Seasoning Packet - Suggestions?

As part of my preparation strategy I am super attracted to items which can serve multiple purposes, whether this be for a GHB or just part of my general preparedness supplies. A true "survival" situation, regardless of the nature, will be an extremely dynamic situation. The more you can do with less, the more dynamic and flexible you will be to adapt to the situation...and survive!

I'm also all about reducing waste (across the board). This isn't about being "green" as much as it is about waste being a 'penalty' or liability. Packaging is a great example; unless it can be used as fuel, packaging takes up valuable space and is a weight penalty for which there is no benefit. Unusable waste needs to be disposed of which requires calories and effort for which, again, there is no gain. Consequently, I'm always looking for things which can have multiple purposes without creating unnecessary waste.

I know this may seem like a very strange introduction to a post about 'seasonings', but hopefully this will become much more clear momentarily.

Food products, by their very nature, require more packaging than just about any other single survival supply. Protection against contamination and spoilage are chief among these reasons. Conversely, water is one of the single heaviest survival supplies a person requires. One of the more common types of survival foods are foods which are dehydrated in some way. However, rehydration requires copious amounts of water, and water equals weight, right? Water weighs you down, and makes one less dynamic. So there is this delicate balance between weight and packaging. In an ideal world survival situation (which most are not), one would strive to optimize this balance. This is where seasonings come in.

From a preference perspective, human's require variety. Repetition is boring, and when food becomes boring people won't eat (numerous tests have proven this). Oh sure, the old "if you're hungry enough you'll eat it" is true, but that old saying is incomplete. It didn't go on to say, "...and you'll eat a LOT of it". This translates into putting a person into a calorie deficit scenario which is a downward spiral, ultimately leading to failure. Less calories, less energy; less energy, less work. Less work, less progress; less progress, more exposure. More exposure, more risk; ever increasing risk, likely failure.

Probably the oldest historical example of reversing this cycle is that of salt. Salt was coveted by ancient civilizations for just this reason. Just this one seasoning was able to reverse the trend. This brings me, at last, to my ultimate question (finally! Right?)

Fairly often the wife buys these Caesar salad 'kits' at the store. She likes them for her lunches at work. She usually brings home the unused elements (bacon bits, dressings, seasoning packets, etc.) One of the things which comes with these is a seasoning packet with some spices inside. It's small, weighs next to nothing, but has a generous quantity of seasonings inside. They're kind of an oregano, green onion, parsley, garlic, pepper mixture (probably some salt too). I've been collecting these things with an idea of putting them in one of my various survival supplies, but I need to figure out a way to optimize their use without duplicating something else, or introducing unnecessary waste/weight.

I've thought about using something like ramen noodles, but they already have spice in them. I guess I could look into pastas and / or legumes, or possibly rice, but I thought I might just throw this out there to see what others have to say. That, and hopefully provide some 'food' for thought.

Thoughts / comments?

Two dozen pots of curry powder will make every meal edible for a long time.

a reply to: SprocketUK

Jerk seasoning works too, just any dried spices and herbs really

a reply to: Discotech

I knew a bloke who took curry powder in his hand luggage incase the plane crashed and he was left in a cannibalism type of survival scenario.

He was mad as a box of frogs, mind.

Many seasonings last like 3 years, even unopened. I would cycle them out if this is prep or bugout bag. Google to find ones that don't go bad.

Also vacuum seal to preserve and save space.

McCormic rubs. They have a good flavor for the chicken one, and the pork rub is quite tasty. You can vacuum pack some to flatten it out and conserve space. It helps to make a bland meal good.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

One thing I invested a small amount of money in was silicone packets to absorb moisture. You know how your spices clump up and harden? Put a few of these in anything that is susceptible to pick up moisture and it helps to prevent it as long as it is in a fairly sealed bag or container.

Amazon sells them in a variety of sizes.

We're starving and you're taking condiments?

"If you're really hungry-- blah, blah",

--is right. It won't matter. Assuming the power, water and roads are out, that is.

Everyone better be ready to travel, travel light and have some kind of currency (like a sack of silver coins) to buy your way along.

If you have a wagon or hoard of food people will just steal it.

a reply to: intrptr

Wow...not even sure how to respond to this one!

First off, I don't plan on going hungry, nor do I plan on running (which seems to be something you've already accepted).

I guess I should have stated this, but my plan of action involves getting to my home base in any sort of a survival situation, hence the GHB reference. Depending on where I am, this could take hours, days or even weeks, but I'll get there.

No argument on the money thing, but the travel light reference is all the further to my original point (along with the discussion on waste being a liability). There is a difference between 'existing' and 'thriving', even though both fall under the survival category. I can't speak for you, but I'm certainly not going to live my life in misery, eating high protein FEMA survival bars/cakes every day (which amount to packaged sawdust)!!

The single most important ingredient in "survival" is PMA or Positive Mental Attitude, and the fastest and most effective way to achieve this is via food (right after water). The militaries of the world have known this for centuries.

ETA...oh, and regarding people trying to steal my stuff, they better be ready for a...well, let's just say they might not find that task an easy one to accomplish (and might think long and hard before attempting it again)!

You might consider dual-usage from your herb packets. Herbs can have healing properties as well as add flavor to your meals.

Oregano, for example, has antibiotic properties as well as flavor-enhancing goodness!
Link

Perhaps your "mix" of herbs could be something you use as a poultice on a wound, for example, in addition to making an awesome meal. That way, you are extending your medical supplies as well as increasing your stock food's palatability.

Rosemary, garlic, sage, cayenne pepper, turmeric - turmeric is a main ingredient of curry powder which also contains the following ingredients: cumin, fenugreek, chili peppers. Bay leaves, parsley, etc. the list goes on and on!

There are more - I used several different sources to help you in your research.

I would recommend then, a variety of spice packets that you use to combine the potential healing powers of the herbs.
You may wish to keep salt separate, in case you need to use these herbs in different ways for healing. (You don't want salt in your wounds!!)

So, combos might look like this (add salt separately):
Rosemary, oregano and sage (good for poultry, soups, fish)
Curry powder mix (make your own or get quality pre-made stuff)
Chili peppers, cayenne, garlic and cumin (spicy taco flavoring)

Here's another idea. Make packets specific to common illnesses you would want to treat - sore throat/cold.
garlic, crushed bay leaf, sage, oregano and rosemary with cayenne pepper would be great for a cold/sore throat.

You can make a tea with lemon balm, cayenne pepper and sage for a sore throat (add honey if you have it). Lemon balm is nice for poultry as well and fish.

What do you think?? I think this is an exciting idea! It makes me want to go through my cabinets and figure out how to combine my culinary herbs for their best healing effect!!

Hope this was helpful...

- AB

I would go all rajastic spices. Chilly, Ginger, etc. No place for slacking in a time of extremities.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I guess I should have stated this, but my plan of action involves getting to my home base in any sort of a survival situation, hence the GHB reference. Depending on where I am, this could take hours, days or even weeks, but I'll get there.

So you are mobile then trying to get out of town, 'when the balloon goes up'? Your plan of action? You know what they say about best aid plans...

Good luck with that. If you aren't already there, you'll just be part of a flood of refugees all heading 'out of town'. Unless you got a jet helo or Lear parked at the end of the local runway, waiting... if the runway isn't cratered to prevent people from leaving... if the plague doesn't have all the roads blocked with shoot to kill, if the ocean asteroid strike doesn't wash away the world, earthquake, nuke strike, ... mmm whats left?

Don't take it personal, I used to be what they called in my day a "survivalist", I had the best stored everything. And I mean everything. That was the 80's . I know more about defense and food storage than most, sorry didn't mean to derail your thread.

There is a certain reality though. What most peppers are preparing for isn't going to happen. And if it does, everyone will be screwed, or go down in a blaze of glory under martial law, get arrested for hoarding or die trying to defend it.

By the time you get to your redoubt odds are someone else will already be there.

You ever read "Lucifer's Hammer", by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle or "Surviving Doomsday", by Bruce Clayton?

Salt lasts indefinitely. And I stock up ristas of chilis every time I drive through New Mexico.

But the rest of the spices I use will grow in my garden, and can be dried in my dehydrator. The plants don't require much, and once dried are good for a couple of years. Since we don't eat out much, we use a lot of the spices we grow. Packing some in your bugout baggage is just an afterthought.

Shop at restaurant supply houses, Indian & oriental groceries, and Latino bodegas and buy all your spices at bargain in the extra large bottles.

Buy chicken bullion in the extra large tubs of powder form, not the chinsey little cubes boxes.

Use them in your regular cooking, in natural rotation. NOTE: spices dont go bad, although some meat bullion products can.

I'm a spicy aficionado. Here's just my regular spice cabinet:

From there I have bulk horde's, and grow my own spices, and can go right up to Tampa and get any spices by the big huge bottles, or even 20lb sacks some of them, for pennies on the big box grocery store dollar.

Here's some random shots from my favorites restaurant suply house:






And a quick one from my favorite Indian grocery:


Here's from another restaurant supply house:
Chicken bullion powder $35 for 30 lbs.!!

And a odd one from my favorite Bodega:

Back when I was young and off doing things for God and Country, I found some glass vials with very tight stoppers that were pretty light but very strong, and toted salt, pepper, garlic powder and dehydrated tabasco. It only came to a few ounces but made chow time tolerable, especially if it was 'alternate foods'.

I might add that I didn't know there was such a thing as powdered hot sauce before the service, but you could wheedle the cooks in garrison out of it, it's one of those bulk restaurant supplies you don't see at the store.

a reply to: intrptr

What is life without a little spice?
I like Old Bay..goes with most anything, dried garlic too.

a reply to: vonclod

Old Bay Seasoning

Only $36.99 for 7.5lbs., or $99 for a case of 4!!

a reply to: IgnoranceIsntBlisss

I only recently discovered it..great stuff.

I really do believe it is important to enjoy your food, goes back to the Romans and before I'm sure..the saying about a soldier being "worth his salt"