Survival Food - Freeze Dried & MRE

Here is a great comment on being prepared from Tricia. We all learn from experience, and those who have experienced the worst are wisely the best prepared. Thanks for sharing, Tricia.

Hi, my husband and I have been building up a supply of food for about 8 years. After Hurricane Ivan hit and left us with nothing we had to start over. Red Cross didn’t get to us for over a week, when the military came in they passed out mre’s and water. We ate the mre’s and going on the second week I was having trouble getting them down. I found it very hard to continue eating them. When we finally found a home (8 mths later) we had been lucky enough to have a whole lot of space (we had to start over). We purchased freezed dried #10 canned ( Honeyville) of veggies (onion, carrot, celery, peas, corn, potato flakes) fruit (strawberries, apples, peaches, raspberries, blue berries, bananas), eggs (egg whites, egg yolks, whole egg). I filled the pantry with alot of things like Olives, large can chicken, tuna, #10 canned tomatoes, chili, all kinds of canned fruit, baked beans, our thing was we need enough for family, our animals and neighbors. We buy rice in 50lb bags and we vacuum seal gallon size amounts along with oxygen removers (this is very important), we do this for noodles, sugar, flour, grits, dry milk, etc… Next is the beans, every kind, beans go along way we put them in a quart size zippie bag and again we vacuum seal with oxygen removers. We stocked up on everything we use from bathroom supplies, toliet paper, toothbrushes, soap, shampoo, etc… to cases of canned bread (special order) & cases of canned butter (special order) I think you get the point. We vacuum seal everything but the cans. I have everything we need to enjoy our meals. I bought Bulk Foods (sams club & other stores that sell the #10 cans). We have the convenience of not needing to go shopping for 7-10 years. Since we lost everything we started over with furniture, we did not buy any end tables, etc.. instead we bought those nice big blue buckets with lids. I have stacked (2 high) 8 full containers behind my sofa (the fit was perfect just under the full length of the sofa) my husband cut a pcs of plywood to fit the top next I put a nice cover (sheet) over it and put some nick nacks on top so you don’t even know its there, did the same thing with the love seat and my end tables are containers. When our pantry was loaded and my laundry room cabinets where full I had to put the food some place. I also use a dehydrator for jerky and fruit (short term). For the question about how would we move this if we had to move no problem, because of Hurricane Ivan we had to purchase an RV (30′) it would be easy to move these items into the RV. Anything major hits us either by Mother nature or by Man we have our list, Animal & Things (every day items), Medication, Cleaning Supplies, Emerg 1st Aid, Emerg 1st Aid for snake bites, bathroom items, Lots of Bleach, Food, Water Purifiers (2), Rechargeable Batteries, Extra Gas, Elec & Duct Tape, Flash Lights & Lanterns, Propane, Propane Heater, RV and/or Tent & Supplies, Tools, Solar Panel, Camouflage Clothes & Nets, Generator, Oil/Gas, Candles, Matches, Batteries AA, AAA, D’s, C’s,
Extra Water Filters for Purifier, Entertainment (brd games, dice, cards etc…), Protection (ect….). We do expect the worse to happen and I have an evacuation plan list that we sent out to our close friends and family that is more detailed (a place to meet up, road maps that are marked and several ways to get where we need to go. Some people may think this is really bad but thats okay because there are a whole lot of people like us doing the same thing (food for thought).

The ReadyStore is having 5% off sale on survival emergency kits.

There are 24 different kits including kits especially for hurricane preparedness (see list below).

No date is given as to when the emergency kit sale will end.

Make sure you enter discount code “KITSALE” at checkout.

Here is a list;
ULTIMATE Disaster/Hurricane Survival Kit - 2 PERSON

Prepare early! This kit is designed for hurricane prone areas. This kit contains many of the essential items…
Save:     $31.36

ReadyBOTTLE Emergency Kit - 1 PERSON

Talk about portable! You\\\’ll be able to bring this compact READY Bottle Emergency Kit with you anywhere. Makes a…
Save:     $6.88

ULTIMATE Ready Evac Kit - 4 PERSON

Our most complete kit! You can have the peace-of-mind and security you want during an emergency knowing that your…
Save:     $174.69

DELUXE 72 Hour Kit - 1 PERSON

This is a terrific kit for one person! You?ll have all of the food, water, shelter, warmth, light you?ll need for…
Save:     $16.47

Grab-N-Go Economy Personal 72 Hour Kit - 1 PERSON

Our Grab-N-Go ECONOMY Personal 72-HOUR KIT works great for people on a budget. Perfect for students or those…
Save:     $9.19

Sanitation & Hygiene Add-On Kit - 5-PERSON

Avoid illness during a disaster with good hygiene. When there\\\’s no plumbing available, this Portable Sanitation…
Save:     $7.51

DELUXE Emergency Bucket Kit - 5 PERSON

Our 5 Person Shelter in Place 72 Hour Kit is great for the workplace, classroom or home. Everything is packed in a 6…
Save:     $41.58

ULTIMATE Ready Evac Kit - 2 PERSON

Our most complete 2 person kit! You can have the peace-of-mind and security you want during an emergency knowing…
Save:     $98.35

ULTIMATE Ready Evac Kit - 1 PERSON

Our most complete kit/! You can have the peace-of-mind and security you want during an emergency knowing that you…
Save:     $71.09

ULTIMATE Auto Emergency Survival Kit

This Ultimate Auto Emergency Survival kit is great for every vehicle! It includes all of the essential items…
Save:     $27.87

DELUXE All-In-One Survival Kit - 1 PERSON

Our new One Person All-In-One? 72 Hour Emergency Kit gives you one kit for any situation: a quick evacuation or…
Save:     $30.36

DELUXE Emergency Bucket Kit - 20 PERSON

FREE Shipping! Provides food, water, warmth, sanitation, light, communication, first aid & more for 20 people…
Save:     $97.51

DELUXE Emergency Bucket Kit - 10 PERSON

FREE Shipping! This kit comes with two 5 gallon buckets with Port-A-Potty lids that are stuffed full of…
Save:     $67.03

BASIC Adult 72 Hour Kit - 1 PERSON

Our BASIC 72 HOUR KIT is your first step in emergency preparedness. If you\\\’re on a budget, but still want the…
Save:     $4.43

BASICplus Adult 72 Hour Kit - 1 PERSON

Our Adult BASIC PLUS 72 HOUR KIT is a great starter kit. It works great for kids as well. Includes all Basic Kit…
Save:     $6.01

High Rise Evac Kit - 1 PERSON

Includes 1 water pouch, 1 dust mask, 1 whistle with lanyard, 1 lightstick, 3 bandaids, 2 non-aspirin pain relievers,…
Save:     $0.82

Student/Child\’s BASIC 72 Hour Kit - 1 PERSON

Perfect for Elementary Schools, Day Care Centers, and Pre-Schools! Each kit is packed in a heavy duty ziplock bag…
Save:     $4.03

DELUXE Family 72 Hour Kit - 4 PERSON

\”\\\”\” FEATURES…
Save:     $38.77

DELUXE Auto Emergency Survival Kit

Essential supplies for your car. Don\\\’t get caught unprepared! Kit Includes: 2400 Calorie Food Bar 9 - 4.2…
Save:     $14.84

DELUXE 72 Hour Kit - 2 PERSON

Our 2 Person 72 Hour Kits give you all of the essential items needed to survive the first 72 hours of an emergency….
Save:     $21.82

DELUXE All-In-One Survival Kit - 4 PERSON

2 - 6 Gallon Bucket 2 - Toilet Seat 2 - Backpack 2 - Toilet Bags (12 packs) 2 - Toilet Chemical 4 - 3600 Cal…
Save:     $62.51

DELUXE All-In-One Survival Kit - 2 PERSON

1 - 6 Gallon Bucket 1 - Toilet Seat 1 - Backpack 1 - Toilet Bags (12 packs) 1 - Toilet Chemical 2 - 3600 Cal…
Save:     $37.31

Child\’s 72 Hour Kit - 1 PERSON

Works great as a supplement for young children (under 12 years old). Even young children, including infants, should…
Save:     $7.69

RESCUE V Evac Kit - 1 PERSON

The RESCUE V EVAC KIT provides enough food, water, and emergency supplies for 72 hours. Relief Agencies such as FEMA…
Save:     $14.03

Hurricane season is upon us once again. Hurricane food preparedness should start with MREs. Since MRE are truly “ready to eat”, that is you do not need to prepare or cook them, nor is water needed. MRE’s are the best choice for hurricane preparedness.

MRE’s are also easier for traveling since you do not need to carry that extra water or heating equipment to prepare them. The Flameless Ration Heaters that most MREs come with, can heat them in 10 minutes so you can feel some comfort in a stressful situation with a hot meal.

MRE’s are a great food reserve for hurricanes for another reason; the packaging they come in are tested tough by the Military;

1. 100% survival rate from a military cargo parachute drop
2. A survival rated of at least 75% in the event of a air cargo parachute failure
3. Survive under the harshest of weather conditions
4. Withstand extreme soldier field abuse
5. Handle outdoor storage anywhere in the world
6. Pass 7,000 individual pouch drops from 20 inches
7. Be able to withstand a static load of 200 pounds for three minutes.

Hurricane Kits & MRE

MRE’s

Executive 72-hour Kit - As seen on CNN!

72-hour Survival Kits

Emergency Radios

Water Filters, Purifiers and Storage

Executive 72-hour Kit with Solar Upgrade

Below is an great article by Rayven Perkins where she talks about her first hand experience with MRE’s in the aftermath of 3 hurricanes starting with Hurricane Charley.

Two commercial MRE meals per day provide enough calories for an adult for one day at about 2400 calories. A box of 12 MREs costs about $75. So for $300 you can have an emergency food reserve that supports 4 adults for 6 days.

Recent news about food shortage and food price increases have created a huge increase in demand for freeze dried food as well as MRE, so if you need to prepare for this season you really need to act now.

MREs are available at local camping and some other outdoor stores. They are also available online but I would avoid eBay as you have no idea what you are getting, some or all of the MRE may be old and close the expiry date. Also if you see marked military MRE, please note that It is illegal to sell military MRE.

MRE (meals ready to eat) Food Reserves

72 hour survival kit

MREs for Hurricane Preparation

By Rayven Perkins

Its almost hurricane season again! And time to get our supplies ready in case we get hit again this year. I have personally been through four hurricanes, three of which hit during a two-month period during 2004. I have stayed in my home for all four hurricanes and have learned a thing or two about the best supplies to have on hand.

Bar none, the best food supplies to have on hand are MREs. MRE stands for Meal Ready to Eat. They are United States military rations that have become available on the civilian market. MREs are an all in one meal kit. Packaged in a waterproof bag, they contain items such as an entree, side dish, snack item, beverage base, and dessert.

They contain a food heater that is activated by a very small amount of water, and even have an accessory pack with condiments and utensils. Heck, they even have toilet paper in them!

MREs have a shelf life of up to 10 years when stored properly. They are a great item to have on hand for any sort of emergency. They certainly came in handy for us when we had them in 2004. The first hurricane, Hurricane Charley, caused our electricity to go out for 5 days. We did not suffer any structural damage, luckily, but we lost all the contents of our fridge and freezer.

We had actually forgotten all about our MREs at the time. We did not properly prepare for Hurricane Charley. We had that “it won’t happen to us” mentality.

After the hurricane, we spent two days eating cold spaghetti-o’s before we remembered the box of MREs we had purchased for camping. Out they came! The whole family ate much better those last three days without electricity than the first two! Between the hurricanes, we did have the sense to restock our Meals Ready to Eat and have always made it a point to keep them on hand since then.

The second hurricane that hit us that year did some structural damage, but we retained power. The third hurricane left us without power again, this time for over a week. With two small children at home, I can tell you that hurricane season that year was not fun. In Central Florida, you need air conditioning to survive. Going a few weeks without air conditioning was trying to say the least.

Couple that with being holed up in a dark apartment with no TV, little light, and nothing to do. The only thing to break the monotony of those days was the fun we had when we ate our MRE meals. The kids (and adults) had a blast opening up each bag, cooking the entrees over the flameless heater, and devouring the interesting snacks provided. It was the only source of amusement during this trying time.

In short, every hurricane preparedness pantry needs to have a case of Meals Ready to Eat available, not just for food, but to break up the boredom.

Rayven Perkins is a stay home mom who has put together a resource on MREs, including where to find the best prices for purchasing them. Visit her website at: Discount MREs

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rayven_Perkins
http://EzineArticles.com/?MREs-for-Hurricane-Preparation&id=1120493

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MRE (meals ready to eat) Food Reserves

72 hour survival kit

The American Red Cross provides a list of items for survival backpacks, however few have taken the time to make one. (see their page for Survival Kit list)

I am wondering how many prefer to make their own rather than buying a 72 hour kit with most of the items in it. If people say they will make their own, do they actually get around to doing it?

[poll=3]

72 Hour Survival Kits

Having a good 72 hour survival kit ready at all times can be make a huge difference in the event of an emergency or disaster. One backpack can carry all you need if you pack the right items in it.

Rather than having one 2-person kit or one large four-person kit, I recommend getting 2-3 one person kits that you keep in each car and at home. You never know where you will be when you need them so I believe this is the best strategy.

The best one person kit I could find is the Executive 72 hour survival kit with solar radio upgrade.

This kit contains;

• Premium Quality Water Resistant Nylon Backpack
  with padded Shoulder Straps
• Heavy-Duty Tube Tent Shelter
• Deluxe Knucklemender™ 60 item First-Aid Kit
• 5 Year Shelf-Life Cookie Flavored Food Rations
• 5 Year U.S. Coast Guard Water Rations
• Emergency Space® Blankets
• 36 Hour Light/Heat Candle
• Protective Leather Gloves & Dust Masks
• Quality AM/FM Radio

CONTENTS INCLUDES:

Warmth & Shelter
• 2 - Compact Emergency USA Made Space® Blankets
• 1 - Deluxe Heavy-Duty Tube Tent
• 2 - Emergency Rain/Wind Ponchos

Cooking, Heating, & Light
• 1 - 36 hr. Emergency Candle
• 1 - Industrial “AA” Size Flashlight with Batteries
• 2 - Pair of Hand/Pocket Warmer Heat-Paks
• 1 - 12 hr. Instant Lightstick
• 1 - Box of Waterproof Matches (45 matches)

Water & Hygiene Items
• 24 - Purified Drinking Water Pouches (4.2 ounces each)
• 18 - Wet-Wipe Packets
• 2 - Compact Sanitation/Toilet Toilet Rolls
• 2 - Disposable Sanitation Bags

First-Aid
• 1 - 60 Item Knuckle Mender II™ First Aid Kit w/ Instruction Book

Food Items
• 2 - 3600 Calorie Cookie Tasting Ration Bars
• 1 - Bag of Survival Candy
• 6 - E-mer’gen-C® Energy Drink Packets

Miscellaneous
• 1 - Premium Heavy Duty Nylon Backpack
• 1 - 15-Function Swiss Army Style Pocket Knife
• 1 - Deluxe AM/FM Radio Flashlight w/ Batteries
• 1 - Emergency Survival Whistle
• 1 - 50′ Nylon Cord
• 1 - Pair of Leather Gloves (for digging through or clearing debris)
  or hand warming in cold weather
• 1 - Writing Pad, Pencil, and Ink Pen
• 1 - Deck of Playing Cards (time occupier for kids & adult at shelter or
  if stuck at work or school. Helps time pass much faster).
• 2 - N95 Hospital Grade Dust Masks

This is kit is available at Nitro-pak for $154.99 at the time of this post.

* Emergency Indentification Cards

Here is a good idea that is recommended by the American Safety and Health Institute;
EMERGENCY Preparedness Notification Cards - EMERGENCY Notification Cards for emergency preparedness and peace of mind.