20+ Best Bunker Food [Updated]
Share this article:
TopNotch Outdoor is independent – we research, test, and rate the top products to help you make the right buying choice. We sometimes use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on your purchase. Learn more…
Best Bunker Food:
They say that having a survival bunker, an underground bunker, or a pantry is like an insurance policy.
It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
This has been the case when the COVID-19 caused grocery stores to have limited supplies of tissue, rubbing alcohol, canned foods, and other food items.
A lot of people struggle to procure food – maybe you’re one of them or you’re locked and loaded.
But, think about it…
Certain phenomena in the world happen when we least expect it – so having longer shelf life food in your possession will help you and your family survive any apocalypse.
Even before the storm strikes, make sure you’re equipped with essential things.
So, here’s a list of food that you could store in your underground bunker or pantry to survive.
Ready?
Let’s lock and load.
Bottled Water
Bottled water is a no-brainer when it comes to survival prepping lists, and it’s your first priority essential for your survival underground bunker.
Make use of clean and empty juice containers to store water as stock. It’ll be of help when the water supply is cut off.
If there’s enough space in your underground bunker or backyard – you could install rain barrels connected to a downspout. This way, washing hands or bathing will not be a dilemma.
Also,
Ensure that you have a water filter system available just in case. If none, you can always do a makeshift filter system, especially if you find yourself in an area where water is scarce.
Other than that – don’t forget to store water because this will make a difference in survival.
Hard Liquor
Just because an apocalypse struck doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy booze of strong stuff.
Unopened hard liquor won’t expire as long as it’s sealed and stored correctly. Any sort of distilled alcohol like whiskey, vodka, gin, tequila, and rum will remain drinkable if unopened. The flavor might diminish in quality, but it’ll evaporate before it ever goes bad.
While…
Cream liqueur and beer last for two years unopened but should be refrigerated after opening to prevent spoilage.
Also, in movies, it’s used as a disinfectant if there are no available medical supplies.
Anyhow, you can return to your bunker to enjoy a drink after a long day of researching the cause of a virus outbreak.
Coffee
Just the smell of instant coffee will do an amazing kick-off to your day and also last for a long time. So, stock a pack of coffee in your underground bunker or pantry.
If you’re worried that your coffee has gone bad – look out for mold in your container; it’s sealed in, but it takes a lot for coffee to grow mold.
Just make sure that if you transfer a pack of instant coffee to a container – it’s properly sealed and stored.
Pemmican
If you’re looking for food that lasts for a long time…
Pemmican or simply called dehydrated meat, is the way to go. It’s considered as one of the most captivated preppers from the historic master of subsistence living of the indigenous people of North America.
This dehydrated concentrated mixture of ground meat and rendered fat claimed to last up to 50 years if properly stored.
No wonder it’s often called the ultimate survival food.
Jerky
Another example of dried meat is beef jerky, which is cured, salted with hot pepper, and properly sealed.
It’s delicious and full of protein that can last for over two years even without refrigeration. It often applies to store-bought jerky because homemade kind tends to last only a few months.
Moreover,
Since it’s so dry, it’s hard for bacteria to thrive without any moisture. Usually, what breaks down first are fats, and thus, a lean cut of jerky can last even longer.
Some companies put “refrigerate after opening” on the pack found on products that don’t use as many preservatives.
If there are more preservatives, you’re still safe to eat them within a week or as long as you keep them in airtight food storage or container.
Additionally,
Since most jerky is dried and vacuum packed, it can last even longer than the expiration dates as long as the seal isn’t damaged.
Hardtack
Hardtack is small biscuits known by more names such as brewis, sea bread, ship biscuits, cabin bread, and more. But the list of ingredients are simple – flour, water, and salt.
Intentionally…
It’s designed to be as hard and dry as possible to extend shelf life even for decades.
Hardtack is usually dunked on in your coffee or spread with peanut butter or honey to make it palatable when it lacks in flavor.
Honey
Pooh Bear can’t get enough of this gem because honey is delicious all by itself but an ultimate add-on to a variety of food.
It certainly will make the hardtack and pemmican more palatable and flavorful.
The unique makeup of this sweet sticky substance makes it so even when found in pots for thousands of years and remains unspoiled.
A regular spoonful of the stuff has countless reported health benefits and shelf life perspectives.
So,
People have been using honey not just for food but also for medicinal purposes, hair, you name it, and there’s a chance that someone has used honey for it.
Why doesn’t honey expire?
It’s hygroscopic, which means that it doesn’t contain water in its natural state, but do suck up all the water in its environment. Thus, the very low moisture content of this sweet and viscous gem makes it hard for any molds to survive.
As long as honey is stored properly in a cool, dry place room and well sealed. Then again, you have nothing to worry about.
Ghee/Clarified Butter
If honey is delicious by itself – I bet you’ll agree that everything with butter is good, right?
As the song goes – Smooth like butter like a criminal undercover.
If you envision yourself…
…to be craving butter in a post-apocalypse doomsday scenario. Then, we suggest stocking up on ghee – why?
A variety of clarified butter traditional to India is known for instability and long shelf life. For these good reasons, it’s the go-to butter alternative of choice on survivalist forms.
Here’s another thing,
Even unrefrigerated, this super buttery fat tastes great for many years as long as you can prevent it from spoilage.
Peanut Butter
Now, this gooey, salty, smooth, and crunchy at times peanut butter. Like ghee, it lasts for a long time, even unrefrigerated.
As you know,
Peanut butter is a spread made up of ground roasted peanuts. When peanuts are ground, they release oils which creates the pasty consistency. So it’s expected that peanut butter contains high-fat levels and Vitamin E.
It’s a portion of healthy food to stock in any bunker or pantry to survive a day or more. Also, being high in protein to keep you full makes it great.
Based on scientific studies,
Peanut consumption reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and offers cardioprotective effects. Thus, peanuts decreased the risk for mortality when peanuts were included as an integral part of the diet.
But, even if you want to leave forever, eat moderate amounts.
One thing is for sure,
A jar will take you far to survive any disaster when stored in a cool and dry place to prevent spoilage. Always check the expiration date of the bottle as well.
Dried Food
Speaking of cravings,
Like dreaming about an exquisite meal at a traditional Italian restaurant with fresh pasta, but. But, you’re living in an underground bunker or scavenging in a post-apocalyptic zombie-infested world where Italian fine dining establishments serve few and far.
The dry stuff will save you!
Even in your home, you’re likely to find eating a sealed package of pasta a year or two beyond the expiration date.
However,
According to survivalists, properly stored pasta and kept in a cool, dry place could be consumed up to 20 years after purchase.
Hard Cheese in Wax
What’s another good thing to add to pasta?
Yes – Cheese!
What’s the point of living in a world without cheese?
Wax will surely be needed as a primary post-apocalyptic source of light, but it’ll also aid in keeping hard cheese long enough.
The truth is,
Most cheeses go bad quickly, but hard cheeses covered properly with wax can stand for many years, even decades.
Powdered Milk
Powdered milk is a great source of vitamin D and an alternative for dairy products.
Since fresh milk happens to spoil easily after opening – dried milk is the next big thing to have during unexpected phenomena.
They say that the flavor of powdered milk will diminish over time.
But, if properly stored, some brands will last decades, true by which point we’re betting your taste in milk will not be that discerning.
Rice
Suppose the news breaks out that the end is about to happen – you should head straight to a grocery store near you and load up on supplies.
Rice is a true staple food in most countries.
If you’re the white rice-loving type of individual, then…
…you must head straight for rice in stores when an indefinite emergency situation arises.
Grains stored correctly will last for up to 30 years. But, unlike white rice, brown and wild rice varieties don’t last for long.
Dried Beans
Since you’re stocking up on rice,
Load up some dried beans because it’s a great addition to any underground bunker or survival pantry as a source of carbohydrates, protein, and dietary fiber, making a fulfilling meal.
In post-apocalyptic movies, canned goods might be the go-to thing, but dried food is the way to go if you’re actually looking for shelf life.
Dried beans are high in protein, but since it takes so much time to cook – most people opt for canned goods.
When kept free from moisture, Pinto beans will last just as long as the white rice – an impressive 30 years.
Additionally,
Storage food-grade plastic buckets are recommended to keep dried beans floating in nuclear waste.
If you’re not a fan of dry beans – you can always opt for canned food.
Spices
Your cooking will never be the same without salt, sugar, chili, and other spices that never expire.
Salt doesn’t contain moisture to support microbial growth, making it a great deal of items in your survival bunker. This will come in handy as a preservative and flavor your food.
Moreover,
Sugar, for example, considered the evilest food in the world, will haunt you for the rest of your lives.
If you’re wondering why it doesn’t go bad…
Like in salt, the secret has everything to do with microorganisms. Sugar soaks up whatever moisture in the microorganisms, causing them to die. This could be why it’s always around and readily available.
However,
If placed in a humid environment, it’ll start to go bad. But, with proper storage, sugar will stay with you more than your lover.
Don’t mix this with brown sugar because the way it’s processed leaves it open for dryness and the opportunity to clump together.
White vinegar
What do you need vinegar for?
It can be used to pickle fruits and vegetables and clean meat before cooking. It’s pretty popular when you are making your sauce and marinade.
Think about it,
If vinegar is good for all these things, it makes sense to have longevity.
Canned Foods
Canned foods are a go-to in most post-apocalyptic and survival movies.
Whether it’s canned beans, canned meats, or any canned foods. Most people don’t believe that anything in a can, can be healthy and a great deal to stock in your survival bunker or pantry.
Once canned food is processed, it needs to be eaten at a certain time. If you can’t finish an opened canned food, think about putting it in the freezer, and you can get another year of eating it again.
Unopened cans of any kind of meat usually have a shelf life of 2 to 5 years after the best before or expiration date. As long as the can is in good condition – without rust, dents, or swelling – these conditions will affect the expiration date as contaminants could get in.
However,
Many claimed that it’s still edible even after that. According to survivalists, the only difference is that it’ll not be as tasty as you expect it to be.
But, dull meat over no meat? Guess trying will not harm us.
Bouillon Cubes
Right off the bat…
We can tell that if you even let the tip of your tongue touch bouillon cubes, you’ll know why they never expire.
These harmless-looking cubes contain a lot of salt that acts as a preservative, so there’s no chance that these cubes are going down without a fight.
They contain a best before the expiration date, which is normally two years after being produced – maximum capacity within those two years.
Suppose you decide to use them after the expiration dates instead of three tries using four. Either way, they’re good to go, and there’s no need to throw them away.
Keep in mind that,
These cubes are a seasoning – dried herbs and other stuff are used as a flavor enhancer for all foods.
We doubt that bouillon cubes last long in people’s pantries anyway, seeing as many people buy them when they need them.
Basically,
They can only go bad if something gets in them or mold begins to form. These little square cubes are good for making soups or any liquid-based dish, and it’s a great stock for your bunker food storage supplies.
Meal Ready-to-Eat (MRE)
In unexpected situations, it’s only natural to panic while trying to understand and calm yourself from whatever is happening.
That said, meals ready to eat or MRE are great to store. It’s not only self-contained but also a lightweight ration that could fill you up.
Also,
These meals last for 5 years at 24℃ room temperature. Suppose refrigerated could last up to 10 years. But, if stored at 49℃ could only last for a month. So, a freezer is really necessary to a bunker if space allows.
Fun Fact: The date on MRE is called the inspection date rather than the expiration date.
Vegetables
Also, consider storing vegetables that could last longer in your underground bunker. Potatoes, for example, are greatly consumed as mashed potatoes.
Root crops like carrots, potatoes, radishes, turnip, and so on last longer than leafy vegetables for as long as no or little introduction of bacteria and other microorganisms occurs.
Quick reminder: It’s necessary to stock all your foods above floor level. Make sure to have air ventilation in your bunker for the longevity and storage requirements of some items.
![Average RV Costs [With 27 Examples] 2024](https://topnotchoutdoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/RV-Cost-FI-768x432.jpg "Average RV Costs [With 27 Examples] [currentyear]")
![The Biggest Camping Tent You Can Buy [NEW RESEARCH] 2024](https://topnotchoutdoor.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/How-Big-a-Tent-FI-768x480.jpg "The Biggest Camping Tent You Can Buy <br>[NEW RESEARCH] [currentyear]")
