Any 'net bought emergency food worth it?

[mal316]

I've got a couple of buckets of ReadyWise that I bought at Costco on the cheap, a 10lb bag of dried black beans, 32 oz of dried skim milk, and that's about it.

I realize that this is inadequate. But when I look at the prices of the internet store emergency food, my inner Scot starts yelling at me.

Is there any of these emergency food sellers that offer reasonably priced for what you get?

(I'm hearing the snickering even now)

I read where you can go to our good friends the Mormons to look for reasonably priced foods, but it seems like it's always eggs or milk and the like. Not prepared meals.

What's a cheap prepper-wanna-be to do?

 

[Huckleberry]

You can buy cases of canned goods at Costco

Buy a bag of rice to go with those beans

Buy cases of SPAM. SPAM kept the English fed and in the fight in WW2.

Buy MREs or other field ration type meals. Don't have to buy surplus, you can buy from the current manufacturers. New MREs have a shelf life of approx 12 years when properly stored.

Render pork fat into Lard

Buy water purification supplies and quality storage containers.

Storing non-potable water for washing and decontamination needs

As for the Mormons and 7th Day Adventist, both in believing in preparation and storage of supplies. Both groups teach classes and prepping skills.

There's hundreds of common sense skills for food storage that our forefathers and ancestors utilized before electricity and refrigeration.

 

[Blacksmith101]

I've got a couple of buckets of ReadyWise that I bought at Costco on the cheap, a 10lb bag of dried black beans, 32 oz of dried skim milk, and that's about it.

I realize that this is inadequate. But when I look at the prices of the internet store emergency food, my inner Scot starts yelling at me.

Is there any of these emergency food sellers that offer reasonably priced for what you get?

(I'm hearing the snickering even now)

I read where you can go to our good friends the Mormons to look for reasonably priced foods, but it seems like it's always eggs or milk and the like. Not prepared meals.

What's a cheap prepper-wanna-be to do?

When you are doing your regular shopping start looking at what you are buying and ask yourself how well will this keep, what is the expiration date on the packaging, and of the things that store well (Pasta, Rice, Beans, Dry Cereal, Canned Foods, Ramen Noodles, etc) what other similar things might we eat? Then when they are on sale buy an extra can/package or two and add them to prepper stock, be sure to rotate stock with your regular meals but don't wait until you are out before you buy again. When it is on sale buy a couple extra and over time you will increase your food reserves.

To get you thinking outside the box:

Nissin Chow Mein Teriyaki Chicken, 4 Oz

Enjoy the delicious flavor of this Nissin Chow Mein Teriyaki Chicken. This chow mein is made with premium ingredients and other natural flavors. It comes in a proportional size, which makes it easy to cook instantly and store conveniently.Teriyaki chicken-flavored chow meinNet weight: 4...

www.dollargeneral.com

Product Search

www.dollargeneral.com

Bristol Canned Ham Hickory, 16 Oz

Bristol cooked ham is fully cooked and ready to eat. Serve hot or cold. This is a 1 lb ham and serves 4-6.Pack weighs 16 oz100 calories per 2 ozSmoked and hickory-flavored canned hamConvenient packaging for easy storage and use

www.dollargeneral.com

Armour Star Classic Homestyle Beef Stew, Canned Food, 20 Oz

Bring this Armour Star Classic Homestyle Beef Stew to enjoy the classic homestyle taste. The beef stew can be eaten right out of the can as a ready-to-eat meal or snack. It is a quick and easy meal with great flavors of potatoes and carrots in a rich, hearty gravy.Gluten-freeNet weight 20 ozU.S...

www.dollargeneral.com

And at Dollar General you can easily get a coupon for $5.00 off on Saturday if you spend $25.00

Mormons also have easy prep foods but they are more expensive than the bulk food items.
Easy Prep

EasyPrep

The WORLD'S LEADING EXPERT in emergency preparedness providing high-quality food storage, MREs, and emergency supplies for more than a decade. Guaranteed lowest price. Order Today.

thereadystore.com

Bulk Food

Search: 45 results found for "Saratoga Farms"

The WORLD'S LEADING EXPERT in emergency preparedness providing high-quality food storage, MREs, and emergency supplies for more than a decade. Guaranteed lowest price. Order Today.

thereadystore.com

Also check out the Gardening and Canning threads on MDS and start growing your own food and canning the excess.

 

[Squaregrouper]

I've got a couple of buckets of ReadyWise that I bought at Costco on the cheap, a 10lb bag of dried black beans, 32 oz of dried skim milk, and that's about it.

I realize that this is inadequate. But when I look at the prices of the internet store emergency food, my inner Scot starts yelling at me.

Is there any of these emergency food sellers that offer reasonably priced for what you get?

(I'm hearing the snickering even now)

I read where you can go to our good friends the Mormons to look for reasonably priced foods, but it seems like it's always eggs or milk and the like. Not prepared meals.

What's a cheap prepper-wanna-be to do?

Get a group of friends and buy a huge variety of dry stuff in bulk: many types of beans, legumes, rice, grains, etc. I prefer to bake/dry everything in a 300f oven for 30 minutes. Nothing will live through that. I then vacuum seal with dessicant and oxygen absorbers and store in sealed 5 gallon buckets. This should be safe to eat for decades.
Commercially canned chicken, beef, Spam, etc. will also be safe to eat for decades.

 

[Archeryrob]

I look at those as expensive for people that can't cook dried foods from scratch, or have too much money. 5 gallon buckets, Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers are the way. I put up 2 buckets of rice (35#) each and 1 bucket of beans. Then I have canned meat. I figured that was the basics. Flour doesn't store well and I don't have a good mill. The rocket stove can cook all that.

If SHTF the first three weeks will be the hardest.

 

[Pale Ryder]

Stock (deep) what you and yours eat regularly. A SHTF event is a bad time to find that you can’t stomach those 100 packs of dehydrated green eggs and ham. Diversify. Canned goods, dried beans, dehydrated packaged meals, MRE’s, smoked or salted meats, etc.
Salt, lots of salt. If you can’t make or have a smokehouse, learn how to salt fresh meat. You tube has vids.

 

[Alea Jacta Est]

I look at those as expensive for people that can't cook dried foods from scratch, or have too much money. 5 gallon buckets, Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers are the way. I put up 2 buckets of rice (35#) each and 1 bucket of beans. Then I have canned meat. I figured that was the basics. Flour doesn't store well and I don't have a good mill. The rocket stove can cook all that.

If SHTF the first three weeks will be the hardest.

AR speaks truth. First three weeks. Then next three months. Time of year cannot be realistically anticipated so plan accordingly.

Costco has good freeze dried meals at the best prices around. Honestly, think about two of those meals per person per day. Start off buying a weeks worth for your clan. Then another. Getting a months worth laid up is a wonderful feeling.

Learn how to make jerky, pemmican and hard tack. Good stuff will keep you going a long time.

PS. Run on over to Tractor Supply. Get you a couple blocks of pure salt. They store well.

The water advice above is great. Storage and purification capability. Right after you ID a nearby source.

 

[Ponder_MD]

What's a cheap prepper-wanna-be to do?

Here's the ticket:

Get thee hence, to Tractor Supply. Purchase 4 food grade, 5-gallon buckets with lids.
Next, find the nearest restaurant supply store to you: https://www.restaurantsupply.com/

Purchase the following:
40lbs. of dried beans of your choice
40lbs. white/basmati rice
40lbs. rolled oats

Cost? Approximately $70 (for the food, not the buckets). Repeat each payday.

You can safely dump the contents into the buckets and it will keep for a few years. You can add more life by purchasing mylar liners for the buckets: http://tinyurl.com/yrkea788

You can also throw in oxygen absorbers before you seal the lids: http://tinyurl.com/yc4vw4yk

 

[mal316]

Damn, y'all! This is great advice! All of it.

Thank you all for the time you took. I will review the advice and start this weekend.

First, I need to identify space to store this food...

 

[WatTyler]

But if you have mice and they turn into rats, a rat will eat through a 5-gal bucket without even noticing it. Ask me how I know...

 

[King Chicken]

But if you have mice and they turn into rats, a rat will eat through a 5-gal bucket without even noticing it. Ask me how I know...

Because you ate through one during your midnight munchies.

Rice and beans, a complete protein source. Lightweight, lasts long time. The only problem. It requires a lot of water to cook.

Katadyn makes great portable, multi-stage hiking filters with decent output. I bought a hiker pro 15 yrs ago for ($100, and it's still $100 or under) and it has served me well on every hiking trip. Filter replacements not expensive.

 

[Blacksmith101]

Damn, y'all! This is great advice! All of it.

Thank you all for the time you took. I will review the advice and start this weekend.

First, I need to identify space to store this food...

Buy a bookshelf hang a curtain across the front, they can hold a lot of food if you pack them carefully. Heavy stuff on lower shelves lighter on top.

Approx. 10 cubic feet of storage:

Style Selections White 5-Shelf Bookcase (24.88-in W x 71.42-in H x 11.65-in D)​

https://www.lowes.com/pd/allen-roth-allen-roth-5-Shelf-Bookcase-White/5001233107

 

[DanGuy48]

Get a group of friends and buy a huge variety of dry stuff in bulk: many types of beans, legumes, rice, grains, etc. I prefer to bake/dry everything in a 300f oven for 30 minutes. Nothing will live through that. I then vacuum seal with dessicant and oxygen absorbers and store in sealed 5 gallon buckets. This should be safe to eat for decades.
Commercially canned chicken, beef, Spam, etc. will also be safe to eat for decades.

Since all the ingredients are listed on the survival food buckets, it’s not difficult to buy the same dry goods in bulk at a grocery store and vacuum seal them on your own. I’m thinking mainly beans and grains, they should last for ages if vacuum sealed and stored cool.

 

[Squaregrouper]

Since all the ingredients are listed on the survival food buckets, it’s not difficult to buy the same dry goods in bulk at a grocery store and vacuum seal them on your own. I’m thinking mainly beans and grains, they should last for ages if vacuum sealed and stored cool.

Bake them first to kill any hitchhikers.

 

[DanGuy48]

Bake them first to kill any hitchhikers.

Hitchhikers = more protein!

 

[Huckleberry]

Hitchhikers = more protein!

Just remember to choose the right hitchhiker

 

[DanGuy48]

 

[King Chicken]

Just remember to choose the right hitchhiker

He who would pun would pick a pocket!

 

[King Chicken]

Here's the ticket:

Get thee hence, to Tractor Supply. Purchase 4 food grade, 5-gallon buckets with lids.
Next, find the nearest restaurant supply store to you: https://www.restaurantsupply.com/

Purchase the following:
40lbs. of dried beans of your choice
40lbs. white/basmati rice
40lbs. rolled oats

Cost? Approximately $70 (for the food, not the buckets). Repeat each payday.

You can safely dump the contents into the buckets and it will keep for a few years. You can add more life by purchasing mylar liners for the buckets: http://tinyurl.com/yrkea788

You can also throw in oxygen absorbers before you seal the lids: http://tinyurl.com/yc4vw4yk

I'd suggest brown rice over white. Higher fiber, keeps you fuller, longer. More nutrient dense.
I'd bet it keeps longer too because of the bran and germ not being removed.

 

[Ponder_MD]

I'd suggest brown rice over white. Higher fiber, keeps you fuller, longer. More nutrient dense.
I'd bet it keeps longer too because of the bran and germ not being removed.

Brown rice doesn't last nearly as long. Months vs. years.
I agree, I prefer brown rice but it just doesn't keep well because of the oil in the bran layer:

How To Store Rice

Learn how-to safely store uncooked and cooked rice.

www.usarice.com