
400 |
|
| Beef Jerky sticks (2 each) |
100 |
|
| Snacks | ||
| 4 Trail Mix Bar, Nature’s Valley |
720 |
|
| 4 Peanuts, Salted Planters, 2 oz. |
680 |
|
| 4 Oats & Honey Bars, Nature’s Valley |
720 |
|
| 4 Snack Bars, Misc. Flavors, Nature’s Valley |
720 |
|
| Starlight Peppermints – handful |
100 |
|
| Tootsie-Pops chocolate candy – handful |
200 |
|
| Drinks | ||
| 14 Coffee, Folgers, Instant Individual, Packets |
0 |
yes |
| 8 Lemonade Drink Mix, Crystal Light |
0 |
yes |
| 8 Raspberry Drink Mix, Crystal Light |
0 |
yes |
| 8 Wild Strawberry Drink Mix, Crystal Light |
0 |
yes |
| 8 Cherry Pomegranate Mix, Crystal Light |
0 |
yes |
| Lunch |
|
|
| Double Stuffed Ravioli, Chef Boyardee (2) |
800 |
|
| Raisins, Sun Maid (2 each) |
50 |
|
| Tuna, 5 oz can (2) |
200 |
|
| Tuna Helper, Box 7.5 oz. |
700 |
yes |
| Powdered Milk Packet | ||
| Mac & Cheese, Kraft box 7.25 oz |
780 |
|
| Powdered Milk Packet | ||
| Beef Stew, Dinty Moore Cans 15 oz. (2) |
800 |
|
| Protein Bars, Nature Valley (2) |
360 |
|
| Peanut Butter, Jiff, crunchy, 18 oz. |
510 |
|
| Saltine crackers, 2 columns |
200 |
|
| Chicken, SAM’S Member’s Mark, 13 oz |
350 |
|
| Manwich Can 15.5 oz. |
210 |
|
| Baked Beans, Bush’s Can 16.5 oz. |
490 |
|
| Chicken Noodle Soup Can + Lipton Envelope |
300 |
|
| Protein Bars, Nature Valley (2) |
360 |
|
| Dinner |
|
|
| Beef with Gravy, Hormel Cans, 12 oz. (2) |
520 |
|
| Baked Beans, Bush’s Can 16.5 oz. |
490 |
|
| Green Beans, Can 14.5 oz |
70 |
|
| Chicken Chow Mien Dinner, LA Choy, 28 oz |
540 |
|
| Spam, Can 12 oz. |
840 |
|
| Sweet Potato Casserole, Glory 15 oz. |
250 |
|
| Cooked Ham, DAK, 16 oz. Can |
800 |
|
| Instant Mashed Potatoes, Idahoan 4 oz. |
240 |
yes |
| Green Beans, Can 14.5 oz |
70 |
|
| Spaghetti Dinner, Kraft Box 8 oz. |
800 |
yes |
| Tomato Paste, Hunts Can 6 oz. |
150 |
|
| Chicken, SAM’S Member’s Mark 13 oz. |
350 |
|
| Rice Package, Knorr 5.7 oz. |
600 |
yes |
| Corn, Can 12 oz. |
245 |
|
| Corned Beef, Hormel Can 12 oz. |
720 |
|
| Instant Mashed Potatoes, Idahoan, 2 oz. |
440 |
yes |
| Carrots, 12.5 oz. |
158 |
|
|
Total Calories in Bucket |
19,253 |
|
|
Total Calories per day for 2 people |
1,375 |