Looking to buy a pretty big quanitity of food, need some opinions

[jsquared]

I'm looking to buy a large quantity of freeze dried food, probably around 100 #10 cans of mixed goods along with a few miscellaneous bagged items (wheat, rice, beans, etc). I am shopping around for the best deals and also reading reviews on quality/taste/nutrition and would love any opinions yall have on the different brands out there. Currently I am on the fence between Shelf Reliance and Augason Farms, looking more at raw ingredients and not prepared meals like Mtn House (mainly for cost and variety).

What have yall tried and what did you like/not like? What are you storing, food wise?

I know some people on here deal in emergency food for a living and I would love to get a few quotes or possibly some consultation on this. If we work something out I would love to spend my money with a local than someone online.

 

[IMaDad]

you ever thought of storing dried goods?
I go to walmart/sams/restarant depot and store rice, beans, pasta, potato flakes etc. its by no means the end-all plan. but it sure does bring cost down and nutritional value up.

ie- Can of Chicken flavor TVP and a can of freeze dried corn for dinner,

or Chicken Flavor TVP served over a bed of Rice and black beans cooked with a cube of Chicken Bullion.

 

[jsquared]

I have thought about that and plan to do a mix of #10's and builk items repackaged, the biggest thing for me is the shorter shelf life of the store-bought bags and the added cost of Mylar bags, which would bring the total cost up a little bit (5 gallon bags are about $2 each, plus the 5 gallon bucket to put them in). Overall though I think it is a better choice for long term storage so I am considering it, better for longevity and shelf life and storage and moving, just better all around versus a #10 can (can you imagine a flood with 100 #10 cans? That would suck).

Definitely appreciate the input.

 

[IMaDad]

ahh i could argue those points if you would like, but here is a simple, cost efficient way to do this ( a great start before a huge investment)

purchase 50lb bag of rice.
purchase roll of bags for your vacuum sealer. (you have one right?!)
seal up rice in useable portions. (one pound to 5 lbs, add oxygen absorbers. cheap on the net)
put sealed rice in the freezer for 24 hours (you can do this before you vacuum it, but who has room for 50lbs of rice in the freezer?!)
^that kills any larvae or anything bad in the rice
put in 5 gal buckets, or sturdy boxes, or whatever.
done.

 

[Outlander]

ahh i could argue those points if you would like, but here is a simple, cost efficient way to do this ( a great start before a huge investment)

purchase 50lb bag of rice.
purchase roll of bags for your vacuum sealer. (you have one right?!)
seal up rice in useable portions. (one pound to 5 lbs, add oxygen absorbers. cheap on the net)
put sealed rice in the freezer for 24 hours (you can do this before you vacuum it, but who has room for 50lbs of rice in the freezer?!)
^that kills any larvae or anything bad in the rice
put in 5 gal buckets, or sturdy boxes, or whatever.
done.

^^^^^This^^^^^ Note freezing does not always kill the weevil larvae. Might want to add dried bay leaves to the rice. Also not every one can buy a membership at the Depot. You have to be a legitimate business to gain access (at least that is what it says in the fine print).

I find Augason Farms and Shelf Reliance to be about the same in quality.

 

[Outlander]

Also might want to consider adding some wet foods (canned goods) and a bag of onions and potatoes into the mix. The wet foods do not need water for consumption so you reduce your immediate need to use water for preparing the foods, and have more water for drinking. I have stored onions and potatoes for up to two months in the right conditions.

 

[jsquared]

Good advice on the onions and taters, we use those like crazy anyway so it would be easy to rotate out from the stored supply after going to the store.



On a side note, anyone looking to buy food in bulk right now may want to consider this deal for Thrive (Shelf Reliance) food at Costco:

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Produc...en-US&Sp=C&hierPath=3605*75277*90741*&topnav=


I saw this deal a few months ago and missed it, and have been kicking myself in the face ever since. After ordering and trying out the 6 can sampler from Thrive I can honestly say it is good enough to eat all the time, not just in an emergency. I currently use it for 100% of my hiking and camping food, and work it all into regular lunches and dinners pretty regularly.

This package from Costco looks to be mislabeled in the title but not the quantities. It is actually a 6 month/2 person package, not three month. Check the other packages available and you will see. It actually has more cans than the 1 year/1 person kit if that makes sense. This one is unique in that it comes with a wheat grinder (meh, OK) and a 55 gallon water barrel with a pump and treatment kit. Thats a pretty dang good bonus, around 50-75 bucks extra. Factor in the cost of a Costco membership (or $50 non-member fee, just get the $50 membership instead), tax, and free shipping and the total cost was $1,070.

Figure the wheat grinder and water barrel and freebies, thats just over $11 per #10 can, which is a freaking STEAL. Srsly, shop around. Plus the variety of stuff is awesome, and I can actually eat it. Score!!


Just thought Id give yall a heads up, didnt expect to ever see this deal again, and made this thread today while looking around for other options. SO STOKED to have checked Costco again on a whim.

 

[Sagan]

Also might want to consider adding some wet foods (canned goods) and a bag of onions and potatoes into the mix. The wet foods do not need water for consumption so you reduce your immediate need to use water for preparing the foods, and have more water for drinking. I have stored onions and potatoes for up to two months in the right conditions.

Great idea with the onions and taters (carrots might work too). If they start to go to seed, just stick them in the ground and they make baby onions and taters... Win/Win.

 

[IMaDad]

There are huge debates about rice/beans/spam vs what you eat on a daily basis being stored for long term.
i joke on one of the other survival forums about my rice and beans. I have a couple threads about what i buy at walmart for $50, or how to start LTS (long term storage) foods. I call my rice "Survival Rice" when i post about it. i think it will catch on . . .

I generally advise people (not that they ask, or i am qualified to give out suck advice) who are starting LTS to take the amount of people they are supporting (g-ma, kids, wife, whatever) and multiply that number by 10-15 (or more if you have the cash $, but dont go over 20 when you are starting.)
Buy and store that many pounds of rice.
now divide that number by 2/ buy and store that many pounds of beans.

now realise that unless you have been doing this a while, you dont have enough water to cook all that.
so you need to store:
single serving (up to 1L) size bottles of water to last your fam about a week. (in case you have to move. mobs, riots, zombies, whatever)
^easy to hand out too!
medium size containers (1gal-5gal) for cooking, cleaning, and vehicle transport. at least be able to throw 20-30 gallons of water in the truck if you have to.)
^5 gal jerry cans are great! i would choose something durable
large reserve if you can. (55gal drums or those 300 gal tanks) if you can put 2 or three of these in your basement, more power to ya
^ http://atlanta.craigslist.org/sat/grd/2514152860.html

then, best plan is to hand dig a well with a sand point, or move to somewhere with water access. keep in mind everyone will be thinking just like you if you go to the boat ramp though. may be crowded. also look into a high volume water filter. berkey or similar.


now think about seasoning. you might want to thow in some boullion cubes, spices, salt, etc.
maybe a couple boxes of drink mix. etc.

 

[jsquared]

Awesome advice on the water and dry goods, thanks man. Can't exactly cart a 55 gallon drum around with you