Freeze dried foods are perfect for any type of emergency. Whether for life threatening emergencies, or when you just need to prepare a quick meal for surprise guests, you will surely have something easy to prepare and eat in such situations.
Freeze dried food and survival food are foods that have undergone a special preservation process which involves removing all its moisture content which will extend its shelf life for few months up to many years. This process of preservation can be dated back to ancient times but is done today with modern equipment.
Freeze dried foods are one of the best types of survival food available in the market today for many reasons. Being able to last in storage is one thing. When no one really knows when an emergency or calamity could strike, it helps to be prepared. So whether disaster strikes this month or the next, having stock of edible survival food at home that is ready to prepare and eat is a great survival plan. Emergencies too might last longer than a few days, or even for weeks. And because of this, your food stocks must be able to last just as long. With freeze dried foods, just as long as they are stored properly (away from contaminants and moisture) they will last just as long as you have to.
Products such as these, apart from its extended shelf life, are also some of the most nutritious ones available. The freeze drying process food undergoes allows it to retain much of its nutritious contents and minerals which would be lost if preserved through other means. This is an important factor when it comes to choosing survival food. In an emergency, or even on ordinary days, your nutrition is very important. With freeze dried foods, you will always know that what you are eating or have stored at home is healthy for you and your family.
Available in a wide variety of flavors and food types, freeze dried products are never boring. They come in a great selection of flavors you can choose from, whether you are looking for fruits, meat, vegetables, and up to even whole cuisines and recipes.
There are a lot of people looking at survival food and supplies for the first time due to concerns about an economic depression.
MRE
At first you can see MRE as a good choice as it is totally ready to eat. MRE or meals ready to eat are the type of food rations the military uses. There are two general types of MRE out there; military and commercial. The military version is for the military and it prohibited from re-sale to consumers. You can find military MRE on eBay. Commercial MRE comes from the same food companies that produce the military MRE except that it has been branded as for consumer use. Some of the contents are different and MRE enthusiasts generally prefer military MRE however commercial MRE have sufficient calories so that your recommended daily amount (RDA) can be met with 2 meals. MRE has been used by campers and as a disaster preparedness food. Here are some the MRE advantages:
- Easy to prepare – actually nothing to prepare just open, add water and eat it.
- Easy to heat – flame-less heaters heat in 10 minutes just add small amount of water to a non-chemical pouch.
- Shelf life is 5 or more years if stored in a cool dry place.
However there are some disadvantages:
- Cost is high $6 to $7 per meal.
- Cheaper eBay sold products maybe old or bad because they were left in the desert before they were sold.
- Government frowns on sale of Military MRE to consumers.
- Freeze dried food in #10 cans last longer, up to 25 years in the same cool dry conditions.
- Some people complain about taste and digestion particularly after a few weeks of consuming MRE for every meal
Freeze Dried Food
Freeze dried food is also used by the military and other government agencies as disaster relief supplies. Freeze dried food can last up to 25 years according to Mountain House freeze dried foods (they have been in business over 40 years). Freeze dried food has added benefits of being cheaper around $3 to $4 per meal. The taste of freeze dried food is also very close to the original taste. To prepare freeze dried food all you have to do is add water. It will hydrate in a few minutes. If you have hot water then you have a hot meal.
MRE is best for short term use when ultra readiness is required or you are traveling. Freeze dried food is best for long term as it is cheaper and tastes better.
The importance of storing freeze dried foods are numerous, here a just a few:
1. Appearance: First of all, the freeze drying process allows food to retain its original shape, color, and texture. It does not shrivel up. Cooked (meats) and fresh foods are flash frozen and then put in a vacuum chamber which evaporates the ice and removes about 98% of the moisture from the food. It can be quickly reconstituted by just adding water. It looks like it would if cooked fresh.
2. Flavor: Not only does it look good, but freeze dried meals are quite tasty and retain their nutritional value. Coming from a former non-believer, I was sold the first time I tried them. It is no surprise that freeze dried products are also the most popular choice for outdoor enthusiasts such as campers, backpackers and hikers. They are delicious and are simple to make.
3. Portable: Whether you are in an emergency situation or backpacking, a week or more worth of freeze dried meals can be easily transported in a backpack, bucket or bag, because they are light weight. At least two thirds of the weight(usually water) is removed during the freeze drying process. The packaging is small, making it an even more convenient food storage solution.
4. Long Shelf Life: Most have up to a twenty five year shelf life. Another benefit of these products is that they can be stored at room temperature and do not require cold storage. This means you can store them in a kitchen pantry for easy accessibility, in a utility closet or in a basement to keep your supply out of the way. Wouldn’t it be nice to know that your family has plenty of fresh tasting meals available at a moments notice, months or even years from now if a crisis hits?
5. Just Add Water: Some food storage items can take along time to prepare, are not simple to make, or are impractical. Large cans of beans or rice are not going to help you much in an emergency. Individually portioned freeze dried meals in small pouches make it really simple to feed one or many people in a pinch. Just add hot or cold water, hot water is quicker, and wait 10-12 minutes and eat!
Wise Food Storage Review
Wise Food Storage is one such brand. Although Wise maintains similar variety as other brands, its packaging sets it apart. Already-prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner are sealed in airtight, nitrogen-packed pouches, which are placed in plastic containers. For convenience, each pouch holds two to four servings. In the event of an emergency, water just needs to be added to a package for preparation, and storing leftovers is not necessary. As disasters may involve evacuation, Wise Food Storage’s packaging makes taking along a supply of meals simple. In such an event, a bucket of pouches can be grabbed and taken just about anywhere.
Aside from packaging, Wise Food Storage has additional assets for emergency preparedness. All kits have a shelf life of 25 years, assuming storage conditions are optimal, and items do not need to be rotated every few years. Along with convenience, meals are economical and practical, coming out to $1.60 per serving and just needing 10 to 12 minutes to rehydrate and cook.
Just like any other brand of emergency foods, Wise needs to be kept in ideal storage conditions in order to still be used years down the line. First, the storage area must be dry, cool, and dark, as moisture and light can deteriorate freeze-dried and dehydrated foods. Temperature, on the same note, must be consistent. Second, to keep the meals edible, store all chemicals, including household cleaners, out of the area, as these leach out and can end up absorbed by the foods. As well, foods should not be kept in trash cans or liners, as the chemicals from these, too, can be absorbed by the foods.
The reason that Wise food can claim a 25 year food storage, is because they package their food so well. Wise Company ready-made emergency meals are packed in airtight NITROGEN PACKED pouches, and then they are put in quality plastic containers. They also get rid of excess oxygen through a vacuum process when sealing the containers. This long shelf life can theoretically save you lots of money, because the inevitable inflection of food prices will go up considerably before the shelf life runs out.
The shelf life of the outdoor line of food products is considerably shorter, with a seven-year guarantee. However, the purpose of outdoor food products is not to store indefinitely, but to use as one goes on their excursions.
Of course, the shelf life is effected by how the food is stored. For best results, keep the food in a dry and cool place such as a basement.
Next to shelf life, the way food storage is packaged is of up most importance. Through experience, Wise Food Storage has found ways to be the most effective and convenient for consumers. Instead of having the food in a #10 can which, once opened, has a very short shelf life, they package their food in triple layer Mylar bags.
Also, they use specially designed square buckets. This makes for easy opening and takes less room in storage. These buckets are also stackable, which makes storage even simpler.
In an emergency or even camping, you need to be able to eat with the most amount of convenience possible. Wise food has taken this into consideration. The Mylar pouch doubles as a bowl. Simple add hot water, wait 12-15 minutes, and eat your meal directly from the bag.
And finally, taste. Food needs to taste good, and emergency and camping food is no exception. The Wise Company’s food is hardy and delicious.
Mountain House Review
The Mountain House line of freeze dried foods include such meals as: granola with blueberries and milk, scrambled eggs with bacon, scrambled eggs with ham and pepper, garden green peas, whole kernel corn, cut green beans, beef stroganoff, chicken teriyaki, chili mac with beef, rice and chicken, pasta primavera, sweet and sour pork with rice and much more! All this emergency survival food can be prepared easily in challenging circumstances by adding water, and have a seven year shelf life. Satisfied customer Christopher Coakley of Santa Barbara, California said, “Mountain House meals typically taste better than many of the freeze-dried alternatives.” My son agrees with Mr. Coakley, and takes them on motorcycle trips because they are also so easy to pack.
The Mountain House food for emergencies are preserved because greatly reduced amount of water halts microorganisms and enzymes that would result in spoiling the food. That allows the food to be stored without refrigeration. Satisfied customer M.O. Gomez of Northern California said, “The food is amazingly good. We purchased this to add to our earthquake preparedness kit, but we tasted the stroganoff before we filed the rest away. It was surprisingly yummy.” The chili mac with beef is a favorite of my daughter’s. Mountain House has put a lot of thought and care into their food preparation, and customers appreciate the taste of these hearty, well-balanced meals. I know when camping my family appreciates a hot meal, and during an ice storm in Maine the Mountain House foods we had collected were doubly appreciated. In my opinion the foods taste as good as if I had cooked them myself from scratch. I find also that they are very easy to store as they take up little room.
