By Michael, on April 18th, 2012 
Food rations are an important part of a good emergency survival kit. Ideally, emergency foods should be nutritious, long-lasting and flavorful enough to be edible. Here are a few types of foods to include in your home emergency kit.
Datrex 3600 Calorie Emergency Food Bar for Survival Kits. Each package contains 18 individually wrapped bars containing 200 calories each. $18
1. Canned foods
Some canned foods can last for months or even years. While canned vegetables and fruits are generally high in sodium, they are very nutritious and certainly an adequate choice for a few days' meals during an emergency. Although some canned foods can be tough to stomach, you can include a small amount of California olive oil or another long-lasting condiment to improve the taste of your emergency meals. Go light on the condiments, however--condiments won't provide enough nutrition to keep you healthy during a real emergency.
Remember to check all of your canned goods before opening and eating them. If they are open, don't eat them. You should also pack a small can opener, or better yet, a multi-use pocketknife.
2. Ready-to-eat survival meals
If you are going on a long hike or if you want longer-lasting, lightweight meals, ready-to-eat emergency meals are a great choice. They come in a variety of flavors and last for about 20 years.
Many manufacturers sell great-tasting emergency meal kits that include 200 meals or more in a small bucket-sized container. The one disadvantage of these kits is that many require water, so be sure to keep plenty of fresh water in your survival kit and make sure that you have enough for cooking and for staying hydrated.
3. Food bars
Military food bars are another great long-term option. Each bar tastes terrible, but contains enough nutrients and minerals to meet or exceed an adult's daily needs. Food bars are easy to store and last for about five years.
Check the expiration dates of all of the foods in your emergency survival kit regularly. Make sure that you know how to use emergency foods and don't forget to include a radio, flashlight and other essentials in your survival kit. Some early planning should make it much easier to stay calm and healthy during an emergency.
