Deal on a year's supply of dehydrated food

It seems like a pretty good deal for a bulk food store and is certainly better than a closet full of nothing, but it is a lot of unprepared grains, sugar, TVP, (veggie protein). If I were to buy this, I'd use it as a base to build on, as it seems to be lacking in some areas. Here's what you get:

Grains

8 Cans of Instant White Rice (48 servings per can)
12 Cans of Hard White Winter Wheat (44 servings per can)
3 Cans of 6 Grain Pancake Mix (50 servings per can)
2 Cans of Elbow Macaroni (45 servings per can)
Vegetables

6 Cans of Dehydrated Potato Chunks (42 servings per can)
1 Can of Freeze-Dried Sweet Corn (46 servings per can)
1 Can of Freeze-Dried Green Peas (41 servings per can)
1 Cans of Dehydrated Chopped Onions (45 servings per can)
1 Can of Freeze-Dried Mushroom Pieces (48 servings per can)
1 Can of Freeze-Dried Broccoli (47 servings per can)
Fruits

2 Cans of Organic Apple Slices (48 servings per can)
2 Cans of Freeze-Dried Strawberries (45 servings per can)
1 Can of Freeze-Dried Blueberries (50 servings per can)
1 Can of Freeze-Dried Blackberries (49 servings per can)
2 Cans of Freeze-Dried Raspberries (48 servings per can)
Dairy

6 Cans of Powdered Milk (43 servings per can)
3 Cans of Chocolate Drink Mix (48 servings per can)
Proteins/Beans

The taste and texture of TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein) is consistent with real meat, making it a great addition to vegetarian diets

3 Cans of Bacon TVP (47 servings per can)
3 Cans of Beef TVP (44 servings per can)
3 Cans of Chicken TVP (45 servings per can)
2 Cans of Taco TVP (42 servings per can)
6 Cans of Pinto Beans (49 servings per can)
1 Can of Black Beans (49 servings per can)
2 Cans of Lima Beans (49 servings per can)
3 Cans of Lentils (52 servings per can)
6 Cans of Whole Eggs (236 servings per can)
Cooking Basics

2 Cans of White Sugar (46 servings per can)
 
While it might be a good deal, and a good way to kickstart your preps....food you eat on a regular basis is the best thing to stock up on. You DO NOT want to start eating unfamiliar foods in an emergency situation, if you can avoid it. Stocking up on long-shelf-life, nutritionally dense items that you eat on a regular basis allows you to keep eating foods your body is used to, and that you enjoy eating, as well as allows you to rotate stock.

I know they say that stuff lasts 15-20 years....but cmon. Who wants to eat 15 year old canned tofu? There's plenty of tasty, delicious, nutritious items at your local grocer with 3-5 year shelf lives. Personally, I go for:

-Armour Potted Meat (.35/can, 3 year shelf life...tastes like deviled ham)
-Canned chicken breast ($1.00/can, 3 years...it's like canned tuna, except chicken)
-Canned Chili ($1.50/can, 3 years...nachos, anyone?)
-Enriched Rice ($1/lb or so, almost forever if you store it right...add a little soy sauce and BAM, it's delicious)
-Bushs (not B&M) Baked Beans ($3-4/can, 2-3 years...I eat these for lunch at least once a week, high in protein)
 
I generally eat lentils and rice for lunch, or lentils and chapati (flat indian bread). It's a fairly complete protein source, and good for you as well (lots of fiber, low fat, etc). Lentils can be prepared in a couple of delicious ways, but I store premade Indian lentil dishes from Tasty-Bite. They package them in the same stuff that MRE's come in, with a shelf life that can easily exceed 18 months. It's easy to store a lot of them. So I have some 40 pound pails of rice and lentils, and wheat, so I know that we can eat that as a staple for months if needed.
 
atmay said:
...-Armour Potted Meat (.35/can, 3 year shelf life...tastes like deviled ham)
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Couldn't they at least call it 'potted ham', 'potted beef' or whatever it actually is?

I've visited too many meat packing facilities to feel good about 'potted meat'.[laugh]

I'm guessing that federal guidelines to be be able to use the term 'meat' are pretty lax.
 
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Titan said:
Couldn't they at least call it 'potted ham', 'potted beef' or whatever it actually is?

I've visited too many meat packing facilities to feel good about 'potted meat'.[laugh]

I'm guessing that federal guidelines to be be able to use the term 'meat' are pretty lax.
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Timber said:
"mechanically separated." shudder.
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It's mechanically separated chicken and beef tripe.

And John, I'm pretty sure you said you liked the stuff last time I talked to you!
 
Timber said:
I do like it. That doesn't mean I want to think about what's in it. [smile]
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Fair enough. Personally, the beef tripe scares me more than mechanically separated chicken.


As for the OP, spend $10-20/week at your local grocer on canned goods and rice/grain. Buy more than you'll use until you have as much stocked up as you want, then rotate your stock (ie...you consume 1 old can this week, buy 1 new can this week)
 
Atmay brings up some good points. A bulk purchase is great if you need to get rolling now. However, I assembled a months worth of food for 3 people just picking up odd items here and there at Wally World and the grocery store, then putting it all together. Certainly bulk foods are more convenient and I plan on buying a bucket or two. I also buy #10 cans as well. Some items to look for:

- Starkist Tuna Creations: 40z of tuna - hickory smoked, garlic herb and sweet-n-spicy. Great stuff and only $1.48 a pouch. Shelf life to 2013

- Knorr Pasta Sides $1.00 per bag (mix in tuna and you've got yourself a meal)

- Idaho Potato 2-serving packs $.40per (mix with canned ham, chicken or tuna. Tasty and filling

- Lentils, beans, rice $.97 a bag

- Nature Valley Granola Bars $2.97 for a value pack. I can;t see why these won;t last forever if properly stored


That's just for starters. Throw in a #10 can of MH beef or chicken, some veggies and dried fruit and you have meals for a long, long time...
 
This kit only provides about 1300 cals a day for a year. Might be good for 6-8 months but not a year. Most of these prepackaged kits assume a sedentary or shelter style living and the cal counts are too low. If you want bulk stuff cheap find someone who is LDS and see if they will order stuff from the Worcester cannery. You can get it in bulk, cans or Mylar bags.
 
coastie said:
This kit only provides about 1300 cals a day for a year. Might be good for 6-8 months but not a year. Most of these prepackaged kits assume a sedentary or shelter style living and the cal counts are too low.
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This is a good point. I consume ~2k calories on a lazy day. Obviously if I have to eat less, I will....but I would like to eventually have enough stocked up for a years worth of 3k/day.
 
buy what you eat, just more of it, and eat the most ancient items first.

If somebody would otherwise just not have any food set aside for a disaster, then buying the Costco bulk pack a way for a suburbanite to be a little more prepared without the stigma of having a pallet-load delivered from MH.

atmay said:
spend $10-20/week at your local grocer on canned goods and rice/grain. Buy more than you'll use until you have as much stocked up as you want, then rotate your stock (ie...you consume 1 old can this week, buy 1 new can this week)
Click to expand...
I see two big downsides to the 'buy what you eat, just more of it, and rotate your stock' approach:
  1. You might not want to store more than 2 years worth of many canned goods, as you're going to be eating your oldest stock, and many foods get rather grody as they approach their expiration date -- okay for TEOTWAWKI, but not so appetizing for everyday.
  2. Sodium. Lots and lots of Sodium.
 
Kevin_NH said:
I see two big downsides to the 'buy what you eat, just more of it, and rotate your stock' approach:
  1. You might not want to store more than 2 years worth of many canned goods, as you're going to be eating your oldest stock, and many foods get rather grody as they approach their expiration date -- okay for TEOTWAWKI, but not so appetizing for everyday.
  2. Sodium. Lots and lots of Sodium.
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1) Most of what I eat (especially if I cook it) is pretty 'grody' anyway.
2) My cardiologist told me to get more sodium.

/win.

Next?



In all seriousness...I would rather risk slightly less-than-fresh food I'm accustomed to, than slightly less less-than-fresh food I've never eaten before. Strange food = strange things goin on in my tummy. If you can do it, all the more power to you, but I can't.

And my cardiologist really did tell me to get more sodium. He even told me to get it by eating potato chips.
 
Original URL is no longer active.

Take a look at the URL below (COSTCO also sells a 1-year, 4-person product):

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...0&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1#


Shelf Reliance THRIVE™
6-month Supply
Dehydrated & Freeze-dried Food
2,515 Total Servings
54 #10 Cans
Item # 491491

Shipment arrives in 9 separate boxes
2,515 total servings
Freeze-dried products have up to 25 year shelf life if unopened
Dehydrated products have up to 20 year shelf life if unopened
TVP products have up to a 10 year shelf life if unopened
Shelf life varies per can/product (see individual cans for optimum shelf life suggestions)
All items are suitable for vegetarian diets
Wheat can be easily milled into flour, and non-milled kernels can be cooked to make a variety of recipes
Easy rehydration instructions, useful tips, and recipes on each can
This THRIVE 6 Month Food Supply contains 54 #10 (gallon size) cans. See below for specific package contents.

2 cans of Instant White Rice (48 servings per can)
6 cans of Hard White Winter Wheat (44 servings per can)
2 cans of Elbow Macaroni (45 servings per can)
2 cans of 6 Grain Pancake Mix (50 servings per can)
2 cans of Cornmeal (46 servings per can)
4 cans of Freeze Dried Potato Dices (41 servings per can)
2 cans of Freeze Dried Sweet Corn (46 servings per can)
2 cans of Freeze Dried Green Peas (41 servings per can)
2 cans of Freeze Dried Green Beans (50 servings per can)
2 cans of Freeze Dried Broccoli (47 servings per can)
2 cans of Freeze Dried Mushroom Pieces (48 servings per can)
1 can of Freeze Dried Spinach (45 servings per can)
3 cans of Freeze Dried Strawberries (45 servings per can)
1 can of Carrot Dices (49 servings per can)
1 can of Mixed Bell Peppers (42 servings per can)
>3 cans of Non-fat Powdered Milk (43 servings per can)
2 cans of Chocolate Drink Mix (48 servings per can)
2 cans of Bacon TVP (47 servings per can)
2 cans of Beef TVP (44 servings per can)
2 cans of Chicken TVP (45 servings per can)
2 cans of Taco TVP (42 servings per can)
1 can of Pinto Beans (49 servings per can)
1 can of Lentils (52 servings per can)
1 can of Black Beans (49 servings per can)
1 can of Kidney Beans (44 servings per can)
1 can of Lima Beans (49 servings per can)
2 cans of Fudge Brownies (75 servings per can)
 
One thing about packages like this is that you may not want to eat much/most of it. Long ago (8 years now?), I bought a year's supply from Walton Feed. Fine company, but I since learned that I was allergic to dairy and soy. So, the 12 #10 cans of powdered milk, plus all the TVP, was impossible for me to eat. Plus, there were several other cans with allergens such as strawberries and coconut ingredients. That came to about 1/2 of the #10 cans the kit had. I sold all those cheap to a friend who could put them to better use.

There were still some cans left that I kept, which quite frankly I'm not sure what to do with them. Why do I need a can of food starch, or a can of tomato paste? I have no idea what to do with these things. Sure, if I'm starving, I'll grab a spoon and start scooping the various powders directly into my mouth and hope for the best. BUT, there's certainly no chance I'd ever eat them pre-SHTF, so I'm never going to be able to cycle through those things. I have been steadily trying to eat through the things I do know what to do with though, and those that worked out well I have bought more of.

So, I'd suggest trying small amounts of various dehydrated/freeze-dried cans, seeing how it goes, and assembling your own from that. Some of my favorite #10 cans are onions (I like them so much that I prefer to use them over fresh onions -- it is more convenient), green beans (also terrific), carrots and peas. I find dehydrated beef tolerable but very expensive. For proteins, I'm counting more on bags of rice and beans, plus a decent-sized collection of cans of chicken, turkey, tuna and roast beef. There's not enough cans of meat to last all that long, but if I buy too many then I don't have time to cycle through them.
 
Prepper said:
So, I'd suggest trying small amounts of various dehydrated/freeze-dried cans, seeing how it goes, and assembling your own from that. Some of my favorite #10 cans are onions (I like them so much that I prefer to use them over fresh onions -- it is more convenient), green beans (also terrific), carrots and peas. I find dehydrated beef tolerable but very expensive. For proteins, I'm counting more on bags of rice and beans, plus a decent-sized collection of cans of chicken, turkey, tuna and roast beef. There's not enough cans of meat to last all that long, but if I buy too many then I don't have time to cycle through them.
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Very good point -- if you're going to face TEOTWAWKI, why suffer through the final collapse of civilization eating something tasteless and which disagrees with your stomach? Find brands of freeze dried vegetables that you like now, while you have the luxury of being a picky eater. As far as the tomato paste goes, it's a great ingredient, but then I'm part Italian.

As for turkey and other meats, I think I have enough 'on the hoof' around me that I will avoid the packaged stuff :)
 
A good place to check out for Long shelf life products is www.beprepared.com. They have an excellent selection of LTS food. If your going to cook the food. May I suggest www.volcanogrills.com. Can use Charcoal, propane or wood. 300lbs of charcoal is enough for 1 hot meal a day for year. A few other good links are burpee.com (For seeds if your going to grow a garden) solutionsfromscience.com (they have some burial tubes for long term storage and LTS seeds. www.backwoodshome.com is also a great place to get info on LTS foods. Hope this helps.
 
FYI:
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Hubby and I are going to be consultants for Thrive (shelf reliance foods.) We will be able to do a home party type thing where you can actually try the food and see if you like it.
We just taste tested some of it last night. The only thing the three of us didn't like was the broccoli. It had not taste. As far as the powdered milk I am extremely picky where milk is concerned and I really liked it.
 

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