In the aftermath of a power outage, it's crucial to have a well-stocked supply of survival food on hand. Check out this list to see which foods don't require cooking.
8 Survival Foods That Will Save You in a Power Outage
Power outages are unpredictable – they could last an hour, a day, or even a week. Make sure you're prepared with a fully stocked pantry of foods with a long shelf-life.
We recommend sticking to foods that don't require heat or cooking, and keeping your food in an air-tight container to ensure it lasts as long as possible. Check out the list below to see which survival foods made the cut.
1. Canned Vegetables & Fruit
Pros: Convenient and full of essential vitamins – plus it actually tastes good. (Check out this survival hack for how to open a can without a can opener.)
Shelf life: 1-2 years beyond the date stamped on the can.
2. Canned Meats

Pros: Excellent source of protein, plus there are tons of options available.
Shelf life: 2-5 years.
3. Peanut Butter

Pros: Peanut butter is tasty and is great source of protein. (Tip: steer clear of the all-natural varieties, since those have a shorter shelf life.)
Shelf life: 2-5 years.
4. Raw Honey
Pros: Raw honey stored in a sealed container can remain stable for decades and even centuries.
Shelf life: Indefinite (raw honey), 2 years (commercial honey).
5. Mixed Nuts

Pros: A bag of mixed nuts is lightweight and long-lasting, plus the nuts are packed with protein and healthy fats.
Shelf Life: 1 month (pantry), 4-6 months (fridge), 9-12 months (freezer).
6. Instant Oatmeal
Pros: Often called the ultimate survival food, oatmeal is a great breakfast solution. It's lightweight and easy to carry – plus its packaging is flammable and can be used to start a fire if needed.
Shelf life: 6-9 months (flavored instant), 2-3 years (steel cut)
7. Ramen Noodles

Pros: Packaged ramen noodles have an extremely long shelf life – just add hot water to make an instant meal.
Shelf life: 10+ years.
8. Dehydrated Food

Pros: High in protein; easy to eat. You can even make your own beef jerky if you'd prefer.
Shelf life: 1-2 years.
Check out the video below to see how it’s done – and be sure to leave your own urban survival tips in the comments.
For awesome survival gear you can't make at home, check out the Survival Life Store!

Want more survival food ideas? Check out the posts below!
- 9 Survival Foods You Should NOT Store Long Term
- How to Repackage Survival Foods
- Shelf Life of the Most Common Survival Foods
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The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.
Editor’s Note – This post was originally published on October 3, 2016, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
These foods are GREAT for a power outage or SHTF scenario.
Uh, son, it’s too early to be smoking that stuff on a Saturday morning.
TO: Dreamer of the world: If your problem in a SHTF scenario is getting a fire going–and you don’t know how–or you don’t have the ability to boil water–you will not survive. These foods are great for almost any circumstance, having been without power once for over 2 weeks (trapped behind a log over my driveway after a sleet storm to boot)–I know firsthand. I’m 71 years old, and female. If I can do this, you can…the question is: Will you?
Well said. I’m 64 a long term prepped.
100% wrong about the peanut butter.
You DO want the “all natural”, 100% peanut peanut butter.
The reason is that the other varieties usually contain vegetable oils other than peanut, which go rancid.
Peanut oil, though, lasts a very long time without going rancid. Much longer than those other oils. PLUS — and this is a big plus — when it does go rancid, it is still edible and it does not even change the flavor much.
You want the 100% peanut variety. With salt is fine if you like or want the salt. But avoid the brands that are NOT “all natural”.
I learned this from a professional food preservation expert.
Another trick: replace the fat in your pemmican with peanut butter. Not only does that add more protein, you don’t have to scrape a rancid layer off your pemmican before eating it.