Long-Term Food

[DuneElliot]

In the US there are a few brands I am familiar with for buying FD foods in bulk, predominently Mountain House in #10 cans.
Since I had to sell all mine when I moved to the UK (missing all that now). What brands are usually agreed upon to be good (Wise Foods in the US was universally agreed to be SH!T)?

[Jamesey1981]

We don't have masses of it here, but there's a website called preppershop or something similar and evaq8 that sell mountain house and the like in big cans, and also there's a german site called conservative.de that sell a lot of long term storage canned food, including bread,shipping is expensive though so you need to buy a lot for it to be worth it from them.

It's all a lot pricier than the states though, we don't really have the same market for it here.

[hobo]

The UK one I know is https://www.emergencyfoodstorage.co.uk
I imagine they are pretty busy right now!

[peejay]

Their waiting list is months long. I’ve been dithering over ordering some for months, finally went to do so a couple of weeks ago & I can expect my shipment in early JUNE! Will still have it though (same manufacturer as Mountain House apparently)

[DuneElliot]

Their waiting list is months long. I’ve been dithering over ordering some for months, finally went to do so a couple of weeks ago & I can expect my shipment in early JUNE! Will still have it though (same manufacturer as Mountain House apparently)

I'm not doing this now. I don't have the funds. Once the panic subsides I'll start rebuilding my stores. Just having to make do with what I have right now.

[jennyjj01]

Their waiting list is months long. I’ve been dithering over ordering some for months, finally went to do so a couple of weeks ago & I can expect my shipment in early JUNE! Will still have it though (same manufacturer as Mountain House apparently)

I'm not doing this now. I don't have the funds. Once the panic subsides I'll start rebuilding my stores. Just having to make do with what I have right now.

Hi Dune,
My personal opinion is that these Mountain house type products are super expensive glorified 'pot noodles'. OK. Not exactly Pot noodles, but what I'm saying is that instant dried scoff from Tesco is better value if you are on a budget.
Of course Tesco stuff won't claim to have 25 year shelf life, but I bet it would last just as long.

Just my two penn'orth.

[peejay]

You're right that they're expensive for what they are but I wouldn't put them in the same category as a pot noodle. From what I understand the supermarket packet dried stuff is generally pretty heavily processed & often stuffed with salt etc. whereas my understanding of the Mountain House type food is that is's basically just meals that have been freeze-dried. Granted, those meals could well be of "ready-meal" quality rather than restaurant quality, but I'd suggest still somewhat healthier long-term than a pot noodle.

The way I see things we're in unknown territory - by the time we actually get to early June, for all I know these could be looking like the best thing since sliced bread! :-/

[Jamesey1981]

I'd say more like a vesta curry or chow mein than a pot noodle. (Suspect I'm showing my age a bit here!)

They'll do if you don't have the space to store normal food that has a long shelf life, but I personally wouldn't want to eat them for more than a week, I used to take them hiking, (I make my own now) and all I can say is, if you're relying on mountain house or similar for your long term food, stock up on laxatives as well, and learn about fresh things you can forage if you don't already know what you can pick in your area and where to find it.

[Decaff]

I need to start canning beans, I have the equipment and the jars so no excuses... except I don't have enough dried beans to make it worthwhile! I do have supermarket tinned beans of all descriptions but nothing more satisfying than canning your own and you can make a nice mixture of flavours or just leave them plain. I also had a brain-wave last night (still reeling from it...) I was mid living room update when this virus hit, was replacing all the furniture, shelving units etc and was also going to wrack out (sorry bad terminology I know) the hall cupboard which is a big one. Last night I realised that I have the shelves that I need staring me in the face. I have a huge Billy type corner unit and a couple of good old Billy Bookcases which were going to freecycle, now they are going to be put to good use in the cupboard which I can then put more "stash" in a more tidy way. I am currently living with a half packed living room as the carpets were also being replaced.... I felt stuck in halfway-land but now.... I can at least get the cupboard sorted out! I also have a Billy unit with doors on that currently hold my home canned food and I must remember to get some of that window cling so you can't see the contents as I've had a couple of comments from nosy neighbours and family members about my "apocolypse cupboard" Luckily, they don't know the half of it

[Butterfly]

Honey doesn't go out of date and has nutritional value unlike sugar. It can be mixed with organic oats, nuts and seeds which can all be bought in bulk, minimising cost and take up minimal storage space. It also needs no cooking but with oil can becone granola. I eat this for breakfast with milk or yougurt. It's nice with berrieswhich I am hoping to grow & freeze.
Tesco sell tubs of dried milk for £2.

Tinned fish (not from radiation contaminated Pacific) is a good protein store cupboard food.

I also have a huge bag of rice 10kg and lots of cooking oil.

I am thinking of buying whole organic chickens to cook, separate and freeze.

I am also planning to grow herbs and vegetables. At present I have dried herbs & some frozen fruit & veg. I probably should have some canned veg but canning destroys valuable enzymes whereas freezing only slows it down.

Canned or dried chickpeas, with tahini, garlic, lemon juice and salt are stored up to make hummus which is quite high in iron.

I have an amount of Brita replacement filters for my water jug.

I am planning to order vitamins & fish oils etc.

I would like to keep chickens but don't want the rats which seem to be unavoidable....