I bought one of those about the same time frame. I threw it in the back of my kids car for emergencies. You are spot on, all of these 2 day, 3 day whatever kits are filled with the cheapest ingredients available. Can't blame them for trying to make a profit, but the industry plays marketing games with the serving size statements.

 

I bought one of those about the same time frame. I threw it in the back of my kids car for emergencies. You are spot on, all of these 2 day, 3 day whatever kits are filled with the cheapest ingredients available. Can't blame them for trying to make a profit, but the industry plays marketing games with the serving size statements.

This.

Mountain House is similar, their "4 serving" meals are like 200 calories and barely enough for one meal for one person. These companies play on people's fears.

Having some freeze dried food on hand is good, but keeping like a year's worth of it for two you need a LOT more than you think. Enough to bankrupt most of us. And it's not great for you to eat too much.

 

I never thought of buying an extra to basically practice cooking it and tasting it.

 

It would be a real shame to find out that you couldn't eat it (or that it wasn't adequate nutrition) only after all other foods are unavailable.
Sitting there starving, knowing that you could have spent that money on something usable.

 

Thanks, folks, get the facts, do the math... Prepper lore is at least 2,000 calories per person per day to survive with a sedentary existence... And be serious about looking at the ingredients... He's hit it, the carbs you could probably sore by dry rice, beans, spaghetti, etc.

 

Thanks for the review. I recently purchased a single pouch of Readywise. A wise person would pass on them. Learn from my mistake. It was horrible. I ate two spoonfuls and threw it in the garbage.

it’s always best to sample a little bit of something before you buy it in large quantities. The time to determine whether or not you like a particular product is now, before you actually need it.

 

Terry is right about the container. It's a good size and quite sturdy. No reason to not refill it properly. It's probably the most expensive part of that package as there's probably about 2 bucks worth of dried macaroni and oatmeal.

 

$20.76 from wal mart. Repurpose a used five gallon bucket , line it with a brown paper bag. 600 calories per dry cup. If you live where the air is mostly water salvage some silica gel dessicant from packageing and dry it out in the oven then package it with the rice.
You all might want to think longer term than a weekend or two. Especially if you have a family.
My freeze dryed food is exactly what I eat day to day..which is another reason I love having my own freeze drier.

 

What freeze drier are you using?

Terry

 

We've got 3 of those same buckets, bought when they were $19 and change from Walmart. I think they are around $35 now. Anyway, I got them so if someone came begging, I could throw one out the door and tell em to get lost.

 

Container of Quick oatmeal - 30 1/2 cup servings per container - no 'cooking; just add hot water $5.12 or $0.17 per 'serving' (I use 2/3 a cup)

Minute rice 17 servings of 1 cup cooked. $5.28 or $0.31 for a cup of cooked rice

Great Value pancake mix (buttermilk) $2.38 16 servings pf 1/2 cup of mix. @2.83 or $0.15 per serving.

Great value baking mix (kinda Bisquick) . $4.98 40 oz 30ea 1/3 cup servings $0.17 per serving.

*
add canned meats/SPAM!/tuna whatever.

For a lot less than $20 you can get a lot of chow, most of it 'cooked' with just hot water. The Bisquick and make Bannock on a stick.

*
Bottom line - you can do better, cheaper and get more Chow.

 

Container of Quick oatmeal - 30 1/2 cup servings per container - no 'cooking; just add hot water $5.12 or $0.17 per 'serving' (I use 2/3 a cup)

Minute rice 17 servings of 1 cup cooked. $5.28 or $0.31 for a cup of cooked rice

Great Value pancake mix (buttermilk) $2.38 16 servings pf 1/2 cup of mix. @2.83 or $0.15 per serving.

Great value baking mix (kinda Bisquick) . $4.98 40 oz 30ea 1/3 cup servings $0.17 per serving.

*
add canned meats/SPAM!/tuna whatever.

For a lot less than $20 you can get a lot of chow, most of it 'cooked' with just hot water. The Bisquick and make Bannock on a stick.

*
Bottom line - you can do better, cheaper and get more Chow.

For the absolute best, and cheapest pancake mix, make your own. Same with vanilla and baking powder. Meals, make your own and freeze dry.

 

I think that the drive-thru mentality of many require that instant gratification.... they got a few buckets at home for the EOTWAWKI. They never lived off the buckets, or planted any seeds that they've 'vaulted'. Capitalism at its finest!

If on clearance, sale,..... then enjoy the bucket, even just for curiosity or entertainment purposes.

I too recommend 'smart shopping' and buying some empty food storage buckets....

Wholesale club, supermarket, and department store products can be had for a lot less than ALL those survival food bucket companies. Local farm stores and co-ops even less.

A 2-day 4 person kit are 24 meal... but we can do it on 2 meals a day for 16 slightly bigger meals over that 2 days. For us here, that would be 8 vitamins, and either some canned soup/raviolis, beans/rice, spaghetti, or using up the 'just add water' bread/pancake/waffle mix, or a box of granola bars, or those generic Great Value Bars from walmart for 78 cents, or the $50 candy bar fund raising box from the local club. We have plenty of water and fuel to last a month if need be. 2-days for the family ..... a bunch of candy bars would be enough with the generic One-a-day or Centrum.

My boat and camper has those 3600 calorie bars from various brands. A bar-pack of Datrex, SOS, Mayday, ER... 3600 calorie bar will keep you alive and well for 2-3 days but are grossly expensive. They serve a purpose... provide calories, take up no room, and easy to carry if need be. But, if you require a full belly, then you better wash down a single serving of the survival bar with a quart of water.

 

But you have to remember, unlike the grocery items you are mentioning, these buckets will sit on the shelf for 10-20-30 years (I don't remember the date without going and looking). Already LT packed. That in itself, is the main purpose of these meals.

 

Lest anyone forget the "true Value" of Bucket Chow - read this

Chef's Banquet ARK 330 Emergency Food Test | Survivalist Forum (survivalistboards.com)

Friends don't let friends buy Bucket Chow.

 

I read that 5 page thread and it sounded like a real ruff week for colt but a good solid effort. A learning experience for all

 

"Survival Food" seems to mean only that some of the food will still be there long after you have expired.

 

Cheap flavored carbs. Personally, I'll go with nicely flavored carbs (MH stuff with rice).
Maybe useful in the first couple days of SHTF before breaking out the real stuff.

Some of these "emergency kits" put in items with varying shelf lives.
In this case, I think the pancake mix might last 10 years while the rest at most 30.

 

I've found that anything with dairy in it, is 10 years or 5 years for the prepper companies that have been in business for a while. But the LDS actually have milk that is longer than 10 years I thought I read. Thus, whether it is 5 years, 10 years, or 20 years for real, is anyone's guess. Obviously, pristine storage environment will matter. In my house, I'd bank on 5 years, but wouldn't trust it past 10.

 

I prefer rice and some spices. Cheaper and I can get it often.