Beans, Bullets, and Bandaids
Dr. John Woods 03.21.19
If you wanted to know the most basic, yet essential ingredients to survival prepping, this title is it. This is from the back of a t-shirt from the American Ops survival and camping store in Pearl, Mississippi. When you boil it all down, these three items are it. Of course, you can expand a bit on each one, but as for categories of survival supplies and gear, this pretty well sums it up.
Beans, literally in some cases, sacks of all kinds of beans make for an easy and nutritional meal for SHTF survival camps. When I was a kid, my mom made entire meals out of a bag of pinto or Navy beans and a chunk of ham. We usually got 2-3 meals out of one pot, but you had to stay upwind for several days. Beans can be fashioned into a lot of good eats including soups, stews, side dishes or just a big bowl of steaming beans for dinner.
Under the category of beans the intention was to stock up on food. If you bug in or prepare a bug out location in advance, then amass a supply of canned goods of all kinds including vegetables, meats, and fruit. Balancing not only the nutrition but also the tastes and textures of foods will go a long way toward making survival easier to tolerate. Add other canned foods or ready-made items like soups, chili, tomato pasta combinations and such.
Of course, along with food, you have to have water and not just for drinking. If you are lucky during a SHTF, the water utility will remain in operation. If you are remote camping, then find a water source that can be boiled for drinking and cooking. A stream, river, lake, or pond would be a God send for water, and bathing. This water can be useful for personal hygiene, too. If you bug in, and there is no running water, then store up alternative sources for all your water needs.
Bullets implies the whole realm of self-defense, security and protection. Harbor enough arms and ammunition to secure your location from outside threats. You can get whole books on this subject.
Band-Aids means medical supplies of every description from medicines, OTC remedies, bandages, and everything in between. Have supplies for common ailments plus accidents like cuts, bruises, and breaks. Stock up on critical medicines you have to have.
Beans, bullets, and bandaids just about covers the water front. Naturally there are many other things, supplies and gear to consider. But these three get you started down the right pathway.
