Spicing up Your Post-Apocalyptic Menu

When you’re stocking up your post-apocalyptic pantry, gourmet taste probably isn’t the first thing on your mind. After a couple of months of MREs and non-perishable snacks, though, you may find yourself wishing that you had something to add a little bit more flavor to your meals. Growing and preparing spices isn’t tricky, and it can make a world of difference when it comes to the bland and the downright unpalatable. Some spices can even make your dishes healthier. Here are a couple of ways that you can continue to enjoy eating, even after the collapse of society.

Stock up on Spices

Powdered spices can last for years when stored properly, so it’s a good idea to stock up now on the essentials. This will give you plenty of time to establish your own garden of herbs, spices, peppers, and other flavorings. You should also learn how to dry and powder your own produce to make it last longer.

Not only do dried spices add flavor to your meals, but they can also make a good addition to your medical arsenal. Taking cinnamon as an example, it has anti-clotting properties, while ginger can help to prevent cold and flu symptoms. It’s a good idea to brush up on common medicinal herbs and their uses when considering what to grow or stockpile.

Grow Cold-Hardy Herbs

While some herbs need to be replanted each spring, others can withstand the cold. This makes it easier to maintain a healthy herb garden year after year without having to worry about transporting plants indoors. Some common cold-hardy herbs include mint, thyme, chives, oregano, sage, parsley, and lemon balm. If you have a feline companion to keep to rodents away from your grain stores, you can also grow catnip as a fun treat.

Make Flavorings from Bugs

While some may balk at the idea, eating bugs has actually been proposed as a healthy and eco-friendly alternative to meats, offering plenty of protein, good fats, iron, and calcium. In a post-apocalyptic world, it would be much easier to farm or hunt for a big population than for larger animals. In addition to being healthy, some bugs also have unique flavors that can help to add complexity to dishes. . Crickets have a subtle nutty flavor, while grasshoppers taste slightly of peanut. Stink bugs, while unappealing, can add apple flavoring when used in cooking. Many larvae also have unique characteristics–bee larvae are said to taste like chanterelle mushrooms and bacon.

When you’re stockpiling food for the worst, it’s important not to neglect taste. A supply of fresh and powdered herbs can turn an otherwise bland dish into an enjoyable experience and add a dash or normalcy to your post-apocalyptic lifestyle. You can also get creative and create flavors out of other natural materials such as insects.