When most people think about freeze-dried food they envision some kind of bland, pale sodium-blasted sludge on their plates, posing as “dinner”.
The beauty of freeze dried food is the nutrition and variety it can add to your pantry. Foods that would normally be off limits in a disaster situation can be neatly lined up on your pantry shelves, only awaiting the addition of hot water to add a burst of vitamins, minerals and flavor to your pantry meals.
One area in which most pantries seem to be lacking is meat. Investing in freeze-dried meats will allow you to make all of your normal recipes with only some slight adaptations. The comfort of a familiar favorite meal can go a long way towards bringing some normalcy to a difficult situation.
Try some of the following varieties:
- Chicken Breast
- Turkey Breast
- Ham
- Ground Beef
- Beef Strips
- Sausage crumbles
Freeze dried foods can offer you vegetables that you can’t get in cans, also. For example, many recipes call for bell pepper, which might be hard to get in the middle of a winter blackout. However, with a well-stocked section of freeze-dried foods, a scoop of peppers will be at your fingertips. Some useful additions:
- Onions
- Green Bell Peppers
- Broccoli
- Mushrooms
- Spinach
- Zucchini
- Diced Carrots
- Celery
- Cauliflower
Another place your pantry could be lacking is in the area of eggs and dairy. Obviously these things are tough to can and must be refrigerated or frozen. However, you can stock up on #10 cans of the following and still be able to add some cheesy goodness to casseroles or enjoy a hot breakfast omelette, no matter what the situation. How great would it be to still be able to make your kids a Friday night pizza in the midst of a down-grid situation?
- Shredded Cheddar
- Shredded Mozzarella
- Powdered Cheese
- Milk Powder
- Buttermilk Powder
- Powdered Whole Eggs
- Powdered Egg Whites
- Powdered Egg Yolk
- Powdered Butter
- Powdered Shortening
As you can see, some investments in freeze-dried food can really increase the normalcy of your menus. Learn in good times to reconstitute these foods and use them in your normal recipes and it will totally change your outlook towards surviving with the contents of your pantry!
Awesome! I am definitely tempted to get some freeze-dried sausage. I also want to pressure-can some bacon. And keep in mind cheese can also be stored for up to 20 years (hard cheeses) in its wax! How good would some aged cheddar or gouda be in a disaster?! Add some aged red wine… yum!
One of my area Walmart’s is now carrying a decent supply of FD & DH foods.
Freeze dried sausage is amazing, I use it all the time-for sausage gravy and buscuits, and for pizza. Do Not get the stuff from Walmart. It is frequently not grown in the US, and the quality is extremely poor. I have tasted it all, and it is the worst. Get it from Thrivelife (the best) or Mountain House, or someone reputable.
For the Mountain House freeze dried foods, etc. are you buying directly from Mountain House or another retailer? Just starting to look at freeze dried foods and would like recommendations on who to buy from? Interested in #10 cans mainly due to a large family. Have a Sams Club membership.