What kind of food storage is best for preparedness for most families?

I have sorted through the pros and cons of four survival food options below with many needs in mind.

Two survival specific options, other than bulk canned food storage and grains that you may not be as familiar with are MRE (meals ready to eat) and Freeze Dried Food. MRE is what the military uses for mobile activities, but it is available from the same manufacturers as civilian MRE. Freeze dried food is a more longer storing type of food reserve that is also used by the military and government agencies as well as campers and backpackers. Freeze dried food has 98% of water removed and in sealed cans it can store for 25 years.

Freeze dried food and MRE have long to very long storage life for emergency food reserves and most importantly require little or no preparation, water, and no cooking equipment.

Here are some commercial examples of MRE & freeze dried food;

 

See Examples of;

Freeze Dried Food Reserves

Family & One Year Food Reserves

MRE (meals ready to eat) Reserves

If you take just a few minutes to read below about the advantages and disadvantages of food storage options to make a wiser more well informed choice.

.

Food Storage Options

.

What are the options for food storage and emergency preparedness?

The conventional wisdom offered by our governments and dedicated survivalists is to go to your local supermarket or big box store and buy canned food and dry grains and carefully store them. There are limitations to this survival food strategy that are highlighted below. The foods on this web site is designed to last 30 years and more.

1) Buy Canned Food and Dry Grains

Buy the canned foods, dehydrated foods and grains, and bottled water as many government agencies recommend. Store in your house or apartment.

Advantages

• Can be done in a few hours or less for a 72-hour or one week reserve.

Disadvantages

• Most will forget and some will not store it properly so it will be useless when it is needed. Did you do this years ago? Go look at this food now and check the expiry dates on canned goods and check grains for mold infestations, rodent invasions, etc.
• Canned foods are bulky and heavy, space is often limited people will not be able to store much
• Grains need a lot of water to cook to eat and water may be unavailable or scarce in a disaster.
• You will need to spend a lot of time preparing food
• Canned foods destroy appetites and morale quickly. Even unexpected allergic type reactions can occur if the types of food in a diet are drastically changed.

2) Freeze Dried Food – Prepared Meals

See Examples of Various Freeze Dried Food Reserves

Advantages

• Easy to store and can last up to 30 years.
• Fast simple preparation just add water. But only water that is needed to hydrate the food, much less than cooking.
• Once hydrated, freeze dried food taste is very close to original food taste.
• Light weight easy to store large qty (Mountain house #10 cans) of food for reserves of 6 weeks, 3 months, or a year. A 6 week food reserve can fit under a bed!
• Can be ordered online in minutes, delivered to your house. You will only have to spend less than 30 minutes storing it.
• Good economical choice – cost can be less than $3.00 per meal the same as your average home cooked meal.

3) MRE’s (Meals ready to Eat)

See Examples of Various MRE (meals ready to eat) Reserves

Advantages

• Easy to store and lasts upto 5-7 years in a cool dry place.
• Easiest and fastest preparation time possible and can be heated fast with “MRE heaters”
• Can be ordered online in minutes, delivered to your house. You will only have to spend less than 30 minutes storing it.

Disadvantages

• Relatively expensive per meal ($6-$7) and for extended reserve of 6 weeks, 3 months, or a year a lot space required to store.
• Lasts only 5-7 years so you will need to buy a replacement reserve relatively soon. Hopefully you do not live in a place where there is a disaster that often.
• Tastes like canned food which will destroy appetites and morale quickly

4) Buy Canned Food and Dry Grains and use them regularly on an “inventory cycle” plan

Same strategy as the first option, except you actively manage storing and ‘cycle’ inventory of goods. As you buy new food you use up the old canned food so that the food store is less than the expiry date of the canned food.

The Ready Store: Year Supply Freeze-Dried Food

Emergency Food Storage

 

Please share your own “end of the world”

Story that you may of heard.