Choosing The Best Food Storage
If your main requirement is to stock up the home as a precautionary measure to ensure you are fully prepared for an emergency, you will need to choose a food storage method that has a long shelf life and can be stored within your available space. In the unfortunate event of an emergency happening, if you are not expecting to be moved from the house, the weight and bulk of the food product will be of lesser importance. However, ensuring your emergency supplies pass the test of time and are fit for the purpose needed is important.
Canned survival food products have a greater shelf life than pouches or packets and can last for up to 25 years provided that they are stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions. They are less at risk of damage from dampness, vermin and microorganisms, and remove the need to worry about restocking as use-by dates pass.
If your main purpose for product use is as a source of meal or a survival pack for camping, backpacking or mountain activities take into account the following factors. Both weight and bulk become the most important factors to consider. The freeze-dried method used to producing ready-to-eat survival meals dehydrates the product by removing the water content from the product. This greatly reduces the weight of the product and will have a significant impact on the overall weight of your camping or backpacking kit. However, you are likely to have limited space for food, therefore packets or pouches of survival foods may be a more suitable option over the canned products.
If using non-canned food supplies, you will need to then think about the best method of storing and transporting these to prevent accidental damage to the packets or pouches, which could spoil the product inside. Storing in a lightweight yet sturdy plastic food container will greatly reduce the risk of this happening.
The downside of using these products over the canned ones is the reduced shelf life. Therefore you will need to either eat all your supplies on each trip, which can be an expensive and slightly overindulgent option, or establish a rotation system for your stores back at home. This will ensure that you use the oldest products first. You will also need to consider how you will store these packets or pouches of survival food when not in use to ensure they remain at their best condition. Strong, sturdy, water and vermin proof bins will protect your supplies throughout their intended shelf life and may be the best food storage method for this product.
