Having a stockpile of food will keep you thriving during an emergency or disaster. In most cases, canned and dry foods will last a couple years at most. Although this might suffice for some preppers, freeze-dried meals are the ultimate best case scenario. Why? Freeze-dried food completely locks out moisture, is fully prepared, and has a shelf life of up to 25 years. Yes, 25 years!
This means no more rotating out cans and boxes every couple, checking expiration dates, and replenishing food that is no longer good. Let’s be honest, life gets busy, and rotating your stockpile can easily get lost in the to-do list. The last thing you want is to attempt replenishment when you hear the warning alert of a possible disaster. Having a week's worth of freeze-dried meals is a wise investment.
Best Ways To Store Your Supply
Freeze dried foods should be kept in a climate-controlled location to maintain freshness. Most cans are sustainable for 25 years and pouches up to 7-30 years (depending on the brand). Because the packaging is vacuum sealed and moisture has no way in, they are safe from bacteria and mold. The weight of freeze-dried foods is minimal, making this a very good option when on the move, camping or only able to pack what you can carry.
The most convenient part of these meals is that all you need is a pot and water and voila, a full meal awaits you! Be mindful that many freeze dried meals are pretty high in sodium so drink plenty of water and try to balance the nutrition with low or no sodium foods.
Some of our favorite freeze-dried meals include:
-
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Stews
- Meats
- Rice and grains
- Spaghetti with sauce
- Eggs
- Macaroni and cheese
- Potatoes
- Nori (seaweed)
- Ration food bars
- Soups
Top 3 Stockpile Brands Freeze Dried Foods
We recommend checking out various brands. Do some taste testing before investing too much. Purchase a pouch or two of different brands to test. This may be more expensive than purchasing in bulk, but you’ll learn what you like. We have a few well known brands that we recommend:
- Mountain House is a very well known and reputable brand with a large variety of meals. When you purchase in bulk, the cost is much more affordable than individually packaged meals. Many enjoy the not overly seasoned taste while others complain of an odd texture. Each meal contains about 10-15 grams of protein which is solid. Mountain House also prides themselves in their 30-year shelf life.The best part in our opinion, they offer desserts. Who doesn’t want dessert in stressful survival situation?
- Good-to-Go is a unique brand that is highly focused on healthy options. They offer meal options for both vegetarian and vegan diets and all of their meals are preservatives and gluten free. This does however come with a cost, as the shelf life is not quite as extensive as Mountain House. Due to the lack of preservatives, these meals have a 4 year shelf life. The meal choices are certainly more limited but since they focus on quality, it is often not complained about by health nuts.
- Backpackers Pantry is another great option for your freeze dried meals. The brand offers healthy options and some desserts. They are known for their tasty variety of meal selection while focusing on quality ingredients. Backpackers Pantry promises MSG free foods and is decently affordable against competitors.
All of these brands are available on Amazon. We encourage you to check out some of the user reviews and if you have experience with any freeze-dried meals, share them with our community of preppers!
Share with us your thoughts in the comments section below!
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***Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. Please read our full disclaimer.***
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on 6 September, 2019, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
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Best Freeze Dried Foods for Your Stockpile