Some Stream of Unconciousness Thoughts:
1. The old military C-rations & modern MREs always include packets of powdered "kool-aid" type drink mix. They allow you to drink otherwise unpalatable water you have just filtered/purified from some rice paddy, stream, seep hole, or puddle by masking the taste of both the nasty water and whatever chemicals you have used to sterilize it. They also provide vitamin C. Just add enough for flavor (as opposed to adding an entire packet to a single cup or canteen). You can stretch the powder out.
2. For below freezing cold weather, Crisco shortening sticks are great source of calories & fat. Use to fry anything (if possible) or just add to cookpot (soups, stews, etc.). They are easy to carry, require no refridgeration, and can be stored forever. Also available with butter flavoring already added. Have used with great success in extreme winter environments (snow mobile expeditions in Rockies & above Arctic Circle). Canadian Army Inuit Scouts carry frozen fish & Crisco along with a deep fryer or deep pot/pan. Makes a hot, greasy, high calorie, high fat, high protein winter meal...mmmm...GOOD. Also corn dogs, hush puppies, hashbrown patties, frozen chicken, etc. You can also use Crisco sticks during warmer weather although it could get a little messy without a ziplock bag.
3. Winter temperatures allow you to carry just about anything that you would ordinarily stock in your freezer or fridge...
4. I habitually carry butter during cold weather...think high fat/calories and add it to all food.
5. Semi-hard / hard cheese, dried fruit, trail mix, nuts, dried / cured sausage (pepperoni, landjager, summer sausage), tinned meat (spam, tuna, corned beef, etc.), and hard crust bread or crackers will travel well, even during warm weather. They require no fire or stove, deliver all the nutrients you need, and provide lots of calories. This is standard fare for backpacking, Alpine ski touring, and climbing. It's also really handy for when you need to conserve fuel or can't light a fire due to a desire to keep a low profile.
6. Instant mashed potatos, rice, cheese macaroni, hominy, pasta, cous-cous, oatmeal, grits, or cream-of-wheat are bombproof, lightweight, and simple to prepare (even with cold water). Premix with seasonings, bacon bits, brown sugar, or salt and place in ziplock freezer bags. Add some butter, margarine, or crisco and you are good to go. Lots of carbs (and fat if you have the butter or shortening). In a pinch you can eat the stuff dry and wash it down with some water. Every supermarket in the land carries pre-packaged meals in some sort of flavor combination you can grow to love. In survival situations, add any food you've got to a batch of instant starch... it's all about the Hamburger Helper.
7. For SHTF, with regards to canned or retort pouch meats, always choose foods packed in oil vs. water (i.e., sardines or tuna in oil or greasy corned beef). FAT is your FRIEND. This is no time to worry about breaking your diet. Moving with a rucksack during cold weather can require an easy 4000 calories per day, especially when being chased by zombies...
8. Washboard abs are nice, but love-handles rule. 2% body fat is UNDESIREABLE in a survival situation. Slightly fat folks handle stress, cold, and lack of food better than willowy folks (especially in winter conditions). Bears and Humans are omnivores who are designed by nature to eat whatever is available whenever it is available...and store the excess as fat (for hard times). THE EASIEST WAY TO CARRY SURVIVAL FOOD IS INSIDE YOUR SKINSUIT. BTW, this also applies to water. Hydrate at every opportunity; fill your canteens, jugs, or camelback...but also drink your fill when you have water sources available.
9. A plastic bottle of One-A-Day multi-vitamins is light weight, worth more than it's weight in gold, and is the cheapest long term dietary insurance policy you can carry. One 100-tab bottle will easily see you through 3+ months of uncertainty. Vitamins will supplement what may soon be a long-term crappy diet, help you to ward off sickness, maintain night vision, and enhance your body's ability to recover/heal from physical exertion and injury.
10. If you plan on cooking anything, the best means (nutritionally) is to stew your food. Every bit of dripping, cook water, and juice is retained and consumed (along with calories that would be cooked out over an open roasting flame). Rinse your cookware with clean water and then drink that. Naturally, don't stick dirty hands into your rinse water.
11. My basic military cook set for the last 30 years has consisted of an aluminum GI canteen cup and a plastic spoon. That's all you actually need.
If you are carrying GI 1-qt canteens (2 are recommended), carry a second canteen cup. Your canteens will nest inside the cups and take up little room. One cup is for heating water and the other is for food. After heating water and adding to chow, refill the water-heating cup and continue to heat more water. I haven't used a steel mess kit since Basic Training. Every ounce counts if you have to carry it on your back. The important thing is to always have some sort of container that can accept food if you are fortunate enough to stumble into a situation where someone else is offering the grub.
12. For winter use, add a deep, stainless steel, backpacker type cookpot with lockable lid and folding handle. It should be at least 2-qt sized (you will need a lot of hot water and the ability to melt snow over a fire). It can also be used to store a small stove, food, or anything else that needs protection from impact.
13. An all stainless steel thermos bottle is priceless for cold weather use. It will weigh more than a comparable canteen but will allow you to prepare hot boiling water once per day, travel, and have the capability to prepare a hot meal (dried foods in #6 above) in about 2 minutes when the sun goes down. A 2-qt capacity thermos works best. The smaller ones don't carry enough water. An all-steel thermos can be placed on top of stove or wood fire to reheat contents or even to thaw frozen contents. No plastic covers or outer liners! Thermos bottles with the glass inner liner will break...make sure that the bottle uses a steel liner. BTW, old surplus metal canteens work great in winter due to their ability to be placed directly on stove/flame but will not insulate water that you have previously heated for later use.
14. Beans & Rice: Cooked together, they offer a complete protein (substitute for meat) and lots of carbohydrates. Add oil, butter, or crisco for fat.
15. Always keep something exotic stashed away for the appropriate SHTF moment. Sometimes a dose of surreality is all it takes to pick up the spirits of your party. "Hey folks, we may be cold, but at least it's raining...tinned truffles in wine sauce anyone?".
16. Never forget salt. Keep it in a waterproof container.
17. Never forget spices (pepper, garlic, etc.)
18. Tobasco sauce will make a catfish milkshake taste good...
19. Even if caught up in a rapidly unfolding disaster, don't overlook what you may already have in your larder. Potatos & Onions (already wrapped in Mother Nature's skin) should be tossed into your pack or vehicle (if you have the room). Put 'em on a sharp stick over a flame or boil. See # 16 above.
20. HONEY is one of the best survival foods extant. It is a readily digestible simple sugar for quick energy and provides an insanely high level of calories for when your body needs energy RIGHT NOW. Glucose tablets (like diabetics use) are also a good thing when your ass is dragging.
Continued on subsequent post: