Help my wife and I agree

[clearconscience]

I get the variety box from costco of mountain house meals. It's a good deal. I use them for hunting.

 

[45alive]

I have found powdered Milk at the Grocery store but I have not found Powdered Eggs. Is that only sold at Survival Stores only ?

 

[powersbj]

I have found powdered Milk at the Grocery store but I have not found Powdered Eggs. Is that only sold at Survival Stores only ?

Make your own in the oven.

 

[45alive]

I will look into that, Thanks !

 

[IheartSig]

hahaha I can see it now ....

"But honey, the guys on the gun form said......."

 

[EZLivin]

I just got back from a 5-month cabin build project in Idaho. Since we were off grid, and the nearest town was an hour away, we decided to add a mix of freeze dried and dehydrated products into our daily meals. (Plus it was a way to get some realistic experience with our emergency prep supplies.) Most were #10 cans (Augason, Honeville, Thrive), plus some assorted Mountain House single person entrees once in awhile. We didn't live off the stuff, but used it to supplement our conventional canned and packaged foods. Here are a few things we learned:

1) #10s are usually a great value compared to the smaller cans, but if you want variety you will end up with a LOT of open cans. Could be an issue if you have limited bear and varmint proof storage.
2) Know the storage requirement for open cans. Some of it requires refrigeration after opening, or needs to be used in a fairly short period of time after opening. Both factors were a pain in the azz in our off grid situation.
3) We found that preparation often required significantly more water and time than the instructions stated. Not a significant issue for us, but would be if water and fuel were in limited supply.
4) If you enjoy variety those #10s might not be the most practical in some situations, especially the ones that require refrigeration after opening, since you will likely want to use it prior to opening others.

Those are the negatives we found. We will still use a lot of it next time around, but will start buying the smaller cans for many items. And for sure will avoid the stuff that requires refrigeration after opening. As for difference between brands, I didn't really note any major differences, BUT, we focused on buying what was rated best so as not to have any bad surprises.

 

[Stomper]

As for me... I can eat the same sheite for days and days until it's gone... hot, cold, luke warm... I blame the Infantry.

 

[Pops1911]

I still cannot ham and motherf*****s! LOL.

 

[P7M13]

I'm with Stomper.
The decision is simple. Mama wants Thrive, don't question her desire or wisdom. Use your own wisdom, get lots of Thrive for her, some of the stuff you want, and get more than either of you expect. In _every_ situation where I've been off grid, every time my calculations have been off. Even using ration restriction, I've run out of food 8 days into a 14 day trip. Great way to lose weight, but I don't like being a hungry m'fer.
Over the years, my techniques have changed. When I could carry 80# packs all day with no problem, would carry water and canned food. It has since changed to rice, beans, raw eggs, curry, salt, pepper and at most a half gallon of water (2 stainless quart bottles).
The only trick had been figuring out how to keep the eggs from breaking.
On water, I never used nor will ever use iodine. Used to always boil. Now I trust those filter systems. Considering some of the mud puddles I have pulled from and that my dog got giardia but not me, they work. (never knew a dog could get giarida, either).

 

[45alive]

As for me... I can eat the same sheite for days and days until it's gone... hot, cold, luke warm... I blame the Infantry.

That's how I am as well. I eat right out of the can, some days I would rather have a cold can of Menudo or Clam Chowder over a nice hot meal. I eat moldy bread, just tear off the mold, moldy cheese, just cut off the mold and have ate yogurt that was 6 months old in back of the fridge and never got sick from it. I ate a Taco Bell burrito that was in my truck for 3 days, it was Winter so it was cold enough and I ate it cold. My Ole Lady say's I have a cast iron gut.

 

[Stomper]

Ok... you're just an ANIMAL with the stomach of a billygoat!


TIP: Don't eat ANY Baby Ruth candy bar you may find floating in a swimming pool... 50/50 chance it's actually poo.

 

[45alive]

Ha, that's funny , I used to do landscaping-maintenance work at a Retirement community that had a golf course and swimming pool. I even wore a hat like Bill Murray in Caddyshack and I love Baby Ruth bars my favorite, honest. If I did eat a turd floating in the pool it would be palatable because of the Chlorine !

 

[Stomper]

Whoa... There's a HUGE difference between palatable and edible...


(Caddyshack- one of the classics!)

 

[fyrediver]

The kind she'll eat!

 

[tfbit]

I initially stocked up near the end of 2011 when Thrive/Shelf Reliance had their Black Friday sale. It seems like Thrive/Shelf Reliance has been doing some of the stupid crap that the rest of the packaged food industry has been doing like including more air with your purchase. In example when I bought FD Chopped Chicken the label listed 48 90 cal servings for a total of 4320 cal. The current Thrive can of FDCC lists 22 140 cal servings for a total of 3080 calories. Big difference in the same #10 can. For #10 can staples like FD meats and fruits I'd be making sure I was getting the biggest calorie bang for the buck. Make sure you check out Costco and The Ready Store. Costco includes shipping in what is usually the lowest prices I've seen for stuff. The Ready Store has good sales on a regular basis and has flat rate shipping based on the dollar amount of the order, the highest shipping price being $12.

 

[bigblue]

It depends on your threat model ..... for a short term emergency a freeze dried camping meal supply is probably the best option, and Mountain House is the premium brand in that area. However, even a short term supply (lets say 10 days) will be REALLY spendy. For a longer term emergency, lets call a WTROL or SHTF situation, basic dehydrated and freeze dried food prep items in long term storage super pails, is best. Grains, beans and legumes, veges, fruit, etc. And a LOT cheaper than camping meals. And will last a LOT longer on the shelf. So again, there is no simple cut and dried answer ... it depends on your threat model.

 

[teflon6string]

Saving water is important. I cleanse, refill and recap 23oz beer bottles, and keep them in my "bomb shelter" (concrete storage room under the garage). Spare growlers, too. Any brand of freeze dried food is basically useless without plenty of water.

I'm interested in some of the Costco MH variety packs. Not seeing much on their website about how long they're safe to keep. I'd like to buy some 20-25 year stuff and throw it out someday because it's too old.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Mountain House, but I'm neighbors with the president of the company so I am kinda prejudiced.

Best tasting freeze dried food Ive had.

 

[Siglvr]

The main reason for the Mountain House #10 tins over the smaller foil packs is that the shelf life is crazy long. As someone who has had the MH foil packs expire (they get old and taste horrible), a 30 plus year shelf life for SHTF emergency rations is very attractive. Furthermore, the freeze dried stuff is compact to store, but easy and fast to cook at a time when you may need both to happen. For me, as Mountain House is the only company who has been around long enough and interested enough to ACTUALLY test their shelf life and then work on bettering their process so as to make it better based on test results, they win for long term preps. http://www.mountainhouse.com/blog/tag/shelf-life/

If my wife said Thrive, on the other hand, Thrive it would be Mostly she lets me do my own crazy.....

 

[fatboy044]

Agree that thrive is much better flavor and storage life if unopened. Some of both is not a bad plan but way more thrive then mh imo.