If you were with us the last few weeks, then you witnessed first hand our go with “survival” food items as well as our test of other essential gear (water filters, survival kits, water pouches, knives, bags, etc). We tried dehydrated foods and plain ol’ food ration bars, but after all is said and done, we all walked away feeling one thing.

We’re not prepared for disasters.

Minor issues like power outages or no water, we can probably swing through easy. Anything major like a huge quake and we’re just not prepared.

As geeks, we decided to look at what was the most essential gear that we would absolutely need. No, nothing like gaming or anything silly like that, but real stuff like food and water.

The results of our taste test, you already know about. What we were surprised with most, and Sara and I experienced it, is just how process food crazed our society has become. Being a fixed meal for 6 days (2 sets of 3 days), we found ourselves really noticing the tons of food advertising everywhere. Most likely because we were eating so blah stuff, our brains became food crazed. Still, about every 2nd or 3rd billboard, or ad on TV, online, magazine, wherever was food related.

Seriously, that’s crazy! Think about it! How much does the food industry spend on blitzing our eyes with reminders about food? You’d think that we were starving or our bodies had somehow forgotten when it was time to eat.

Beyond the media blitz, plain old fashioned hot food was psychologically and physiologically satisfying that we found ourselves going well below the 2000 calories per day, when we really sat down and counted our caloric intake.

Those two things were absolutely shocking. I had thought, I would need more than 800-1200 calories per day. At least that’s how I justified a little junky fast food once in a while. Guess what? I’m okay with much fewer calories if I took my time eating and tasting my food. That and lots of water each day, really made me feel pretty normal and a few pounds less in the last 2 weeks.

Not surprisingly, when you look at weight loss plans, that’s what they’re about. Calorie and portion control. Really, do we need to pay people extra money for processed foods just so we can control what we eat?

During the review process I was more label conscious than normal. Lessons learned here.

Finally, getting through disaster in general. Really, just taking the time to think about what it would be like has made me realize that Les Stroud (Survivorman) is right. Survival is 8/10’s mental, 1/10 physical and another 1/10 luck.

Being mostly mental, having an emergency pack completed and ready makes me feel a little better. My next step in armageddon preperation? Reading Les Stroud’s book: “Survive!”.

Oh wait…you want to know what’s in my pack?

• 90oz (11 packs) of sealed potable water
• 1 first aid kit that I put together (gauze, first aid guide, etc) in water-tight plastic tub
• 1 Swiss Army Knife
• 1 Leatherman multi-tool
• 1 pack of food rations
• 2 sealed packs of granola (10oz each)
• 1 LED flash light
• 2 packs of zip-tight bag sealed, water-proof, strike anywhere matches
• 1 emergency hand crank radio, old cell phone (911 calls still working!)
• 1 big fresh roll of duct-tape (you never know!)
• 2 extra water-proof blankets
• Old water proof clothes

Yup…all of that stuff in my Bugout Bag and I still have room for other stuff in there!

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