Recently, several family members, including grandchildren ages 2 to 14, got together to try some freeze dried entrees. It was a lot of FUN (the older grandchildren are still sharing positive comments) and informative. My purpose was to see which entrees we liked before purchasing any in the larger #10 cans.
Several entrees featured through Mountain House can be purchased in 2 serving pouches. The pouches contain the same freeze dried product, but have a shelf life of about 7 years instead of the 25 year shelf life when purchased in the #10 cans. They are available at Emergency Essentials in Salt Lake (they will be opening a store in Bountiful in November). All you have to do is add boiling water to the pouch of food and wait 8-9 minutes. We had about 13 different dishes to try, which really was too many. We tried mostly entrees but also tried a few vegetables and desserts. We let everyone sample the product and then rate it 1 to 5 with 5 being really good. My family was surprised at how good most of the items were.
One good thing about purchasing through Emergency Essentials is you don't have to buy a set amount of the product. You can purchase as few as one can. I also liked the idea that we could try the entree before purchasing. I assume, if we are using our food storage, life will be a little stressful and I might as well be eating something I like. For most of us, it is hard to come up with several hundred or several thousand dollars needed when buying from some companies, i.e. Daily Bread. If you happen to be one of these families, but are still desirous of having some long term food storage, this might be a good way to go. It is easier to purchase one or two cans a month over several months or years.
Emergency Essentials also has long term food storage items they discount 35% or more if you purchase 12+ cans. There is a ward in the West Haven Stake that offers these deals to their sisters so that no one has to purchase such a large amt. in order to get the product. If 12 people each buy 1 can everyone gets the discounted price. This month they offered freeze dried seasoned white chicken for $28 instead of the usual price of $42.00.
Another thing I have learned is that, once opened, the shelf life of the entree could be as short as one week. Always check the can to see how long the product is good once opened. Many are still good a year or more after being opened, but this does not apply to all products.
