3 Ways to Always Have/Get Food

3 ways to always have/get food

[caption id="attachment_2575" align="alignleft" width="200"]

(photo by Ruth England)[/caption]Food is Fuel, without it, the machine shuts down. There is a whole world of information about what is better and worse for you. For our purposes, things have gone horrible wrong and there simply isn’t any other option other these 2 Survival Food Modalities:(A) ON YOU: What you have on you.(B) NEAR YOU: What you can get from what’s around you.The easiest answer is to simply have some food on you at all times. Most of us are now comfortable with the notion of always having a bottle of water on us. This simple concept taken for granted these days, was not even fathomed just as recently as the generation before us. So, why not take it to the next step and have some survival food on you at all times, too.I find when I’m hungry, I crave salty. I need protein. So, I carry Beef Jerky. A Small stick, light weight, easy. I get the tender, juicier kinds so as to not contribute to dehydration as much as the highly dried versions.When I’m tired, I crave sweet. I need energy. So, I carry a good power bar. I lean towards the protein and fiber types. Any Grunt who lived months at a time of MRE’s will share the woes of ‘stoppage from lack of roughage’…Most mothers carry snacks for their midgets as a matter of course, too. They know a lot about day to day survival. Fellas, take note, carry some grub! I also carry a small multi-vitamin pack. This way, it’s my trigger to begin serious hunter-gathering and if I find some food source that may fill me but not necessarily be nutritious, the vitamins give me a little more energy and nutrition until I can sort out my food crisis properly.As soon as you start digging into your back up chow, you need to begin looking to replace it. I make it my mission to rotate stock once a month and the first thing I do if I tap my stock, is to replace it. Much like the first thing a Grunt does after battle, even before he eats, is to clean his weapon.[caption id="attachment_2576" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

(photo by Ruth England)[/caption]There are debates out there on the merits of being vegetarian versus being an eater of meat. Bottom line, Meat gives more bang for the buck and is more plentiful than the vegan options in most cases. I won’t get into primitive hunting, fishing, trapping and the like, but I will say, think small. It’s easier to find, catch and prep small game. And there’s no waste.

I will also say, get good at something. Be it hunting, fishing or foraging. Have at least one baseline skill you can rely on for providing food for you and yours in emergency situations.I highly encourage everyone to learn at least 3 medicinal plants and 10 edible plants that are in their environment. I suggest finding those that are most common and have little or no similar plants that are poisonous.[caption id="attachment_2573" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

(photo courtesy of disco)[/caption]Learn how to identify them, year round, through all 4 seasons. Practice with them and learn different ways to prepare them. But in all cases, learn at least 2 or 3 plants to eat. My rules are simple, I like P.I.E. -P for Plentiful, there’s no point messing with something if it’s hard to find or comes in tiny quantities. So focus on learning those plants of plenty.I for identifiable easily and without poisonous imitations.Examples-GOOD: Dandelions. Everywhere, all are good, no poisonous look-alikesBAD: Wild Parsnip and Poisonous Hemlock look a lot alike, steer clear of both.UGLY: Mushrooms. Lots are good, but even pros make fatal mistakes and hardly any real nutritional value. And once poisonous types are consumed there is absolutely no cure.E for easy to get and easy eat. Things you can eat without any preparation are the best. Cat Tails, Onions, Garlic and Acorns are like this. But cooking helps.[caption id="attachment_2574" align="aligncenter" width="300"]

(photo courtesy of travel)[/caption]Foraging may take on the need for Plan B or BUGS. But that is dire indeed.And it may take on the need to forage in the urban environment, but we’ll save that complex topic for another time. For now, suffice it so say, the wise warrior studies his terrain and learns his environment. He prepares for battle in this way and remains prepared at all times. And whatever may come, the warrior faces it knowing that when it is all said and done, surviving with honor is what guides them through. This is the Grit way.