A food storage pantry stocked with rice and canned vegetables is still incomplete if it doesn’t contain enough protein to maintain your health and the health of your loved ones. Unfortunately, it’s possible to become malnourished on the typical food storage checklist found on many survival and prepper websites if it doesn’t contain enough essential nutrients.
The body requires protein for building and maintaining muscle mass, cellular repair and generation, and satiety (the sensation of feeling full). In addition, protein contains the essential amino acids that the human body cannot produce on its own; is necessary for healthy hair, skin, nails, bones, and ligaments; and even aids in hormonal regulation.
While rice, beans, and canned vegetables are easy to store, protein sources such as meat and fish take a little more planning and money. But in a crisis, when your mind and body are under stress, having these foods in your emergency supply may help to keep you healthy, strong, and capable of leading your loved ones through it.
Buying Fresh Meat
When we think of protein sources, fresh meat is at the top of the list, whether it’s beef, pork, poultry, or fish. Hunting, fishing, and raising animals for food can help a great deal, but even in a time of rising prices, you can still find bargains on fresh meat at the grocery store by comparing the weekly food ads.One of the many advantages of buying directly from a reputable farmer or rancher is that you will know how their animals are fed, treated, and butchered. In addition, you’ll be provided with a “cut sheet” showing the different cuts of meat available and the price per pound. Whether you buy a “whole cow,” “half a cow,” or a selection of cuts, between steaks, brisket, ribs, stew meat, and roasts of all kinds, you’ll likely end up with cuts you’ve never tried.
The initial investment may range from $1,500 to more than $3,000 for beef. Once you recover from the sticker shock, remember that this meat may last for several months or more. You can lower the price by purchasing it with friends or family members, but be sure to designate the cuts of meat you want and how many of each, so each person receives exactly what they pay for.
Learn How to Pressure Can
The next step will be to load up your freezer. If there’s a power outage, however, this pricey investment will quickly spoil. A generator can keep a freezer going as long as you have a fuel source, but there are also other ways to preserve meat so that it’s shelf-stable and safe at room temperature.One way is to home can it. Once you learn how to can food, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t done it before. Beef, freshly caught salmon, meatballs, sausage, and chicken parts can all be home canned in glass jars. It’s a joy to open a jar of canned cooked chicken breasts, ready for enchiladas, a casserole, or a quick stir-fry. It’s meal prep made super easy.
Since meats are a low-acid food, they must be canned using a pressure canner. The pressure canner can heat food to minimum temperatures of 240 to 250 degrees Fahrenheit to destroy the most dangerous food poisoning bacteria that cause botulism. A pressure canner is a one-time investment, well worth the expense. Two reliable pressure canner brands are Presto and All American. Depending on the brand and size, you can expect to pay between $150 and $400. A pressure canner differs from a pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot, which shouldn’t ever be used for canning food.
Make Your Own Jerky
Another way to preserve meat is by making your own beef jerky using a food dehydrator. Jerky is an easy and handy way to have high-protein food ready for snacking or camping, or to include in an emergency kit.Jerky can be made from thinly sliced steaks or roasts; the leaner the cut, the better, since fat (marbling) won’t fully dehydrate and will eventually become rancid if it isn’t refrigerated or frozen. You can also use lean ground meat with seasonings and salt.
Whichever method you choose, be aware that once dehydrated, your dried jerky harvest will be about one-third the weight of the fresh meat used. The shelf life of jerky is about two months at room temperature and up to six months if refrigerated. A vacuum sealer can help to lengthen the time.
Buying Canned and Freeze-Dried Meats
Stocking up on meats need not be pricey or time-consuming. Simply adding cans of tuna, chicken, roast beef, or even deviled ham to your food storage pantry adds that essential layer of protein. Keep an eye on the “best by” dates on these cans, since, in my experience, canned tuna can become mushy after a year or so.All kinds of meats can be found in the realm of freeze-dried food: shrimp, shredded pork, diced beef, seasoned chicken strips, sausage crumbles, and more—all ready to eat once hydrated with a bit of water. These are expensive, but—between watching for discounts and using them sparingly in recipes—they can add a truly shelf-stable and lightweight form of protein to your storage.
Instant and Dried Beans
Also in the freeze-dried category are instant beans, another good protein source. Instant refried beans, black beans, and pinto beans are ready to eat with some quick rehydration, and there’s no need to soak them overnight or boil them for long periods. This could be crucial in a dire emergency when you have little time to cook, much less prepare, complicated meals. Compared with canned beans, instant beans have the advantage of being lightweight.Dry beans with the highest protein levels include kidney beans, lentils, split peas, black beans, and navy beans. Packaged and stored correctly, dried beans and legumes have a shelf life of 20 years or more. Combine either instant or dry beans with your preferred type of rice, some vegetables, and seasonings, and you have the perfect, complete-protein meal.
Additional Sources
One form of plant-based protein you might not be familiar with is textured vegetable protein (TVP). It comes in standard flavors such as “beef” and “chicken,” but you’ll also find taco-flavored and bacon-flavored TVP. If you’ve ever eaten Bac-Os, you’ve eaten TVP. It’s made from soy flour, so it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but a small amount added to a soup recipe provides additional protein, and a little goes a long way. Some moms I know have combined inexpensive, rehydrated TVP with ground beef on taco Tuesday night to add to the meat filling for more tacos.In my own food storage pantry, I’ve included a few large containers of protein powder, because one scoop can contain 20 to 30 grams of protein—about as much protein as four ounces of a cooked beef roast or a cooked chicken breast. Protein powder can help to fill the gap between more expensive stored meats and the protein necessary for you and your loved ones to remain in optimal health throughout an emergency.
A large container of high-quality protein powder can easily cost $50 or more, so look for one that contains at least 20 grams of protein per scoop to maximize your purchase. Read the list of ingredients carefully to make sure it doesn’t contain anything that might trigger a food allergy or sensitivity, or any artificial flavors or sweeteners that you wish to avoid.
