Salt is one of those things that is so readily available in modern life that it can be easy to forget just how crucial it is to our existence.
But salt is so much more than a food seasoner or preservative.
We’re going to look at nineteen reasons to stockpile salt before the SHTF.
But first, lets clarify we are not talking about standard white processed table salt, we are talking about good healthy salts like Himalayan pink salt, sea salt, celtic salt, kosher salt, or real salt.
19 Reasons Salt Is a Survival Essential You Shouldn’t Overlook
1. Preserving Food
Salt has been used since time immemorial to preserve food by drawing out moisture and inhibiting bacterial growth.
Indigenous peoples around the world still use salt to dry meat and fish.
If you’re interested in how to salt fish safely, the FAO has a great Fish Salting 101 article they published back in 2021 that you can check out.
2. Seasoning Food
Salt is how most people around the world season their food.
I know a lot of North Americans tend to think of seasoning as adding herbs and spices like rosemary, paprika, etc., but the seasoning process is actually where you add salt to food.
In a survival situation, food flavor can significantly boost morale and make otherwise bland meals more palatable.
A pinch of salt can turn simple, foraged or preserved foods into more enjoyable and nutritious meals.
3. Electrolyte Balance
Your body needs sodium (among other things) to maintain proper electrolyte levels, which regulate essential functions like hydration, nerve transmission, and muscle function.
In a SHTF scenario where physical activity increases and access to proper nutrition may decrease, maintaining electrolyte balance is vital to avoid dehydration, cramps, or even life-threatening conditions like hyponatremia.
This is where the quality of salt is important so Himalayan pink salt or Celtic sea salt are the best as they contain essential electrolytes like magnesium, potassium and calcium.
4. Bartering
Because of how crucial salt is from a biological standpoint, among a wide range of other reasons we will cover below, it will almost certainly be a valuable trading commodity when SHTF.
Whether trading for food, medicine or other supplies, a stockpile of salt could be used as a form of currency that everyone understands the value of.
5. Wound Care
Salt has natural antibacterial properties and can be used to clean and disinfect wounds when no other antiseptics are available.
A saline solution can help reduce the risk of infection in cuts, abrasions, or more serious injuries, which is critical when medical help is hard to access.
Salt works as an anti-bacterial by drawing water out of some bacteria, effectively killing them.
This is especially true in high-humidity environments.
I’ve seen small scrapes in the tropics turn into full-blown tropical ulcers that cause fever and intense pain.
6. Oral Health
Salt can also be used for maintaining oral hygiene in the absence of toothpaste.
A saltwater rinse helps reduce inflammation in the gums, cleans the mouth and promotes healing of minor sores or infections.
Regular saltwater gargles can also help with sore throats, making it an essential item for self-care during a crisis.
To gargle with saltwater, dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of salt in 8 ounces of warm water and gargle small amounts at a time, making sure to spit the solution out.
7. Soap Making
Soap and personal hygiene in a disaster or crisis scenario is something we’ve touched on in several of our articles because it is so important, and salt is a key ingredient in homemade soap production.
In a world without access to store-bought cleaning products, making your own soap will be necessary for maintaining hygiene.
Salt helps harden the soap bars and can also aid in the saponification process when making soap from fats and lye.
If you’re interested in learning about how salt factors into the soap-making process, check out this soap-making forum discussion here.
8. Salting Roads
In a post-collapse world, maintaining mobility will be crucial, especially in colder climates where snow and ice make roads treacherous.
Salt can be used to melt ice on walkways and roads, ensuring that your group can still move around or transport supplies during winter conditions.
The best salt for this would be rock salt, you don’t want to waste Himalayan pink salt for this one.
It also, crucially, makes sure that you avoid accidents (both physical and automobile).
A functional vehicle is a game-changer in a post-collapse world and avoiding injuries is of the utmost importance.
9. Pickling Vegetables
Fermenting vegetables with salt (e.g., pickled cucumbers or sauerkraut) not only preserves them but also enhances their nutritional value through fermentation.
Pickled vegetables provide vitamins and health probiotics, which can boost your immune system when fresh food is hard to come by.
10. Tanning Hides
If you plan on hunting for survival, salt is necessary for tanning animal hides to make leather.
It helps dry and preserve the hide, preventing it from rotting during the tanning process.
The leather can then be used for making clothes, shoes, or tools, ensuring that you’re self-sufficient in harsh environments.
Here is a great breakdown of how to salt a hide and why you need it on an outdoors forum.
11. Preventing Mold
Salt can be used to absorb moisture in damp environments, preventing the growth of mold and mildew in stored goods, building or survival shelters.
Keeping your supplies and shelter mold-free is essential for maintaining a heavily living space in a long-term survival situation.
It is especially crucial if you or any loved ones have mold allergies, as mold can end up triggering some nasty respiratory responses that could become life-threatening, especially in a world with no easy access to medical attention.
12. Curing Animal Feed
It’s not just human beings that need safe food to eat in a SHTF scenario.
If you’re raising livestock for survival, salt can be used to cure feed for animals, ensuring their food lasts longer and remains safe from spoilage.
What’s more, livestock, like humans, also need salt in their diet to maintain health, making it a crucial resource for sustainable animal care.
13. Fire Extinguisher
Salt can be used to extinguish small grease fires or stove fires by smothering the flames.
The salt forms a barrier between the fire and the air, essentially cutting off oxygen and smothering it.
Having a backup method for fire safety is crucial when traditional fire extinguishers run out or are unavailable, and salt offers a simple yet effective way to put out dangerous blazes in an emergency
14. To Aid Refrigeration
Salt can be used in combination with ice or cold water to create a makeshift refrigeration system.
By mixing salt with ice it lowers the freezing point and allows the ice to stay colder for longer, preserving food for an extended period of time.
This method can be particularly useful when electricity is unavailable, and keeping perishables fresh is critical for food safety.
15. Food Digestion
Salt is necessary for proper protein digestion. It stimulates the production of stomach acid (hydrochloric acid), which is needed to break down food efficiently.
In a survival situation, where your diet may be limited, having enough salt helps your body digest whatever food you can find and extract as many nutrients as possible.
16. Cooking Aid
Salt has uses beyond just seasoning.
It can be used to speed up cooking times by raising the boiling point of water or to preserve cookware by scrubbing off rust.
In an emergency, these sorts of hacks will help you make the most of your limited resources and improve your overall cooking experience.
Every little bit helps.
17. Animal Repellent
Another reason to stockpile salt is that salt can act as a deterrent to certain pests or animals.
Laying a line of salt around entry points of your home or shelter can help keep slugs and other pests at bay.
In some cases, it can also be used to disrupt the trail of ants or other insects, helping to maintain a cleaner, pest-free environment.
Here’s an article from the Safe and Effective Pesticide Applications portal on 40 natural pest control methods, of which salt is one.
18. Making Cheese
If you’re producing dairy from livestock, salt is necessary for making cheese.
Cheese is a great way to preserve milk, and with salt, you can make a variety of cheeses that last much longer than fresh dairy products.
This allows you to extend the shelf life of perishable food and provide more variety in your diet.
19. Attract Game
Salt can be used to attract game animals in a survival situation.
Many wild animals, such as deer, elk, and other herbivores, are naturally drawn to salt because it helps fulfill their mineral requirements.
Hunters often create “salt licks” (or stake out naturally occurring ones) by placing blocks of salt or sprinkling salt on the ground in areas where animals are known to frequent.
In a SHTF scenario, setting up salt licks can increase the chances of drawing animals to a specific location, providing a reliable source of meat and reducing the amount of effort and risk involved in more rigorous hunting.
