Jul 27 2010
Mountain House, the largest makers of freeze dried food in the world have launched a “Connect with Mountain House Online!” campaign.
If you join their Twitter feed or Facebook group you get information updates and discount offers.
They also have a YouTube Channel.
http://www.youtube.com/MountainHouseMeals
Published under Emergency Food, Freeze Dried Food, Mountain House, Survival Food, Survival Food ReservesJul 21 2010
There are several items that need to be considered when one is preparing survival food rations. A basic survival kit needs to include many items. Here we will discuss just the food portion of a survival kit that should be kept on hand in the home in case of an emergency of some sort.
A good way to store survival materials is to keep them in a cellar or basement area. Many homes do not have these areas so a designated meeting place somewhere near the center of the house will work just as well. Items can be placed into a large plastic, or water proof, containers and only opened to replace old items or in a state of emergency.
Protein is a staple that must be included in the kit. There are plenty of options from which to choose. It is best to have several small containers rather than one large one. Individual units of things like peanut butter, canned chicken or tuna, and beans are all good choices for proteins. These need to be canned items and not in plastic or paper containers. This will ensure the contents are safe from contamination. Individually packaged nuts are also a good protein choice to be included in the kit.
Small packages of crackers can be placed into metal containers and stored in the kit as well. These will need to be changed out every three months to keep them fresh though.
There are many types of dried fruits that can be stored in a survival kit. Several different types of fruits can be purchased so that there is a variety. Individual packages are good but mostly just try not to buy the very large bags. The smaller the bag the better as this will yield less waste.
These are a few staple items that should always be included in a survival kit. There are other types of packaging to choose from. The storage space must be considered and items purchased which will allow for the maximum amounts of key items to be stored in case there is an emergency situation.
MREs or meals ready to eat, are the perfect emergency survival food. First designed by the military, they are now available to civilians as well. To find MRE meals for sale and military grade MREs, visit the links.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Timothy_Dalton
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Prepare-a-Survival-Food-Kit&id=4690748
May 12 2010
By Lance Esondi
In a modern world to most having something like a survival food storage seems a bit silly. The idea of having access to food and goods at all times seems normal because most of our lives that’s exactly how it has been. There are situations that having a survival food storage is a good option to have.
There are some situations where access to goods or ability to buy goods could be limited. Having a good 30 or 60 day supply on hand isn’t a bad idea.
Job loss - For most people at any time their jobs can be lost. This normally isn’t thought of as a survival situation but in a modern world it is. Having extra food and supplies will just make the period of job loss a bit easier.
Natural disaster - Some natural disasters you will have to evacuate the city like a major hurricane. But for some you might be stuck at home because it’s too difficult to leave the city. Having this food supply gives you something to rely on.
Pandemics - Pandemics can happen. Luckily there is some security out there where things are done to control them, but a sickness or virus could get out of control. The strategy in an area if one of these sicknesses is too far out of control is to quarantine everyone. While you are quarantined having some supplies will make this time much easier.
When you make your survival food storage, store food that you currently eat. Stock up on items that you already enjoy and just rotate your supply. Put the new one you just purchased into your storage bin and take the oldest one out to use next. This way you don’t have to worry as much about the food spoiling. Also you aren’t going to be left with old freeze dried meals that you may never actually eat if they go bad.
Do you have a plan for natural disasters or pandemics?
Click and learn Urban Survival Skills to properly prepare and be ready for these situations.
Discover Food Storage Secrets that let you have a good supply of food without constant worry about expiration dates.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Esondi
http://EzineArticles.com/?Whats-the-Point-of-Survival-Food-Storage-in-a-Modern-World?&id=3638439
May 10 2010
By Edie George
Choosing and storing foods for disaster survival is critical because of the possibility of being stranded with no way to purchase needed supplies for days on end. There are prepackaged survival food kits available, but with a little thought you can have everyday favorites on hand to add variety to meals. This will help raise everyone’s spirits as well. As you stock up on foods take into consideration anyone in the family who has special dietary needs.
Water is your first priority. It is recommended that there be a one week supply of food and water. Allow about one gallon of water per person per day for tooth brushing, washing up and cooking. You will need about 28 gallons for a family of four. Store your water in sturdy containers, preferably glass, rotating and using it regularly so that it remains fresh.
Milk is an important item to include. Even though the electricity may be out, you will find milk in new types of cartons that need no refrigeration and has a long shelf life. As you gather your disaster survival foods note the expiration dates and use and replace the items regularly to keep them fresh. The milk can be used for cooking and for cereals, which are vitamin fortified to provide extra nourishment. Powdered milk is OK, but it uses some of your precious store of water.
Make a list so you can include your favorite canned fruits and vegetables. Pick a variety of colorful and sweet fruits like peaches, pears and mandarin oranges to satisfy the need for something sweet. Staple vegetables like green beans (even spicy pinto beans), peas, potatoes contain vitamins necessary to keep up everyone’s strength. Canned items can be eaten cold if there is no stove available and no way to start a fire. Soups are important and canned meats, tuna, beef stew will all round out the menus you can create. Some foods that are too high in calories or fat for everyday use are good for short term survival situations because they supply extra energy and feel wonderfully decadent in trying times.
Snacks are important disaster survival foods that help to keep up spirits between meals. Select some junk snacks, potato chips, pretzels, nuts and dried foods and trail mix that all store well. The vitamin fortified cereals work as a snack and are also good for you. Be sure and include salt and pepper and small amounts of your favorite spices to dress up meals. Dried articles such as pasta, beans or rice should be used sparingly because they all take large amounts of water to prepare and you need to watch your water supply to make sure you have enough to drink. These items are also available in the canned food section of the grocery store.
Keep a list of your foods for disaster survival, post it on the wall of the storage area and check it often for content and expiration dates. This will keep you content knowing you are prepared for whatever comes.
Edie has many interests and her curiosity leads her to researching them resulting in free lance articles which help others meet their online goals. If you would like to spice up your bedroom look for a vintage duvet cover or a queen size duvet cover to add color and ambiance to the room.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Edie_George
http://EzineArticles.com/?Selecting-Foods-For-Disaster-Survival&id=4174821
May 09 2010
In times of distress, natural disaster or even terrorist attacks, survival foods are one of the most important things to have on hand.
Having enough food to eat will help you and your family survive most emergency situations. Survival foods can also help you in case of a job loss or in the case of an illness or pandemic where you don’t want to leave your home.
Most people today are taking steps to make sure they have a supply of survival foods on hand. What are your options? Here are 3 different types of survival food to consider with advantages and disadvantages of each:
#1 Can or Preserve your Own Food
If you are the Martha Stewart type, have hours of free time, or have nothing better to do on the weekend, then canning or preserving your own food might be for you.
The advantage to this option is that you can choose what kinds of foods to have on hand and preferably choose something you’d actually enjoy eating. You might also save a bit of money doing it this way as well.
The disadvantage is of course time. If you’re like most people, you don’t have much free time after work and the thought of preserving food all weekend doesn’t excite you.
Plus you have to be aware of the shelf life of this food - probably around 1 - 2 years at best. So you’ll have to make sure you eat your preserved food and add in some more newer foods as time goes by.
#2 Dehydrated Foods
You can dehydrate your own foods with a food dehydrator. This option gives you a little more variety and again, you get to choose foods that you like to eat.
Many of the higher end food dehydrators have timers so you can “set and forget”, which make things a little easier. I consider dehydrated foods more of a short term food storage item, as you should (according to some sources) consume them within 1 year of making them.
Experts also recommend that any dehydrated meats be placed in a freezer to help them from spoiling.
You may also need to place your newly dehydrated foods in the freezer right after dehydration for a few days to help reduce the possibility of insect contamination.
Again the two issues you may have with dehydrating food is preparation time - which can be long, and shelf life - which can be quite short.
#3 Freeze Dried Foods
You can also buy prepackaged freeze dried food that is easy to stack and store.
Freeze dried meals that are easy to prepare are one of your best options for survival foods. Most meals only require you to add water - which in an emergency situation might be all you have.
Plus in a true emergency if you have young children, the simpler the meal is to make, the better. You can ask them to help (this will also keep them distracted from the problems outside).
And contrary to how the name sounds freeze dried foods can taste remarkably good. Some companies have made their freeze dried foods almost to gourmet levels.
For example you can get Chicken a la King, Italian wedding soup with meatballs, vegetable stew with beef, and even blueberry pancakes.
Plus unlike the two options above, some freeze dried survival foods have a shelf life of 25+ years (depending on storage temperature). So as a long term food storage option they fit the bill.
Basically all you do is store them in a cool dry spot, and inspect them on a regular basis.
So those are 3 options for having survival foods on hand in case of emergency. No matter how you choose to prepare yourself, it’s important that you do take some steps to have food on hand should you be stranded in your home and/or unable to find food.
Being properly prepared can mean the difference between barely surviving and thriving should the worst happen.
Want more options? See Survival Foods for more suggestions and tips on emergency preparedness.
Or visit Food Insurance for freeze dried foods with a 25 year shelf life.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Charles_O’Neill
http://EzineArticles.com/?Survival-Foods—3-Options-You-Have-to-Prepare-For-Emergency&id=4229580
May 08 2010
By Lance Esondi
There can be disruptions to normal day to day life. Most of these disruptions are temporary like a severe snow storm where travel and electricity are cut off for a week. There are threats of more long term situations like attacks, pandemics, or economic collapse, but these are extremely rare. What’s a good amount of disaster food supplies to have realistically?
For most families a 30 day supply is a good goal. This means literally having everything you would need for a full 30 days of eating. This is a very manageable number to shoot for an pretty easy for most people to get within a few weeks. Gradually build up your 30 day supply with foods that you already like and are used to eating.
The reason 30 days is a good goal is because there have not been situations in modern society where a country has been completely disrupted for longer than a few weeks. This covers most situations easily.
But won’t 30 days of food be too little in a long term survival situation?
Of course this food won’t last you forever. Even if you had 60, 90, or a half year’s worth of food in a long term situation it would all run out unless you had another means of production. For longer term food, you need to produce it through gardening, foraging, or hunting. It would be such a difficult life that having 60 versus 30 days of a food wouldn’t make a difference consider the hundreds of things one must prepare for to survive long term.
Start today and get at least one week’s worth of supplies and gradually build up what you have. Then in these normal disruptions you at least know you and your family will be fed.
Do you have a plan for natural disasters or pandemics? Click and learn Urban Survival Skills to properly prepare and be ready for these situations. Discover Food Storage Secrets that let you have a good supply of food without constant worry about expiration dates.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Esondi
http://EzineArticles.com/?How-Much-Disaster-Food-Supplies-Are-Really-Needed-For-Most-Situations?&id=3587959
Mar 16 2010
By Lance Esondi
If you are storing food long term for disaster, survival, or job loss, there are three very common mistakes that most people make. Look at your food storage habits and be sure you aren’t doing one of these.
The first big mistake is storing food that you don’t like. While it’s not realistic to store months of food from your favorite recipes and dishes, you can’t have food stored up that you really don’t like eating at all. Put things into your storage supplies that you actually look forward to and enjoy eating. Be sure there are plenty of things like salt, sugar, and spices to make the food taste good.
Another mistake is not rotating your supplies. If you go to the store and buy a new jar of peanut butter, put that into your food storage containers. Take the old one out and use that one for day to day use. This keeps everything that is stored on a constant rotation making sure things stay fresher. This also helps with problem one where you are actually used to eating the food you are storing.
The third mistake is storing all your food in the same place. This is a huge mistake made by many. If there is a fire or tornado and takes out the part of your home where all that food is stored, you now have none. If you are doing long term storage consider putting it in different places around the home. As an additional step consider storing some food at a different location as well.
Do you have a plan for natural disasters or pandemics?
Click and learn Urban Survival Skills to properly prepare and be ready for these situations.
A Bug Out Bag is a must to have prepared before disaster situations so you can have something to rely upon.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Esondi
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Three-Big-Food-Storage-Mistakes-Most-People-Make&id=3749430
Feb 15 2010
By Jeremy Crews
Recently, I posted a series of videos on my blog showing the proper method of packing staple food items such as rice, beans, and wheat for long-term storage. I couldn’t possibly stress enough the importance of using such methods as one would be hard-pressed to find a better way to quickly build up a larder of nutritious, life-sustaining food. When dealing in such bulk items as grains, legumes, etc., a hardy supply of foodstuffs will quickly accumulate.
Of course, these methods do have their drawbacks. The first is that it is time- and labor-intensive as you can see from watching the videos. Another downside is that food packed in such ways is typically not going to be something you can just jump in and start eating. Raw wheat, for instance, must be ground into flour using a countertop mill and then baked into bread. A 5 gallon bucket full of wheat will make a lot of bread to feed you and your family, but that level of work going into preparing it may not be what you’re looking for in an emergency. If your personal preparations tend toward gearing up for a long stretch of bad times, then this method is by-far the best for you due to the many months of food you can quickly and economically accumulate.
If, on the other hand, your preps tend toward shorter emergencies (i.e. blizzards and/or ice storms, floods, or even self-quarantine during a bird flu pandemic) you might find it better to simply load up your pantry with canned goods. With few exceptions, virtually any commercially-canned product you buy in the grocery store will last at least 2 years as long as it is not exposed to high temperatures for extended periods and there are no noticeable abnormalities in the packaging (i.e. bulging cans, etc.). In fact, many are still good long past the expiration dates printed on them. Those using this method must be diligent about rotating the stock in the pantry on a regular basis, meaning you must get used to using the oldest items first.
A sort of middle-of-the-road option and the one that I use mostly is to buy commercially-canned dehydrated and freeze-dried foods in #10 cans. The downside to this method is, first off, it’s more expensive. Secondly, you’ll often find these products are not available locally, and so you must pay for shipping as well. Still, when you factor in the *LONG* shelf lives of these foodstuffs, I believe the added cost is worth it.
For those who may not be familiar with food storage as an emergency prep, dehydrated foods are usually base ingredients such as rice or beans with little or no seasoning added. You typically add them to boiling water, which rehydrates and cooks them at the same time. This can be done on the stove, in a crockpot, or even over a camp fire. Things like pancake and muffin mixes are also typically dehydrated. A personal favorite of mine are dehydrated Potato Flakes, which make mashed potatoes when you fix them. Mmm… mashed potatoes. Okay, I think I’ve recovered now. The bottom line is that these more or less always require cooking. These products, unopened, are good for an amazing 15 years on average.
Freeze-dried foods, on the other hand, are typically already a meal that just requires rehydration. Just pour some odd-looking powdery concoction into a pot of hot water and let it sit for 20 minutes or so and return to find that it has magically soacked-up all the water and turned into a steaming pot of yummy Chili Macaroni or Chicken Teriyaki, all pre-cooked and seasoned and ready to eat. Most freeze dried foods are typically advertised as having an almost unbelievable 25 year shelf-life if left unopened.
As always, it is up to you to decide which is your best option for putting up a larder of storage food. Only you can decide what best suits your individual situation. For me and mine, I have concentrated mostly on dehydrated and freeze-dried so far, but I am planning to put away some bulk beans, rice, rolled oats, and pancake mix in 5 gallon buckets with mylar liners and oxygen absorbers in the next few months.
© Copyright 2009 Backwoods Industries (except where otherwise cited). Text, video, photographs, and any other material may be republished, rebroadcast or redistributed as long as our website is sited as the author and a link back to our website is provided.
Backwoods Survival Blog - http://www.backwoodssurvivalblog.com/
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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Crews
http://EzineArticles.com/?Dehydrated—Freeze-Dried-Versus-Bulk-Food-Storage&id=2078555
Feb 13 2010
By Bobbi Adams
Years ago Mom and or Grandma had a food cellar where they stocked up on food just in case of an emergency. This custom has virtually disappeared from the American lifestyle. Thus the advent of emergency food rations, freeze dried foods. You never know when you might experience an emergency. With the recent horrendous snow storms on the east coast, and the severe weather on the west coast, it is smart to be prepared. The Mountain House 72-Hour Emergency Meal Kit is the perfect answer with meals for three days for one adult, and you will rest easy knowing you or your family are ready in case of hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, earthquakes, and other events. Some people also take these delicious foods camping and backpacking as they are easy to pack and easy to enjoy. They are ideal when there is a power outage, as you only have to add water. The Mountain House Company cooks fresh or frozen foods and then freeze dries them so the flavor and goodness are locked in. Backpackers have said these are the best-tasting freeze dried food they have ever had. You don’t have to add anything or cook anything to get a complete meal.
This Mountain House meal kit includes three breakfasts, three side vegetables, and six 10 ounce packets of lunch or dinner entrees, food enough for an adult for three days. Included are granola with blueberries and milk, scrambled eggs with bacon, scrambled eggs with ham and pepper, garden green peas, whole kernel corn, cut green beans, beef stroganoff, chicken teriyaki, chili mac with beef, rice and chicken, pasta primavera, and sweet and sour pork with rice. All this emergency survival food can be prepared easily in challenging circumstances by adding water, and have a seven year shelf life. Satisfied customer Christopher Coakley of Santa Barbara, California said, “Mountain House meals typically taste better than many of the freeze-dried alternatives.” My son agrees with Mr. Coakley, and takes them on motorcycle trips because they are also so easy to pack.
The Mountain House food for emergencies are preserved because greatly reduced amount of water halts microorganisms and enzymes that would result in spoiling the food. That allows the food to be stored without refrigeration. Satisfied customer M.O. Gomez of Northern California said, “The food is amazingly good. We purchased this to add to our earthquake preparedness kit, but we tasted the stroganoff before we filed the rest away. It was surprisingly yummy.” The chili mac with beef is a favorite of my daughter’s. Mountain House has put a lot of thought and care into their food preparation, and customers appreciate the taste of these hearty, well-balanced meals. I know when camping my family appreciates a hot meal, and during an ice storm Maine had the Mountain House foods we had collected were doubly appreciated. In my opinion the foods taste as good as if I had cooked them myself from scratch. I find also that they are very easy to store as they take up little room.
http://www.special-deals-today.blogspot.com
Are you and your family prepared for emergencies like the recent horrendous snowstorms? It is important to plan ahead so you have enough food on hand. If you want to start a collection of food for an emergency kit, go now to Mountain House Emergency Meal Kit
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bobbi_Adams
http://EzineArticles.com/?Emergency-Food-Rations—A-Review-of-Mountain-House-72-Hour-Emergency-Meal-Kit&id=3728433
Jan 30 2010
By Lance Esondi
In a modern world to most having something like a survival food storage seems a bit silly. The idea of having access to food and goods at all times seems normal because most of our lives that’s exactly how it has been. There are situations that having a survival food storage is a good option to have.
There are some situations where access to goods or ability to buy goods could be limited. Having a good 30 or 60 day supply on hand isn’t a bad idea.
Job loss - For most people at any time their jobs can be lost. This normally isn’t thought of as a survival situation but in a modern world it is. Having extra food and supplies will just make the period of job loss a bit easier.
Natural disaster - Some natural disasters you will have to evacuate the city like a major hurricane. But for some you might be stuck at home because it’s too difficult to leave the city. Having this food supply gives you something to rely on.
Pandemics - Pandemics can happen. Luckily there is some security out there where things are done to control them, but a sickness or virus could get out of control. The strategy in an area if one of these sicknesses is too far out of control is to quarantine everyone. While you are quarantined having some supplies will make this time much easier.
When you make your survival food storage, store food that you currently eat. Stock up on items that you already enjoy and just rotate your supply. Put the new one you just purchased into your storage bin and take the oldest one out to use next. This way you don’t have to worry as much about the food spoiling. Also you aren’t going to be left with old freeze dried meals that you may never actually eat if they go bad.
Do you have a plan for natural disasters or pandemics?
Click and learn Urban Survival Skills to properly prepare and be ready for these situations.
Discover Food Storage Secrets that let you have a good supply of food without constant worry about expiration dates.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Esondi
http://EzineArticles.com/?Whats-the-Point-of-Survival-Food-Storage-in-a-Modern-World?&id=3638439
