There are some practical reasons to consider adding some junk food to your emergency supplies, including bug-out-bags or survival kits. While it’s important to avoid sacrificing healthy foods to make room for tasty snacks, having some snacks on hand can make life easier to contend with during a survival situation. Let’s take a closer look at how junk food can save the day when life gets tough.
Fire Starters
The most practical reason to justify having some bags of chips on hand is that they can be used to start fires. Chances are that many of you already know this trick, but it’s definitely worth mentioning here. Doritos, potato or corn chips contain a lot of oil, and the compressed ingredients in the chips create a slow-burning fuse. Light the edge of a chip, and it will most-likely burn for at least 30 seconds. You can place it underneath moist tinder, use it to light candles, and chances are that you can think of a few more ways to put this trick to work for you as well.
Comfort Food
Being in any prolonged survival situation is stressful, and you will have few options at your disposal to cope when that time comes. Eating junk food is one of the easiest ways to give yourself a nice sugar or dopamine boost, and this can go a long way to lift moods, calm nerves and give the body a few brief minutes of comfort. You’ll be surprised at how powerful a sweet snack can be, but the trick is to use this option sparingly so that it doesn’t become a detrimental crutch.
Calorie Boost
A lot of junk food products get a bad rap because they contain fat, sugar and empty calories. However, calories are calories, and they provide us with energy no matter where we get them from. Yes, there is a difference between low and high-energy calories, but this is really a moot point if they are going to be burned off right away. Consider having a candy bar, some chips or another junk food favorite the next time you’re engaged in a lot of physical exertion. While these items won’t give you a sustained energy boost, you should feel the effects for at least an hour.
Rewards for Success
Reaching goals and persevering during a crisis is not easy under normal circumstances, let alone during a survival situation. Some will argue that accomplishing things that increase our chances of coming out of a crisis unscathed is incentive enough, and they’re right. However, a lot of us can also benefit from being able to eat or drink something as a way to celebrate when those rare moments come along.
While we’ve been conditioned to think that we need to learn to do without these items, the reality is that they can be helpful under the right circumstances. Take some time to think about how some junk food can improve your quality of life during a crisis, and don’t be afraid to add some of your favorite snacks to your emergency supplies today.
