When planning your food prepping “menu,” you have so much to consider—how much will you be able to carry, the fuel for cooking, and the storage space you have—all of these and more need to be considered when planning what you will put in your emergency food stores. And then there’s money—should you buy $20 worth of beans or a protein powder container?
Protein powder is an excellent addition to your prepping pantry. Safely stored protein powder lasts several years. Even though it is expensive, preppers should have a protein source that is easy to prepare and does not need to be cooked for those times when fuel supplies are low.
In this post, we will explain why protein powder should make your list of prepping foods. If you want to know how long it will last, how to store it, and how to tell if it has gone bad, you have come to the right place.
Why Protein Powder Should Be in Your Prepping Pantry
As a prepper, you do not have to just worry about how long a food will last, but also how much you can move and store, and how much fuel you need to prepare it. Protein powders solve several of those problems.
Here are some reasons why protein powder should be in your prepping pantry:
- Protein powder has a long shelf life, which we will discuss a bit later.
- Protein powder does not need to be cooked. And the variety of flavors and protein sources means you can find powders for different dietary needs.
- Protein powder is light, making it easy to carry.
How Long Does Protein Powder Last?
People are sometimes confused by the “Best By” versus “Use By” dates. Best by means that the food after that date may not taste as good or will have lost nutrients. A good example would be crackers that have gone past their best by date. They won’t taste as good, but they are still safe to eat.
The “Use by” label is put on products like dairy or meat that will start to sour or become rancid by a specific date. But the confusion over these two dates is so prevalent that 80% of Americans throw out perfectly good food.
How long protein powder will last depends on several factors:
If the Package Was Opened
Once opened, most products must be used within a particular time frame, or they will go bad. For example, an unopened bag of dog food will be good for several years past the “best by” date, but once it is opened, the addition of oxygen and moisture will cause it to go bad within several months. The same is true of protein powder.
If the container was not opened, it should last several years past the “best before” date. Most people recommend you use it up within two years of the “best before” date.
How the Protein Powder Was Packaged
Water and oxygen are the two enemies of food storage. Water allows for the production of harmful bacteria and fungi, and oxidation decreases the quality of food. Vitamins, for example, lose their potency through oxidation. Fats that oxidize become rancid, and pigments in food change color.
Most protein powders are stored in plastic tubs, which do an excellent job of keeping air and moisture out. However, powders stored in plastic pouches won’t last nearly as long. The pouches are more permeable than tubs.
The most inadequate option for long term storage is cardboard—which will let more moisture and air in. If you purchase protein powder in cardboard or plastic pouches, you need to store it in plastic tubs or transfer it to bags that you will vacuum seal.
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Where the Product Was Stored
Your package should be stored in a cool, dry place. According to the University of Utah Extension, storage temperature greatly affects how long dried protein powder lasts:
- 50 degrees = 48 months
- 70 degrees = 24 months
- 90 degrees = 3 months
If possible, store foods away from spaces with high humidity.
How You Can Tell the Powder Has Gone Bad
Most of the ingredients in protein powders do not break down, except for fats. Fats can oxidize and become rancid. This is why taste is one way to tell if your powder has gone bad. If it tastes off, then it could be bad.
Bad protein powder can smell sour, so that could be another tip-off. Also, should you find clumps of the powder, moisture has probably entered the container. It might not have gone bad if moisture entered recently, but you should remove the clumps and use the powder quickly or toss it.
How to Make the Most of Your Pantry During a Food Shortage
Are There Protein Powders Designed for Preppers?
It is possible to find powders marketed for preppers. However, the upfront cost is steep. For example, this Readywise Whey Milk Alternative has a 20-year shelf-life. But the 120 servings will cost you around $100. That’s roughly 80 cents a serving. The Body Fortress Whey Protein Powder has 48 servings for under $35, or 72 cents a serving.
However, protein powders don’t have to be dairy-based. This PBfit All-Natural Powder is made from roasted peanuts, has 8 grams of protein per serving, and 50+ servings for under $15. That’s 30 cents a serving.
Whole Milk Powder is another inexpensive option: This Hoosier Hill Whole Milk Powder is under $15 and contains 64 servings. FEMA suggests that boxed powdered milk be used within six months, but powdered milk stored in nitrogen-packed cans can be stored indefinitely.
When you buy protein powder, don’t forget about flavor. A chocolate-flavored shake will be a wonderful treat, but chocolate oatmeal? Consider buying a variety of flavors.
Consider Other Sources of Protein
You are probably aware that nuts and beans are good sources of protein. However, preparing dried beans requires overnight soaking and cooking anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours.
You might want to consider these often-overlooked protein sources:
- Hemp seeds. If you are looking for an excellent source of protein, consider hemp seeds. Three tablespoons of hemp seeds contain 9 grams of protein, plus a bunch of vitamins and minerals. More importantly, unlike some plant proteins, hemp seeds provide all nine amino acids. You can add them to smoothies, sprinkle on cereal, or make hemp milk.
- Chia seeds. The Mayan word for strength is chia. One ounce—two tablespoons—equals 4 grams of protein, and it is another complete protein. Like hemp seeds, add them to smoothies, sprinkle on cereal, or eat raw. Chia seeds can absorb fat and water, so use them to thicken soups and sauces.
- Spirulina. These blue-green algae contain 4 grams of a complete protein in one tablespoon, along with several B vitamins and a host of minerals, such as iron, magnesium, and potassium. Like protein powder, you don’t need to cook it, and it has a similar shelf life.
- Lentils. Do not overlook this healthy legume that is high in protein. Unlike beans, lentils do not need to be soaked, and they cook in 20 minutes. If stored correctly, they have a shelf life of up to 10 years. And don’t limit lentils to soups—add cooked lentils to chili, burgers, and meatloaf. Or sprout them.
Bottom Line
Juggling between the many things you need to prepare for a disaster can be tricky. Finding protein itself is not a challenge, but finding a protein that will last a long time, is lightweight, and can be prepared without access to a stove is more complicated.
Protein powders solve several of those problems. You should not depend on them as your only protein source, but you should definitely add some to your prepping pantry.
Read next: How to Store Canned Food Long-Term – The Complete Guide
