Like many other everyday objects, materials and supplies, high-quality aluminum foil has a surprising number of uses… both survival based and otherwise. In fact, aluminum foil is so widely recognized as a multipurpose prep and survival tool that even the 1980 pressing of the U.S. Armed Forces Survival Manual (ISBN 0-8129-0956-9) has it listed in the appendix as a component in their survival kits.

With a bit of ingenuity even as little as a square foot of aluminum foil can help keep you alive. From use as a funnel to a food wrap, signal mirror and more, the survival and anti-zombie preparedness applications for this commonly found household material are only bound by your imagination. Check out the list below for just a few of the literally hundreds of uses for aluminum foil.

1. Repair loose connections in electronics, big and small.
2. Create a makeshift antenna or repair/improve the one you have.
3. Make a quick and dirty Faraday cage (protect small electronics such as two-way radios, watches, and more).
4. Protect food and supplies from contaminates.
5. Wrap food to cook directly in fire, on hot coals, over radiators and even under car hoods.
6. Shape into cooking pot for collecting and boiling water.
7. Use for housing emergency water filter (see: Water – Finding, Collecting and Treating for Survival).
8. Shape into small water catches for collection.
9. Tear into small pieces and attach to a fishing hook for use as a lure.
10. Signal for help with reflective surface.
11. Place at eye level along trails to keep you on track. Works well at night when coupled with a light-source.
12. Form into funnel for transfer of liquids like water and gasoline.
13. Use as cup, bowl and plate in place of regular dishes.
14. Create a windscreen for your fire, camp stove or flame based light-source.
15. Hang strips on string above garden to keep birds from eating your plants.
16. Crumple and use as a scrub pad in place of steel wool.
17. Create pinhole glasses. See: Eyesight in the Apocalypse.
18. Use for making char cloth.
19. Use as heat reflector with fires and other heat sources.
20. Build a solar oven or solar water heater.
21. Insulate windows.
22. Reflect light back into a room and/or focus beams.
23. Create a shelter. (This would require a lot of foil and careful layering to keep it water proof, but it can be done).

While a few of the applications for heavy-duty aluminum foil might take a little practice to get right, we still recommend stashing about 3 feet of foil in your Bug Out Bag when possible and at least one full roll in your home emergency kit… this should allow you ample supplies no matter where you are, what you’re doing or whether there are any Zombies involved.

You may notice that we specifically mention “heavy-duty aluminum foil” several times, that’s because not all foil is made equally. Buy a brand you trust, and always go thick over thin when it comes to this multi-use prep… or you might find your attempts at survival… well… foiled we suppose.