There is a huge market for specialty food bars made just for survival kits and bug out bags. I’m not talking about those 3,600 calorie bricks of cardboard that will enable you to try out your emergency dental kit. I’m talking high calorie, high protein energy bars that were developed by some “Navy Seal” and due to the “precise ingredient mix” allows them to attain a “tactical” level of existence. Yes – a bit of sarcasm.
While many of these survival bars are great – they are also expensive and often difficult to find. There are alternatives right around the corner and down the street at the checkout of your local grocery store and corner market. That’s right – the candy bar.
After taste-testing close to a dozen of the top-selling candy bars(it’s a tough job but someone has to do it) and evaluating the nutritional and environmental ruggedness of each I came to one conclusion:
The Payday Peanut Caramel Bar is the ULTIMATE bug out bag food bar.
So – why does the Payday rank so high?
While a Snickers bar combines that ultimate combination of chocolate, caramel, nougat, and peanuts the extreme heat sitting in a vehicle trunk will leave that Snickers looking like something created after eating at Taco Bell.
By the way – what the hell is nougat?
Anyways – while the Payday will soften inside a hot car it doesn’t become a disaster like any chocolate confection. The combination of peanuts and caramel taste great and provide a very high-calorie protein boost.
Here is the nutrient breakdown for the KING SIZE Payday bar:
In the King Size format, there are two smaller bars in one pack. For the entire 2 bar pack, there are 440 calories, 50 grams of carbs, 24 grams of fat, and 12 grams of protein. For someone expending a lot of energy via walking, running, or physical labor this is some serious fuel.
Shelf life pales in comparison to many of the more expensive cardboard survival bars. 6-12 months or so is a good estimate depending on storage conditions. Running less than $2.00 per Payday bar they extremely affordable.
So – when the asteroids are pummeling through the Earth’s atmosphere and zombies are crossing the railroad tracks to eat your brain and you need some quick energy – make it a Payday.
Rourke
John, hence the old chocolate bar often included in your c-rations and MRE’s and probably WWII k-rations.
When I was working at my job which was outside all the time I would have a payday bar especially during the summer months. Usually around 3:00pm and a drink just to get the edge off of being in the heat. It was at least for me a great pick me up. Felt better in no time. Always told my co workers and family members that those bars work.