Hello, my friend and welcome back! Today I want to discuss something that many people have not really thought about. Cooking outdoors while bugging out. There is much to know before it all falls apart about this subject, so grab a cup of coffee my friend, and have a seat while we visit.
Now let’s suppose that something bad has happened and you are on the run trying to get somewhere. You are on the road for several days, and it’s really cold outside. Before you start cooking yourself a hot meal, there are some things you should know.
- The smell of cooking meat can travel for miles! While the smell of anything you cook can carry on the wind, Meat is easily the one that will carry the furthest. Mainly because of the oils in the smoke and their mouthwatering smells. If you’re hiding from someone or trying to lay low, then you should not be cooking meat. This applies to cooking indoors and out.
- Smoke carries just as far on the wind as meat if not further and is an immediate signal to anyone who smells it that there is food nearby. If you must cook using wood, use only very dry wood that produces very little smoke.
If you are on the run or laying low, then then it is important that you know when and how to cook food to avoid letting others know where you are. Avoid cooking with wood if possible. Instead, keep a small burner of some type such as an Alchohol burner or a propane/ butane burner in your bugout bag for cooking. They produce no smoke and can easily be used to boil water or cook food in only a few minutes.
DO NOT cook between the hours of 7 AM and 10 PM, as these are the hours that most people are awake. Instead, cook between 3 and 4 AM when most people are sleeping. If you must have something hot during the day, consider using Dehydrated food and their chemical heaters to cook. Another way is to place your food on the dash of a car or truck and roll up all of the windows on a sunny day. This method is also great for re-heating food and greatly reduces any smell the food might emit.
Having a good mess kit is essential. While the common aluminum mess kits are fine for overnight camping in the back yard, they are not what you will need in a bugout situation. Spend a little money and get a good one with both pots and pans as well as the plates and spoons you will need. They are not expensive and when the time comes to use them, you will be glad you did. I keep the G4Free 13PC cookware kit in my bugout bag because it is lightweight and has everything I would need.
So what kind of food should you keep in your Bugout bag? I recommend power bars for quick meals to help keep your strength up. I also keep a 1/2 pound of rice stored with my cooking kit. A little rice and a small amount of meat can go a long way. Dried food packets and dehydrated food will be a lifesaver. A small measuring cup can also be a lifesaver for measuring out water for dehydrated foods. The one I use is collapsible so it takes up very little room in my bag.
Other items you might want to add are beef jerky and vacuumed packed food such as pouches of spam and tuna fish for example. Dried fruits and nuts are another great item to have. Please note that it is important to rotate these as they do have a limited shelf life and can go bad over time. Another thing you will want to have in your bag is some hard candy for quick energy and to help keep your morale up.
While there is so much more I would like to discuss here about the food in your bag, space is limited. In fact, I am surprised that someone hasn’t already written a book on the subject of bugout foods. There is certainly enough to fill a book if they decided to do so.
Well, I guess that’s it for today my friend and I hope you have found this helpful. If you have anything to add or comments on this post, please add them below. Until next time my friend, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared. God Bless America!
Sarge
