I’m an enneagram type 6, which basically means I’m a natural worrier. If you look it up, often the first thing noted about type sixes is we “anticipate life’s dangers.” I’m frequently thinking about what can go wrong in any situation, what I can do to minimize the likelihood of those things happening, and how I’ll respond should they happen. While there are definitely some down sides to constantly thinking about the worst case scenario, there are also many positive things to come from this trait. One being I’m usually very prepared when things do go wrong. Enter the “Bug Out Bag.”
Recently, I’ve felt like I need to update our family’s Bug Out Bags (also known as emergency kits, 72-hour kits, or “Grab and Go Bags”). A 72-hour kit is a small collection of things you would need in an emergency. These supplies can come in handy if you’re unable to function normally because of a disaster. You may not be able to reach a grocery store to buy food or they may be cleared out (as we’ve seen first-hand recently). It’s widely suggested you rotate the food, water, and clothing in the bags every 6 months. Ours were well over due.
My Thought Process
In re-building our bags, I used my enneagram type 6 “super powers” to really narrow down what we needed. After lots of thought, these were my priorities:
1. Keep the Cost Low
The cost of food adds up quickly! Purchasing enough for three days on top of your regular groceries can seem daunting, especially for large families like mine. I tried to keep our food down to $10 per person per day. At first I met this goal, but then I found the Go-Go Squeeze Pudding pouches at Costco and just had to add them. In the end, I averaged $10.54 per person per day. I’m counting that as a success!
A few items would have been cheaper had I bought them in single flavors, but I wanted variations so we wouldn’t get bored of the same thing day after day after day. For me, it was worth it to spend the little extra money in exchange for variety. Additionally, I included snacks in order to reach my calorie goal. If you want to keep your kit to just three meals a day, that would save another $2-$3 per person per day. Making kits with other families would also mitigate cost since you would all be going in on the bulk items. I didn’t do this since I was using the extras for school lunches anyway. With all these changes, you could easily keep the cost much lower than I did.
2. Keep the Calories and Protein High
In many disaster situations you’ll bunker down in your home. While these bags might come in handy if you’re stuck for a really long time, they’re truly meant for when you have to leave. It’s entirely possible in such situations you’d have to travel by foot, meaning you’re expending a lot of calories. You’ll need high-energy, high-protein foods. Many ready made kits only give you 600-1,000 calories per day. I don’t need my kids (or husband… or myself) getting hangry on top of everything else. My goal was to pack 2,000 calorie days. Adults need 52-64 grams of protein per day normally. My goal was at least 70 grams.
I exceeded both goals with the average being 2,615 calories and 81 grams of protein per day. With my calorie count being so high, I could drop a few items to cut both cost and weight, but I chose to keep everything to give us more options and to potentially have food for more than three days since I had the space.
3. Something We’d Enjoy Eating
This was important to me for multiple reasons. First, you’re more likely to eat something you enjoy. This is especially true for kids. Most adults will eat whatever is available in an emergency, but I wasn’t confident my kids would. Again, not a fight I want when we’re already stressed. I went with yummy, kid-friendly foods. Second, remember how you’re supposed to rotate your food every six months? That’s going to be a lot more challenging if you’re not looking forward to eating what comes out of the bag. I don’t want to toss what’s in there, I want it to use it! I needed stuff we’d be happy to eat even with a full pantry available. Third, since I was doing this alone rather than with a group, I ended up with more food than we needed. Being able to send extras for school lunches was a major bonus.
It was a little tricky for me to accomplish this goal because of various dietary restrictions in our family. My husband is lactose intolerant and my oldest and I are vegetarian. I had to get a little crafty in personalizing the meals and do a bit more research to make sure the food fit my other requirements, but luckily it wasn’t too bad. This is one reason I like different colored backpacks for each family member. It makes it easier to know you have the right food and clothes. You don’t want to end up accidentally separated from your family only to find you have a bag full of food that will make your stomach hurt and clothes that are in the wrong size.
4. Ready to Eat
When emptying our outdated bags, I realized much of it would have required heat and/or water. That’s not really conducive to emergent situations. While we have a small camping stove in our “Bug out Box,” it’s not something we’d take with us if we had to leave on foot. Additionally, any water we have would need to be for drinking, not cooking. So this time I wanted foods we could eat without heat or water. On top of that, I wanted food that was EASY. There are many good days where I just don’t feel like making a meal; I can’t even imagine wanting to do so in an emergency. Having the ability to open a package and start eating sounds much more manageable.
5. Easy to Carry
This one seems pretty obvious, but you’d be surprised how easy it is to build a backpack that’s just too heavy. When emptying our outdated bug out bags, I realized there was no way my kids could carry theirs for long (or at all). Three days worth of food is heavy! And things like cans and can openers add more weight than you think. Because of this, I avoided using cans at all. The bags are definitely still heavy, but they ended up a good 5 lbs lighter than before. The kids will probably still need help carrying them if we’re walking all day, especially that first day when they’re full, but the older girls were easily able to heft them and declared them lighter than their school backpacks. In full disclosure, I’m not sure if that declaration is actually true, but they’re definitely more manageable than our last bags.
6. Survival
If you’re truly needing to “bug out,” you’ll want more than just food. You’ll also need water, light, warmth, and protection. While there is water in the food bags, it’s really limited due to weight and space. Because of this, I included hydration bladders to collect water as needed and Lifestraws so you can drink from anywhere. Flashlights seem like a given, but make sure they actually fit in the front pocket. Even if you own a tent and sleeping bags, you’re not going to want to carry them if you’re walking long distances. I found emergency sleeping bags that are compact, lightweight, and will keep you dry and warm. Fire starters are included in the adult backpacks. I liked that they are combined with a compass and whistle, unlike matches. All other tools listed seem self-explanatory, but if you want more information on anything definitely leave a comment.
I wanted to make sure each person had the ability to care for their needs even if we were separated. This meant most items went in every backpack, even if it seemed like overkill when all together. We’re probably not going to need seven first aid kits, but if someone ends up on their own, they need to have the basics. The only time I didn’t include something in every bag was when the kids just wouldn’t know how to use a tool. I noted in the list below when something was only in some of the bags.
Bug Out Bag Contents
First off, you need to start with a good bag. I really liked these Everest Basic Backpacks because they have a large main pocket, giving me room for all three days of food, a change of clothes, and a basic hygiene kit. The front pocket is also a really great size for all the other supplies we needed. On top of that, it comes in many different colors, meaning everyone could have something different making it easy to identify your bag.
I packed food for each day in a gallon size freezer ZipLock bag. The Freezer bags work well because they’re sturdier and less likely to tear. I also printed out “meal plans” and taped them to the front of each bag (after I took the pictures, sorry!) so everyone knew what the general plan was for each day. Obviously people can change things up as needed, but it’s nice to know what everything was intended for.
Day 1
Breakfast: Chocolate Milk, Apple Sauce, Blueberry Quaker Baked Square, Annie’s Graham Cracker Bunnies
Lunch: Capri Sun, Jif Peanut Butter, Animal Crackers, Fruit Leather
Dinner: Water Bottle, Ritz Crackers (2), Tuna Creations or Maya Kaimal Indian, Fig Newtons, Pudding
Snacks: Fruit Snacks (2), Hi-Chew (6), Jack Link, Roasted Edamame, Trail Mix, Fruit Leather
Day 2
Breakfast: Chocolate Milk, Apple Sauce, Apple Quaker Baked Square, Annie’s Graham Cracker Bunnies
Lunch: Capri Sun, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies, Trail Mix
Dinner: Water Bottle, Ritz Crackers (2), Tuna Creations or Maya Kaimal Indian, Fig Newtons, Pudding
Snacks: Fruit Snacks (2), Hi-Chew (6), Jack Link, Roasted Edamame, Fruit Leather (2)
Day 3
Breakfast: Chocolate Milk, Apple Sauce, Strawberry Quaker Baked Square, Fruit Leather (2)
Lunch: Capri Sun, Jif Peanut Butter, Animal Crackers
Dinner: Water Bottle, Ritz Crackers (2), Tuna Creations or Maya Kaimal Indian, Fig Newtons, Pudding
Snacks: Fruit Snacks (2), Hi-Chew (6), Roasted Edamame, Trail Mix, Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
Note: If you’re not a fish fan but you like the idea of the Tuna Creations pouches, there is also a chicken variety pack. It didn’t have quite as many flavor options as the tuna and the reviews weren’t quite as good, which is ultimately why we opted for the tuna. However, it’s definitely a solid option if fish just isn’t your thing.
Supplies
Bug Out Bag Hygiene
All contents fit in a quart sized ziplock bag. Many of the travel sized items can be found at your local grocery store for a good price and individually wrapped/boxed (which is a major bonus). Additionally, I found most stores had kits for men and women that came with many of the items below.
Travel Toothbrush
Travel Toothpaste (note: I suggest buying boxed individuals)
Mini Floss
Tissues
Hand Sanitizer
Bar Soap (note: I suggest buying wrapped individuals. I used soaps I’ve saved from hotels.)
Mini Shampoo
Mini Conditioner
Travel Deodorant (only for those who use it)
Razor (only for those who use them)
Body Powder (only for those who use it. If you’re walking, you’re going to get sweaty in all those crevices and a rash does not sound fun to deal with.)
Bug Out Bag Tools/Other
Change of clothes (rolled in a gallon sized freezer ZipLock bag)
Flashlight
Batteries (as many as your flashlight needs in a snack sized ZipLock bag)
Emergency Sleeping Bag
Basic First-Aid Kit
After Bite Pen
PPE Travel Kit (3)
Lifestraw (in a quart sized SipLock bag)
Hydration Bladder
Utensils
N-95 Masks (3)(Only those who fit them, teens and adults)
Multi-Use Knife (Adults only)
Fire starter/Whistle/Compass (Adults only)
Whistles (Kids only since adults have them in the combo)
Basic Fishing Kit (Only for those who know how to fish)
Building the Bug Out Bags
Once I had all my supplies, putting the bug out bags together took me much longer than I anticipated. Most of this was because of trial and error in getting everything to fit, so I thought I’d save you the hassle by telling you how I did it in the end.
First, I started with the food. It helped putting all the drinks in the bags, then the food in pouches, and then filling the space with everything else. Gently press your bag into “standing position” every so often so you know everything is as compact as can be, then push out any extra air as you zip it closed. Start with day three so you can put it in the backpack immediately and so you’ll have day one on top ready to grab. Another thing I found helpful was to alternate which corner the water bottle was in. This made stacking the bags in the backpack much easier. Lastly, I found that laying the bags on their sides, zipper towards the side of the backpack, was the most comfortable with the backpack on. It minimized the number of edges digging into our backs.
Once you have all three days worth of food packed in the backpack, day three on the bottom and day one on top, slide the three PPE kits and Lifestraw on one side (for me it was along the bottom of the food bags) and the hydration bladder along the other side (for me it was along the top of the food bags). Place your gallon bag of clothes, all air removed, (for this I zipped the bag up as much as possible around a plastic straw, sucked the air out, tightly pinched the straw closed where it met the zipper, pulled the straw out, and then finished zipping), hygiene bag, and N95 masks on top. This completes everything in your main pocket.
Lastly, fill your front pocket with the rest of the supplies. Place the sleeping bag in one corner with the flashlight, light side up, next to it. Set the batteries on top of the sleeping bag so they are easy to find and so the flashlight keeps them from sliding off. The first aid kit fits really well standing up along the back of the pocket and the fire starter/whistle/compass fits along the front side. I kept it in the plastic bag with the directions. Everything else should fit between the first aid kit and fire starter fairly nicely. You may have to push and tug a little, but even my husband’s pocket (which was the most full since he also had the fishing kit) was able to zip easily. Voila! You now have a ready-to-go bug out bag!
Spread the Word
It’s been a crazy year-and-a-half since the Covid-19 pandemic started and we’ve all seen how quickly things can go down hill. We’ve seen national shut downs, toilet paper shortages, excessive heat and cold wiping out electric grids, and many other disasters. If we’ve learned anything, it’s to expect the unexpected. If you know a friend, family member, or group who could benefit from this, pass it on! Share it on Facebook or pin it to Pinterest.
It will save them a LOT of time (and hopefully money) while helping them create truly valuable bug out bags for their families! If you make these, please tell me about your experience in the comments. Thanks!
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