Bulk Freeze Dried or Dehydrated Food Storage | Eat It! Test It!
This weekend Mrs.J and I went through some of our bulk emergency food storage for preparedness. You should do this on a semi-regular basis. Here’s why:
- Eat some, and be sure that you like it.
- Food Rotation so it doesn’t go bad
Eat Your Freeze Dried Food
What if you don’t like it? Does it taste off or bad? Is it getting way beyond it’s recommended use-by date?
Most freeze dried or dehydrated foods (purposed for preparedness) come from commercial processors who seal them in #10 cans with oxygen absorbers. Sometimes in sealed Mylar foil packets.
Did you know that freeze dried foods don’t last forever? In fact some types of freeze dried foods might only ‘be good’ for about 3 – 5 years (check your powdered butters). The #10 cans with cheeses and mixes with cheese ingredients may not last as long as you might expect either.
When In Doubt, Throw It Out
Last year I actually tossed out a number of #10 cans of that stuff. Why? Because I had opened some of them to sample, and discovered what I felt to be ‘off-color’, and I didn’t particular like the smell. I sampled some of it. Wasn’t that great. Plus, I had let those particular cans go way beyond their expected freshness dates.
Don’t Waste, Use Good Food Rotation
So this year, last weekend, we’re going through more of our #10 cans. There’s some investment $ there, but we can’t just let them sit there ‘forever’. Gotta put them into our food rotation and consume them (oldest first).
Some of our emergency food storage also includes a number of commercially packed ‘buckets’ of freeze-dried meals (individually Mylar wrapped meals within).
Sample It
We took out a packet of Lasagna. Then we opened a #10 can of freeze dried Mozzarella cheese that was a bit more than 5 years after purchase. We also grabbed a pint jar of homemade home canned tomato sauce from last year.
Let me tell you, it was all delicious! Very happy with it.
Know When You Bought It
For those of you who have purchased #10 cans (or kits thereof) for long term emergency food (for ‘just in case’), be aware of how long you’ve had it!
Even though it likely cost you some $, you don’t want it to sit there forever. Rotate it by beginning to consume the oldest first. Like I said, if you have mixes with powdery cheeses or butters, I wouldn’t count on them lasting the 15 – 20 years that many assume is typical for #10 cans of this type of food.
Freeze Dried Cheese will generally store for 5 to 10 years in a sealed #10 can (oxygen absorber included) under ideal storage conditions (cool, dry place).
Powdered Butter stores for 3 to 5 years in a sealed #10 can (oxygen absorber included) under ideal storage conditions (cool, dry place).
Also, not every brand of emergency preparedness food is equal with another. Some companies have come and gone. Others have survived the test of time.
Continue reading: Favorite Freeze Dried Foods and Brands
Freeze Dried Food vs. Dehydrated Food
If you’re looking to buy bulk Freeze Dried
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