Last Updated on October 14, 2022 by admin_hunter
With the state our world is in, you never know when the next emergency is going to strike. Whether it’s a pandemic like COVID 19, war, or some sort of natural disaster, the reality is that we all need to be prepared for the worst.
A big part of preparing yourself and your family to survive any kind of emergency like this is food. You need food and you won’t last for long without it. However, the problem with creating a food stockpile is that food goes bad, so you need to find products that have long shelf lives.
When it comes to survival foods, one of the best things you can go for is canned food. It might not be the No. 1 tastiest kind of food around, but it provides nutrition and has an extremely long shelf life. In this article, we will be reviewing 6 of best canned survival foods of 2022.
Reviews
Musselmans Sliced Apple in Water
- ALL NATURAL HEALTHY SNACK – Musselman’s Unsweetened Apple Sauce is made from 100% real fruit.
- DIET FRIENDLY – kosher certfied, non-GMO, gluten-free, nut-free, dairy free, no added colors, no sugar added, no added flavors, no high fructose corn syrup.
- FOR SIDE DISHES OR RECIPES – a great side dish for any meal, or use as a topping or as an ingredient to create a variety of healthy and delicious recipes such as; top toasted bagel with cream cheese and apple sauce. Stir apple sauce into hot oatmeal. Create an apple sundae by spooning warm apple sauce over vanilla ice cream and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
- CONVENIENT PACKAGING – 8 x 48oz Family-sized plastic jars are aeasy to grip and won’t shatter if they are dropped.
- FAMILY OWNED and MADE IN THE U.S.A. – Musselman’s is part of a cooperative suppoorted by over 100 families who are all owners of the company.
If you want to stock up on fruit, have some reasonably healthy survival food on hand, and you like apples, these Musselmans Sliced Apples in Water are a good option to consider. There is also the fact that they are quite cost effective.
Product Highlights
Something that stands out about Musselmans Sliced Apples is how they are made in the US by a family-run company cooperative. There are over 100 small families which contribute to the final product, thus making it a great way to buy local and to support the little guys.
In terms of the apples themselves, they are normal sliced apples; they are made out of 100% real fruit of course and they taste good.
What also stands out is that Musselmans Sliced Apples are free of GMOs, they are kosher certified, gluten free, nut free, dairy free, they don’t have added flavors, and aren’t high in corn syrup.
In other words, when it comes to canned fruit, when compared to other things, these apple slices are fairly healthy. Also, due to all of their designations, they are quite ideal for people on a restricted diet, whether due to health or religious reasons.
What’s also important to note is that these Musselmans Sliced Apples contain a good deal of sugar, carbs, and fiber. Therefore, they will give you some energy, and they can aid in healthy digestion.
Keep in mind that when you buy Musselmans Sliced Apples, you will get 12 cans, each with 12 ounces inside. Considering the price, this is quite a good deal. Also, because they are apple slices, they can just be eaten as is without needing to be prepared.
The Good
The good part about these Musselmans Sliced Apples, besides being so cost effective, is that they will stay good for years thanks to being canned. Moreover, apple slices can be eaten on their own, turned into sauce, put into oatmeal, and integrated into full lunch or dinner dishes too; they are very versatile in this sense.
The Bad
The bad part about these Musselmans Sliced Apples is that other than sugar, carbs, and fiber, they don’t really have any nutritional benefits. They are not rich in vitamins or minerals, at least not in notable quantities.
Pros
- Good price
- Large quantity
- Great shelf life
- Can be eaten as is
- Taste great
- Provide energy
Cons
- No real nutritional value
BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans
- Thick and Rich
- We slow cook navy beans in a delicious sauce with extra brown sugar and hickory-smoked country bacon for a delicious side to any grilled favorite.
- Cooked and canned in USA, using only US and Canadian grown Navy Beans.
- 12g (12%) of protein and 7g of fiber per serving
- 97% Fat Free, Excellent Source of Fiber & Gluten-free (See Nutrition Information For Sodium Content)
Baked beans are always a go-to survival food for emergency situations. A simple can of beans can keep you going for hours or even days; they taste fantastic; they are super easy to prepare; and when canned right, they stay good for years. When it comes to baked beans, these BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans are some of the tastiest ones out there.
Product Highlights
BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans come in different varieties, and we must admit that they all taste rather delicious. Here, you can choose from various flavors including country style, bourbon and brown sugar, homestyle, honey chipotle, original, and vegetarian. Therefore, you should be able to easily find one variety that you like.
It is worth noting that only plump, large, juicy, and high-quality beans are used to make these BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans.
Speaking of the vegetarian option, be aware that while it is vegetarian, it is not vegan. That said, these BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans are gluten free, casein free, and dairy free, so they are ideal for people with a variety of food allergies, sensitivities, and dietary restrictions.
It might not be a huge deal, but what is great is that BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans have an easy-open lid, so while they are canned, you don’t need a can opener to open them, which is quite convenient. Speaking of convenience, these are just beans, which means that you can heat them up in the can or in a pot, over any source of heat, or if need be, you can eat them as is.
In terms of nutrition, BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans are quite good. Beans like these contain lots of fiber, protein, carbs, and minerals too. The fiber will help in maintaining healthy digestion, your muscles need protein, and you need carbs to keep your energy levels up. However, they also contain a good deal of sugar, which can be good and bad at the same time.
The Good
What is great about these BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans, besides their awesome taste, is that they are also quite cost effective, as you get 12 cans, each with over 8 ounces. Moreover, when it comes to survival foods, due to the high carb, sugar, calorie, protein, and fiber content, they are relatively healthy.
The Bad
What’s not so great about these BUSH’S BEST Country Style Baked Beans, just like with the sliced apples, is that they don’t contain many vitamins. This might be fine for a few days or weeks, but you cannot neglect vitamins forever.
Pros
- Good price for lots of beans
- Many flavors to choose from
- Easy to prepare – can be eaten cold
- Long shelf life
- Easy to open can
- Lots of fiber, sugars, carbs, and protein
Cons
- Too much sugar can be a bad thing
- Not many vitamins
WOLF BRAND Homestyle Chili With Beans
- Includes (1) 15-ounce can of Wolf Brand Homestyle Chili With Beans
- Ground beef, pork and pinto beans are combined with tomatoes, green peppers, onions and a special blend of spices
- Quickly cook on the stovetop or in the microwave to prepare an easy weeknight meal for your family
- Fits a low carb lifestyle with 19 grams net carbs per serving (27 grams total carbs minus 8 grams dietary fiber)
- Made with all-natural beef and pork that’s been minimally processed with no artificial ingredients
If you are a big fan of chili, you need a long-lasting survival food, and you don’t want to spend a lot for a large stock, this WOLF BRAND Homestyle Chili With Beans should be a prime time option. In fact, this is one of the most popular chilis around, and we love it.
Product Highlights
First off, what’s nice is that this chili comes with a good deal of variety. There are 6 types of chili to choose from. These include beef and pork with beans, homestyle chili with beans, lean beef with no beans, spicy chili with beans, turkey chili with beans, and turkey chili without beans.
Therefore, you should be able to find at least one flavor which suits you. Personally, we think that the original homestyle chili is the best.
What also stands out is that all these types of chili are made with pork, beef, and turkey that have no artificial ingredients and have been minimally processed; it has still been processed, but this is to help the meat last longer, so it doesn’t go bad.
What’s also nice is how chili is very easy to prepare. Keep in mind that it comes fully cooked. Therefore, you can just open up the lid of the can and stick it on a fire or a burner; you can put it in a pan, or if necessary, if you have no other options, you can eat it as is. Although, of course, it’s going to taste a lot better when it is warm.
There are no vegan or vegetarian options available, but this WOLF BRAND Homestyle Chili With Beans as a whole is a low-carb option. It does still have some carbs, but less than most other chilis. Moreover, it also contains a lot of fiber to aid in digestion, and plenty of protein to keep those muscles going.
The Good
The good thing about chili, is, well, that it’s chili! It’s a fan favorite across the board and it really does taste amazing. Although we think that the homestyle chili is the best, we have it on good authority that they all taste quite good. There’s also the fact that this chili comes at a very low price, with 12 cans, 15 ounces each, costing no more than $30, and due to being canned, the shelf life is great.
The Bad
What’s not so great about WOLF BRAND Homestyle Chili With Beans is that just like with most other canned foods, it does not have many vitamins in it, so you will want to eat some vitamin-rich foods on the side. Also, if you are feeding people with dietary restrictions, it does not come in vegan or vegetarian options, so that might be a problem.
Pros
- Amazing price for the quantity
- Superior shelf life
- Many flavors to choose from
- Low carb
- Lots of protein and fiber
- Easy to prepare
Cons
- No vegan or vegetarian options
- Low in vitamins
Green Giant Whole Kernel Sweet Corn
- Delicious flavor when grilled or sauteed
- Makes a great side dish
- Great for pasta and salads
- All natural ingredients
- Fat-free
Corn is always a great go-to canned survival food. It can be used for a wide variety of dishes, it tastes good, it lasts a long time, and it’s easy to prepare as well. The only thing that needs to be said is that when compared to the other foods reviewed here today, and in general, canned vegetables usually cost more than things like beans and chili.
Product Highlights
Here you get a total of 4 cans of corn, each with 15.25 ounces, which is comparatively expensive, yet also not a massive price.
What needs saying here is that here you can choose from green beans as well. Therefore, if you like, you can get one pack of corn and one pack of green beans. Whether beans or corn, due to being canned, both last for a long time.
Whether it’s the corn or the green beans you choose, a convenient aspect of both is that they are already cooked, so you don’t have to cook them. You don’t need any water, as you can just use the water in the can to heat up the beans or corn. Actually, you can eat both the beans and the corn right out of the can without heating them, if you so choose.
The nice thing here is that both corn and green beans can be used for a very wide variety of dishes, so at least you won’t get tired of them.
The Good
The good part about this Green Giant Whole Kernel Sweet Corn, the best part, is the taste; the green beans taste fine too, but it’s the corn that we really like. Moreover, it’s also a good way to add veggies to your emergency stores.
The Bad
Unfortunately, although many do not know this, even canned vegetables barely have any nutrition. The canning process kills most of the minerals and vitamins, and this is true even with the green beans. You will get minimal nutrition and your stomach will be full, but canned veggies alone cannot meet your dietary needs.
Pros
- Long shelf life
- Easy to prepare
- No water needed
- Can be eaten straight out of the can
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Minimal nutrition
Comstock Country Fruit Pie Filling & Topping
- Perfect filling for your favorite pie or use as a decadent topping for other desserts
- Pie Filling & Topping, Original Country Cherry
- This Duncan Hines pie filling is also a tasty topping for ice cream and much more.
Here we have a simple pie filling and topping. It’s nothing overly special, but could make for a good treat in a long-term survival situation.
Product Highlights
Quite honestly, there is not too much to be said here. This is simple cherry filling for pies, and yes, it can also be used as a topping. You could use it to make a pie, you could mix it with some yogurt, or you could top some ice cream with it.
Of course, this is pie filling, so it contains a lot of sugar, carbs, and calories. Although it’s not overly healthy or rich in vitamins, it’s sweet and tasty, plus all of those calories and sugars will provide a good energy boost.
The Good
The good thing about this Comstock Country Fruit Pie Filling & Topping is that it’s sweet, tasty, and super delicious. It makes for a great snack and it will provide you with lots of short-term energy.
The Bad
The obvious bad part about this Comstock Country Fruit Pie Filling & Topping is that it cannot be considered healthy in any way.
Pros
- Needs no preparation
- Sweet and tasty
- Provides lots of energy
- Can be used in multiple ways
Cons
- Nutritionally lacking
Campbell’s Chunky Hearty Beef Barley Soup
- Campbell’s Chunky soup: twelve (12) 18.8 oz cans of Campbell’s Chunky soup, beef and barley soup
- Big flavors: canned soup with savory beef, carrots and potatoes that come together with toasted barley in a delicious fireside favorite
- 20 grams of protein: hearty soup contains vegetables and 20 g of protein in each can
- Great for at home or on the go: take these beef and barley soup cans on outdoor adventures to eat by the campfire, or enjoy on weeknights at home
- Microwavable beef soup: this easy to microwave soup is easy to prepare, just heat and serve
If you like beef, you’re a fan of soup, and you need a long-lasting survival food, this Campbell’s Chunky Hearty Beef Barley Soup is perfect for your emergency stockpile.
Product Highlights
When you purchase this Campbell’s Chunky Hearty Beef Barley Soup, you get 12 cans, each with nearly 19 ounces of soup. What’s good about this is that a single can is more than enough to feed one person, and may actually be enough to feed two people.
Moreover, this is a complete meal, as it comes loaded with beef, barley, carrots, and potatoes. Also, it is very easy to heat up; you could open up the can and place it directly on a heat source, or you can heat it up in a pan as well.
Campbell’s Chunky Hearty Beef Barley Soup does have some nutrition in it, mainly carbs, protein, fiber, sugar, and some fat. Although it doesn’t contain many vitamins, it does come with a bit of potassium, iron, and calcium, so at least you’re getting some minerals.
The Good
One of the great things about this Campbell’s soup is that it actually comes in many different flavors, not just beef and barley. You can choose from many other options such as vegetable beef, steak & potato, savory veggie, sausage & pepper rigatoni, minestrone with Italian sausage, and about two dozen others.
The Bad
The only thing that is not so good about this Campbell’s Chunky Hearty Beef Barley Soup is that it is quite expensive. 12 cans of this stuff will end up costing you somewhere around $60.
Pros
- Many soups to choose from
- Taste great
- Contain a decent amount of nutrition
- Long shelf life
- Easy to prepare
Cons
- Quite expensive
Canned Food for Survival: Buyer’s Guide
Before you go out and buy just any canned food for survival, there are a few important considerations which you should keep in mind.
Preparation
One important thing to consider when buying canned food for survival is how the food needs to be prepared.
When you are in a survival situation, you may not have extra water to prepare food, so looking for things that don’t require water is ideal.
Moreover, anything that can simply be heated up is always ideal, but at the same time, you might not have a source of heat. Therefore, you may also want to look for items that can be eaten cold.
Calories
An average woman needs between 1500 and 2000 calories per day, and a man needs between 2000 and 2500 calories per day.
Therefore, when buying food for survival, ensure that you buy things which have enough calories in them to allow everyone to survive for a prolonged period of time. If food doesn’t have enough calories, it won’t take you very far.
Ingredients
The ingredients contained in food is important to most people. Here, you need to look for ingredients that you do and don’t like.
Moreover, if you happen to have any dietary restrictions, whether due to allergies, moral or religious reasons, this needs to be taken into account as well; always check the ingredients to see if there is something present which you cannot eat.
Taste
Of course you want to consider taste. Buying a 12 pack of food that tastes horrible is not going to be enjoyable! For this reason, we would recommend going with a variety, just in case one thing ends up tasting bad.
Shelf Life
Finally, although canned goods usually stay good for years to come, always take a look at the expiry date, as some canned foods do last longer than others.
FAQ
How long does canned food last in storage?
Most canned foods have expiry dates that range from 1 to 4 years. However, when properly stored in a cool, dry, and dark place, some canned foods may last for up to 6 years.
Why store up emergency food?
You want to store up on emergency food because you really never know when a war, natural disaster, or pandemic will hit. Having enough food for you and your family to survive on in an emergency will give you peace of mind.
Conclusion
As long as you look for food that has a good amount of nutrition, that can provide you with energy, is easy to prepare, and tastes good, most canned foods out there make for good survival foods. It’s all about finding the right ones for you.