Best Freeze Dried Food for Emergency Preparedness

Finding high-quality freeze dried food is crucial for emergency preparedness, yet most people struggle to identify the best options.

In this comprehensive guide, you'll discover the top-rated freeze dried foods for emergencies based on taste, nutrition, and shelf life.

You'll learn how to select high-quality meals, find the best brands and products, purchase in bulk for savings, and properly store your emergency food supply.

Introduction to the Best Freeze Dried Food for Emergency Preparedness

Freeze dried food is an essential component of any emergency preparedness kit. When fresh food is limited or unavailable, having lightweight, nutritious freeze dried options on hand can be a lifesaver.

Freeze drying removes 98% of the water in foods while retaining most vitamins and minerals. This gives freeze dried food an extremely long shelf life of up to 25 years. The food is also very lightweight since the water has been removed, making it easy to transport and store.

For situations when you may need to bug out or shelter in place, having freeze dried food in your emergency kit means you'll have an adequate food supply if the crisis lasts for an extended period.

Understanding the Essentials of Freeze Dried Food

Freeze drying is a process that removes water from foods through sublimation. This means the frozen food converts directly from a solid to a gas, bypassing the liquid phase entirely. A vacuum pressure causes the ice crystals in the food to change to vapor without melting.

Once fully freeze dried, the food only contains about 2% water content. This extremely low moisture level is what prevents bacteria, mold, and other pathogens from growing. Without water activity, the food remains safe to eat for decades.

Freeze drying also doesn't require any refrigeration or special storage conditions. The food is shelf-stable at room temperature after packaging. This makes it convenient to stash away freeze dried foods in your emergency kits or bags.

Unlike other preservation methods like canning or retort pouches, freeze drying doesn't require high temperatures that can damage nutrients. Studies show freeze dried foods retain 97-98% of vitamins and minerals.

The Advantages of Freeze Dried Food in Emergency Situations

There are several key reasons why freeze dried food is advantageous for emergency supply kits:

Extremely long shelf life - With minimal moisture and no need for refrigeration, properly packaged freeze dried foods can last 25+ years. This means you can buy supplies in bulk and not worry about expiration dates.
Lightweight - Since almost all the water weight has been removed, freeze dried food is very light. Easy to carry or transport if you need to evacuate.
Nutritious - Freeze drying preserves most vitamins and minerals, giving you nutritious options if fresh produce is hard to come by.
Easy preparation - Just add hot water and wait 5-10 minutes before eating. No cooking fuel or electricity required.

Having nutritious and filling freeze dried meals and ingredients on hand gives you reliable access to food if normal supply chains are disrupted. It's a compact and convenient way to be prepared.

Selecting the Best Freeze Dried Food Options

When building an emergency food supply, choosing high-quality freeze dried meals is essential. Here are some key factors to consider when selecting the best options for your needs:

Criteria for Choosing Top-Quality Freeze Dried Meals

Shelf life: Look for freeze dried foods with a shelf life of 25+ years. This ensures the meals will be edible for decades in storage.
Nutritional content: Seek out meals with balanced macros (protein, carbs, fat) and include fruits/veggies for vitamins. Avoid added sugars/salt.
Taste: Sample some pouches first or read reviews. Tastier options make stressful situations more bearable.
Serving size: Larger, calorie-dense pouches around 500-600 calories prepare you for physically demanding days.
Preparation: Many only require boiling water, but some need cooking pots. Choose what best fits your situation.

Navigating Freeze Dried Food Companies and Brands

Popular, top-rated brands for emergency food include:

Mountain House: Tasty, affordable pouched meals ideal for bags/kits.
Wise Foods: Huge selection of gluten-free, vegetarian, and gourmet dishes.
Augason Farms: Known for their reliable emergency food buckets with vegetables, grains and breakfasts.
Thrive Life: Offers smaller serving sizes and many certified organic meal options.

Assessing Gourmet Freeze-Dried Food Options

For higher-end, restaurant-quality dishes in lightweight pouches, consider:

Nutristore: Gourmet entrees like lasagna, soups, even desserts. Expensive but quality ingredients.
AlpineAire: Backpacking brand with a gourmet line. Features international cuisine in single-servings.
Valiant Foods: Small-batch, chef-designed dishes like pot roast, cheesecake, pad thai. Hard to beat flavor and quality.

Finding the Best Freeze Dried Food for Emergency on Amazon

When buying survival food on Amazon, read the reviews closely for:

Complaints of damaged/expired products - avoid unreliable sellers
User photos of actual food - check portion sizes
Flavor feedback - seek out delicious options to boost morale

Also note shipping times. Prime-eligible listings will be the fastest delivery option during an emergency.

Community Insights: Best Freeze Dried Food for Emergency Reddit Discussions

The r/preppers community often discusses their favorite emergency food. Popular recommendations include:

Mountain House for reliable standards across meal types
Augason Farms for affordable long-term ingredient buckets
Thrive Life's dairy-free and organic offerings
Nutristore's gourmet entrees as a rotating treat

Redditors caution against very cheap brands that often have poor texture, flavor, and nutrition. Spending a little more ensures higher food quality if relying on it long-term.

Bulk Purchasing and Storage Strategies for Freeze Dried Food

Advantages of Freeze Dried Food Bulk Purchases

Purchasing freeze dried food in bulk offers several key advantages for emergency preparedness:

Cost savings - Buying larger quantities results in lower per unit costs. Bulk cases of freeze dried food can cost 40-60% less per serving compared to smaller retail packs.
Convenience - Having a large supply of freeze dried food on hand means you can avoid frequent trips to the store to stock up. This saves time and hassle.
Longer shelf life - Unopened freeze dried food can last 25-30 years in proper storage conditions. Buying in bulk allows you to establish a long-term emergency food supply.
Variety - Many freeze dried food companies offer bulk cases with assorted entrees, sides, and breakfasts to provide more menu variety.

How to Store Freeze Dried Food for Longevity

To maximize shelf life, freeze dried food requires proper storage conditions:

Store in a cool, dry place like a basement or root cellar where temperatures are between 55-70°F.
Use airtight containers like food grade plastic buckets with gasket seals or thick mil mylar bags. This prevents oxygen exposure.
Avoid temperature fluctuations - changes in temperature can introduce condensation which leads to spoilage.
Store in the dark - light can accelerate food deterioration and nutrient breakdown. Use opaque containers.

Following these guidelines, unopened freeze dried food can last 25-30 years when stored properly.

Utilizing Oxygen Absorbers and Airtight Containers

Using oxygen absorbers and airtight containers is key for long-term freeze dried food storage:

Oxygen absorbers remove oxygen from storage containers to prevent food oxidation. This maintains nutrition and flavor.
Absorbers are added to mylar bags or buckets before sealing. One 300cc absorber treats 5-6 gallons.
Airtight containers prevent outside air and moisture from entering, ensuring absorbers keep interior oxygen levels low.
Buckets with gasket seals or thick mil mylar bags create an airtight environment for long term freeze dried food storage.

Implementing a Rotation System for Your Emergency Food Supply

To avoid waste from expiration, a first-in-first-out rotation system should be used:

When adding new inventory, put newest packages behind older ones. This ensures the oldest is used first.
Date all containers with a permanent marker to keep track of what needs to be consumed.
Set reminders to check dates every 6-12 months to identify packages coming up on expiration dates.
Pull packages reaching expiration and incorporate into regular meals to rotate through emergency food supply.

Following these steps will ensure you safely maximize the shelf life of bulk purchased freeze dried emergency food.

Preparing and Enjoying Freeze Dried Meals During Emergencies

Essentials for Rehydrating Freeze Dried Food

To properly rehydrate freeze dried food, you will need a few key supplies:

A pot or container to boil water
Clean water
A heat source like a camp stove or fire (if power is out)
Fuel for heat source
Utensils for stirring and eating

Without power, you may need to get creative when boiling water. You can use a camp stove, build a fire, or even place the pot in direct sunlight to warm it. The key is bringing clean water to a rapid boil before adding to the freeze dried food.

Simple Steps to Rehydrate and Serve Freeze Dried Meals

Rehydrating freeze dried food is simple:

Boil enough clean water for the meal
Remove from heat and pour boiled water into pouch
Seal pouch and let sit 5-10 minutes
Stir thoroughly before eating
Enjoy your hot meal!

The freeze drying process removes nearly all moisture, so it's essential to add enough hot water for full rehydration. Check package details for exact water amounts.

Catering to Dietary Restrictions with Freeze Dried Food

The benefit of preparing your own freeze dried meals is the ability to control ingredients. To accommodate restricted diets:

Gluten-free: Choose pouches certified gluten-free. Check labels thoroughly.
Vegetarian/Vegan: Select plant-based protein options with no meat products.
Allergies: Avoid pouches with problem ingredients like dairy, soy, etc.
Low-sodium: Opt for no added salt pouches to control sodium intake.

With many freeze dried meal options available, most dietary needs can be met if you read labels carefully before purchase.

ReadyWise Freeze Dried Food: A Case Study in Meal Preparation

As a leading brand, ReadyWise offers gluten-free and vegetarian freeze dried foods ideal for emergencies. Their pouches have long shelf lives and prepare easily with boiling water.

For example, their Creamy Pasta and Vegetable Rotini pouch promises a hot meal in just 10 minutes. Simply boil 2 cups of water, add to pouch, seal, and wait 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork before eating.

With no refrigeration or cooking required, ReadyWise's freeze dried food provides reliable, convenient meals during power outages or disaster scenarios. Their online resources also provide tips for preparation based on your situation and dietary needs.

Nutristore Freeze Dried Food: A Comprehensive Review

Nutristore offers a wide selection of freeze dried foods designed for emergency preparedness situations. Their product line includes full entrees, fruits, vegetables, meats, and desserts that are processed to remove moisture while retaining nutrients and taste.

According to reviews, Nutristore's freeze dried foods are generally seen as high-quality with good flavor. The meals incorporate spices and seasonings to make them palatable even when reconstituted with just cold water. They offer familiar favorites like lasagna, chicken alfredo, and apple crisp which can provide comfort in stressful situations.

When choosing the best freeze dried food for emergency preparation, key factors include nutritional content, calorie density, shelf life, and ease of preparation. As we’ll explore in this Nutristore review, their products excel across all these considerations.

Assessing the Variety and Quality of Nutristore Offerings

Nutristore provides freeze dried options spanning breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Their wide product range ensures you can build a well-rounded emergency food supply with sufficient calories and nutrients.

As you assemble your emergency pantry, Nutristore enables you to select both individual ingredients and full meals. For example, you can stock up on freeze dried fruits and vegetables to use as nutritious side dishes. Combining these with entree kits like chili mac or chicken fried rice ensures dietary completeness.

Reviews praise the quality and flavor of Nutristore's offerings compared to other freeze dried food brands. Their production process retains the texture and taste of fresh foods. Meals taste significantly better than the military-style MREs you might envision when considering survival food.

Across online customer feedback, Nutristore earns consistent 4+ star ratings. Their freeze dried food is described as restaurant-quality with impressive similarity to homemade dishes. These premium products justify their higher price point for discerning emergency preppers.

Nutritional Analysis of Nutristore Freeze Dried Food

Nutristore freeze dried foods pack an impressive nutritional punch thanks to their processing method. The removal of water enables them to achieve higher calorie density while retaining natural vitamins and minerals.

According to the official nutrition facts panels, a standard Nutristore meal kit provides 500-800 calories with balanced macronutrients. They incorporate healthy fats and quality proteins like chicken, beef, and eggs. Each meal also delivers at least 20% DV for essential vitamins/minerals.

The caloric density of freeze dried food enables you to meet survival nutrition needs with minimal daily intake. Small portions make efficient use of limited storage space while providing sufficient energy. Combining Nutristore entrees, sides, and snacks enables you to cover all nutritional bases.

With a decades-long shelf life, you can depend on Nutristore products to retain their nutritional potency over time. Their freeze drying technique prevents deterioration or spoilage that could degrade vitamins. Properly stored meals remain consumable for 20-25 years.

Customer Experience with Nutristore Products

Those who have tried Nutristore freeze dried foods praise their convenience and “normal” taste profile. The meals only require the addition of water for quick reconstitution when time or cooking fuel is limited.

Customers say the products taste fresh with impressive texture retention. The beef and broccoli, for example, has tender meat chunks and crisp vegetables. While expensive as daily nutrition, Nutristore's quality justifies the price for emergency situations.

Online reviews indicate Nutristore meals reliably satisfy hunger while providing comfort. The familiar flavors bring a sense of normalcy when facing disasters. With tasty favorites like pot roast on hand, Nutristore customers feel peace knowing they have appetizing meals no matter the circumstances.

In summary, Nutristore offers some of the highest rated freeze dried food for emergency preparedness. Their products balance nutritional density, long shelf life, and good taste - giving you the energy and morale to weather any crisis. While more costly than some alternatives, customer consensus finds the quality worth the premium price point.

Final Thoughts on Freeze Dried Food for Emergency Readiness

Freeze dried food can be an essential part of an emergency food supply. When choosing freeze dried foods, opt for options that offer complete nutrition, decent taste, and long shelf life. Carefully store the freeze dried food as directed to maximize freshness and shelf life.

To recap, some top freeze dried food brands for emergencies include Nutristore, ReadyWise, and Mountain House. These brands tick all the boxes for nutritional content, taste, and shelf stability.

For further reading on freeze dried foods and emergency readiness, check out the following resources:

FEMA's Food and Water Tips for guidance on building an emergency food supply
The Prepared's Freeze Dried Food Reviews for in-depth analysis and comparisons of popular brands
Survival Sullivan's Guide to Freeze Dried Food Storage for tips on storage and shelf life

The above sites offer practical advice from experts on selecting, storing, and serving freeze dried foods for emergency preparedness.