This article from TheTimeIsNow blog has some great food for thought (no pun intended). The writer has given some recommendations, including ramen, jerky and foil-packed tuna. I hate my ramen crushed, but that’s a great, cheap food (as many college students will attest to).

There are a few requirements for Bug Out Bag food :
- lightweight & portable
- no refrigeration required (will be ok at normal temperatures)
- a reasonably long expiry date
- minimal/no cooking required

If we put aside the more traditional Bug Out Bag staple diets (i.e., MRE-Meals Ready To Eat and sports/energy bars), what else can we have?

1. Pop Tarts

Kellogg\'s Pop Tarts Toaster Pastries, Strawberry (KEB31732)

Kellogg’s Pop Tarts are one of the flattest foods you can get, and they are tasty, too. A pack of pastries will cost you around US$5. If you’re worried about your weight, you can opt for Low Fat varieties, too.

2. Ramen Noodles (Instant Noodles)

Maruchan Chicken Flavor Ramen Noodle Soup (24 count) , 3 oz

Ramen noodles make a simple, cheap and quick meal or snack. You can eat them as noodles in soup, or even raw out of the pack. There are thousands of varieties of ramen. You can try chicken flavoured ones (e.g. Maruchan Chicken Flavor Ramen), beef (e.g. Nissin Top Ramen Spicy Beef Flavored Noodles) or seafood (e.g. Neoguri spicy kelp flavor noodles).

3. Granola Bars

Nature Valley Chewy Trail Mix Granola Bars, 1-1/5-oz. Size (AVTSN1512)

Cheaper and less energy-packed than energy bars, granola bars are also flat and easy to store. Granola bars are also available in many different flavours (e.g. Chewy Trail Mix or Strawberry Yogurt) . If you’re in warmer climates, do avoid those with chocolate ingredients as they tend to melt and get messy.

4. Food in pouches

Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water, 7.06-Ounce Pouches (Pack of 12)

For many years, if you wanted a heavier meal while backpacking/camping, it would be just that — heavy. Canned food is handy, but all that metal adds up to the weight. Thankfully, in recent years there’s been a welcome innovation : food in pouches (foil packets). These are naturally more expensive than canned food, but will save you on the weight and the volume.

The most common pouch-packed food is tuna, for example Starkist Chunk Light Tuna in Water. These go great with crackers, another portable lightweight food. Other food you can find in foil packets include the backpacking favourite beef jerky and chicken.

Whatever you choose, just make sure you try it first. Bug Out Bag food will most probably do double duty as comfort foods — it’s supposed to make you feel better, so it’s best if you like what you eat!

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