Any good survivalist knows the benefits of planting and growing your own food. Being able to sustain and feed yourself and your family is a top priority. So here are the top twenty foods to grow in a garden for survival.
Potatoes
Potatoes are the first on the list because they already have a history as a staple survival food. Growing potatoes is simple, and you can even grow them in urban settings. They’re a great source of carbohydrates, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and potassium.
Sweet Potatoes
Many people mistakenly think potatoes and sweet potatoes are the same, but this is false. Sweet potatoes typically have far more nutrients than regular potatoes. For example, they are very high in vitamin A. Sweet potatoes also have edible greens that give you a more significant food source from one plant.
Corn
Corn is another staple food to include in your garden. You can grow a few different kinds of corn, such as dent corn, flour corn, or sweet corn. Once you harvest your corn, you can even dry it and grind it down into corn flour, which has many uses in cooking.
Cabbage
Cabbage is also a healthy option for your survival garden. It is low in calories but full of essential nutrients our bodies need. For example, cabbage is an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and fiber. In addition, if fermented, you can store cabbage for an extended period, which is helpful in survival situations.
Turnips
Turnips are another great root vegetable that your garden shouldn’t go without. They are a source of protein, fiber, iron, folate, calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin C. Turnips are also high in antioxidants that neutralize free radicals.
Beans
Beans are a great plant to add to your survival garden because of their versatility. They grow easily in various climates and conditions, and they even add nitrogen back into the soil, which benefits the environment. In addition, beans are very nutritious, making them an essential plant to grow in your garden.
Lentils
Lentils are the perfect addition to your garden because they are a powerful superfood that people often overlook. They are rich in protein, iron, folate, potassium, and antioxidants. People commonly believe lentils to be one of the oldest cultivated crops. Even our ancient ancestors understood the importance of this powerhouse food.
Squash
Summer and winter squash are fantastic items to add to your planting list. Summer squash produces fruit quickly, which is beneficial if you need a fast-growing crop. Winter squash takes longer to grow than summer squash, but you can store it for much longer.
Kale
People consider kale a superfood, and for a good reason. This leafy green has high levels of vitamins A, C, and K, making it an incredibly healthy choice to add to your garden. Kale also tolerates cold temperatures, which is helpful for strategic seasonal planting.
Spinach
Now we move right along to another powerful superfood: spinach. Another leafy green that is full of vitamins and minerals, spinach is an essential plant to have in your garden. You can also store this food by dehydrating it, freezing it, or even crushing it into powder.
Tomatoes
There’s a great debate about whether tomatoes are a fruit or vegetable (they are, in fact, a fruit). However, there’s no debate that you should add this delicious and nutritious fruit to your survival garden. Tomatoes are easy to grow, and you can sun-dry them, freeze them, or eat them right off the vine.
Onions
While onions are not necessarily the food on this list with the highest nutritional value, they are still a staple for flavorful reasons. You can add onions to almost any meal to increase the taste and character of the dish. In addition, you can utilize both the onion and the onion greens in your meals.
Carrots
You can’t leave out carrots when deciding what to include in your garden for survival. These mighty orange vegetables are incredibly nutritious, with high levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. In addition, they support eye health, which is essential for our body’s overall health.
Peppers
There are a plethora of peppers that you can choose to add to your list of things to plant. There are chili peppers, sweet peppers, bell peppers, banana peppers, jalapeno peppers, etc. Peppers are a wonderful source of fiber, potassium, folic acid, and vitamins A and C.
Peas
Peas are another essential to plant in your garden. Sugar snap peas and snow peas can be frozen and stored for future use, which is beneficial in survival situations. They are also a good source of protein. You can even store the inner seed of your peas for use in meals of all kinds.
Beets
Beets are a fantastic root vegetable to include as you grow your survival garden. This versatile veggie can be savory or sweet, depending on how you decide to prepare it in a dish. It also has edible greens, which is advantageous when you need a secondary food source.
Berries
While this list is full of great and healthy vegetables, we can’t forget our delicious fruits! Berries are a sweet and nutritious fruit to include. There are all kinds of berries, such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and even lingonberries. In addition, you can make jellies and jams with berries to use on toast and in pastries.
Amaranth
Amaranth is a gluten-free grain that provides a wide variety of essential micronutrients. It contains fiber, protein, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, iron, zinc, folate, and vitamins B5 and B6. With an extensive range of uses, you cannot go wrong planting some amaranth.
Cucumbers
Cucumbers are versatile plants with great nutritional value that you can’t overlook. They are a source of magnesium, potassium, copper, phosphorus, and vitamins B, C, and K. You can eat them with salads, sandwiches, or even pickle them. Cucumbers are a great fruit that offers a significant amount of food and a minimal effort to grow.
Herbs
To finish off, the list of what to add to your survivalist garden is herbs. Of course, now that you have all the other staple fruits and vegetables you desire, you’ll need something to season all that delicious food. There is an endless array of herbs that you can plant to add some extra flavor to your meals.
Now that you have a list of the top twenty foods to plant in your survival garden, you can start planning and planting your garden today. Check out NuManna Foundation for a long-term food supply kit to add to your survival essentials.
