Are shortbread cookies or Cliff bars good replacements for emergency rations?

Anything non-perishable can be used as emergency rations.

Yes, like the penguin @janbb said non-perishable is a good emergency ration.

It depends on the emergency.

I have no idea what Cliff bars are, but if they’re packed in a waterproof wrap and if they have some kind of nutritive value (which shortbread cookies barely do), then… maybe. The cookies, on the other hand, will be stale within days and are susceptible to being dissolved or ruined by small amounts of water (and if you cooked them yourself or bought them from a local bakery or confectioner, then they’re probably not wrapped in airtight / waterproof containers. In addition, the cookies have nothing but “empty” calories: no protein, and they’re basically little sugar and carbohydrate bombs.

For convenience, canned or dehydrated goods (packed as noted above) are generally a better bet for this kind of occurrence.

No. Soak them in bacon grease and you’ll see what I mean. Something like hard tack would be better.

That certainly wouldn’t be the only food you’d live on but shortbread does stay fresh a surprising amount of time if it is good shortbread.

@all Thanks

Shortbread sounds good, but I won’t have any tonight. I just ate some Gourmet Cookie Dough.
It is cookie dough you eat without baking. There’s no eggs. You just sit down with a spoon and pretend you are 12.

Yes.

@CWOTUS

Clif bars are a kind of energy bar. They’re marketing as something for hikers, cyclists, etc (though these days you’ll often find them in the grocery store with the snack foods) to take on the trail with them as a quick, easy source of caloric energy (mostly from sugars). I’ll often carry one or two with me if I know I’m going to be out all day without any opportunity to sit down and eat for hours.

So yeah, Clif bars are a descent tide-over between meals, but I don’t think I’d depend on them to meet my nutritional needs in lieu of proper meals.

@RedDeerGuy1

Having some Clif bars on hand for an emergency certainly wouldn’t hurt (assuming you don’t just eat them as a snack), but if it’s a situation lasting more than a few hours canned foods would still be more advisable.

@RedDeerGuy1: Is “Emergency Rations” meant to keep you alive in case of being stranded outside, like on a hike if you get lost? Or is it intended for if you can’t get to the store, or if there’s a power outage?

@jca for hunger at night when everywhere is closed.

@RedDeerGuy1 That’s not exactly an emergency. :-)

@janbb I looking for dual purpose foods. For emergency and midnight snack. My water was turned off last week and when It was on it was on a boil water advisory. I would like to be prepared for when “life” happens. Like a power outage or hungry when everything is closed. Right now I have a half box of Cliff bars and 8 tuna kits (tuna and crackers). I used up most of my stored water from the water being turned off for a week.

I like to keep saltines on hand. They keep longer than bread, and go well with tuna, sandwich spreads, cheeses, peanut butter, and more. I don’t know what your costs are like, but I can get a box at Walmart for under a dollar.

@Patty_Melt Do potatoe chips work too? I would love the excuse to bulk up on lays potato chips. I have some open in the next room. I hate saltines.

Potatoe chips tend to turn tough quickly, and if they are not baked they are greasey.
If you hate saltines, you are missing out on some great snack opportunities. I love to cut some mozzerella in squares and spread out a plateful of saltines with these squares, pop in the micro just a few seconds to soften the cheese. Oh gosh, yum! Sprinkle on some bacon bits for a more special taste.

Apples are good to stock up on, and you can eat pretty much anything right out of the can.