Frugal Prepping: This Survival Food is One of the Highest Sources of Protein

So, by now, Guys and Gals, there are many factions to prepping and they all have their time and place, as well as their use.  If a light bulb “comes on” when reading the material, then the mission is accomplished.  I have mentioned in many of the articles the importance of taking in protein and its use as both a nutritious energy source, as well as in tissue repair and cellular growth.

With the exception of the recommendation of certain supplements that I use regularly, most of what I recommend falls within everyone’s budget.  Isn’t that the objective as a survivalist and prepper?  To receive the most return on your investment?  Well, this is no different here.  I wish to recommend the sardine…yes, you read it correctly!…the sardine, as a part of your diet.  Let’s jump right into it.

Sardines are a cold-water fish, for the most part.  Oily fish from cold waters are the source of fish oil…your Omega-3 Fatty acids.  Those Omega-3’s are absolutely wonderful to maintain many different functions in your body: antioxidants, tissue repair, healthy skin, and hair, to name a few.  The sardine is a high-protein food that is very easily digested and packed with vitamins and minerals, including Zinc, which most people suffer from a deficiency of in their diets.

A seven-ounce can of sardines gives about 40 grams of protein.  That’s quite a bit, considering it isn’t that much food!  They’re mostly found canned, and therefore they’re good to store in bulk quantities when you’re able to get a hold of them.  Your standard size can is about 3 ounces, and these come with mustard, hot sauce, or smoked, in either brine (a salt and water solution) or in oil.  I prefer the latter.  You can also find them in 15 or 16-ounce cans with tomatoes/a tomato sauce.  I usually rinse this off and throw on some brown mustard.

You can also take these sardines, chop them up, and add them to a salad.  There are a lot of people that do not care for the taste of them; nevertheless, I cannot recommend them highly enough as a ready source of protein that requires almost no preparation to eat.  Experiment with some different sauces or dressings to eat on them, and this may help to alleviate their taste if you don’t care for it.  The smoked sardines almost always have a better flavor, and I just eat them by themselves.  These are also more versatile in a salad.

They fit really well into either a butt-pack or in the pouch of a rucksack to eat out in the field on a camping trip or hiking excursion.  Throw a half dozen cans into your go-bag/bug-out-bag for your vehicle.  Make sure they’re not sitting exposed to direct sunlight, as it can cause a temperature change in the can that may affect the taste.  Lastly, if you own cats, they’re also a good thing as a backup source of food for them.  In this case, get the plain or smoked ones: if they’re coated with anything, you may have to rinse it off…especially hot sauce or the like.

They’re really good to throw down after a workout a little after you’ve gulped down a protein shake.  That protein will just soak up into your system, and it’s a quick one for you that you won’t have to fool with cooking.  Consider the sardine as part of your arsenal for preparedness, for protein, and for a post-workout meal to replenish those muscles.  Keep fighting that good fight, and give those little fishes a try!  JJ out!