But if you really want to be prepared for long-term emergencies, you’re going to need more than just vitamins, fats, carbohydrates, and proteins. Even the most hardcore survivalists know that failing to include some kind of variety — or treats — in your diet is its own form of short-sightedness. The wartime prepping guidelines distributed by the Swedish government suggest keeping a stock of chocolate and fruit custard. Many posts on r/preppers acknowledge that you have to find ways of staying excited about your emergency food stores. “If you eat the same thing, over and over, you will get burnt out on it. And even if you are starving, you will not want to eat it,” wrote one user.

Another preparedness tip is to consider the comfort of food rituals. Al Nordz has been into gardening and growing fruits, herbs, and vegetables for years — they had previously lived in a very rural part of Northern California — but they didn’t get seriously into prepping until they moved to Los Angeles just before the pandemic. Nordz, who uses they/them pronouns, suddenly found themself stuck at home in a new city, so they started remediating the soil in their backyard and building raised beds. But one thing they love and couldn’t grow at home is coffee.