Looking for opinions on Wise long term food storage.

[NightShade]

Hey folks,
I am interested in the opinions of anyone who has tried the wisefoodstorage long term kits.
I have a well stocked pantry that is constantly being cycled but got to thinking that a few of those food buckets may be a good idea. They have a very long shelf life and could be pretty easy to transport in an evacuation emergency. I figure it will be easier to grab a few buckets and toss them in the trunk with a few jugs of water rather than having to unpack and load up the pantry. They will be easy to prepare a full hot meal on the go as well... And can bring a fairly long term (temporary) survival food source.

So questions basically are-
Do you think your purchase was a good value?
And
Have you tried any of the food and if so, how did it taste?

Appreciate any input.

[pete lynch]

The samples I tried were the some of the saltiest, worst-tasting freeze-dried food I have ever tried. You'll be miserable enough in a temporary survival situation without having to eat that stuff.

[Rick]

I have not tried the long term storage but have tried Wise foods. I agree with Pete. Tried is all I could muster. Pretty bad. Pick up one or two items that are in the bucket and try them. That way you will know if you like them or not and if they are worth the investment to you.

[crashdive123]

Same experience as Pete and Rick. Tried the samples and found them to be way to salty for my liking. Would they keep you alive? Sure, but I prefer to store things I enjoy if possible.

[kyratshooter]

I refused to purchase a second run of long term food after the first batch I bought passed its 30 year shelf life without being needed.

There are a few items I keep as part of the 1 year rotation that are long term, such as powered eggs/milk, but I consider them a convenience.

Buy some big plastic containers and rake the pantry shelves into them. It might take a couple of minutes time, but it will be cheaper in the long run and eatable when prepared.

Not much you buy canned or preserved from the store has less than a one year life, so just buy normal food and rotate it out.

[Manwithnoname]

This steers the original question off topic but I think the general concept is well worth sharing. I've read far too many articles, seen too many videos and know the capitist human greed far to well to ever really put much trust in "survival food" kits.

A couple weeks or so ago I watched a show on PBS (can't remember the name). It's one those living green, self-sustainable shows. The topic was hydroponics but with a twist. The basic gist a tank with fish with their water recirculated through to a second or more tanks for the plants. The fish waste provides the nutrients for the plants. You feed the fish and the rest takes care of itself and you end up with year round fish and veggies. Of course it wouldn't be an answer for a bug out scenario but for you guys living in your bug out hide outs may be something to give a little thought to. Once I end up parking my land yacht for good, it's something I plan on giving a try.

[pete lynch]

I plan on bugging in with food that I like to eat.

[Rick]

I do that just about every week-end. Especially in the winter and if the weather is nasty. I call it preparation.

[hunter63]

We keep a pantry....
Also did buy a couple of buckets of Wise ns Mountain ....one with breakfasts stuff, and from Mountain house freeze dried foods entree's

I agree not the tastiest, but then again.....for when you are really hungry, beats bugs and worms.

That said....the pantry is set up with plastic mike crates so a grab and go is very possible...and actually is how we transport pre-packaged our supplies for trips to "The Place" and back at the end of the season.

A trial "Bug Out" really old thread took us about 45 minutes to pack and go for recliner to road.

Been digging thru the commercial MRE's from Desert Storm era......been around a while.

The fish farm set up is a way of life that I don't care to get involved in....and is most likely better in theory or a commercial operation than TEOTWAWKI set up.....Just my opinion...more trouble than it's worth ....to ME.

[kyratshooter]

I have communicated with several British preppers who have gone into the fish farm system.

As soon as one part of the system screws up the whole system fails catastrophically.

It demands constant monitoring for substance levels, water flow rates...

so as long as the world is perfect it will work, but as soon as the electric goes down, the battery bank fails, the water source is contaminated......it all goes to pot.

[finallyME]

I have communicated with several British preppers who have gone into the fish farm system.

As soon as one part of the system screws up the whole system fails catastrophically.

It demands constant monitoring for substance levels, water flow rates...

so as long as the world is perfect it will work, but as soon as the electric goes down, the battery bank fails, the water source is contaminated......it all goes to pot.

I actually have a hydroponics system at home....and yes.... I agree completely. They are really finicky. They also require a lot of power. My system is really small, and it does save me money (over the price of a normal fish tank filter system). I built my system to basically just use two turtles that I already had and maybe put them to "work". I really haven't been too successful in growing anything...but because it filters so well, I don't have to keep buying those stupid filters at the pet store.

In my area, the biggest challenge is the energy needs. Because I am in a climate that had cold winters, I have to worry about freezing water during the winter and short growing seasons, or large energy expenditures to keep it running year round. These things don't really do well if they can't run continuously. If I put mine inside (to use the heat that I am already using to heat my house) then I have to spend money on the lights. Of course, it is cheaper to run LEDs than to make heat. If I put it outside to use the free sunlight, then I have to enclose it in a green house and pay to heat it. You also have to always pay for the pump electricity. This is a nut I want to crack with a bigger system. But it is for fun, not for "survival" purposes. I want to make a much bigger system with trout. A tilapia system just isn't all that appealing.

[Rick]

so as long as the world is perfect it will work, but as soon as the electric goes down, the battery bank fails, the water source is contaminated......it all goes to pot.

Hahahahahaha! I'm sorry but having a set up that is able to perform multiple tasks is part of the utility of preparedness. Goes to pot.....that is sooooo funny. You made my day.

[finallyME]

Oh, and with the wise food stuff...

I don't like their noodles. They don't rehydrate well. Parts of them are too mushy with parts to hard. I have had good results with the rice though.
For your idea, I would use mountain house. Or, you can use basic food stuffs, like oats. You can eat oats raw, or boil them. Put a jar of honey in with it, with a can of powdered milk.

Buy 2X 5 gallon buckets of oats. The unopened one is for your car idea. The other one is for you to open and use normally. When the opened one is empty, buy another one. Then the newest one becomes the one ready for the car, and the one that was for the car is now the one you open and use. You will save a ton on oatmeal, because it is cheaper to buy it this way. We buy our oatmeal in 50 lb bags at Winco and it is less than half the price of Wally World. Of course, we also go through a lot of oatmeal. It would take some of these old timers with kids who have left the nest like 10 years to eat as much oatmeal as we go through in a couple months.

[kyratshooter]

Hahahahahaha! I'm sorry but having a set up that is able to perform multiple tasks is part of the utility of preparedness. Goes to pot.....that is sooooo funny. You made my day. [/COLOR]

TBH going to pot is how most of the British preppers expect to survive SHTF. it is their first and primary trade good for both this social order and the next.

I had to leave one British forum when I discovered that most of their members were using the cover of being preppers to promote, hide and maintain their "home business".

They were very much into internet security, phone security, avoiding CCTV, facial recognition, police hate, hydroponics, greenhouse cultivation, self sufficient energy production but did not have three cans of beans or a sleeping bag between the group.

They are very big on lists, as if having a list with things written on it is the same as having those things. Most of their forums have a special section just for lists!

Their idea of wilderness camping was setting up a tent at a rock concert and a wild animal attack is when the neighbors cat craps in your roses.

They generally promoted the concept of stealing what they needed when hard times arrived.

I think that part of the reason we have so many British register here and never post is that they come here expecting something beside what we offer. Winnie and a couple of others being the exceptions.

[Rick]

Oh, very nice save in that last sentence. I take my hat off to your, sir.

[freddriks]

Actually, food stored in 65 degrees or less, if kept dry and dark, whether, dehydrated or freeze dried, will last up to 25 years as long as these foods are low in fats, or fat free, and devoid of oxygen. Canned foods also, stored under these conditions, will last as Long or longer. The taste may not be as good, and some nutrients are lost, but these foods will still be edible and give adiquit nutrition. Research has been widely done on food preservation, look it up, this article is not really factual. I have been homesteading for many years, and I know this article is misleading. On the other hand, if you are expecting food that has been stored for years to taste farm fresh, well then you will be disappointed, but if you want food to be edible, reasonably neutrino us, and pretty good if doctored up a bit, you will not be let down by food that has been stored well but is old.