Any good deals on long term food?

If you are talking beans and rice, you really can't beat Walmart or Market Basket. Get some mylar bags and O2 absorbers from www.discountmylarbags.com , and package it up yourself in some buckets from Lowe's.

For freeze dried stuff, MREs, powdered eggs, dried meats, etc..., watch for sales at EE, www.beprepared.com

I used to snag a few Mountain House meals every trip to Walmart, but they switched to that weird Coleman crap.

Also, just check Amazon for buckets of freeze dried stuff, sometimes there are good deals there as well.

Good luck
 
I'll check out Emergency Essentials and beprepared. Thanks.

I am thinking more along the lines of the Mountain House stuff at the moment. Though preferably whatever I can find with the least sodium as SOMEONE in this conversation has a blood pressure issue. I won't say who.. but it's me.

I am not worried (as much as I should be) about super long term stuff like bags-o-rice-and-beans.

The Mountain House stuff is particularly good, though it's crazy expensive for what it is. I have seen some group buys and such in the past that get the cost per meal down to pretty reasonable. My Wal-Mart still carries MH brand.. maybe not forever though.. ?
 
sweetjeep said:
Though preferably whatever I can find with the least sodium as SOMEONE in this conversation has a blood pressure issue. I won't say who.. but it's me.

I am not worried (as much as I should be) about super long term stuff like bags-o-rice-and-beans.
Click to expand...

If you want to think smarter about this, buy the higher sodium things you mentioned and augment with the rice and beans.

Adding rice to an over-flavored/over sodiumed meal does 2 things. It dramatically lowers the sodium by dilution, and it also dramatically lowers your costs per portion/meal/calorie because rice and beans are cheap. You can vacuum seal the rice / bean portions in mason jars and you have both manageable portion sizes (because no one wants a 5 gallon bucket in their kitchen) and a way to extend your preps. My 2c.
 
I just looked at this months EE catalog. The prices have really gone up likely due to food costs increasing in general. I don't think there are any good deals this time around. If you're not in a rush they will normally have better sales in Nov/Dec.
 
Prices rise because : Ebola.

If you're just getting started go to Market basket. Take the time to read expiration dates.

Hungry Jack pancake mix last two years. Peanut butter has something like 15 months ... As has been said so many times : buy what you eat , only more.
 
wise food meals is a bit expensive but i found their just add water meals taste the best. BJ's has a case of spam for $10 ,6 cans.
 
If you want something that you know will have value, especially in this area...

A 6 gallon bucket, mylar, O2 absorber and descicant - SALT(Iodized), SUGAR - I also have Curing Salt.

Cheap when buying from BJ's and those are two items wars were fought over in the past.
 
Cool, thanks for the info.
So basically its good for at least a year, maybe 2-3.
That'd be worth a small investment for prepping.

Then again, I live in a cow town, and have milk delivered in glass bottles on my doorstep each week (no joke), so I may have a source longer than most.

Getting tied in to one of these local farm co-ops might not be a bad idea for prepping either. There's tons of co-ops out here.
 
This may sound odd....the LDS have an online store with the best prices ANYWHERE for basic food storage. They also sell O2 absorbers and 1 gallon mylar bags that are of excellent quality. Looks like a lot of their stuff is on backorder. Six #10 cans of quick oats is $24 vs $34.50 at EE.



http://store.lds.org/

Jump to the "Self Reliance" link.
 
GomerPile said:
This may sound odd....the LDS have an online store with the best prices ANYWHERE for basic food storage. They also sell O2 absorbers and 1 gallon mylar bags that are of excellent quality. Looks like a lot of their stuff is on backorder. Six #10 cans of quick oats is $24 vs $34.50 at EE.



http://store.lds.org/

Jump to the "Self Reliance" link.
Click to expand...
There's also a cannery in Worcester. The wife and I went there over the weekend. The prices are even better than online. With $250 you can make a huge Jumpstart on long term storage food.

Someone mentioned salt and sugar. They have really cheap sugar at the cannery. I haven't found a really good deal on salt yet, but I grab 6-8 of the 2/.89 containers of salt every time I go to the grocery.
 
Salt, sugar and rice? Get a BJs or SAM's Club membership. Between those three and buying things like spices bulk it more than pays for itself. Where else are you buying 50lb bags of rice for $18?

FYI, a five gallon Mylar bag and bucket will hold about 35lbs of rice.

- - - Updated - - -

Camping survival also has deals frequently.
 
Just ordered the Mountain House Classic Assortment Bucket, $85 with shipping from Emergency Essentials. I got quite a few months of food and water in the house, but this is my first really real prepper food.
 
PaulR said:
Just ordered the Mountain House Classic Assortment Bucket, $85 with shipping from Emergency Essentials. I got quite a few months of food and water in the house, but this is my first really real prepper food.
Click to expand...

I have a couple of those buckets, but honestly I don't store lots of freeze dried foods. The cost per meal is very high. I would like to store more freeze dried meats just because I haven't started canning yet.
 
GM-GUY said:
If you want something that you know will have value, especially in this area...

A 6 gallon bucket, mylar, O2 absorber and descicant - SALT(Iodized), SUGAR - I also have Curing Salt.

Cheap when buying from BJ's and those are two items wars were fought over in the past.
Click to expand...

I work with a Bosnian guy who was over there during the war. I asked him what he wished he stocked up on before things fell apart. He mentioned sugar and flour.
 
headednorth said:
I work with a Bosnian guy who was over there during the war. I asked him what he wished he stocked up on before things fell apart. He mentioned sugar and flour.
Click to expand...

Listening to my in-laws who lived through the first great depression, sugar, salt, coffee, flour, olive oil, and butter were all treated like gold, and just as scarce.

Those who do not learn their history are doomed to repeat it.
 
ASHDUMP said:
How are people storing salt/sugar/coffee for long term? Just vacuum sealed bags?
Click to expand...

Same as rice, etc. Mylar with O2 absorber in a bucket. Stores more or less indefinitely. You can put the buckets in your will and your kids and their grandchildren can depend on them.

Honey is another excellent storage item.

Edit: FYI, instant coffee is easier to store long term and maintain flavor. Storing beans is the next preference, ground coffee is a last preference.

Edit to the edit:
Here is a place that sells green coffee beans already sealed. 10lb buckets. This method is the longest term storage of the actual bean, but still does not outlast instant coffee.
http://www.coffee-reserves.com/10_pounds_of_green_coffee_beans_packed_in_Nitrogen_p/a-cs10-b.htm
 
Last edited:
All kinds of good info here.

A tidbit I picked up a couple years ago. Cigarettes to use as barter. When I heard it I immediately thought "psh.. whatever".. then when I stopped at the grocery store on the way home I saw someone rooting through the used bin looking for other people's discarded, but still good pieces. Personally, I was grossed out enough to think about barfing.. but.. it illustrated the point!

Coffee is on the same list. My wife drinks it on occasion but can live with out it. I have personally never drank a cup ever. We keep a couple packs of instant in the house that are of unknown age and we don't even own a brewer thing.


Someone commented about my "getting permission". The jokes are still warranted and I am always amused, but in this case I was "told" to go do some shopping. ;)
 

Similar threads

Amish WARNING about Growing Food at home
Replies
9
Views
394
Penniepup1
Penniepup1
Sealing food in Mylar Bag Question
Replies
9
Views
397
samsonsjack07
S
Onions
Replies
1
Views
84
In God We Trust
In God We Trust
grafting apples onto root stock
Replies
6
Views
101
mousegunguy
mousegunguy
Dehydrated food
Replies
8
Views
528
Stryker
Stryker
Back
Top Bottom