We all need protein to survive, but protein rich foods are some of the hardest things to store and cook. Protein rich canned goods like tuna and beans are heavy to carry and thus hard to transport if you need to relocate in a hurry. Dried meats and jerky can be monotonous, and no matter how you spruce it up, jerky is jerky. Beans are simple, cheap and nutritious, but they take hours (and a lot of fuel) to cook.
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Protein powder is a bit different. For the most part, it’s invisible in your food. Think about those instant mashed potatoes in your preps that last just about forever. What if you could take those potatoes, and make them a protein rich complete meal? Simple enough, just sprinkle on a bit of protein powder.
Portable Nutrient Rich Meals
Just about any food can be fortified with a quick spoonful of protein powder to help it keep you full longer. That can be vital if you’re traveling and don’t have the option of stopping often for meals.
While dried beans are a staple in many preps, they take hours to fully cook, and aren’t a practical option for protein while traveling. Rice on the other hand is relatively quick cooking, and with the addition of protein powder it can be a full meal that will stay with you much longer than plain rice alone.
There’s also the option of flavored varieties, which makes your meal even more portable. Many flavored varieties are actually designed to be consumed as a “meal on the go” and come equipped with a thermos with a whisk ball inside. Just add the powder, some water and shake for a full meal.
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If you’ve ever drunk water that has been purified with iodine tablets, you know that iodine flavor can be tough to choke down. Many campers bring along cool-aid packets to hid the taste, but why just hide it with sugar when you can get your hydration and a meal by using flavored protein powder?
Prepping with Children
Preparing with kids can be tricky, especially if you’ve got picky eaters. After a disaster, tensions can run high, and it’s nice to be able to offer your kids comfort foods you’ll know they’ll eat. Go right ahead and store those comfort foods and provide them over and over without guilt, fortified with a bit of protein powder.
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Your kids will get the security blanket they need in troubled times, and you’ll have the piece of mind of knowing that their nutritional needs are being met as they adjust to what is now their new normal.
Food Options for Sick and Injured
Since protein powder is designed as a nutritional supplement, many varieties include added vitamins and minerals, which only furthers their value as a prep.
With the chaos of an emergency situation, there’s a significant chance that you or someone you love will become sick or injured. Any trauma to the face or mouth is going to leave you unable to chew for some time. If you’re prepped with jerky, that means you’re a bit short on protein options for this contingency.
While it’s hard to plan for convalescing foods on top of your regular preps, but if you have protein powder you can ensure a good liquid nutrition option that’s perfect for both the sick and healthy.
How Long Does Protein Powder Last?
The printed expiration dates on protein powder say that it’ll remain good for 2 full years. We all know that “expiration dates” don’t tell the whole story. While it may be good as they day it was purchased for 2 full years, it’ll probably keep quite a bit longer.
Coconut oil has a printed expiration date of 2 years, but practically speaking it’s still fine for 5 years or more without noticeable deterioration if it’s sealed and stored in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
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Use your best judgement. If you’re storing protein powder, it should be something that your family gets used to consuming well before an emergency situation. As the old adage goes, store what you use and use what you store.
Keep a 2 year supply on hand, and replenishing it and turning your stock as you use it. Know that it will likely last much longer if need be. Even at a decade out, it may not taste the best, but so long as it hasn’t been wet or contaminated, it’ll still be nutritious and shouldn’t cause you harm.
Types of Protein Powder
There are a lot of different types of protein powder, enough to satisfy just about any dietary restriction. Different varieties are sourced from whey protein, goat milk protein, pea protein, peanut protein, egg protein, hemp protein, rice protein… the list goes on.
It comes sweetened with flavorings (strawberry, chocolate, etc) and unsweetened/unflavored. Both types have their own uses, one as a flavored shake on it’s own and the other to enhance other meals.
If you do choose the sweetened variety, be sure you choose a naturally sweetened variety with real sugar. In an emergency situation, you don’t want something filled with zero calorie sweeteners, you’ll need every calorie you can get.
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A single serving generally contains between 15 and 25 grams of protein, with animal protein sources (whey, etc) being on the higher end. The average adult male needs around 50 grams while sedentary, and substantially more based on activity. If you can handle animal products, go with the higher protein versions to ensure you’re getting more nutrition into limited prep storage space.
How to Use Protein Powder
While ready to eat shakes from sweetened and flavored protein powders are an obvious use, there’s plenty of other ways to incorporate protein powder into your meals before and after an emergency situation.
Protein powder can be substituted for part of the flour in pancakes or baked goods. Try adding it to sauces and creamy soups. Traditional carb heavy dishes like oatmeal and mashed potatoes are another good place to use it.
Get creative! Take a look at your long term storage food preps, many of which may be freeze dried and stored in canisters. When you’re re-hydrating food, it’s easy enough to add in a scoop of unflavored protein powder to just about anything.
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I like to use dietary yeast. has a great nuty flavor gos great over pop corn and can be added to many high card dishs without much flavor change.
It’s great in almost everything. I believe it stores well, too.
Thanks for the heads up on this . In my 68 years I have only related whey protein powder and others as something the body builders would be taking on a regular basis. This definitely has me rethinking prep plans for the future.
I pack Gold Standard Whey in 500 gram bags with a food grade dessicant and store for 5 years.
I can tell you there is minimal change. $80 “wasted” over 5 years is worth it to me for my wife and I to have 30 days off livable protein. I also have “The Survival Tabs” found on Amazon, which have carbs and 15 essential vitamins that are good for 25 years.
Protein powder shakes is a new idea for me. Where do I find protein powder to purchase? Thanks.
Hi there, you can purchase protein powder just about anywhere. You first need to decide whether you want plan t or animal based protein powder.
Then, make a trip to walmart or Costco or any large grocery store and you will find lots of choices. If you want to use protein powder to sprinkle on non-protein foods, you want to be sure that you get “unflavored” powder. If you want to make shakes buy the flavor that is your favorite.
I keep both on hand.
Hope this helps.
Costco has 10 lb bags. I’ve found they have the best bulk pricing.
The best protein powder a person can buy is from Zurvita. It is all natural. Comes in chocolate or vanilla. Can be used as a snack or a meal. Notify me for more info.
can yougive me more information on zurvita protein powder. im new to it and need any help I can get lol.
I really appreciate your article, but just FYI, Garden of Life was just purchased by Nestle. Granted, there is a slim chance that Nestle is trying to get involved with something good (for a change), but the higher probability is that they are not…
I’ve been looking at.soylent….definitely a brat idea. Its engineered with 20% of our daily nutrients per serving
..imho making an awesome prepper addition
..it comes I powder too.
What is the secret to soylent green?
ITS PEOPLE#####
have you ever watched the movie? take a gander at the ingredient label on the package!
I usually enjoy the comments as much as the article!!
Keep up the good work Claude!!!
Do not forget to check out the infant formula Idea!
i buy mine already expired or very close to the best by date at Amish bent can store for pennies on the $! i have a tip https://www.muscleandstrength.com/recipes/protein-bars and a few other sites have great info on protein recipes . i never been to Florida but they have a store called “treasure hunt” where everything in the store is priced according to what the day of the week it is. one day its $1 and another it is $2 and so on up to $5 per item. the store buys closeouts ,returns, etc… my wife showed me a video the other day where a filipina in florida went there and she showed a bag of “black rifle company” coffee and i laughed my ass off because it sells for $12.99 if you buy from the company but that day it was just $3 !!! i hope that coffee company has to liquidate their entire stock, considering their political campaign contributions and dealings with Kyle Rittenhouse!
by the way candy is short for candycane, got the handle in prison because my #$@& is tattooed like a candycane! and NOT because im some softy!