Top Survival Food Companies Short List
Who are the best emergency food companies? Regarding survival food and the companies that sell it, I suggest those that have been around for more than a year or two or three. I will list a few of my favorite top survival food companies, any of which I recommend.
I could have made a much longer list. However, I chose those I’ve known for years, have purchased from, and the companies that have stood the test of time.
A company’s longevity within the emergency food marketplace reflects good products, services, and management.
I have been a consumer in this space for approximately 15 years and have learned many lessons during this time! I want to provide valuable tips for those considering purchasing from a survival food company and list some of the best.
Tips Before You Purchase From Survival Food Companies
You can buy these emergency foods packaged in various ways,
Survival Food Packaging
- Foods packaged in #10 cans. They are 6″ in diameter and 7″ tall. Foods in #10 cans are typically freeze-dried or dehydrated. Shelf life may vary from 5 years to decades, depending on the type of food. The manufacturer or distributor will include this information.
- Food that’s packaged in containers such as sealed pails or buckets. These may contain all of one type of food or a quantity of individually sealed ‘meals’. The packaging usually contains oxygen absorbers, which will help with a long shelf life. It depends on the food inside.
- Survival food packets in sealed Mylar foil bags. Sometimes these are nitrogen-filled and/or packed with O2 absorbers. These are very convenient for serving sizes.
You can also buy various quantities or kits designed for various ‘survival’ periods, such as a one-month survival food kit, three-month kits, six-month kits, or even a one-year supply of survival food.
Survival Food Servings vs Calories
TIP: Most survival food companies list the “number of servings” in their emergency food kits. The key here is to understand Calories when determining how long that food will sustain you.
If they say a particular food container has 30 servings inside, and if the servings are 400 calories each, that translates to 12,000 calories. And that translates to approx. 6 “survival days” at 2,000 calories per day. So please keep that in mind.
Depending on your age, activity level, and body type, you need approximately 60,000 calories per person per month. Depending on physical activity, you may need more or perhaps less to simply stay alive. However, this depends on the factors above.
TIP: I have observed that a typical number of calories per serving for emergency food companies is often between 300 and 400.
TIP: I have made this mistake. When choosing a company and/or emergency food, consider buying a smaller quantity first. Make sure that you are happy with it! Eat a meal. Do you think it’s okay? Or is it not what you expected?
TIP: Read the ingredients label. It’s pretty easy to stuff a lot of carbohydrates in there. But what about protein? I’ll link an article about how much protein you need at the end of this one.
Survival Food Companies List
Top Survival Food Companies
I have purchased from ALL of the following survival food companies. These are among the best. I’ve been happy with all of them. Keep reading for more details about each.
Okay, you wondered about companies that sell this. The thing is, there are lots of them. Rather than clutter the page with a long list, I will list just a few to keep it simple, including those I would not hesitate to recommend.
The following survival food companies, which I have personally purchased from and would buy from again, have been around for a good while. They have good reviews among the preparedness community and are established within the industry. While there are more companies in the market, these stand out among the best, based on my personal experience and the experiences of others in the community.
(more details below)
Augason Farms is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. In business since 1998.
ReadyWise is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. In business since 2009.
Peak Refuel is located in American Fork, Utah. In business since 2018.
Mountain House is located in Albany, Oregon. In business since 1969.
Legacy is located in Salt Lake City, Utah. In business since 2009.
Augason Farms
Though she has since passed away, I recall email correspondence with Jacqueline Augason when I started my blog more than a decade ago. They were (and still are) a great company, and they are flourishing today—Augason Farms under the umbrella of Blue Chip Group.
I have a good bit of Augason Farms product in #10 cans. We especially like their milk powder choices better than any other:
[ Read: Powdered Milk For Long Term Storage ]
They sell LOTS of emergency survival food products, including bulk grains, freeze-dried foods in #10 cans, and buckets of individually packaged meals. They have a well-reviewed variety of emergency food kits (Augason Food Kits)
I highly recommend Augason Farms as one of your top choices for survival food.
ReadyWise
ReadyWise is a very popular emergency food company. Their best-sellers are primarily various variety-pack food buckets (Food Buckets).
They have quite a significant presence on Amazon online, with an exceptional number of great reviews. I’ve had their product and have been happy with it.
There are also gluten-free emergency food choices (Gluten Free Food Buckets).
Note the following… To determine the number of ‘survival days’ worth of food, multiply #servings times #calories per serving. Figure 2,000 calories needed per survival day.
Peak Refuel
Peak Refuel is focused on single-pack freeze-dried meals (similar to Mountain House). It’s fairly new. It’s pricey, but very good (like Mountain House products). I’ve sampled quite a number of its meals, and they are excellent!
I believe their freeze-dried meals contain the highest protein content among all of the survival food companies (more meat content).
I highly recommend purchasing Peak Refuel if it fits your budget. Having bought it myself, I can vouch for their high-quality ingredients.
Mountain House
Mountain House has been in the freeze-dried foods industry the longest. Nearly everyone knows its name and reputation.
Mountain House Meals and Kits on amzn
Well known for their freeze-dried sealed meals (e.g., camping & backpacking), the quality is superb. And expensive (just saying).
They also sell their foods in bulk, such as #10 cans of freeze-dried, and they have some food pails/bucket kits, too. You won’t go wrong here.
Legacy Premium Survival Food Kits
Legacy Food Storage Company has been around for a long time. Located in Salt Lake City, they’ve been among the top survival food companies since 2009.
Some of their highlights include a premium next-level offering in taste and quality, non-GMO, no MSG or artificial flavors, and a focus on good value versus calories.
Diversify Your Emergency Survival Food Storage
What do I do? Diversify! I have purchased quantities of food from survival food companies such as those listed above. This is just part of my overall survival food storage.
I also have quantities of dry foods I’ve purchased in bulk and stored/packaged myself. These include dry goods such as wheat, rice, oats, beans, sugar, salt, etc. They will store well for decades without issue.
Also, over time, I’ve purchased canned foods from various grocery stores, focusing on proteins and calories (e.g., canned meats). Note that these should be consumed and rotated with an approximate 2-year period for best results.
I store a lot of protein and calories in my chest freezers filled with vacuum-sealed meats (beef, chicken, pork).
Bulk quantities of spices, oils (freeze oils for longevity), and complementary foods.
In essence, a diversified portfolio of foods. Search my blog’s ‘survival kitchen’ category for more ideas.
Purchasing food from companies like those listed above is undoubtedly quick and easy. Pay attention to calorie counts to know how many ‘survival days’ you buy.
Buying pre-packaged food kits and emergency food from survival food companies tends to cost more, but it is quicker and has its place in anyone’s emergency food storage plan. These food kits will be professionally packaged to last the longest.
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