James K. is a 76-yer old diabetic from Colorado…
During a trip to Nevada, James and a friend decided to check out some old mines in remote mountains.
But, the two men became stuck in their car on a remote road with no cell service.
First, they tried to dislodge the car.
When that didn’t work, they lit flares and started a fire in hopes someone would see it.
But the location of the men was extremely remote.
They were in a county where 7,000 people lived, spread over 6,000 square miles.
So, the chances of someone being nearby were slim.
As time wore on, the men used a towel to strain ditch water and snow into water bottles.
After about five days, James’s friend decided he would go find help.
But James has diabetes, a pacemaker, and had triple bypass heart surgery.
So, he was in no shape to attempt to walk out.
During his time stranded in the car, James kept a journal writing down how much water he drank.
He also wrote about what he did each day, and he wrote a letter to his wife every day.
James’s main concern was to drink enough water to survive.
Luckily, he had a water bottle, so each day he could get enough water to sustain himself.
After spending ten days stuck in the mountains, James was found by military personnel doing training exercises.
Sadly, his friend hiked about a mile away from the car before he succumbed and passed away.
James is lucky to have survived.
Thankfully, he had his water bottle to collect water and snow.
And it shows that during an emergency, having something as simple as a water bottle or especially a thermos, can go a long way.
That’s because along with water in a survival situation, cooking methods can be hard to come by.
But using a thermos can be a way to cook without fuel.
Sure, it may take longer, but you can think of it like a crockpot.
And especially in a survival scenario, the result is worth the wait.
How to cook with a thermos:
The concept of cooking with a thermos is simple.
If you can boil water, you are good to go.
The key to cooking with a thermos is to give it enough time.
So, if you are going to cook in your thermos, you need to plan.
This isn’t a last-second decision you want to make.
So, have a thermos and everything you need, before you venture out in the wilderness.
Plan ahead:
Deciding what you are going to eat an hour before isn’t realistic.
You will need to pre-plan your meals if you are using a thermos to cook.
Remember, the last thing you want is to get sick while you are stranded or in a bug-out situation.
So, eating uncooked food will do more harm than good.
Planning in advance, and giving your thermos time to thoroughly cook the food is a must.
Buy a quality thermos:
If you don’t own a thermos, it is something you should consider adding to your survival gear.
But you don’t want to go cheap on your thermos.
You want something durable that can withstand the heat of the water and food.
So, you’ll want one that is well insulated and large enough that you can add food and water.
There are a ton of options on the market, but a few I would consider are from Hydro Flask or Kleen Kanteen.
These two tend to have a larger opening than other options, which is a nice feature for cooking.
Preheating:
Before adding ingredients to your thermos, you want to pre-heat it like you would an oven.
This pre-heating will help the thermos maintain heat through the entire cooking process
Here’s how…
Before cooking, fill the thermos with boiling water.
Let it sit for five minutes or until you are ready to start cooking.
When you are ready to start cooking, add the ingredients to the thermos along with new boiling water.
What’s for dinner?:
When deciding what to cook in your thermos, you should obviously choose foods that can be cooked in water.
For example, you would want to cook soups or noodles that need water.
Keep in mind, most foods that you can cook in a crockpot can be cooked in a thermos – just on a much smaller scale.
For example, you could cook rice, soups, chili, oatmeal, and other foods that are cooked in water.
Cooking times will vary depending on how the thermos is stored, and how hot the water is when you add the ingredients.
But, if it’s a pack of noodles that you usually cook for five minutes, on a stovetop, plan on giving it one to two hours.
The time will vary but check it often. It’s better to overcook than undercook.
Bottom line: a thermos is a great method when you have limited resources.
If you can bring water to a boil then you can cook some basics.
And it doesn’t hurt to keep a can of soup in your car survival kit or similar bags.
If you ever find yourself stranded in a cold, remote location, a thermos can go a long way in keeping you warm and fed.
