Bug Out Food: How Many Calories Do You Need Per Day?

Healthy adults can survive three days without food. But, let’s be honest: most of us would turn into a whiny jerk after just 12 hours without food. Not only is hunger bad for morale during a SHTF situation, but it can lead to poor decision-making.

You’ll want to have enough food packed in your bug-out bag to keep you fueled. But food is heavy, so you don’t want to overpack either. To get the exact right amount, you’ll want to calculate how many calories you need per day. Here’s how to do it.

BOB Calories Per Day – The Simple Answer

The following guidelines tell you how many calories to pack daily in your bug-out bag. Go with the lower end of the range if you will be inactive (such as sitting in a vehicle while evacuating). Aim for the higher end if you will be active, in cold climates, or want to play it safe.

Children (ages 2-8): 1000-2000 calories per day

Girls (ages 9-13): 1400-2200 calories per day

Boys (ages 9-13): 1600 to 2600 calories per day

Teen girls: 1800-2400 calories per day

Teen boys: 2200-3200 calories per day

Adult women: 1800-2400+ calories per day

Adult men: 2400-3000+ calories per day

For most adults, two full MREs per day will provide enough food. You canshop MREs here.

More Exact Calorie Count

The BOB calorie guidelines above can be inaccurate if you are very active or carrying a heavy pack. Here is a more exact method for calculating bug-out bag food calories.

1. Calculate how many hours per day you will be active and inactive while bugging out.

2. Multiply inactive hours by 0.48 and your body weight (we burn approximately 0.48 calories per pound of body weight when inactive).

3. Multiply active hours by the amounts in the table below.

4. Add these amounts together. This is your daily calorie needs.

For example, A 170lb man who will walk 10 hours per day while bugging out with a 10lb pack.

14x0.48x170 = 1142 calories

10x287 = 2870 calories

= 4012 calories per day

Calories Per Hour While Active

These calorie requirements are based on a walking speed of 2.5 miles per hour on a 2% slope. You’ll need to know how heavy your bug-out bag is for this calculation. You do have a BOB packed, right? If not, check out our emergency supplies.