7 Easy Prepper Food Recipe Ideas

What do you think of when prepper food recipe ideas come to mind?

I bet you think the same as me...

Many long-lasting foods suitable for preppers are fairly bland. Rice, beans, and other canned produce lasts for years but it gets boring fairly quickly. 

This article will give you an overview of a few creative ideas for prepper recipes. Cooking with preserved, dried, or otherwise long-life ingredients can take some getting used to.

This does not mean that you need to compromise on taste, as anything is possible with a positive mindset and a handful of spices.

Be mindful of any specific dietary requirements your group may have when stockpiling long-life foods. 

Here are 7 easy prepper recipes...

7 Prepper Food Recipe Ideas

Pizza

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup water
• Oil
• Pizza sauce (or canned tomatoes)
• Cheese
• Any toppings

Method

• Mix the dry ingredients together and make a well in the center. Pour in a drop of oil and ½ cup water. Mix well and add more water if needed. 
  
  
• Knead gently then leave to rest for 20 minutes. 
  
  
• Roll out and add the pizza sauce and toppings. 
  
  
• Cook on whatever stove you have, until the crust is cooked and the cheese has melted.

Soup and dumplings

Serves: as many as you like

Ingredients

• Broth
• Canned/dried meat
• Canned/dried vegetables
• Cornstarch
• Spices and seasonings
• Dumplings
• 1 cup flour
• 2 tbsp butter or other fat
• Salt
• Liquid - water, broth, or made-up powdered milk

Method

• Add all of the broth ingredients to a pot. Pour over some water and mix well. 
  
  
• Heat until everything is tender and the flavors have combined.
  
  
• Mix the dumpling ingredients together and shape into small balls. 
  
  
• Add to the broth and allow to simmer until the dumplings are cooked.

Rice and beans

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• Rice
• Beans
• ¼ cup liquid fat
• 16 oz jar tomato salsa
• 2 cups broth (chicken or vegetable)
• 2 cans beans

Method

• Pour rice into the base of a large casserole dish. Add seasonings to taste. We suggest oregano, chili powder, salt, and pepper.
  
  
• Add oil and mix well until all the rice is coated in oil.
  
  
• Pour over the salsa and broth.
  
  
• Drain the beans and add them to the casserole dish. Mix well.
  
  
• Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil very tightly to prevent the liquid evaporating.
  
  
• Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for just over an hour. Check the rice is cooked when you uncover it. 
  
  
• Fluff the grains of rice with a fork. Season to taste.

Mac and cheese

Serves: as many as you want

Ingredients

• Pasta (ideally macaroni, but any will do)
• Macaroni and cheese sauce 
• Water

Method

• Fill a pan with water and boil the pasta until tender.
  
  
• Drain the pasta water and pour over the sauce. If you are using a powdered sauce, leave some water in the pasta pan to rehydrate and create a creamy luxurious sauce.
  
  
• Mix well and season to taste.

Vegetarian chili

Serves: 3

Ingredients

• 2 cans beans
• 1 can corn 
• 2 cans tomatoes
• ¼ cup dehydrated peppers
• 2 tbsp dried onion
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp garlic powder
• Seasonings

Method

• Add the beans and corn to a large pot.
  
  
• Add all the other ingredients and mix well.
  
  
• Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat of the stove and simmer for around 30 minutes. 
  
  
• Ensure all the beans are cooked through and the flavors have melded together.
  
  
• Season to taste.

Casserole

Serves: as many as you want

Ingredients

• Dried meat
• Tinned soup or broth
• Dried vegetables
• Cornstarch
• Spices

Method

• Add all of the ingredients to a large pot. If you are using tinned soup, you may not need to add the cornstarch. This is used to thicken liquids and may make your casserole too thick if not done carefully. 
  
  
• Simmer all of the ingredients until everything has rehydrated and turned tender. If you wish to make this dish stretch further, serve on top of grains or rice for a more filling meal. 

Tacos

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp liquid fat
• ½ onion
• 1 can black beans
• 1 can sweet corn
• ¼ cup dehydrated peppers
• 1-2 tbsp chopped jalapenos
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• ¼ cup salsa
• 4 taco shells

Method

• Rehydrate the peppers with some water. Chop the onion and drain the cans. 
  
  
• Heat the oil in a frying pan and cook the onion until soft and translucent.
  
  
• Add all of the other ingredients and cook until piping hot all the way through.
  
  
• Season to taste. Add the filling to the taco shells and eat.

Substitutes

Without refrigeration, meat goes off very fast. While you can purchase dehydrated meats, these can be expensive. 

A much cheaper and healthy alternative is TVP - textured vegetable protein. It is soy flour that has been cooked under pressure and dried.

TVP is 50% protein and so makes a great addition to your storecupboard. Simply add water or broth and soak for 20 minutes to rehydrate prior to use. 

A similar principle applies to dairy. We advise purchasing milk, yogurt, and other dairy products in powdered form for a longer shelf life. 

We heartily advise you to keep cornstarch in your stockpile. This is a lifesaver when you are using broth as a basis for all sauces.

A simple cornstarch slurry will thicken up any liquid, turning it into a more satisfying and hearty sauce. 

If there are any members of your prepper community who are gluten intolerant, we advise stocking up on store-bought gluten-free mixes.

These are much easier than trying to do your own gluten-free baking from scratch and are likely to be easier to use too. 

7 Prepper Food Recipe Ideas Summary

We hope that this article has given you some ideas for prepper meals.

While prepper food has a reputation for being bland and dull, there is no reason for this to be the case. 

With a little thought and creativity, there are no limits to the dishes you can create. You do not have to give up any of your favorite recipes, provided that you prepare carefully. 

Even in an apocalypse, there is no excuse to not eat well.