
The Ultimate List of Survival Foods You Should Grow Yourself
(Told by a Fed-Up, No-Nonsense Survivalist)
Listen up. If you think the grocery store is your safety net, you’re already screwed. This isn’t a joke and it sure as hell ain’t a game. When the trucks stop rolling, the power goes out, or the world goes sideways — your fancy apps and two-day shipping won’t feed you.
You want to survive? You GROW your food.

I’m not talking about pretty little herb gardens. I’m talking calorie-dense, nutrient-rich, survival-grade crops that’ll keep you and your family alive when the rest of the neighborhood is fighting over moldy cans of beans.
Here’s the no-BS list of survival foods you should be growing RIGHT NOW — and if you’re not, then get off your butt and get planting.
🔥 The Survival Foods You NEED To Grow

- Potatoes
These starchy workhorses are loaded with carbs and keep well in a root cellar. Grow them in buckets, raised beds, whatever you’ve got. Easy, fast, and reliable. - Beans (Pole & Bush)
High in protein, they’re your best friend when meat isn’t an option. They also fix nitrogen in the soil — which means better yields overall. - Corn
Don’t grow sweet corn for fun. Grow dent or flint corn — the kind you can dry and grind into meal. This is real survival food. - Winter Squash
Long shelf life. Heavy on calories. Butternut, acorn, spaghetti — doesn’t matter. They’ll keep through winter if stored right. - Garlic
Not just for flavor. Garlic is antibacterial, antifungal, and boosts immunity. Plus, it stores for months. - Onions
Adds depth to every meal, and it’s another strong natural antibiotic. Plant a lot — they go quick. - Carrots
Vitamin A bombs. Easy to grow, easy to store, and great for morale. Don’t underestimate morale food. - Kale and Collards
Leafy greens that don’t quit. They’ll grow in frost and keep producing for weeks. Nutrient-rich and damn tough. - Cabbage
Eat it raw, cooked, or ferment it into sauerkraut for gut health. Stores well and produces big. - Tomatoes (Paste Types)
Forget salad tomatoes. Grow Roma or San Marzano. They’re meaty, great for sauces, and can be preserved easily. - Peppers
Bell or hot, they’re loaded with vitamin C and they dehydrate well. Hot peppers also help preserve food and boost metabolism. - Sweet Potatoes
Grow the greens and the tubers. High in nutrients, hardy in poor soil, and sweet enough to break up food boredom. - Zucchini
One plant can feed a neighborhood. You’ll get tired of zucchini before it stops producing. - Turnips
Fast-growing and reliable. The roots feed you, the greens feed your livestock or compost. Win-win. - Herbs (Basil, Thyme, Oregano)
Not just flavor. Many herbs have medicinal benefits, and let’s be honest — bland food kills morale faster than cold weather.
🧠 Top 15 Survival Skills You Better Learn Yesterday

- Canning and Preservation
If you can’t store it, you’re wasting harvest. Learn water bath and pressure canning NOW. - Seed Saving
No seed = no food next season. Learn to save and store seeds properly. - Composting
Fertilizer won’t fall from the sky. Compost everything — food scraps, manure, leaves. - Irrigation Setup
No water = dead garden. Build a rain catchment system or gravity-fed drip line. - Crop Rotation
Don’t plant the same thing in the same spot. It destroys your soil. - Soil Building
Healthy soil is LIFE. Use compost, mulch, manure, and worm castings. - Foraging
Know what edible weeds and wild plants grow near you — just in case your garden fails. - Basic First Aid
What’s that got to do with food? A LOT when you slice your hand harvesting cabbage in a blackout. - DIY Pest Control
No pesticides? Learn natural methods — neem oil, diatomaceous earth, companion planting. - Food Dehydration
Dry fruits, veggies, and meats. Lightweight, long-lasting survival food. - Root Cellar Building
Store food the old-school way — underground and temperature-stable. - Cooking Without Power
Solar oven, rocket stove, open fire. Know them all. - Water Purification
Rainwater + bacteria = diarrhea. Filter it, boil it, or don’t drink it. - Tool Maintenance
A broken hoe doesn’t feed you. Learn how to fix and sharpen your gear. - Animal Husbandry (Bonus)
Chickens, rabbits, goats — they add meat and manure to your homestead. Even if you start small.
🛠️ 3 DIY Survival Hacks You’ll Thank Me For Later

- 5-Gallon Bucket Potato Tower
No space? No problem. Drill drainage holes in a 5-gallon bucket. Plant seed potatoes at the bottom, keep adding soil as they grow. Harvest a full bucket of potatoes in a few months. - Homemade Self-Watering Containers
Take two buckets. One for the water reservoir, one with soil and a wicking system. Perfect for growing during hot months or if water is limited. - Eggshell Calcium Boost
Dry and crush eggshells, sprinkle them in your garden beds. It adds calcium, keeps slugs away, and helps prevent blossom-end rot in tomatoes.
Final Word from a Tired, Angry Survivalist

Look — I don’t care who you voted for. I don’t care how many TikToks you’ve watched about prepping. If you don’t get serious and start growing your own food, you’re gambling with your life.
The system is fragile. The soil is ready. The question is — are you?
You don’t need land, money, or even experience. You need the will to survive, some dirt, and the guts to get started.
Start now. Not tomorrow. Not when things “calm down.”
Because when it all goes dark — those who grow, eat.
And those who wait… don’t.
The Best States to Grow a Survival Garden

(Told Straight by Someone Who Actually Grows Their Own Damn Food)
Let’s cut the fluff. If you’re thinking about survival gardening, your location matters — a lot. You don’t want to be stuck trying to grow tomatoes in 100-degree desert heat or watching your crops rot from nonstop rain in the Pacific Northwest. You need a place where the soil is good, the growing season is long, and the government leaves you alone.
So here it is — the hard truth about the best states to grow a survival garden. I’m talking about places where you can grow enough food to survive, thrive, and stick it to the system if things go sideways.
1. Tennessee

You want rich soil? You want rain? You want a long growing season and low land prices? Tennessee checks all the boxes. Mild winters, plenty of sunshine, and you can grow almost everything here — beans, corn, squash, tomatoes, leafy greens, potatoes, fruit trees. The laws are also favorable to homesteaders. Not too many restrictions, and folks mind their own business.
2. Missouri
The Ozarks are a survivalist’s dream. Tons of natural resources, plenty of fresh water, and excellent soil. Plus, land is still affordable if you know where to look. You can grow food, raise animals, and build off-grid without some HOA telling you your solar panels are “unsightly.” It’s no wonder so many preppers are quietly heading this way.
3. North Carolina
Western North Carolina especially. Good elevation, great soil, and a long enough growing season to plant more than one crop per year. You’ve got access to fresh water from mountain streams, and the climate isn’t brutal. It’s a solid blend of self-sufficiency potential and relative safety from extreme weather.
4. Kentucky

If you want underrated, this is it. Kentucky is quiet, lush, and has some of the best topsoil in the country. It’s perfect for growing survival staples like corn, beans, squash, and root veggies. There’s plenty of space, low taxes, and folks are generally self-reliant and leave you alone — exactly how we like it.
5. Texas (East Texas, specifically)
Forget West Texas unless you like growing dust. East Texas, though? It’s humid, green, and fertile. Long growing season, tons of water, and enough room to build a self-sustaining setup. The state itself has a strong “don’t tread on me” culture — and that counts for something when the grid goes down.
Final Word

You can prep all you want, but if you’re trying to grow food in a place where nothing grows, you’re wasting your time. Survival gardening isn’t just about planting seeds — it’s about being strategic, knowing your climate, and choosing a location where your garden will feed your family, not fail you when you need it most.
So stop scrolling and start planning. Because when the supply chain collapses, real security isn’t ammo — it’s potatoes.