Wise Company Survival Food Preparation Tips

Preparing emergency food can be daunting, but having a plan helps.

This guide will walk through everything you need to know to prepare Wise Company survival food, including water requirements, cooking methods, and tips to make meals tasty and nutritious.

You'll learn the best practices for cooking, rehydrating, and storing Wise Company kits, how to customize meals to suit your needs, and see a case study demonstrating real-world application of their 120 serving supply.

Introduction to Wise Company Survival Food

Wise Company offers shelf-stable emergency food kits packed with nutrients to help prepare for disasters or emergencies. Their convenient pouches make storing and preparing food simple when access to fresh groceries is limited. This article will provide an overview of Wise Company’s food kits, explain proper water requirements, cooking methods, rehydration tips, and storage recommendations.

Overview of Wise Company Emergency Food Supply Kits

Wise Company provides grab-and-go survival food kits with a 25-year shelf life. Their pouches contain freeze-dried meals tailored to different dietary needs. For example, they offer gluten-free and vegetarian options.

The main advantage of Wise Company's pouches is convenience - they are portable, require minimal preparation, and do not need refrigeration. However, they may not appeal to those wanting fresh, homemade flavors.

Understanding Water Requirements for Wise Company Meals

To prepare Wise Company meals, you must have adequate drinking water on hand. Their pouches feed one person and require:

Breakfasts: Approx. 8 oz of water
Entrees: Approx. 16 oz of water
Drinks: Approx. 12 oz of water

Ensure you stock up enough water to make the number of pouches needed. For example, a 60-serving kit for one person requires around 10 gallons of water.

Cooking Methods for Wise Company Survival Food

You can prepare Wise Company pouches using various cooking methods:

Boiling: Bring water to a rolling boil then add contents of pouch. Remove from heat and let sit 5-10 minutes.
Simmering: Add pouch contents to simmering water for 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Microwaving: Add water and pouch contents to a microwave-safe container. Microwave on high for 2-3 minutes, stirring every minute.

Always check internal temperatures before consuming.

Tips for Rehydrating Wise Company Meals

Follow these tips to properly hydrate your Wise Company pouches:

Use hot water (near boiling) to optimize rehydration.
Allow pouches to sit 5-10 minutes after adding water to fully absorb.
Gently stir or knead the bag occasionally as it sits to distribute water.
Add a bit more hot water if the final consistency seems dry.

Storing Your Wise Company Survival Food Kits

To maximize shelf life, store unopened Wise Company pouches in a cool, dark place at temperatures between 55°-75°F. Consider adding oxygen absorbers to eliminate oxygen exposure.

Once opened, the pouches should be resealed tightly and consumed within 24 hours. You can also safely freeze any leftovers for 2-3 months.

Following proper storage and preparation tips will ensure you get the most value out of your emergency Wise Company food supply.

How long does wise survival food last?

Wise Company survival food is designed for long term storage, with a shelf life of up to 25 years when stored properly. This ensures you'll have emergency food on hand even decades into the future.

To get the full 25 year shelf life, be sure to store your Wise food kits in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. An interior closet or basement pantry works well.

Once opened, the pouches inside the kits must be re-sealed tightly after each use. With proper storage and handling, the shelf-stable entrees, fruits, vegetables, and proteins inside will remain safe to eat for decades.

So whether you're preparing for a short-term power outage, or a long-term SHTF scenario, you can trust Wise Company survival food to be there when you need it. Their survival food kits offer reliable nutrition to keep your family fed in an emergency for up to 25 years.

What is the best food to stock up on for survival?

When stocking up on food for emergency preparedness, it's important to focus on shelf-stable items with a long expiration date that meet your nutritional needs. Some good options to consider include:

Canned goods: Canned foods like chili, soup, spaghetti sauce, vegetables, and fruits are convenient, affordable, and last 2-5 years unopened. Prioritize high protein foods like chili and soup.
Rice and grains: White rice, pasta, oats, etc. last up to 30 years when stored properly. They are inexpensive carb sources.
Dried beans and legumes: Beans, lentils, and peas are packed with protein and fiber. They have a shelf life of up to 30 years.
Nuts and trail mixes: High in protein and healthy fats. Unsalted nuts last up to 6 months.
Powdered milk and eggs: Reconstitute with water when fresh milk/eggs aren't available. Lasts 2 years unopened.
Fats and oils: Cooking oils, shortening, nut butters etc. Add calories and nutrients. Store in cool area to prevent rancidity.

When building your emergency food supply, be sure to store a variety of foods and don't forget utensils, a can opener, and a way to cook. Having Wise Company survival food kits with meals ready to eat is also useful for convenience. Rotate and eat the stored food before it expires to keep your stock fresh.

Are wise company and ReadyWise the same?

Yes, Wise Company and ReadyWise are the same company. Originally founded as Wise Food Storage, the company recently rebranded to ReadyWise. So while the branding and packaging may look different now, ReadyWise and Wise Company refer to the same business entity.

When the company rebranded from Wise to ReadyWise, they made some key changes:

Marketing and branding: The overall branding and marketing materials have been updated to align with the new ReadyWise name. This includes the logo, website, and other promotional content.
Packaging: ReadyWise products now come in new packaging that fits the rebranded style. The actual food pouches inside remain the same.
Portion sizes: Many ReadyWise kits now have smaller portion sizes compared to the previous Wise Company versions. This allows for more customization and flexibility.

So in summary - yes, ReadyWise and Wise Company are the same underlying company. The recent rebranding brought some packaging and marketing changes, but the food kits themselves continue to be produced by the same manufacturer. Whether you see the name Wise or ReadyWise, you can rest assured the emergency food is coming from the same trusted source.

Does ReadyWise emergency food taste good?

The textures and flavors of ReadyWise emergency food have exceeded my expectations for freeze-dried meals. I haven't encountered any unpleasant aftertastes or artificial flavors in the dishes I've tried.

The pasta meals have a surprisingly al dente texture after rehydrating, with rich tomato or creamy sauce flavors. The eggs and breakfast skillets have fluffy textures and robust flavors like you would expect from fresh-cooked breakfasts. The chili, stroganoff, and rice dishes also rehydrate well into hearty, comforting meals.

While freeze-dried foods won't ever truly replicate fresh-cooked dishes, ReadyWise puts care into choosing quality ingredients and balanced seasonings. As far as emergency food goes, I find their meals to be appetizing and filling comfort foods for situations where I don't have access to refrigeration or stove cooking.

With a shelf life of 25+ years, having some ReadyWise or Wise Company meals stocked provides me peace of mind that my family would have appetizing, nutritious meals available if we ever lost power for an extended time. Their wide variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options add helpful variety to emergency food storage.

Selecting the Right Wise Company Emergency Food Supply

When selecting a Wise Company emergency food supply kit to meet your household's needs, there are a few key factors to consider:

Calculating Caloric Needs and Wise Company Kit Sizes

First, calculate your recommended daily calorie intake based on each family member's age, gender, activity level, etc. Then, match that to the appropriate food kit size. For example, if your household needs 2,000 calories per day:

The Wise Company 60 Serving Entree Only Kit provides 1,200 calories per day
The Wise Company 120 Serving Combo Kit provides 2,000 calories per day

So in this case, the 120 Serving Combo Kit would be the better option.

Ensuring a Variety of Meals in Your Survival Food Kits

It's important to have a variety of appetizing meal options in your emergency food supply for both nutrition and morale. Wise Company kits come with tasty choices like pasta alfredo, cheesy broccoli rice, and apple cinnamon oatmeal.

Take the time to review the specific meals included in each kit to ensure they will meet your household's preferences. Being able to rotate through different meals is key for longer-term emergency situations.

Comparing Shelf Life of Wise Company Emergency Food Supply Options

Wise Company kits have shelf lives ranging from 10 years to 25 years. Consider how often you plan to rotate and replace your emergency food. For example, a kit with a 10 year shelf life may be suitable if you plan to fully replace it twice per decade.

Also factor in whether you want separate entree-only or breakfast/lunch-only kits with shorter shelf lives versus combo kits with longer shelf lives.

Accommodating Dietary Restrictions with Wise Company Kits

Many Wise Company kits come with vegetarian or gluten-free meal options. Be sure to read the packaging and product details closely if you need to accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free, or other special diets.

For example, the Gluten Free Emergency Food Supply Kit is certified gluten-free, non-GMO, and made in the USA. It provides 84 servings of vegetarian entrees tailored for gluten-free diets.

Choosing Between Multi-Serving and Single-Serving Pouches

Wise Company kits come with meals packaged either in multi-serving pouches (to share family-style) or convenient single-serving pouches.

Multi-serving pouches allow you to prepare meals to share across your family. However, single-serving pouches give each person more control over their individual meal choices. Determine which option makes more sense for your household's dynamics.

Customizing Your ReadyWise Emergency Food Supply

Enhancing Meals with Fresh Additions

Adding fresh ingredients like meat, vegetables, cheese, etc. can help customize ReadyWise meals to your tastes. For example, try dicing cooked chicken or beef to mix into entrees for extra protein. You might also sauté fresh veggies like onions, carrots or broccoli to serve as a side. Grated cheddar or parmesan can also be a nice topping to add flavor. Just be mindful of storage times for perishable add-ons.

Incorporating Home-Canned and Dehydrated Foods

Incorporating home-canned or dehydrated fruits, veggies, or meats is an easy way to supplement ReadyWise kits. The shelf-stable foods you preserved at home can lend diversity of flavors. For instance, add home-canned diced tomatoes, carrots, or green beans to ReadyWise chili or soup mixes. Or use dehydrated apple slices, berries, or mangoes to create fruit-infused oatmeal or rice pudding.

Creating Complementary Side Dishes

Easy homemade side dishes like rice pilaf, quinoa salad, or roasted root vegetables pair nicely with ReadyWise entrées. Try using homemade cornbread, biscuits or rolls to transform a basic ReadyWise stew or chili into a heartier meal. You might also make simple sides like couscous, polenta or pasta in bulk to have on hand. These homemade touches can stretch ReadyWise kits creatively.

Adding Flavor with Sauces and Seasonings

Including a variety of sauce packets, herbs and spices is an easy way to punch up ReadyWise meals. Try gathering an assortment of condiments like ketchup, hot sauce, soy sauce and salad dressings. Dried herb blends, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper can also lend flavor. Customizing taste with these additions prevents meal fatigue.

Extending Meals with Alternative Grains

Incorporating alternative whole grains like brown rice, barley, farro or quinoa can stretch ReadyWise kits with extra nutrition and calories. These affordable dried grains have long shelf lives. Cook them to use as a base for ReadyWise entrees, or combine with vegetables and broth for simple grain bowls. Adding alternate grains amplifies the versatility of your food supply.

Practical Preparation with Wise Company Survival Food

Sampling Wise Company Meals Before an Emergency

It can be valuable to open and taste Wise Company meals before an actual emergency to get familiar with the food. This allows you to identify meals you enjoy and practice preparation methods. When first sampling, be sure to carefully check expiration dates and note them for future reference.

Effective Rotation and Expiration Tracking

To avoid waste, use a spreadsheet, calendar reminder, or app to track Wise Company Emergency Food Supply expiration dates. Set reminders to use kits nearing expiration. Rotate stock by putting newer purchases behind soon-expiring items. A "first-in, first-out" system helps maximize shelf life.

Creating a Preparedness Calendar for Your Survival Food Kits

A preparedness calendar can outline key tasks like taking quarterly inventories of unexpired meals and setting usage goals before expiration. It can also block time to place reorders allowing new stock to arrive before old stock expires.

When planning emergency menus, focus first on nutritional variety across meals for balanced diets. Then consider convenience - meals needing only hot water are easiest. Finally, mix up flavors to maintain morale. Refer to ReadyWise Emergency Food Supply guidance on daily nutritional needs.

Implementing Portion Control Strategies

Wise Company servings provide sufficient daily nutrition. But if needing to stretch meals longer during an extended event, portion control becomes important. Strategies include using smaller utensils to dish smaller amounts and waiting 10-15 minutes before second helpings to avoid overeating.

Wise Company Emergency Food Supply 120 Servings: A Case Study

Understanding the Contents of the 120 Servings Kit

The Wise Company 120 servings emergency food kit provides nutritious meals to sustain a family during an emergency. The kit contains breakfasts, entrees, grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk with a shelf life of up to 25 years. Each meal is easy to prepare by adding water and has well-balanced nutrition with reduced sodium.

Key contents:

60 servings of breakfast meals like cereal, pancakes, and oatmeal
60 servings of hearty entrees like pasta alfredo, rice pilaf, and mac & cheese
300 servings of rice, quinoa, wheat berries, corn, green beans, broccoli, apples, strawberries
60 servings of creamy potato soup and tomato basil soup
60 servings of nonfat powdered milk

Preparation Tips for the 120 Servings Emergency Food Supply

To prepare the meals, simply add water. The amount of water needed depends on the specific meal. Generally, breakfast meals take 2 cups of water per pouch and entrees take 2.5-3 cups of water.

Tips for preparation:

Boil water first, then add to pouch and stir to avoid clumping
Allow to sit for 8-10 minutes before serving
Add extra water to thin, or less water for thicker consistency
Grains and veggies take 1 cup water per cup serving
Milk takes 3.5 cups water per pouch

The food can be eaten straight from the pouch or heated, though heating allows flavors to fully develop.

Strategic Uses for the 120 Servings Kit in Emergency Planning

The Wise 120 servings kit provides sustenance for one person for an entire month, making it useful for various emergency scenarios:

Short-term outages: Weather disasters often cause power/water outages lasting 1-2 weeks. The food supply covers nutrition needs during this time.

Extended emergencies: The 25-year shelf life makes this kit ideal for prolonged events like pandemics or civil unrest when access to fresh food is limited.

Bug out situations: The lightweight, compact pouches make this kit easy to transport in case evacuation is needed.

Everyday use: Many people rotate and consume Wise Company meals regularly to avoid waste and make emergency food part of their diet.

Case Study: Real-World Application of the 120 Servings Kit

When Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina in 2018, the Davis family lost power for over 2 weeks. Thankfully, they had a Wise 120 servings kit stored away. The breakfasts and entrees sustained them until electricity and supplies were restored. The food was easy to prepare with boiled stream water and needed no refrigeration. The kit provided over 4,000 calories per day for the family during this extended emergency event.

Feedback and Experiences with the 120 Servings Kit

The Wise 120 servings food kit receives positive reviews for providing nutritious, good-tasting meals that store for decades. Customers report that the food sustained their families through natural disasters and unexpected events where access to food was disrupted. Many appreciate the easy preparation with hot water and find the meals convenient for camping as well. Negative feedback focuses mostly on texture and consistency preferences in certain meals, though overall the kit provides reliable nutrition in emergencies.

Conclusion: Maximizing the Benefits of Wise Company Survival Food

Recap of Wise Company Survival Food Preparation Tips

Wise Company offers shelf-stable emergency food kits to help prepare for disasters and emergencies. Based on the information covered in this article, here is a recap of the key tips for getting the most out of Wise Company survival food:

Store kits in a cool, dry place to maximize shelf life. Once opened, reseal packages and use within 1 year.
Carefully follow cooking instructions on each food pouch. Boil-in-bag meals require 2 cups water per pouch.
Customize meals to your tastes by adding spices, vegetables, or meat.
Practice cooking the meals at home to identify preparation tips before an actual emergency.
Choose food kits based on your family size and expected duration of emergency.

Following proper storage, preparation, and cooking methods will ensure you get the full benefits of Wise Company's shelf-stable ingredients and well-balanced nutrition profile.

Final Thoughts on Preparing for Emergencies with Wise Company

Wise Company offers a quality solution for creating an emergency food supply to depend on in times of crisis. Their survival food kits provide easy-to-prepare meals to nourish your family when groceries are inaccessible.

Practicing cooking the meals at home enables you to customize flavors and cooking methods to suit your tastes. Having an emergency food supply on hand can provide significant peace of mind by knowing you have reliable backup meals in any disaster scenario. Wise Company takes care of the preparation so you can focus on keeping your family safe.