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Long Term Storage Food

Now you might be asking yourself, which type of long term storage food is right for my family?

There are several factors to consider when deciding on what home storage food to purchase. You will want to consider cost, convenience of use, shelf life, availability of water and also the amount of storage space available in your home.

Types of long term storage food:

MRE's (Meals-Ready-To-Eat)
Military style type of rations. These new military types taste better than old C and K rations. MRE new packaging design has triple-layer plastic/foil pouches that are sealed, cooked and are not exposed to air until they are opened.

They come in full meals that contain, meat, vegetable or fruit.
They also come in peanut butter, freeze dried fruit bar, high-protein crackers, dry beverage base, spoon and accessory packet.
They come in individual entrees that can be purchased separately.
They can be eaten heated or at room temperature.
MRE entrees could include, omelette with ham, spaghetti and meat sauce, barbecue pork with rice and chicken a la king.
They are light enough that they can be easily taken on the go in case of an emergency.
MRE's advantage over other types of long term storage food is that they require no water in order to eat.
5 year shelf life.
Keep MRE's in cool/dry storage spot to keep their nutritional value and taste.

Food Bars
Food bars are specially formulated bars that are high in protein and provide needed food and energy in an emergency.

Ready to eat.
Pre-measured individual meals.
Non-thrist provoking.
Withstands extreme temperatures (ideal for storing in cars and boats).
Enriched with vitamins and minerals.
Most brands meet U.S. Coast Guard standards.
5 year shelf life.
The cost is less than a dollar a bar.

Freeze Dried Food
Freeze dried foods retain virtually all of their nutritional content and their fresh food taste. They are packaged in double enamelled #10 or #2 and 1/2 cans and are nitrogen flushed to ensure extended storage life.

Freeze-drying removes the water but not the flavor.
Freeze dried foods maintain their original texture and shape.
Ninety-eight percent of the water is removed from the freeze dried food which reduces the weight by ninety percent.
Freeze dried food is storable at room temperature with no spoilage or deterioration because both the oxygen and water have been removed.
10 to 25 year shelf life.
The cost will average less than three dollars per meal per person.

Mountain House Freeze-Dried Food

Dehydrated Food
During the dehydrating process the water is slowly cooked out of the food without actually cooking it. Dehydrated food is typically packaged in double enamelled #10 and #2 and 1/2 cans and are nitrogen flushed to ensure extended storage.

Lower priced than freeze dried.
Easy to reconstitute with water.
Dehydrated food is storable at room temperature with no spoilage or deterioration.
10 to 25 year shelf life.
The cost is less than a dollar per meal per person.

When planning your long term storage food needs, if you don't want to purchase such large quantities in the beginning, you can start off small and gradually build up your supply.

We have personally purchased long-term storage food from Nitro Pak. We think they are a great company, with good prices, a wide variety and prompt service.