10 Ways to Die in Your Home! #7 Gets Most People

You’ve prepped your food and your water. You’ve got ammo, medical supplies, and a bug-out bag by the door. But none of it matters if your own house kills you before the crisis even peaks.

You’ve been spending years thinking about external threats – looters, government overreach, supply chain collapse. But the data from every major disaster in modern history tells a different story. The majority of preventable deaths happen indoors, caused by things people either didn’t know about or thought they had under control.

This isn’t a list of obvious reminders to check your smoke detectors. If you’ve been prepping for more than a month, you’re past that. This is the stuff that kills experienced, prepared people who thought they had it figured out.

10. Your Generator Is a Gas Chamber

You already know not to run a generator indoors. But here’s what you might not know: the CPSC estimates that about 85 people die every year from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by portable generators, and 81% of those deaths happen in residential settings. A single portable generator produces roughly the same amount of carbon monoxide as 450 running cars. That’s not a typo.

Your Generator Has 5 Weak Points – Do You Know Them?

The mistake experienced preppers make isn’t running the generator inside the house, but running it in the attached garage with the door cracked. The CPSC found that the vast majority of fatal incidents involved generators that were technically “outside” or in a space the owner considered ventilated enough. Twenty feet from any door, window, or vent is the minimum safe distance, and the exhaust needs to be pointed away from the structure. Anything less than that is gambling.

Battery-operated CO detectors on every level of your home are cheap insurance. If you don’t have them, buy them before you buy another case of ammo.

9. The Scratch You Didn’t Clean

In a grid-down scenario, a cut from a rusty nail, a blister that opens while chopping wood, a scrape from barbed wire while patching a fence – any of these can introduce bacteria into your bloodstream.

As you might already know, without antibiotics, a minor wound infection can progress to sepsis in 48 to 72 hours.

Sepsis turns to septic shock, and at that point the mortality rate is somewhere between 30% and 50% even with modern ICU care.
Without it, you’re looking at near-certain death from something that started as a scratch.

The fix is simple but requires discipline:

• Clean every wound immediately, no matter how small. 
• Use clean water and soap first, then apply an antiseptic. 
• Cover it. 
• Change the dressing daily. 
• Watch for redness that spreads outward from the wound, red streaks running toward your heart, warmth, swelling, or fever. 

If you see those signs and you have antibiotics in your stockpile, that’s when you use them. If you don’t have antibiotics in your stockpile, that’s a problem you need to solve now, while pharmacies still exist – so make sure you have these 4 types of antibiotics in your First Aid kit. 

8. You Drank the Water and It Looked Fine

Clear water kills people. It has for all of human history, and it will again the moment municipal water treatment goes offline. Giardia, E. coli, cryptosporidium, cholera – none of these are visible. You can’t smell them, you can’t taste them. And in a survival scenario where you’re already stressed, underfed, and not sleeping well, your immune system is in no shape to fight them off.

The dangerous assumption is that well water or natural spring water on your property is safe because you’ve been drinking it for years. It probably is, right now, while upstream systems are functioning normally. But after a flood, a sewage backup, or even heavy rains that shift contamination patterns, that well might be pulling in things it never pulled in before.

This is why the single best investment you can make for your water – especially if you rely on a well or any off-grid source – is a proper multi-stage filtration setup. It’s the same layered approach used in Atmospheric Water Generators (AWGs), and for good reason. These machines pull drinking water straight from the humidity in the air, but even that water needs to be cleaned before it’s safe.

Here’s what a solid system looks like, stage by stage:

• Sediment or air pre-filter – catches dust, pollen, smoke, and fine particles before they ever reach your wate
• Activated carbon filter – strips out chemical contaminants, chlorine, and the off-tastes and odors that make you question what you’re drinking
• UV sterilization or ozone treatment – this is the stage that kills bacteria, viruses, and parasites like giardia and cryptosporidium, the invisible threats that actually put you in the ground
• Mineralization filter – adds essential minerals like calcium and magnesium back into the water after everything harmful has been removed, so what comes out isn’t just clean but actually good for you

Whether you’re filtering well water, rainwater from a collection system, or using an AWG to generate water from thin air, every drop should pass through a setup like this before it touches your lips.

You can find more info here.

7. Your Heater Burned the House Down While You Slept

When the power goes out in January and the temperature drops below freezing, people make decisions that would seem reckless under normal circumstances. The kerosene heater gets dragged into a bedroom with no ventilation. The propane unit ends up running two feet from a curtain. A fireplace that hasn’t been cleaned in three years gets lit, with creosote buildup thick enough to ignite on its own. 

The Amish Heater that Firefighters Wish Every Home Had

About 80% of fire deaths in the U.S. happen in residences, and the majority occur at night. During a grid-down winter scenario, the risk multiplies – unfamiliar heating methods, spaces never designed for open flames, and exhausted people making judgment calls in the dark.

If you plan to heat with wood, get your chimney inspected and cleaned now. If a kerosene or propane heater is part of your backup plan, learn the ventilation requirements for your specific model and match them to the square footage of the room. Keep combustibles at least three feet from any heat source, and never sleep with an unvented combustion heater running in a closed space.

6. You Stored Food in the Wrong Container and Didn’t Know Until You Ate It

Botulism is rare under normal circumstances because commercial canning processes are tightly controlled. But home canning, improvised food storage, and long-term stockpile items that weren’t sealed properly are a different story.

Clostridium botulinum thrives in low-oxygen, low-acid environments – which is exactly the environment inside a sealed jar or bucket of improperly preserved food.

Botulism toxin is one of the most lethal substances on Earth. A few micrograms can kill an adult.

And here’s the part that gets preppers: you can’t see it, smell it, or taste it. A jar of home-canned green beans can look perfectly fine and contain enough toxin to put you in the ground.

The rules are simple but absolute. Use a pressure canner for all low-acid foods (meat, vegetables, soups). Follow tested recipes from sources like the USDA or the Ball canning guide. If a jar’s seal is broken, bulging, or the food smells off in any way, throw it out. No exceptions. In a crisis where medical care isn’t available, botulism is a death sentence. Treat your canning process like your life depends on it, because it does.

5. You Fell Down the Stairs in the Dark

This one sounds almost embarrassing to include in a prepper article, but falls are the second leading cause of unintentional injury death in the United States. During a prolonged power outage, your home becomes an obstacle course at night. No hallway lights, no bathroom nightlights, no porch light to guide you down the steps when you hear something outside at 3 AM.

People trip over things they’ve walked past a thousand times because they could always see them before. Stairs without power are particularly dangerous, especially if you’re carrying a weapon or moving quickly because you heard a sound that spooked you. A broken hip or a shattered ankle in a grid-down scenario is potentially fatal, because it immobilizes you when mobility is everything.

The solution costs about $15-30. Solar-charged pathway lights for outdoor stairs. Battery-powered motion-activated lights for hallways and stairwells inside the house. A headlamp on your nightstand so you never navigate your own home blind. Simple, cheap, and the kind of thing nobody thinks about until they’re lying at the bottom of a staircase with a compound fracture and no way to call an ambulance.

4. You Ate Every Day, But Your Body Was Malnourished

This is the one that gets most people, and it’s the one almost nobody talks about.

You can eat 2,000 calories a day for six months from a stockpile of rice and beans and still develop nutritional deficiencies severe enough to kill you. It doesn’t happen fast, and the symptoms creep in so gradually that you won’t connect them to your diet until real damage is done.

Scurvy starts after about four to six weeks without vitamin C. The early signs are fatigue, joint pain, and gums that bleed when you brush your teeth. Left untreated, scurvy progresses to internal bleeding, organ failure, and death. It killed more sailors throughout history than combat, storms, and shipwrecks combined.

Pellagra comes from a lack of niacin (vitamin B3) and can develop in populations eating primarily corn-based diets. Beriberi comes from thiamine (B1) deficiency and affects the heart and nervous system. Both can be fatal.

The fix is straightforward but requires planning before the crisis hits. Stockpile a six-month supply of multivitamins – here’s a complete list of what you actually need. Make sure you add vitamin C tablets specifically – they’re dirt cheap (100 tablets for $5 on Amazon) and last for years. 

Also, if you have any space to garden, even a few containers on a porch, grow leafy greens, peppers, and tomatoes, but also medicinal herbs – have your own medicinal backyard with this complete seeds kit.

3. The Mold Moved In Before You Noticed

After a flood, a roof leak, or even just an extended period without climate control in a humid region, mold colonizes indoor spaces fast. Within 24 to 48 hours of moisture exposure, mold spores begin to grow on drywall, wood, carpet, insulation, and pretty much any organic surface.

In a normal situation, you’d call a remediation company. In a grid-down or post-disaster scenario, you’re living in it. Prolonged mold exposure causes respiratory infections, chronic coughing, and in people with asthma or compromised immune systems, it can cause invasive aspergillosis – a fungal infection in the lungs that is extremely difficult to treat even with modern antifungal medications.

Try This DIY 3-Ingredient Anti-Fungal Salve!

If your home has water damage, get the wet materials out or dry them within 48 hours. Run ventilation through the affected rooms any way you can – open windows, battery-powered fans, anything. If you see visible mold, remove the affected material entirely.

And most importantly, don’t paint over it and don’t bleach it. Cut it out, bag it, and get it out of the house. An N95 mask while doing this work isn’t optional.

2. You Got Dehydrated in Your Own Kitchen

Dehydration doesn’t mean being lost in the desert. It can happen in your own living room during a crisis where water access drops off and people instinctively start rationing before they actually need to. Most wait until they feel thirsty to drink, which already means the body is playing catch-up.

In hot weather without air conditioning, an adult needs a minimum of half a gallon to a gallon of water per day just for drinking – more if physical work is involved.

Winter is deceptive because the thirst signal fades, but dry air and the exertion of hauling firewood or managing a shelter still burn through fluids at a serious rate.

What makes dehydration dangerous in a crisis isn’t the discomfort. It degrades judgment and reaction time before any obvious physical symptoms show up. Decision-making suffers, sleep quality drops, and if it progresses far enough, kidney function starts to fail. Without access to medical care, that progression becomes very difficult to reverse.

Store more water than you think you need, and drink on a schedule regardless of thirst. One quart minimum every four waking hours, more if you’re sweating.

Find out exactly how much water you should store before an emergency hits!

1. Your Medication Ran Out and You Had No Plan B

This is the quiet killer in every long-term crisis. Roughly half of all American adults take at least one prescription medication. Insulin, blood pressure meds, thyroid hormones, anti-seizure drugs, blood thinners, psychiatric medications – millions of people depend on a pharmaceutical supply chain that can collapse in weeks during a serious disruption.

Uncontrolled diabetes leads to diabetic ketoacidosis, which can kill in 24 to 48 hours. Unmanaged high blood pressure leads to stroke. Sudden withdrawal from certain psychiatric medications or benzodiazepines can cause seizures. These aren’t slow deaths over months. Some of them happen in days.

If you take daily medication, talk to your doctor now about getting a 90-day supply. Some insurance plans and prescription discount programs make this possible. Rotate your stock so nothing expires unused.

Research what alternatives exist – herbal, dietary, or lifestyle changes that could partially substitute if your medication runs out entirely. This isn’t about replacing modern medicine with wishful thinking. It’s about having a bridge strategy that buys you time when the supply chain breaks.

On a personal note – I’m not someone who leans toward alternative medicine. I’ve always been skeptical. But my wife started working through The Forgotten Home Apothecary, and the remedies in that book have genuinely helped with a number of things I was dealing with, including an autoimmune disease.

The reason I trust it is that the author is a renowned doctor – this isn’t folk wisdom dressed up as science. It’s a physician drawing on traditional remedies with the credibility and clinical understanding to back them up. If you’re looking for a serious, grounded resource on home remedies, that’s the one I’d recommend.

Final Thoughts

The threats most likely to kill you in a crisis aren’t the ones you’ve been rehearsing in your head. They’re the carbon monoxide seeping in from the garage, the infected cut you forgot to bandage, the water that looked clean but wasn’t. Every item on this list has a body count in real disasters, and almost every one of them is preventable with knowledge you can act on right now – before anything goes wrong.

That’s also why home defense means more than reinforcing doors and keeping a firearm within reach. If your home isn’t safe to live in during a prolonged crisis – if the air, the water, the heating, or the food storage can take you out – then no amount of perimeter security matters. You have to solve the inside before the outside makes any difference.

If you haven’t taken the Home Defense Academy course yet, now is the time. It covers the full picture – not just keeping intruders out, but making your home a place that actually keeps you alive. That matters for everyone, and it matters even more if you’re older, managing a health condition, or responsible for someone who is. The people most at risk in a crisis are the ones with the least margin for error, and this course is built to close that gap. Take it now, while taking action is still easy.

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How to Make Flour Last Over a Decade

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

Flour is one of the basic foods that everyone should have in their stockpile. Not only can it be turned into amazing food, but it's also an essential food that can sustain someone for a long time.

As homesteaders, many of us have a lot of flour on hand. However, not all of us are storing it correctly for the long term. A good stockpile involves using the older items first and then adding newly purchased items to the back of the stock. While this is common practice, it is still possible to end up with a lot of either infested or inedible flour.

Flour tends to go bad when it is not stored properly. Placing bags of flour in a damp area can ruin the flour with mold growth and bad smells. Flour sold in stores will have the best-by date on the package. However, you can still consume flour that has gone past that date if it looks and smells okay.

Rancid flour is best detected by smelling the contents of the flour bin. Any flour that has gone rancid will smell sour and may even have a different color and texture than normal flour.

Some homesteaders have also encountered weevils, also known as flour bugs, that end up infesting flours, grains, and rice. Weevils appear in flour because they were already in the bag when you bought it.

Female weevils lay eggs in the grain before it is milled and processed. The eggs can survive the field-to-table process and may hatch in the sealed flour under the right conditions. Flours and grains that are less refined will have a higher chance of containing live weevils due to the limited amount of processing involved.

Fortunately, you can make your flour last up to a decade or longer using these tried-and-true techniques. You may already be doing some of them, while others could be newer ideas that you haven't thought of yet.

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Which Types of Flour Last the Longest?

Not all flour is created equal when it comes to long-term storage, and understanding the difference can save you a lot of frustration down the road.

White all-purpose flour is the best candidate for decade-long storage. Because the bran and germ have been removed during milling, it contains very little fat and is much less prone to going rancid. Stored properly, white flour can realistically last 10 years or more.

Whole wheat flour is a different story. Because it retains the bran and germ, which are richest in natural oils, it goes rancid significantly faster than white flour. Even under ideal conditions, whole wheat flour typically only lasts 1 to 3 years.

If you want to store wheat long-term, your best option is to store whole wheat berries instead and grind them into flour as needed. Wheat berries stored in sealed containers with oxygen absorbers can last 25 years or longer.

Specialty flours like almond flour, coconut flour, and oat flour also have much shorter shelf lives due to their higher fat content. These are better suited for short-term pantry rotation rather than long-term stockpiling.

Airtight Containers

Most of us use airtight containers to store flour in large quantities since air is a top culprit in spoiling food. Some of these containers could include plastic Tupperware that fits a shelf to large 50-pound bins and food-grade plastic buckets.

No matter what container you use, it is important to ensure that there is no chance of air making its way into the container that could spoil the flour. Make sure that the lid is tight-fitting and that the container has no breaks, cracks, or integrity issues.

Store flour in airtight containers located in a cool and dry area for the best shelf life. Flour stored in this manner can easily last up to 2 years in the proper conditions.

Vacuum Sealed

Many homesteaders have access to a vacuum sealer, which can help elongate the shelf life of flour. While airtight containers work for flour storage, vacuum sealing goes one step further in removing any access air from the container itself.

You can easily store flour in vacuum-sealed bags or jars using a small vacuum sealer. Instead of placing flour directly into the vacuum seal bag, make sure to put it in another bag so that the flour isn’t sucked up into the vacuum sealer itself.

Plastic vacuum-sealed bags are easy to store but maybe a bit more prone to dampness. Storing flour in vacuum-sealed glass jars such as mason canning jars is a great way to protect the flour from both the elements and any excess air. Vacuum sealed flour usually lasts at least 2 years but up to 5 years in a shelf-stable environment that is dry and cool.

Freezer

Some homesteaders choose to freeze their flour in order to make it last longer. You can also temporarily freeze the flour for 48 hours after bringing it home to help kill off any weevil eggs lurking in the flour.

Freezers technically can prolong the shelf life of flour but would always need some kind of power source. Many homesteaders choosing to live off the grid may not want to spend precious freezer space on flour for years on end.

When choosing to freeze flour, it is best to let the flour come to room temperature before baking. Frozen flour should act much like frozen coffee grinds in that it is easy to scoop and handle straight from the freezer. However, it is best to bring the flour to room temp before baking, so you don't waste ingredients.

Frozen flour can last at least 2 years, while some believe it can last indefinitely in its frozen state. No matter how long you freeze flour, be sure to do so in small batches in airtight containers so that the continuous opening of the freezer won't impact the flour longevity.

Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers

One of the best ways to store flour for an extended amount of time is to use mylar bags with added oxygen absorbers. Mylar bags are a special kind of bag that you've probably seen in stores. They are made from a metallic material and are often used to store MREs. Mylar bags stand up great to moisture and oxygen but may have a bit more trouble lasting if in a rodent-infested area.

Adding oxygen absorbers to a mylar bag helps boost the longevity of the food even further. These absorbers remove oxygen within the bag and can help flour last up to 10-15 years on the shelf. It is vital to use the right amount of oxygen absorbers for the kind of food you are using and use any open packages of absorbers quickly.

Oven Canning

Oven canning is an older method of flour preservation that some long-term preppers swear by. The process involves placing dry flour into clean, oven-safe mason jars, heating them in the oven to kill off any insect eggs, and then sealing the jars while still hot to create an airtight seal as they cool.

To oven can flour, fill your mason jars leaving about an inch of headspace, place the lids loosely on top (do not fully tighten), and bake at 200–250°F for about 60 minutes. Once removed from the oven, tighten the lids immediately and allow the jars to cool completely. As they cool, the lids should seal with the familiar popping sound you get from water bath canning.

It's worth noting that oven canning is not an officially endorsed method by food safety organizations like the USDA, which cautions that the dry heat may not be consistent enough to guarantee full sterilization for all foods. However, for dry goods like flour, the primary benefit is killing weevil eggs and creating a sealed, oxygen-reduced environment .

Diatomaceous Earth

Many of us who raise poultry know a thing or two about diatomaceous earth. This critical farm supplement is made up of tiny fossils that help prevent mites and insects and can be added to flour to help prolong its shelf life. You can purchase industrial and food-grade diatomaceous earth with the food-grade option being the obvious choice for flour.

The most important thing to remember when using diatomaceous earth is that a little goes a long way. In fact, you only need to use about half of a cup for 25 pounds of food. Many homesteaders choose to use this for their large flour storage in 5-gallon buckets or bins to minimize the chances of weevils hatching.

Bay Leaves

Bay leaves are a simple, all-natural trick that has been passed down through generations as a way to repel weevils and other grain insects. The strong aromatic compounds in bay leaves are unpleasant to insects, making them an effective deterrent when tucked into flour storage containers.

Simply place one or two dried bay leaves directly into your flour container or bucket before sealing it. You can also tape a bay leaf to the inside of a lid for good measure. The leaves won't affect the flavor of your flour and can be left in place until you work through the supply. This method works especially well when combined with airtight containers or mylar bags, adding one more layer of protection against infestation without any chemicals or special equipment.

It is important to take all of these tips on long term flour storage and use them at your own discretion. Always check your flour to ensure that it looks and smells right and is free from the presence of weevils. Inspect the flour thoroughly before using even years in the future.

Also, note that different kinds of flour may have different storage lifespans depending on the ingredients. Consider all of these tips when trying to make your flour last up to a decade or longer.

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Is it Safe to Can Bacon Yourself at Home? I Investigate the Safety Of It

One of the best skill sets you can possibly invest in for long-term preparation is canning. Canning has been around for ages, and when done properly produces food that is delicious, shelf stable, and most importantly safe. It’s possible to can nearly anything, from fruits and vegetables to soups and even meat. Beef, chicken, pork, ... Read more

Is it Safe to Can Bacon Yourself at Home? I Investigate the Safety Of It can be read in full at New Life On A Homestead- Be sure to check it out!

from New Life On A Homestead

20 Best Emergency Foods for Your Vehicle

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

In a bugout scenario, you are likely to spend a lot of time in your vehicle as you travel from one destination to the next. This means a vehicle well-stocked with survival supplies is one of the most important components in a bugout plan – and food is the most essential supply that you can stockpile.

Before you start tossing groceries into the trunk of your car, it’s important to note that not all foods are great for storing in vehicles. For example, chocolate protein bars are great meal replacements, but the chocolate is likely to melt and get all over the place.

A food that is good for vehicle storage needs to have a long shelf-life, have lots of nutrition, and be easy to prepare. With those qualifications in mind, here are 20 emergency foods that you should keep in your vehicle.

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1. Beef Jerky

Beef jerky is a tasty snack that is high in protein and calories. It’s also a food that has a shelf-life of up to two years and can withstand the temperature extremes that occur in most vehicles.

• Calories per ounce: 88 calories
• Protein per ounce: 9.4 grams

2. Bottled Water

Bottled water isn’t a food per se, but it is one of the most important things you can store in your vehicle if you are preparing for a bugout scenario. While the human body can go weeks without food, it can only go a matter of days without water before dying from dehydration.

In addition, water is a necessary ingredient for preparing many of the other food items you might store in your vehicle. Whatever food items you decide on, make sure a large package of bottled water is on the list.

3. Breakfast Bars

Typically made out of oats and some kind of dried fruit, breakfast bars are a nutritious and filling snack that has a long shelf-life and is convenient to eat on the go.

• Calories: Varies by brand

4. Instant Coffee

Given how much energy a bugout scenario requires, you are going to need all of the energy-boosters that you can get. Unlike ground coffee, which only has a shelf-life of a few months, instant coffee can be stored for up to twenty years without spoiling.

Best of all, instant coffee is also much easier to prepare. These two qualities make instant coffee an obvious choice for storing in your vehicle.

• Calories per ounce (when added to water): 1.5 calories

5. Instant Oatmeal

As long as you have a way to boil water, instant oatmeal is a meal that is quick and easy to prepare. Instant oatmeal also has a shelf-life of up to two years, making it an ideal food item for long-term storage. Instant oatmeal isn’t very high in fats or protein, but it does offer a lot of filling carbs.

• Calories per ounce: 105 calories
• Carbs per ounce: 21 grams

6. Macaroni and Cheese

If you’ve found this list devoid of your favorite foods thus far, you may be happy to learn that delicious macaroni and cheese is also a great food for storing in your vehicle. Mac and cheese is a tasty food item that can be quickly prepared.

It’s also a food item with a long shelf-life and one that is very filling and rich in calories. Of course, it’s also another food that requires boiled water to prepare.

• Calories per ounce: 108 calories

7. Mixed Nuts

Mixed nuts make for a convenient snack that is high in calories and protein. They require no preparation to eat and can give you a quick boost of energy when you need it the most.

• Calories per ounce: 170
• Protein per ounce: 5 grams

8. MREs (Meals Ready to Eat)

If you’ve ever served in the military, chances are you're familiar with MREs. These pre-packaged meals can easily be purchased in bulk by civilians. MREs are easy to store, have a long shelf-life, and require essentially no preparation, making them an ideal food item to store in your vehicle.

While the macronutrients of MREs will vary from meal to meal, they are typically filling and nutritious, even if they aren’t the best tasting cuisine in the world.

9. Multivitamins

Multivitamins may not count as a food, but they are still a beneficial thing to store in your vehicle along with food items if you want to ensure you are getting the nutrients you need. During a bugout scenario, your diet is going to be very restricted, and getting all of your important nutrients without being able to eat fresh meat and vegetables is going to be a challenge.

A good multivitamin can supplement a limited diet and ensure that you are still getting the nutrients you need to remain strong, energetic, and healthy.

• Calories per ounce: NA

10. Peanut Butter Pouches

Peanut butter is a food that is rich in both protein and calories, and buying it in pouches is the most convenient way to store and eat it. If you are looking for an energy-boosting snack that packs plenty of calories and protein into a lightweight, easy to store package, then peanut butter pouches are an ideal choice.

• Calories per ounce: 182 calories
• Protein per ounce: 6 grams

11. Pemmican

Pemmican is one of the oldest and most calorie-dense survival foods in existence, made from dried meat, rendered fat, and sometimes dried berries. It was relied on by Native Americans and early explorers because it packs an enormous amount of energy into a very small, lightweight package. Pemmican holds up well in vehicle storage and has a shelf-life that can stretch to several years when properly sealed.

• Calories per ounce: 167 calories
• Protein per ounce: 9 grams

12. Pepperoni Sticks

Similar to beef jerky, pepperoni sticks are a shelf-stable meat snack that holds up well in the temperature swings that occur inside a vehicle. They're higher in fat than jerky, which makes them more calorie-dense and satisfying when you need sustained energy. Look for individually wrapped sticks, which will last longer once opened and are easy to eat on the go.

• Calories per ounce: 150 calories
• Protein per ounce: 9 grams

13. Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are a prepper staple thanks to the fact that they are filling, easy to prepare, and have a shelf-life that is near indefinite. Pinto beans are also high in both calories and protein, and they are one of the healthier food items that can be stored in a vehicle for an extended period of time.

Of course, in order to prepare pinto beans, you will need water, a container, and the ability to start a fire.

• Calories per ounce: 89 calories
• Protein per ounce: 6.1 grams

14. Powdered Gatorade

Storing powdered Gatorade in your vehicle will give you a tasty alternative to bottled water. It’s also full of energy-boosting sugars to get you through the day and has a two-year shelf-life if left unopened.

• Calories per ounce (when added to water): 7.9 calories
• Sugars per ounce (when added to water): 1.6 grams

15. Protein Bars

As the name suggests, protein bars are one of the best ways to quickly consume a large amount of protein on the go. Protein bars are also very filling, high in calories, and quite tasty as well.

If you are looking for a convenient food item that offers plenty of bang for your buck when it comes to protein and calories, protein bars are a great option.

• Calories per ounce: Varies by brand

16. Ramen Noodles

Ramen noodles don’t offer much in way of nutrients, but they are a tasty snack that can be stored for years without spoiling. Ramen noodles are also high in sodium, enabling you to replace the sodium you lose through sweating.

While Ramen noodles can be eaten without any preparation, they will be much more enjoyable if you have a way to boil water.

• Calories per ounce: 127 calories
• Sodium per ounce: 577 mg

17. SPAM

SPAM is neither the healthiest nor the best tasting meat product, but it is one of the only meat products that can be stored outside a refrigerator for up to five years without spoiling. If calories and protein are what you are after, SPAM isn’t that bad in terms of nutritional value either. Be sure to get the kind that come in pouches.

Like Ramen noodles, the high sodium count of SPAM can also help you replace the sodium that you lose through sweating during the strenuous process of bugging out.

• Calories per ounce: 92 calories
• Protein per ounce: 3.6 grams

18. Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds require a little more effort to eat than most foods, meaning they aren’t exactly the best way to fill up quickly. With that said, sunflower seeds do offer a number of other benefits that make them a great food to store in your vehicle.

For one, sunflower seeds are a healthy snack that is high in sodium. Sunflower seeds are also enjoyable to eat and can be a stress reliever during long car rides.

• Calories per ounce: 91 calories

19. Trail Mix

Like mixed nuts, but with more variety, trail mix is a tasty, calorie-rich snack that is easy to store and requires no preparation to eat. The dried fruits in trail mix offer plenty of energy-boosting sugars while the mixed nuts offer protein and healthy fats.

Just be sure to purchase trail mix that doesn’t contain chocolate or anything else that might melt in a hot car.

• Calories per ounce: 142 calories
• Protein per ounce: 402 grams

20. Tuna Pouches

Canned tuna has long been a prepper staple, but tuna pouches are an even better option for vehicle storage. They're compact, require no can opener, and are easy to eat straight from the package. Tuna pouches are high in protein and have a shelf-life of up to three years, making them a great addition to any vehicle emergency kit. Be sure to get the kind in oil, not water.

• Calories per ounce: 53 calories
• Protein per ounce: 6.5 grams

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Of course, there is more to bugging out than throwing food in the trunk. Here are some other articles to help you get started:

• 30 Best Foods For Your Bug Out Bag
• 18 Tips For Choosing A Bug Out Vehicle
• How To Escape The City Fast If The SHTF
• Top 100 Bug Out Bag Items To Consider
• What If You Don't Have A Bug Out Location?

The post 20 Best Emergency Foods for Your Vehicle appeared first on Urban Survival Site.

from Urban Survival Site

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

Maybe you’ve had soft and chewy cookies before, but you’ve never had a Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles recipe like this. When I make a cookie, it has to be soft. Biting into a soft and chewy cookie is probably one of the best things in the world. I’m going to show you how to make these cookies. You can make them any time of the year, and they’ll be delicious for any occasion. My grandkids really enjoy making these cookies with me! So, let’s get started with making them. The secret is the creamy butter; there’s no shortening in this recipe.

What are snickerdoodles?

Snickerdoodles are classic American sugar cookies rolled in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking, giving them their signature crinkled tops and irresistible sweet-spiced coating. Unlike plain sugar cookies, snickerdoodles get their tender, pillowy texture from cream of tartar, a secret ingredient that adds a gentle tang and keeps every bite soft. They’re one of the easiest, most crowd-pleasing cookies you can make, and they’ve been a staple in family kitchens for generations. Best of all, kids love helping roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar, making this a true bake-together recipe.

These cookies don’t take many ingredients, which is really nice! I love baking, but it’s hard to bake when there are a ton of ingredients involved. If you want to be lazy and use a few ingredients, go with this cookie recipe. Whether you take these cookies to a potluck or make them for a special family or neighborhood occasion, you can’t go wrong. In case you missed this post, Soft Cream Cheese Frosted Sugar Cookies

Kitchen Items Needed

• Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer (Costco has a great buy on them for Mother’s Day 2026)
• Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Cookie Scoop
• Spatula for Cookies

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

The ingredients

Every ingredient in a snickerdoodle plays a specific role in creating that perfect chewy texture and warm, spiced flavor. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why each one matters.

Butter, softened

Butter is the rich, creamy foundation of these cookies. Using a full cup gives the dough incredible flavor and a melt-in-your-mouth quality. It’s important that your butter is truly softened to room temperature, not melted, not cold, so it creams smoothly with the sugar to create a light, fluffy base that bakes up with perfectly crispy edges and a tender center.

White Granulated sugar

White sugar does double duty in this recipe. In the dough, it sweetens and helps the cookies spread to just the right thickness. A portion also goes into the cinnamon-sugar coating that every snickerdoodle is famous for. Don’t be shy when rolling; a generous coat is what gives these cookies their signature crunch on the outside and soft chew on the inside.

Eggs

Eggs provide structure, richness, and moisture to the dough. Two whole eggs give the cookies just enough body to hold their shape while baking, without making them dry or cakey. They also help bind all the ingredients together into a smooth, cohesive dough that’s easy to roll into balls and coat evenly.

Cream of tartar

This is the ingredient that separates a true snickerdoodle from a plain cinnamon sugar cookie. Cream of tartar is an acidic leavening agent that reacts with baking soda to give the cookies a gentle lift and a subtle, distinctive tang. Perhaps most importantly, it’s what keeps snickerdoodles beautifully soft and chewy rather than crispy. Do not skip it!

Baking soda

Baking soda works hand in hand with the cream of tartar to make the cookies puff up slightly as they bake. Together, these two leavening agents create just the right amount of rise, enough to give the cookies a light, tender texture without making them fluffy or cakey. Make sure your baking soda is fresh for the best results.

Salt

A small amount of salt might seem insignificant in a sweet cookie recipe, but it plays a crucial balancing role. Salt enhances and deepens all the other flavors in the dough, making the sweetness taste more complex and the butter more pronounced. Without it, the cookies can taste flat or one-dimensional.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla extract adds warmth, depth, and a subtle floral aroma that rounds out the cookie’s flavor. It pairs beautifully with the cinnamon and butter to create that cozy, bakery-style fragrance that fills your kitchen as these cookies bake. Use pure vanilla extract if you can — the difference compared to artificial vanilla is well worth it.

All-purpose flour or Bread Flour

Flour provides the structure that holds everything together. The amount here is carefully balanced — enough to give the cookies shape and prevent excessive spreading, but not so much that they become dense or dry. Measure by spooning flour into the measuring cup and leveling it off rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in too much and result in tough cookies.

Cinnamon-sugar coating

No snickerdoodle is complete without its signature cinnamon-sugar roll. To make the coating, combine 2 tablespoons of white sugar with 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon in a small shallow bowl. This simple mixture is what gives snickerdoodles their beautifully spiced, sparkly crust and that warm, slightly crunchy exterior that contrasts so perfectly with the soft, chewy center. When rolling your dough balls, press them firmly into the mixture and turn to coat every side generously; the more evenly coated the dough ball, the more gorgeous and evenly spiced your finished cookie will be.

Why this recipe works

The magic of a great snickerdoodle is all about the balance of fat, leavening, and acid. A full cup of softened butter creates a rich, spreadable dough that bakes up with slightly crispy edges and a gloriously chewy middle. The cream of tartar and baking soda work together to create the perfect lift and tang, and rolling the dough balls generously in cinnamon sugar is what delivers that iconic sparkly, spiced crust. This is also a wonderfully family-friendly recipe; kids absolutely love rolling the dough balls, making it a perfect weekend baking project for all ages.

Tips for perfect snickerdoodles

Make sure your butter is properly softened, not melted, so it creams light and fluffy. Don’t overbake: snickerdoodles are done when the edges are just set, and the centers still look slightly underdone; they’ll firm up as they cool. For extra-thick and chewy cookies, refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes before rolling. Always use fresh cream of tartar; an old jar can affect both rise and texture.

Step One: Gather Ingredients – Preheat Oven

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Place a sheet of parchment paper on your cookie sheet or grease it with vegetable spray.

Step Two: Cream Ingredients

Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.

Step Three: Add Flour & Mix

Add the flour and mix thoroughly.

Step Four: Make Sure The Ingredients Are Fully Mixed

This is what it looks like when you are ready to make the one-inch balls of cookie dough.

Step Five: Scoop into Cookie Balls

I use a cookie scoop to make the cookie balls about 1 inch in diameter. Roll the cookie balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. You can make the cookies a bit darker by using more cinnamon. Here’s my cookie scoop: Purple Cookie Scoop and my Cookie Spatula

Step Six: Bake

Bake for 10 minutes at 375°F (190°C). Don’t over-bake. Cool on a cooling rack.

Final Product

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe

Print

Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 36 cookies

Author Linda Loosli

Ingredients

• 1 cup of butter softened
• 1-1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons of cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2-3/4 cups white flour (I use bread flour)
• Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: 3-6 teaspoons cinnamon with 1/2 cup of white sugar (stir until mixed). I used 6 teaspoons of cinnamon today.

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
• Place a sheet of parchment paper on your cookie sheet or grease it with vegetable spray.
• Cream the butter, sugar, eggs, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and vanilla.
• Add the flour and mix thoroughly. I use a cookie scoop to make the cookie balls about 1 inch in diameter.
• Roll the cookie balls in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 10 minutes. Do not over-bake.

Frequently asked questions

Can I freeze snickerdoodle dough? Absolutely. Roll the dough into balls before coating, freeze on a baking sheet, then transfer to a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, roll in cinnamon sugar and bake from frozen, adding 2–3 extra minutes to the bake time.

What if I don’t have cream of tartar? In a pinch, replace the cream of tartar and baking soda with 2 teaspoons of baking powder. The cookies will still taste great, but the texture and flavor will be slightly different; you’ll lose some of that classic tang.

How do I keep snickerdoodles soft after baking? Store them in an airtight container at room temperature with a slice of white bread inside. The bread releases moisture, keeping the cookies soft and chewy for up to 5 days. They also freeze beautifully once baked.

Can I make these gluten-free? Yes, a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend works well here. The texture may be slightly more delicate, but the flavor and chewiness hold up beautifully.

Sugar Cookies (Copycat Famous Cookies)

How to Make Sugar Cookie Bars

Final Word

Do you love making cookies as much as I do? I love teaching my grandkids how to measure, mix, scoop, and bake cookies. It’s one more way to teach them how to cook from scratch. This recipe originally called for 1 cup of shortening, but I swapped it for butter. Butter makes your cookies like bakery-grade cookies. Now, if you like a crispy Snickerdoodle, I would stick with the shortening. I love a soft and chewy cookie. These taste just like a famous Snickerdoodle cookie made in Southern Utah for a fraction of the price. May God bless this world, Linda

The post Soft and Chewy Snickerdoodles Recipe appeared first on Food Storage Moms.

from Food Storage Moms