I'll toss Oregano and Basil into the mix. Easy to grow and capable of adding good flavor. Also a variety of premixed grilling spices is capable of masking the gamey flavor of some wild game. Even a giant bottle of Mrs. Dash can come in very handy. Don't forget the Tabasco either. An essential item in many an MRE package.

Granted these are all items you would have in a bug in type situation post natural disaster, power grid failure etc. but these herbs and spices serve a valuable purpose. Morale booster. Nothing like a good and different tasting meal tasting meal when you've been eating the same thing day in and day out. It's all in how you season it.

A friend who prepares lots of Mexican food, recently turned me on to two spices, which I now really like. They are in the ethnic section of the grocery, and dirt cheap.

They are common and you can find them anywhere.

Goya Brand -- Ham Flavour -- (Sabor A Jamon De Cocinar). For beans and soups. A fine powder.

Goya -- Sazon. It's a cilantro seasoning, but it's orange.(Con culantro Y Achiote). The cilantro taste is not very strong, but its a good taste. It's really good on rice. I plan to eat a lot of beans and rice if the shtf. Course, I like beans and rice anyway.

They both come in little boxes, a little larger than a cigarette pack. Inside, there are individual little packets that are very sturdily wrapped, so I think they would keep indefinitely.

Try 'em.

I think its kind of ironic that people put down spices as being needed. I think they have forgotten why all those people risked their lives in wooden sailing ships. The gold grab came later on but spices have always sent men traveling the world.

I keep about 25-30 liters of different items.

As a chef I'll let you in on my spices I find nescessary;

1.salt
2.salt
3.salt
lol
4. paprika covers flavors extremely well
5. Rosemary Among the main properties of rosemary we can enumerate: analgesic, antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiviral, aphrodisiac, disinfectant. Its active elements have choleric, antiseptic, diuretic and tonic aspects at a nervous level, stimulating bile secretion and eliminating it in the intestines, destroying microorganisms, increasing the quantity of eliminated urine, improving the blood flow and refreshing and energizing the mind. Apart from this, scientific researches indicate that rosemary is an ideal memory stimulant for both adults and students. Rosemary contains a series of secondary elements such as carnosol and carnosic acid, with a reflecting action in case of free radicals. Rosemary also has calming effects by working against fatigue, sadness, anxiety, calming muscle soreness, digestive pains and also, indigestion caused by stress.

6. Cloves or clove oil, It is still used by doctors to kill pain in toothaches and is an antiseptic plus anestetic
7. yeast is formed naturally in the air and settles on fruits such as grapes so one doesn't "need" to bring packaged yeast but it is a nice addittion if you want to make alcohol or bread.
8. black pepper
9. dried chilies or ground chilli powder

Some dried herbs lose their healing capacity when they are dried so further research needs to be administered

Tho only spices/condiments I currently use is pepper, BBQ sauce and onion salt. I could easily do without them though. I actually like the taste of natural foods, and rarely use spices, only when I have the same thing two days in a row, like leftovers.

Spices will be very important at least until you have trained your brain, and stomach, to tolerate "wild" food. However, I would say the most overlooked aspect is conditioning your body. Most people live on only processed and modified foods. Once one has to hunt and gather wild plants, the body will quickly revolt and diarrhea will be a huge problem. Diarrhea can be deadly as it dehydrates a person quickly. Not to mention the stomach cramps, etc.

Enter....spices and herbs. Mint is wonderful for calming an upset stomach and is best ingested as a tea for this purpose. However, eating peppermint leaves is also beneficial to combating an upset stomach.

Lastly, never underestimate the power of mind over matter. This is where spices come in. Eating weeds, such as dandelions, that are flavored with garlic, chili powder, etc., will cause your brain to think you are eating food you are more accustomed to and this fact alone may reduce or remove the unwanted stomach problems.

Turmeric has anticancer properties, chili peppers can clear your sinuses and reduce mucus, etc. Spices are more than just flavoring. There are all kinds of medicinal uses as well of course.

Finally, dried spices last a long time and are easily stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. They lose some potency over time, but the overall shelf life is a definite plus.

Originally posted by mileysubet
A must have....

Absolutely not. Although seasoning would be nice they are not a "Must Have" item for survival.

Your thread title is misleading and even a debatable lie based on opinion.

I could and have lived without what you call a must have item...

edit on 24-10-2011 by mileysubet because: (no reason given)

It does not matter how he said it only that he said it. He wanted to tell everyone his opinion and he did. He thinks its a must have just as some think flash lights are a must have. You should thank him for reminding you that small luxuries might release stress and keep you from making a bad choice.

Comfort seasonings, stock plenty of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Have you ever come into a home where an apple pie just came out of the oven, and adored the smell. Use cinnamon generously with a pinch of nutmeg and clove. That makes a good balance. Ever hear of Cincinnati style chili? The secret is nutmeg. A little goes a long way so you really don't have to store but a tin or two of it. Heck even the dollar stores have little bitty containers of some decent selections.
Rosemary is awesome in any meat dishes. Rub the meat, brush excess into oils and heat through, sear meats on all sides then lower the heat to cook through. Easily grown for the self sustaining agronomist.

One more essential that I haven't seen in survival kitchens lists....a meat thermometer!! And know how to use it. Internal temps need to be reached for organisms naturally in the meat to become no longer harmful. Heck they even put it on pot pie instructions. It is that important and so easily overlooked or ignored, generally because we were either never taught or paid attention when learning our kitchen skills. There are plenty of online guides for different food and meats and their temps. Also stay away from the bone, check in the more fleshy part of the morsel. One more thing, clean it every time you use it, between temp checks. Don't reintroduce raw into cooked foods. Deny Ignorance, learn how to cook and store foods properly and you won't be so dependent on canned goods that will go rancid.

OP thanks for reminding me of spices and the role they play in our reserves. I will now go back through my inventory and revaluate.

Thanks for this post. Herbs and spices are an interest of mine and I feel they are extremely important, not for season purposes but medicinal. I cut and paste your post because I keep gathering information on herbs. My thought is....if the pharmacy's closed down and you ran out of blood pressure medicine, it is extremely important that you are able to herbally treat yourself so that you could go out hunting and gathering your dinner.

I think herbs are a must have but one needs to know what one is doing when using herbs.

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
Goya Brand -- Ham Flavour -- (Sabor A Jamon De Cocinar). For beans and soups. A fine powder.

Goya -- Sazon. It's a cilantro seasoning, but it's orange.(Con culantro Y Achiote). The cilantro taste is not very strong, but its a good taste. It's really good on rice. I plan to eat a lot of beans and rice if the shtf. Course, I like beans and rice anyway.

They both come in little boxes, a little larger than a cigarette pack. Inside, there are individual little packets that are very sturdily wrapped, so I think they would keep indefinitely.

Try 'em.

Bohio makes a low sodium version that has no MSG that is really great too.

Also check out Adobo seasoning. It has a blend of salt, oregano, garlic, turmeric, and comes either with or without pepper and also comes low sodium no MSG via Goya. Adobo is great on meats, chicken , fish, eggs, vegetables, popcorn, fried pot's, fried plantains (tostones), soups, you name it

Sazon can also be used in soups and stews, or to season meats as well.

Cubos or bullion cubes can be great too and are available in many flavors pollo (chicken), carne de res (beef), jamon (ham), camarone(shrimp), and vegetable They do keep a long time as well.

Herbs and seasonings will make a difference in my opinion. Eating some grilled Iguana may be a lot easier if I can make it taste like something familiar

You just made me realize,,,

I need more spices

Thank you for the information....

I like to BBQ, so I usually have a few spices, mainly garlic But nothing for a shtf scenario

Good post. I recently turned my attention to spices when I read somewhere to be aware of appetite fatigue. What good will a half ton of rice do you if young children and old people get sick of the same thing all the time? So I'm learning how to cook the same old thing, but changing it up by with spices.

Having been out on long hikes and spending a summer basically camping, spices are essential to living out in the wild.

How many of you eat plain anything? No salt, no pepper, nothing?

(crickets)

we all use it. Many have additional benefits. I disagree with anyone who thinks they are nonessential because they benefit psychologically and physically - both states are highly challenged in a TEOTWAWKI situation. This is why people traded to the far east for spices in Europe. this is why Aztecs made lots of use of spicy flavorings. This is why people traded far distances for spices, because dull food makes for poor psychological states.

This is why the Army has good cooks. Armies travel on their stomachs, and people are happier with good food.