Top 10 Essential Survival Foods With The Longest Shelf Life For Travellers

Travellers should consider food with the longest shelf life while building up the food storage for their upcoming hikes. Read on to know about the 10 superfoods which can have your back at your next travel sessions. According to food experts at NOMSPEDIA, salt is a survival food that lasts forever. Being a mineral, salt doesn’t go bad. You can store it in a vacuum-sealed bag for the long term. However, make sure not to add an oxygen absorber as they are infamous for making the salt harden and clump up. It is advisable to get natural salt without any additives. 

You can store white, cane, brown, and powdered sugar indefinitely in a sealed container. For maximizing the freshness, you can add a moisture absorber to the package and reseal it. 

Raw honey can be stored indefinitely. Pasteurization and similar processes can shorten the shelf life of honey and strip off its beneficial qualities. However, you should keep it free from moisture as water tends to spoil it. Honey tends to crystallize over time but this doesn’t cause any quality degradation and can be reverted to its normal form by placing the container in a bowl of warm water. Other than being a superfood, honey also carries various medicinal benefits like reducing infection and treating sore throats which can immensely benefit travelers. 

As per the shelf life guide, the longevity of veggies varies depending on each vegetable’s moisture content. For example, carrots can last up to 20 years on being dehydrated and stored properly. 

Dehydrated fruit is another excellent choice of food having prolonged shelf life provided all the moisture is removed from it. Fruits like apricots, raisins, and apples can last up to 30 years on being stored with an oxygen absorber. However, you should check the fruits periodically for signs of spoilage. 

Under ideal storage conditions, white rice can last up to 20 years. You can store them in vacuum-sealed bags with oxygen absorbers. During your next hiking episode, you can easily combine rice and beans for a nutritious meal rich in proteins. The shelf-life of brown rice is not as long as its white rice peers as the oils inside of it cause it to rot within just 6 months. 

Dried beans can last up to 5 years on being stored with oxygen absorbers. However, they lose the vitamin content but are still safe for consumption though not as nutritious as before. Storing them longer than 5 years makes them difficult to chew and longer to cook. Split peas and pinto beans shouldn’t be stored for more than 3 years as they remain hard even after boiling for hours. Canned beans can be stored for up to 6 years under proper conditions. 

Dried pasta can be stored for decades in a vacuum-sealed pouch with oxygen absorbers. For best results, it is advisable to purchase pasta from a supplier of long-lasting food as the normal store-bought ones can last for a maximum of 2 years past their expiration rate. 

You can store unopened bottles of hard liquor indefinitely. Wine should be stored in a cool and dark place with the bottle set at an angle so that the cork always stays wet. 

Milk is a staple item for reconstituting various comfort foods. You can add powdered milk to your long-term food storage kit as it can last up to 25 years on being completely sealed and stored in a cool and dry place with no moisture. For adding to its shelf life, you can add a moisture absorber to the package. 

Conclusion

Dealing with food shortages can be very tasking while travelling. However, the food items mentioned above can have your back against such problems while catering to your nutritional requirements and keeping you full.