Prepper: An individual or group that prepares or makes preparations in advance of, or prior to, any change in normal circumstances.

Survivalist: One who has personal or group survival as a primary goal in the face of difficulty, opposition, and especially the threat of natural catastrophe.

This collection of recipes is meant to do more than just make good food - it is also meant to give you creature comforts and real meals after a natural disaster forces you to turn to your rainy-day pantry. These dishes are meant to be made and stored long-term, hence their simplistic and typically dry ingredients.

All you need to do is fill 1-quart mason jars with each recipe's ingredients and keep the preparation instructions nearby. A warm bowl of macaroni and cheese, Spanish rice and beans or carrot cake pudding can be just a few cups of water, a pot and a grill away, whether the lights are on or not.

There are even simple water purification instructions that you can use - just in case you end up running out of bottled water and have to use tap or wild water.

Take these recipes on a campout and you might start using them at home even when the power is on!