Thread: BASIC LIST / SUGGESTED ITEMS FOR LONG TERM SURVIVAL

Millions Will Die From This

Millions Will Die From This

HAXMAN

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1.8M views
3 years ago

DIY: Make Swamp Water Drinkable! King Of Random Dives Into How To Make A Homemade DIY Water Filter

DIY: Make Swamp Water Drinkable! King Of Random Dives Into How To Make A Homemade DIY Water Filter

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#thekingofrandom
#SurvivalHacks
#WaterFilter

(3383) DIY homemade WATER FILTER - YouTube

DIY homemade WATER FILTER

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Hand Pump Well , off-grid, self-reliant water, everything you need to know

Hand Pump Well , off-grid, self-reliant water, everything you need to know

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Antique Hand Pump Well, Start to Finish, at our Remote Off Grid Property

Antique Hand Pump Well, Start to Finish, at our Remote Off Grid Property

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Hand Pump Wells .....Deep Dive

Hand Pump Wells .....Deep Dive

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DIY DEEP WELL HAND PUMP INSTALLATION + RESULTS

DIY DEEP WELL HAND PUMP INSTALLATION + RESULTS

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CAMPING IN THE HEAVY SNOW IN A LUXURY CAMPER VAN WITH AN INFLATABLE HOT TENT 🚗

CAMPING IN THE HEAVY SNOW IN A LUXURY CAMPER VAN WITH AN INFLATABLE HOT TENT 🚗

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#caravancamping
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The WW2 Secret Recipes that Will Help You in a Crisis

by Eric Beuning
December 25, 2025



World War 2 was the largest multinational conflict in human history. It touched most cultures and spawned a lot of culinary innovation from the soldiers fighting in the trenches.
For them food was just as much about the fuel for fighting as it was finding little creature comforts to keep morale high in the harshest of conditions. To the point that during WW2, resourceful soldiers became creative “trench cooks.” These masters of making do learn how to work with what little they had to create foods that were practical, filling, and above all, life-sustaining.
Today, these trench foods provide inspiration for preppers and survivalists who want to know how to stretch limited ingredients. While there are too many secret trench foods to explore in a single article, the following are prime examples of ways to make the most with the most basic of ingredients.
Hardtack Biscuits, the staple of WW2 recipes

Hardtack is a well known recipe among preppers and it wasn’t new in WW2 either, but it was still a staple present on both the Pacific and European theaters of operations. Soldiers needed a shelf-stable carb that wouldn’t spoil in damp trenches or long supply lines.
Hardtack is essentially just flour, water, and salt baked into rock-hard biscuits that could last for years if stored properly. All of this makes hardtack worth mentioning again and keeps it at the top of the list when it comes to long-term storage and dependable nutrients.
Ingredients

• 2 cups flour
• ½ to 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup water

How to make it

1. Mix the flour and salt, add just enough water to form a stiff dough
2. Roll out to ½ inch thick, and cut into squares.
3. Poke holes in the dough with a fork
4. Bake at 350°F for about 30 minutes per side, until dry and hard.

Here’s a video on how to make hardtack:



Hardtack can be used today as a crunchy snack or broken into soups and stews as a thickener. You could even vacuum-seal individual biscuits for long-term storage as a fallback carbohydrate source.
Trench Stew

In World War 2, “Trench Stew” was a blanket term soldiers used for improvised soups made from whatever rations they had. Bully beef, hardtack, canned vegetables, and dried beans were the most common ingredients. The best trench cooks would spin the stew with special twists that punched up the comfort food value.
Ingredients

• 1 can bully beef or SPAM
• 1 can mixed vegetables (or dehydrated vegetables rehydrated in water)
• 1–2 crumbled pieces of hardtack
• Canned or dried beans (Cooked)

How to make it

If you’re working with dried beans, you need to soak and cook them before using them. Canned corned beef and SPAM were common in WW2, but any potted meat, including canned Vienna sausages, is fair game.
Sear the meat in a pan first and then deglaze with water, tomato juice or milk. Scrape the bits from the bottom of the pan to create a sauce.
Then add any vegetables or softened beans and cook them together in a pot with water until heated through.
You can use hardtack like crackers, or you can grind it up into a powder to stir in as a thickener.
Bully Beef Breakfast Hash

Bully beef was the name soldiers gave to canned corned beef imported from South America. It was widely issued to British and American soldiers in WW2, which trench cooks used as a base for many improvised recipes, like breakfast hash. It was the sort of thing that became increasingly popular when soldiers liberated farmlands, giving them access to fresh eggs and root vegetables. Read more here…
Ingredients

• 1 can of corned beef
• 1 potato
• 1 onion
• 2-3 fresh eggs

How to make it

1. Open the can, slice or mash the beef, and fry it in a pan with finely chopped root vegetables.
2. Fry the eggs separately and put them on top of the fried bully beef patty.

In the winter, World War 2 soldiers often mixed it with biscuits or potatoes to to turn their limited rations into a heartier, more palatable meal during the cold months.
Oatmeal Gruel

During WW2, recipes with oats were cheap, filling, and easy to transport. Gruel was essentially a thin porridge that soldiers ate when other rations were low. It wasn’t glamorous, but it provided carbs and warmth. The best trench cooks had an eye for ways to add some variety and comfort food bits, as the oatmeal equivalent of adding banana slices to oatmeal. Read more here…
Ingredients

• ½ cup oats
• 1–2 cups water
• Pinch of salt

How to make it

Cook oats in water until thin and soupy. Add powdered milk or sugar if available. For more flavor, you can also add other ingredients, such as:

• Raisins – When available, raisins were a perfect addition to oatmeal, and often partially rehydrated when added to the pot early in the cooking process.
• Chunks of Dark Chocolate – GIs often had chocolate in their rations that could be cut into small chunks and put into the trench.
• Sugar or Molasses – If available, soldiers would sweeten their oatmeal with rationed sugar packets or molasses, which sometimes came in tins.
• Canned Fruit – Prunes, apples, or other canned fruits were highly prized to make oatmeal taste better and add vitamins.
• Butter or Lard – Fat was valuable for energy, so a spoonful of butter, margarine, or even lard could end up in the mix.
• Jam or Preserves – Jam was part of British rations in particular, and many soldiers stirred it into porridge for flavor.

SPAM and Rice

SPAM was an icon of WW2 in the Pacific, where fresh meat was scarce. Its long shelf life, portability, and versatility made it a soldier’s best friend. It was added into many recipes, but today throughout Hawaii, the Philippines, and other Pacific cultures, SPAM and rice is still popular.



Ingredients

• 1 cup long-grain rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 can SPAM (cubed or sliced)
• 1 onion, chopped (optional, or use any available vegetables)
• Scallions, chopped (optional)
• 2–3 eggs (powdered or fresh, prepared scrambled)
• Salt or soy sauce (for seasoning)

How to make it

1. Prepare sticky rice by simmering 1 cup of long-grain rice with 3 cups of water until the rice is soft.
2. Cut the SPAM into cubes and slices and fry them in a pan with onions, scallions or whatever vegetables are available.
3. Fry powdered or fresh scrambled eggs separately.
4. Stir the vegetables and fried SPAM into the rice, separating the grains with a fork.
5. Scatter the eggs over the top.
6. Season with salt or soy sauce.

Chocolate Ration Bars

In WW2, chocolate wasn’t just a treat. It also served as a practical way to boost a soldier’s daily calorie intake. They were also a great bartering item. Soldiers carried Hershey’s D-Ration bars, designed to withstand high heat and provide quick energy.
Some creative trench cooks would tweak D-ration chocolate into all kinds of portable dessert creations. One of the most loved ones was to make their own chocolate pucks, like the forerunners to modern candy bars.
Ingredients

• 1-2 pure chocolate bars
• 1 cup cocoa powder
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup coconut oil or lard (solid at room temp)
• Peanuts (Optional)

How to make it

1. Warm a metal cup over a small fire, lightly greasing it before melting chocolate into the cup and stirring in sugar with cocoa powder.
2. Pour the mixture into molds and let it harden.

In the winter, the bars or chocolate pucks would harden quickly. They were a perfect accompaniment to instant coffee.
All of these recipes fit perfectly into a 90-day survival meal plan. If you’d like to explore more, you can click here to access over 40 tested recipes that can simplify your long-term food prepping.



Final Thoughts

The trench cooks of WWII weren’t gourmet chefs sprucing things up for their foodie TV show, they were survivalists making do with what they had. The dishes they created prioritized shelf life and calories above all else.
Practicing recipes like these, or coming up with your own helps keep your own culinary skills razor sharp. So when SHTF, and you’re forced to make do with what you have, while battling the pangs of food fatigue, you’ll be ready, willing, and able to create foods that fill bellies and boost morale.

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A Special Message for You

Merry Christmas, dear reader!
As this year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to say thank you. Thank you for being with us, for reading Ask a Prepper, and for trusting us to be part of your prepping journey. Without you, this website simply wouldn’t exist. Every visit, every article you read, and every moment you spend here is what makes all of this possible.
Your engagement is what keeps this prepping community alive and thriving. It’s proof that people still care about self-reliance, responsibility, and looking out for their families and communities. We’re grateful to walk this path with you.
From all of us at Ask a Prepper, we wish you a safe, peaceful, and blessed Christmas. Stay prepared, stay strong, and enjoy the holidays with the people who matter most.

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The WW2 Secret Recipes that Will Help You in a Crisis - Ask a Prepper

Winter survival: Essential strategies for a safe long-distance bug-out

12/26/2025 // Evangelyn Rodriguez // 40 Views

Tags: bug out, Gear, how-to, off grid, preparedness, prepper, prepping, SHTF, survival, survival gear, survivalist, tips, winter, winter survival

• Remote wilderness, rural shelters or urban routes require different gear and preparation.
• Carry multiple ignition tools, chainsaws for dry wood and subzero-rated sleeping bags or insulated shelters.
• Layer wool or synthetic clothing, pack spare socks and gloves, and keep antifreeze and tire chains in vehicles.
• Follow the half-tank rule, carry jerry cans and preload offline GPS maps with paper backups.
• Use ham radios, GMRS/FRS devices and satellite messengers when cell networks collapse.

When disaster strikes in winter, the unprepared quickly find themselves fighting not just the crisis but the brutal cold. Unlike fair-weather evacuations, winter bug-outs demand meticulous planning—from layered clothing to alternate routes—because failure to adapt can turn survival into a struggle for life. Whether fleeing civil unrest, natural disasters or economic collapse, those who prepare now will have the upper hand when seconds count.
Mapping the escape: Destination matters

Before loading supplies, preppers must ask: Where am I going? A remote wilderness retreat differs vastly from a rural community shelter. Snow-packed roads, isolation and extreme temperatures dictate gear selection. A well-stocked cabin with a wood stove requires less firewood than a tent in subzero conditions. Likewise, urban evacuations may mean navigating blocked highways or hostile checkpoints. Preppers should study terrain maps, noting secondary routes like forest service roads in case primary paths become impassable.
Fire and shelter: The lifelines of winter survival

Fire is non-negotiable in freezing conditions. But wet wood or buried kindling can spell disaster. A chainsaw or folding saw ensures access to dry timber, while multiple ignition methods (e.g., ferro rods, stormproof lighters, waterproof matches) prevent failure. Shelter options vary: A reinforced tent with a propane heater offers warmth, while improvised snow caves provide insulation if stranded. Sleeping bags rated for temperatures below forecasted lows are critical—military-grade systems or layered bags with waterproof shells retain heat even in single-digit weather.
Weather wisdom: Dress for the worst

Modern weather apps provide forecasts, but winter storms shift rapidly. Dressing in wool or synthetic layers—never cotton—prevents hypothermia if forced to walk. Spare socks, gloves and insulated boots are essential as frostbite sets in quickly. Sunglasses combat snow blindness, while a balaclava shields exposed skin from windburn. Preppers should also keep a winter emergency kit in their vehicle that includes antifreeze, tire chains and a recovery tow rope in case of snowbound roads.
According to BrightU.AI's Enoch engine, a reliable winter emergency kit must also include three 20-hour warm packs, six all-natural food bars, six leak-proof water pouches, an emergency blanket, a full first aid kit, waste disposal bags, tissues, lightsticks and a whistle. These items ensure survival during prolonged cold and isolation and allows you to avoid reliance on corrupt government or corporate-controlled supplies.
Fuel and navigation: Avoiding deadly delays

Gas stations may be closed or looted during crises. Maintaining a half-tank rule ensures mobility, while jerry cans extend range. GPS devices like Gaia Maps—preloaded with offline maps—prevent disorientation if cell towers fail. Paper maps serve as backups when electronics die. Alternate routes must be planned in advance; a single blocked bridge or avalanche-prone pass could trap unprepared travelers.
Communication: Staying connected when it counts

Cell networks collapse in emergencies, making radios indispensable. Ham radio offers long-range communication, while General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) or Family Radio Service (FRS) radios keep groups connected over short distances. Preppers should test equipment beforehand—batteries drain faster in cold weather. Emergency beacons or satellite messengers provide last-resort signaling if stranded.
Winter bug-outs amplify every risk. Clothing, fuel, navigation and communication must be redundant because one failure can cascade into catastrophe. Unlike summer evacuations, the winter cold tolerates no mistakes. Those who prepare now—with layered gear, tested routes and backup plans—will endure when others falter. In survival, foresight is the ultimate advantage.
Whether fleeing disaster or seeking self-reliance, winter readiness isn't optional—it's the difference between life and death. The time to plan is now, before the storm arrives.
Watch this video for more winter survival tips.

This video is from the Daily Videos channel on Brighteon.com.
Sources include:
PreppersWill.com
BrightU.ai
Brighteon.com

Winter survival: Essential strategies for a safe long-distance bug-out – NaturalNews.com