Canned food is only as good as it’s seal. When seams are not made appropriately air and moisture can enter into the container and shorten the life of the food. Having a good seal ensures that your freeze dried food lasts 30 years or more, with a faulty seal one can expect to see a 30-60% decrease in shelf life depending on storage environment. Food storage manufacturers, like The Ready Store purchase #10 cans that are sealed by the factory on one end and open on the other. The food storage manufacturers then fills the can with food (Mountain House is the only manufacturer that freeze-dries their own food). After the can is filled, a metal lid is sealed to the open end of the can in a two stage process that ensures the can is air-tight and will yield the maximum shelf-life for your food storage.

At The Ready Store we only sell Saratoga Farms and Mountain House because they have both consistently performed this sealing operation to industry standards and provide the highest quality can seam and food quality available.

Recently we ordered a handful of food storage cans from a couple of our competitors to see how their can seam compared… Continue reading…

So, if you have been keeping tracking of the news lately you will know that federal reserve has just printed another $600 Billion and released it into economy.  They are trying to say that this will not create hyper-Inflation.   However, there are many economists that disagree.  We are not entirely sure if this will happen or not, but we do know that it’s wise to prepare for the worst, while hoping for the best.

Inflation can be nasty.  Your money can lose it’s value very quickly and you can be left with nothing very quickly.  So here are are few things you can do right now to protect yourself:

1.  Get out of debt.
Debt can leave you in a terrible situation if there is hyper-inflation.  Your food and other basic costs of living will rise considerably.  It will be even harder to make your monthly payment on existing debts and this alone could leave you in a terrible situation.

2. Store Food.
Now is the time to buy food to store in case the prices of food go through the roof.  It’s better that you store food with a long shelf-life, that has high nutritional value, is easy to prepare, and will taste great.  We would recommend Freeze-Dried Food.  Don’t let your family go hungry in the case where you cannot buy any food.

3. Store Water.
You can live without food for much longer than you can live without water.  You need clean water to drink, clean, cook, and live.  Make sure you have ways to purify water sources when you find it. Don’t expect that the price of water will go down.  Water is so basic that it may become very expensive because of demand. Don’t forget water storage!

4. Consider a backup power supply.
“Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket” – Barack Obama. – January 2008 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle. Don’t be left out in the cold.  Make sure you have a backup plan for your energy needs.  You can produce clean, renewable energy on your own. With one of our kits from Goal 0.

5. Grab-n-Go Supplies
If times get really tough, you may need to leave your current area.  Don’t wait until a disaster or riots force you to make the decisions about what you should take.  Make sure you have solid survival kits for each member of your family.  Make sure you have a copy of all your important documents stored with this kits.  Make sure they are packed with temporary shelter, food such as MRE’s, and all the basics you will need to survive.

Now don’t think we are just trying to be fear-mongers.  We are optimistic for the future of our country, and we surly are hoping for the best.  As you go about checking off the above items on your list, don’t try to do more than you are capable of doing.  Don’t run faster than you have strength.  Just make sure your are doing your very best to get prepared.

Jeff, his son Jack and daughter Katie stand next to their ULTIMATE Year Supply of Food Storage

Jeff from North Carolina, has won The Ready Nation Contest and has received the Ultimate Year Supply of Food Storage. Needless to say Jeff was pretty excited and why shouldn’t he be when just won 365 days worth of breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks with a shelf life of over 30 years. Here is what Jeff had to say after being told of the news:

“I can’t believe I won!  FANTASTIC!  I love your site, your food and your awesome service.”

We are glad to be able to give back to one of our many great customers, there are few better ways to do it than with the gift of peace of mind. As we enter into the Holiday Seasons where family is often together, sometimes from great distances, we would like to thank members of The Ready Nation family for your business.

Protein is an important part of our diet and for many people the majority of protein comes from meat, fish, and poultry. Luckily for those preparing for emergencies there have been improvements in protein food storage options in the last few years. In the past people had to can meat such as tuna and chicken but that typically only lasts about 3 years, making it a chore to add meat to food storage solutions.

A better option is Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP), a soy-based meat alternative, that you have probably eaten already but didn’t know it. It’s flavor and consistency is similar to real meat and used by many food establishments in their recipes. Options vary from ham, chicken, beef, bacon, and sausage. Our TVP products have a shelf life of 10 to 20 years, making a tasty and economical addition to your long term food storage, especially for vegetarians needing a little more variety for their protein needs.

Aside from TVP, the most recent advancement in meat food storage is freeze-drying meat. While a little more costly, the freeze dried meats taste superior and provide superior nutritional content than the alternatives. Selection varies from diced beef, chicken, turkey and ham to ground beef and is included in a lot of the entrée meals by Saratoga Farms Premium Selections and Mountain House. Like all freeze dried options they last 20-30 years.

So if you think you may tire from eating eggs and beans when the time comes to use your food storage check out these protein rich options!