Posted: 3/14/2013 2:35:02 AM EDT
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I am finding many choices for emergency food "kits". However, I haven’t seen anything that I would like to buy. I am looking for a product line that offers the following:
Non-vegetarian entrees 10+ year shelf life Freeze dried Sealed bucket Any suggestions for a budget of $200? |
| The most bang for the buck is to buy bulk wheat, white rice, beans, salt, sugar and baking soda. Pack them properly, put them in a cool, dry place, and forget about them. It's an insurance policy you hope you'll never need. In thirty years, feed the wheat, rice and beans to your chickens and replace them. |
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The most bang for the buck is to buy bulk wheat, white rice, beans, salt, sugar and baking soda. Pack them properly, put them in a cool, dry place, and forget about them. It's an insurance policy you hope you'll never need. In thirty years, feed the wheat, rice and beans to your chickens and replace them. Not a bad list just make sure you have adequite supplies of water for rice, beans etc because they all require lots of soaking. |
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The most bang for the buck is to buy bulk wheat, white rice, beans, salt, sugar and baking soda. Pack them properly, put them in a cool, dry place, and forget about them. It's an insurance policy you hope you'll never need. In thirty years, feed the wheat, rice and beans to your chickens and replace them. Get cream of tartar to go with your baking soda. 1 teaspoon baking soda + 2 teaspoons cream of tartar = Baking powder. |
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The most bang for the buck is to buy bulk wheat, white rice, beans, salt, sugar and baking soda. Pack them properly, put them in a cool, dry place, and forget about them. It's an insurance policy you hope you'll never need. In thirty years, feed the wheat, rice and beans to your chickens and replace them. What are these chicken things that you mention? You mean the stuff that comes in a styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic at the grocery store? |
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I've got a couple of the emergency buckets from when I first started out.
Take a look at these: Costco Emergency Food I have a Shelf Reliance Cansolidator but I've never bought their food: Shelf Reliance I think you might be better served storing food you normally eat and set up a rotation. That's what we've been doing. When you get close to the expiration date, you have to eat that stuff or throw it out. |
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The most bang for the buck is to buy bulk wheat, white rice, beans, salt, sugar and baking soda. Pack them properly, put them in a cool, dry place, and forget about them. It's an insurance policy you hope you'll never need. In thirty years, feed the wheat, rice and beans to your chickens and replace them. What are these chicken things that you mention? You mean the stuff that comes in a styrofoam tray wrapped in plastic at the grocery store? He's talking about the Cackle Fruit generators that they use to fill the styrofoam egg cartons. |
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Thanks PzIvF2s. The $189.99 Costco kit is exactly what I was looking for. Ah, no worries. That's the one I saw that was under 200 bucks. I have 2 similar ones gathering dust in the basement. Take a look at some of the can rotation stuff and you can build up a very good reserve of stuff you guys already eat. It's much cheaper in the long run. Good luck! |
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Thanks PzIvF2s. The $189.99 Costco kit is exactly what I was looking for. Is this the kit you are looking at? I cannot find the nutritional information listed anywhere on the Costco website and a quick Google search did not turn up anything, either. This is a common problem as most places advertise the number of SERVINGS in the kits. Generally, a serving IS NOT a meal, so you have to add additional items to them. I am going to guess that the entrées in the kit are 300cal ea. (this is probably high) You have 2 adults & 2 kids. 128 entrée servings at 300cal/ea = 38,400cal / 2000cal/day = 19days / 4 people - 4.8 days. Lets say the kids require less than 2000cal/day, you still at best only have about 5 days worth of food here. I am not against these kits, I am just saying you have to be really careful what you are buying and how you calculate how long it is going to last. any you need to store other things to add to them. |
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^^Yes. The servings are listed as 3/4 cup, which is enough for one kid in my opinion. 4.5-5 days supply is probably more like it.
Was just looking for a quick way to jump start the supply. A 5-day supply of canned food, beans, etc. would cost closer to $50 than $200, but requires a little more thought/planning. |
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^^Yes. The servings are listed as 3/4 cup, which is enough for one kid in my opinion. 4.5-5 days supply is probably more like it. Was just looking for a quick way to jump start the supply. A 5-day supply of canned food, beans, etc. would cost closer to $50 than $200, but requires a little more thought/planning. You can buy a 5 day supply of canned foods a LOT cheaper than $50. I wont get into it but.. Buy some canned veggies at .50 cents a can Some corned beef hash for breakfasts at like 1.50 a can A few canned hams. Some canned fruit. etc etc You can do 5 days on NOWHERE NEAR 50 dollars. ETA okay lets break it down and go gourmet. 4 people 5 days 5 canned hams Yum 2.50 each 12.50 8 cans of vegetables .50 each 4.00 5 cans of corned beef hash 1.50 each 7.50 5 Canned fruits? 1.25 each 6.25 5 canned beans .75 each 4.25 5 cans of tuna 1.00 each 5.00 Thats only 39.50! and its way more than you need for 4 for 5 days. Lots and lots of calories here and each can is more than 1 serving. In other words skip those buckets unless you need to go somewhere in a hurry. And don't worry about shelf life on these cans until they are like 15 years past. (still safe to eat may have shitty consistency and be grey  )
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The most bang for the buck is to buy bulk wheat, white rice, beans, salt, sugar and baking soda. Pack them properly, put them in a cool, dry place, and forget about them. It's an insurance policy you hope you'll never need. In thirty years, feed the wheat, rice and beans to your chickens and replace them.
What Rodent said... Hey Rodent, How are you? If you get those stupid buckets, you will find out either how small the portions are or how bad the stuff is to east. Staples, Staples. I have wheat, beans and the like and some 30 year old FD, but the best thing to do is change your eating habits. MrsWind thought i was crazy for so much food in the pantry, then realized if you need something it is closer than the store. The 30+ year bulk pack is better because no rotation. I like stock and forget it, HurricaineAllie will be feeding it to my grandchildren. I hope they will like oatmeal? Hey Rodent! we are going into making clothes and stuff...beachwear, stripper costumes and then outfits for B&D enthusists |
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^^Yes. The servings are listed as 3/4 cup, which is enough for one kid in my opinion. 4.5-5 days supply is probably more like it. Was just looking for a quick way to jump start the supply. A 5-day supply of canned food, beans, etc. would cost closer to $50 than $200, but requires a little more thought/planning. You can buy a 5 day supply of canned foods a LOT cheaper than $50. I wont get into it but.. Buy some canned veggies at .50 cents a can Some corned beef hash for breakfasts at like 1.50 a can A few canned hams. Some canned fruit. etc etc You can do 5 days on NOWHERE NEAR 50 dollars. ETA okay lets break it down and go gourmet. 4 people 5 days 5 canned hams Yum 2.50 each 12.50 8 cans of vegetables .50 each 4.00 5 cans of corned beef hash 1.50 each 7.50 5 Canned fruits? 1.25 each 6.25 5 canned beans .75 each 4.25 5 cans of tuna 1.00 each 5.00 Thats only 39.50! and its way more than you need for 4 for 5 days. Lots and lots of calories here and each can is more than 1 serving. In other words skip those buckets unless you need to go somewhere in a hurry. And don't worry about shelf life on these cans until they are like 15 years past. (still safe to eat may have shitty consistency and be grey )
Other plus about canned foods is they're not just "emergency" rations, and can be rotated into your normal meals without feeling guilty about digging into your emergency stash. Wait til the local mega grocery store chain has a sale on their generic canned foods, and stock up on ravioli, pasta and sauce, or soups too. During one sale, I could buy canned, cooked potatoes cheaper than I could buy them fresh! Shelf life on pouched chunk tuna or chicken is at least three years, and they a little more convenient to pack than cans. |
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MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Theyr'e really temperature sensitve. chart halfway through page |
| Case of beans with franks, spagetthi with meatballs, and dinty more...if you take FD, you need water. Canned stuff you can eatout of the can...oh and don't forget ravollis, my daughter and I can eat them for weeks. Do not get Wise buckets, everyone that has tried them here, hates them |
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MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Theyr'e really temperature sensitve. chart halfway through page Bulky, too. You can have a year's worth of bulk staples for the price of about three weeks of MRE's, and they'll last decades longer. |
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MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Theyr'e really temperature sensitve. chart halfway through page Bulky, too. You can have a year's worth of bulk staples for the price of about three weeks of MRE's, and they'll last decades longer. I have around 100 mre's. In a short term disaster I am eating well. I eat one a month and to me they are all delicious. (Real ones not civilian versions) |
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MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Tell this to my commander!!!! When my company is in the field training 2 months at a time, mre's 3 times a day. Breakfest i eat the snacks, lunch snacks and pb&j, dinner i heat main course, cheese crush crackers or bread and mix it all together with salt and tabasco and its usually pretty good. If the side dish is mixable then it goes in to. If i Stay hydrated everything comes out just fine. Learn what your body needs and what it can handle from water, food, stress and push yourself from time to time. |
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MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Tell this to my commander!!!! When my company is in the field training 2 months at a time, mre's 3 times a day. Breakfest i eat the snacks, lunch snacks and pb&j, dinner i heat main course, cheese crush crackers or bread and mix it all together with salt and tabasco and its usually pretty good. If the side dish is mixable then it goes in to. If i Stay hydrated everything comes out just fine. Learn what your body needs and what it can handle from water, food, stress and push yourself from time to time. Yep. When I was in the army, the general rule of thumb for MRE's was: 1 per day you lose weight 2 per day and you maintain weight 3 per day and you gain weight I store some for short term preps, fishing, camping, hiking. (they work well to take on the boat for emergencies) The OP specifically asked about 10+yr shelf life, freeze dried food in buckets, though. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Theyr'e really temperature sensitve. chart halfway through page Bulky, too. You can have a year's worth of bulk staples for the price of about three weeks of MRE's, and they'll last decades longer. True, but I don't always want to break out the staples. Power is out for a few days due to a winter storm? I'd vastly prefer having MREs which can heat themselves (and technically don't need to be heated) over bulk grains and beans which require more effort and a lot more energy to cook. Brief interruptions in food supply are a lot more likely than long-term interruptions. |
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MREs are expensive, they don't store for very long (only five years or so) and you aren't supposed to eat a steady diet of them. Tell this to my commander!!!! When my company is in the field training 2 months at a time, mre's 3 times a day. Breakfest i eat the snacks, lunch snacks and pb&j, dinner i heat main course, cheese crush crackers or bread and mix it all together with salt and tabasco and its usually pretty good. If the side dish is mixable then it goes in to. If i Stay hydrated everything comes out just fine. Learn what your body needs and what it can handle from water, food, stress and push yourself from time to time. Yep. When I was in the army, the general rule of thumb for MRE's was: 1 per day you lose weight 2 per day and you maintain weight 3 per day and you gain weight I store some for short term preps, fishing, camping, hiking. (they work well to take on the boat for emergencies) The OP specifically asked about 10+yr shelf life, freeze dried food in buckets, though. Almost all canned foods will easily last 10 years. |
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^^Yes. The servings are listed as 3/4 cup, which is enough for one kid in my opinion. 4.5-5 days supply is probably more like it. Was just looking for a quick way to jump start the supply. A 5-day supply of canned food, beans, etc. would cost closer to $50 than $200, but requires a little more thought/planning. You can buy a 5 day supply of canned foods a LOT cheaper than $50. I wont get into it but.. Buy some canned veggies at .50 cents a can Some corned beef hash for breakfasts at like 1.50 a can A few canned hams. Some canned fruit. etc etc You can do 5 days on NOWHERE NEAR 50 dollars. ETA okay lets break it down and go gourmet. 4 people 5 days 5 canned hams Yum 2.50 each 12.50 8 cans of vegetables .50 each 4.00 5 cans of corned beef hash 1.50 each 7.50 5 Canned fruits? 1.25 each 6.25 5 canned beans .75 each 4.25 5 cans of tuna 1.00 each 5.00 Thats only 39.50! and its way more than you need for 4 for 5 days. Lots and lots of calories here and each can is more than 1 serving. In other words skip those buckets unless you need to go somewhere in a hurry. And don't worry about shelf life on these cans until they are like 15 years past. (still safe to eat may have shitty consistency and be grey )
Absolutely. You can add to or take from for a few $$ here and there. Maybe a can of luxury stuff to make a fine meal, or to add nutrition only costs a few cents or a dollar. Superfoods like sardines add tons of nutrition for pennies, especially if you use the spanish sardines in tomato sauce in the big cans. Learn to like them. I've been eating them forever, but not everyone likes them. Hungry overrides "like" most times, except kids. Stir sardines into mac and cheese with tomatoes, or rice, and they'll probably eat them ok. Canned goods are way cheaper than "bucket" foods. A jar of Peanut butter will carry a person for days, especially if you can find crackers or bread or something. Keeps forever. Canned meats, even crap like spam, is calorie dense, cheap, keeps a long time. I ate a 21 year old can of campbells veggie soup a few months ago. Color was off, but tasted ok, and I'm still here. I added some ground venison to it to make it a meal, but it was a test. It would be very welcome added to cooked white rice if that's what you had. 1 final thing, those cans of refried beans are cheap, and they are packed with beans, no air spaces between beans like regular canned beans. Already seasoned and cooked, you can spread this stuff on anything you have, or stir it into soups and stews, or just eat it right out of the can. More beans per can, and really cheap, or comparable to canned beans, but more beans. Just FYI. |
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Uh... You want a bucket full of real freeze dried entrees with real meat for under $200?
Good luck with that. You are better off just buying a bucketful of MH meals and shoving them in a bucket. That is as close as you're going to get for your price range. It won't last you very long. Maybe 2 weeks for one person. You're going to have to put more thought and effort into it if you are serious. |