Trying to understand freeze dried food options

[Beetle]

Hello,
Probably a topic that has been well covered on here, but as a new member I am looking for guidance.
I'm searching for the best option in purchased dried food buckets. As usual the internet is information overload and everyone thinks they have the best product. Any thoughts on how to balance quality with nutrition with price amoung all of the options out there?
Thanx

 

[Jayson]

Just my 2 cents worth, but I have all types of food supplies : dehydrated, freeze dried, MREs, canned, bulk. I went for variety. The more we have, the merrier we’ll be when the SHTF. I also actually bit the bullet and bought vegetables. I know they are nutritious, but I just never liked vegetables that much.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Freeze dried food is scarce right now. Food4patriots is one of the only companies that has food to ship out right now.

 

[Beetle]

Just my 2 cents worth, but I have all types of food supplies : dehydrated, freeze dried, MREs, canned, bulk. I went for variety. The more we have, the merrier we’ll be when the SHTF. I also actually bit the bullet and bought vegetables. I know they are nutritious, but I just never liked vegetables that much.

Most packets I am seeing are 8 servings or more and it is just my wife and I. What do you think the shelf life of an open packet would be if you opened one and removed half of it to reconstitute and then closed the rest of the freeze dried packet back up for later? I would think once sealed it would be fine for a couple days wouldn't it?

 

[Jayson]

Most packets I am seeing are 8 servings or more and it is just my wife and I. What do you think the shelf life of an open packet would be if you opened one and removed half of it to reconstitute and then closed the rest of the freeze dried packet back up for later? I would think once sealed it would be fine for a couple days wouldn't it?

As far as I know your open packet should be okay for a short period. Once exposed to the elements, oxygen tends to act as a catalyst to degrade the food.

 

[Kevin L]

I have about 80-100 pounds of various grains and beans sealed up in mylar bags with oxygen eaters in large restaurant buckets.

I also have a reasonable supply of canned food, dehydrated food, and various spices.

A good (ie: cheap) way to cook grains and legumes is to get a soup-sized, wide-mouth Thermos. Make sure that it's an actual Thermos brand. You fill the thermos 1/4 to 1/3 of the way with a mix of different beans and grains, pour in boiling water, and seal up the thermos and let it sit for a few hours.

The grains and beans will be perfectly cooked.

The reason why we mix grains and different kinds of beans together is to "complement" the proteins.

The body cannot process protien unless all of the essential amino acids are present at the same time.

There are, for example, 9 essential amino acids out of 21 total amino acids. If you eat a protein that has 8 essential amino acids in huge abundence, your body won't utilize any of this protein at all because the one essential amino acid is missing.

With a mix of different beans and grains, two different plant protiens may each be missing a different essential amino acid, so the two together give you a complete protien.

A good example would be kidney beans, pinto beans, and soy beans cooked together with brown rice and eaten at the same time.

Storing huge amounts of beans and grains is very cost-effective. Maybe $190.00 might get you enough food for over a year.

Just include spices and mixes for sauce so that this dietary monotony won't make you crazy.

Also, store honey in a cool, dry, dark place. Honey is not only a sweetener, but it helps heal wounds and burns, and it can be mixed with water and fermented into a strong alcoholic drink called meade. It can also be used for trade purposes.

And remember--honey--if stored properly--can last for well over 20 years without refrigeration.

Just make sure you never give honey to any kid under the age of 6. A kid under 6 years of age can get a kind of gastrointestinal botulism, and possibly die from it.

A possible exception is if the kid has diabetes. If honey is all that's available during a blood sugar crisis, then I would suggest using it if that's all you have.

 

[Beetle]

I have about 80-100 pounds of various grains and beans sealed up in mylar bags with oxygen eaters in large restaurant buckets.

I also have a reasonable supply of canned food, dehydrated food, and various spices.

A good (ie: cheap) way to cook grains and legumes is to get a soup-sized, wide-mouth Thermos. Make sure that it's an actual Thermos brand. You fill the thermos 1/4 to 1/3 of the way with a mix of different beans and grains, pour in boiling water, and seal up the thermos and let it sit for a few hours.

The grains and beans will be perfectly cooked.

The reason why we mix grains and different kinds of beans together is to "complement" the proteins.

The body cannot process protien unless all of the essential amino acids are present at the same time.

There are, for example, 9 essential amino acids out of 21 total amino acids. If you eat a protein that has 8 essential amino acids in huge abundence, your body won't utilize any of this protein at all because the one essential amino acid is missing.

With a mix of different beans and grains, two different plant protiens may each be missing a different essential amino acid, so the two together give you a complete protien.

A good example would be kidney beans, pinto beans, and soy beans cooked together with brown rice and eaten at the same time.

Storing huge amounts of beans and grains is very cost-effective. Maybe $190.00 might get you enough food for over a year.

Just include spices and mixes for sauce so that this dietary monotony won't make you crazy.

Also, store honey in a cool, dry, dark place. Honey is not only a sweetener, but it helps heal wounds and burns, and it can be mixed with water and fermented into a strong alcoholic drink called meade. It can also be used for trade purposes.

And remember--honey--if stored properly--can last for well over 20 years without refrigeration.

Just make sure you never give honey to any kid under the age of 6. A kid under 6 years of age can get a kind of gastrointestinal botulism, and possibly die from it.

A possible exception is if the kid has diabetes. If honey is all that's available during a blood sugar crisis, then I would suggest using it if that's all you have.

Great info, thanks for that!

 

[pengyou]

Most packets I am seeing are 8 servings or more and it is just my wife and I. What do you think the shelf life of an open packet would be if you opened one and removed half of it to reconstitute and then closed the rest of the freeze dried packet back up for later? I would think once sealed it would be fine for a couple days wouldn't it?

I drink powdered milk all of the time - open a 5 pound bag, it takes me 2-3 months to use. I just fold over the top and I have a clip for it. I would suggest you give it a try. Open a bag, cook 2 servings, fold over the top, try a week later, etc until it is gone.

 

[Maverick]

These are the ones I order from, I buy in #10 cans and 5 and 6 gallon buckets. Remember, the servings are 1/2 cup and that's fine if you do nothing but sit, if your chopping wood (example) you would need to double that to one cup so, if you buy one case of 6 #10 cans you need two cases for heavy activities. DON'T forget the water

Example, a 4 person 72hr bucket from Augason Farms will take 11 gallons of water. Don't just buy freeze dried food without thinking of the water and water storage.

Mountain House
https://www.mountainhouse.com/
Augason Farms
https://www.augasonfarms.com/
Emergency Essentials
https://beprepared.com/
My Patriot Supply
https://mypatriotsupply.com/

 

[EssChris]

guys I have a family of 5 and am simply getting ready I am also researching food options I will buy beans grains and can goods also. I have ordered garden seed kits and an needing to pull a trigger on food buckets. I would like to to be around 3k but have room up or down. can anyone help me I am less concerned about a 5 week wait ( i do think we are in end times but I also think I have 5-8 weeks)

1 Year Emergency Food Kit - QSS Certified - Emergency Essentials

I really just want to learn from you all and not make rookie mistakes.

 

[Morgan101]

If I was to offer advice it would be buy what you eat, and eat what you buy. If you buy things your family wouldn't normally eat they might eat it in a crisis, but not without a lot of weeping and gnashing of teeth. Store what is normal for you.

Keep track of expiration dates and rotate stock. Replace what you use.

Have a combination of canned foods, dried foods, last forever foods, garden where possible to have some self sufficiency. Keep multi vitamins for the short fall in nutrition.

Differentiate between meals that are ready to eat, and meals that are ready to cook. Heat, power, and water may not always be available. Have food that requires nothing more than opening a package.

Keep some comfort foods for everybody's mental health.

There are many You Tube instructional videos that not only offer advice you can do this on a budget. I have tried the system and it does work. Pick up an item or two extra when you do your normal shopping. You will be very pleasantly surprised at how you can build your stock very quickly.

I hope this helps. You have taken the first step; getting started.

 

[Proud Prepper]

guys I have a family of 5 and am simply getting ready I am also researching food options I will buy beans grains and can goods also. I have ordered garden seed kits and an needing to pull a trigger on food buckets. I would like to to be around 3k but have room up or down. can anyone help me I am less concerned about a 5 week wait ( i do think we are in end times but I also think I have 5-8 weeks)

1 Year Emergency Food Kit - QSS Certified - Emergency Essentials

I really just want to learn from you all and not make rookie mistakes.

It would depend on if your family can prepare meals from scratch or require ready to eat meals? What does everyone eat? More importantly, what's does everyone not eat. If the answer is cooking from scratch and everyone likes home cooking, I'd buy bulk goods similar to what the Mormans suggests. Maybe a small amount of freeze dried food, like food 4 Patriots 72 hour kits which are currently available. If the answer is the later, then select specific freeze dried meals and snacks along the same types of food as your canned food that you stock, that everyone likes to eat.

Stock up on seasoning, salt, sugar, soy sauce, vinigers, honey, maple syrup, Ghee clarified butter, Crisco shorting, wheat berries, (get a hand grinder), white rice, various beans, various pastas, powdered milk, powdered eggs, etc...

 

[Brent S]

I like the #10 cans of freeze dried foods as they aren’t too large that you couldn’t eat the whole can before it goes bad after opening. Even with them you’re likely to get tired of eating the same meal. I just can’t imagine trying to eat an entire 5gallon bucket of any one food though. I agree with have all the food stocks with canned and boxed goods first that you are familiar with eating allready. I don’t eat my freeze dried stores, I honestly hope to never have to. Primarily I got them for their long shelf life of 20 to 25 yrs. I likely will never have to worry about rotating them in my lifetime, but they are a form of insurance for hard times that is comforting to have on hand.

 

[Acdoctor]

I have tried and stocked up on a variety from mountain house, legacy and some wise but the mountain house has been the best for us so far. I also stocked up on can good and rotate the out when we need too. we also canned from the garden as well as the farmers market on the things we dont have luck growing here not to mention the freezers of meat and frozen broccoli. In these times you can’t have too much on hand= less trips to town.

 

[gollwoods]

These are the ones I order from, I buy in #10 cans and 5 and 6 gallon buckets. Remember, the servings are 1/2 cup and that's fine if you do nothing but sit, if your chopping wood (example) you would need to double that to one cup so, if you buy one case of 6 #10 cans you need two cases for heavy activities. DON'T forget the water

Example, a 4 person 72hr bucket from Augason Farms will take 11 gallons of water. Don't just buy freeze dried food without thinking of the water and water storage.

Mountain House
https://www.mountainhouse.com/
Augason Farms
https://www.augasonfarms.com/
Emergency Essentials
https://beprepared.com/
My Patriot Supply
https://mypatriotsupply.com/

I have ordered from emergency essentials with very good results.

 

[Maverick]

I have ordered from emergency essentials with very good results.

I ordered quite a bit from emergency essentials, a good company to deal with.

 

[TexasFreedom]

A friend recently got a Harvest Right freeze dryer. Not cheap, a $few grand. I tasted some of his freeze dried produce, and WOW. Tastes better than fresh veggies.

I'd have to sit down with a spreadsheet, but if you're a gardener and want to keep sufficient freeze dried food, this thing might be a less expensive way to get there. Or go in together with a few local prepper friends, and share it. Or think about selling your surplus freeze-dried produce to them to offset the costs? Options...

 

[DrHenley]

Yes it's amazing how fresh freeze dried can taste when done right. I'd love to have a setup like that but the $$$ are just a bit much to swallow. The lead times on them are in months.

I wonder what you could do with a vacuum chamber and regular freezer...

 

[jontte]

in the long run ( just my 2 cents ) I belive prepping meals from scratch will be cheaper and if you do it together with the whole family, it will benefit all,will keep all with things to do and when done together no one can complain

 

[Maverick]

If one gets the #10 can, don't forget the can opener

Swing-A-Way Easy Crank Can Opener
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CD77VO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1