Beans & LegumesCans vs. Pouches: How long will they store and what are the advantages of each?
People often ask, “What is better; The #10 Cans or Pouches of Freeze Dried Food?” The answer is both, for different situations. Both products taste great and what would work best for you depends on the situation you’re preparing for. Here are the key points to pay attention to:
- The serving size
- The main purpose of each
- The shelf life
- The storage situation
Mountain House™ Pouches
The Mountain House™ Pouches are a backpacking & camping favorite, because they are light weight & you can eat out of the pouch, which saves you from packing a mess kit. With having the options of selecting single-serving,
double-serving and four-serving entrees and with the variety of crisp, fresh vegetables & delicious lunch & dinner entrees it’s easy to see why Mountain House has been so successful.
If you are preparing for an emergency, our pouches are ideal for 72-hour-kits. If you’re in a Grab-n-Go situation and you have to evacuate an area due to a natural disaster, the pouches are an ideal source of food to take with you. Based on food storage studies performed by Mountain House™ over several years, in 2006 the shelf life for the entrees increased by 40%, from 5 years to 10 years! As long as the pouch is stored unopened, in a cool area, and don’t forget the Ice cream products and Organic Fruit Pouches have a 2-year shelf life.
Mountain House™ & Saratoga Farms™ #10 Can(s)
The Mountain House™ & Saratoga Farms™ #10 cans can also be used for backpacking and camping, just like the pouches, but they are more ideal for a Shelter-in-Place situation. This is when you are confined to your home due to a natural disaster or even a pandemic outbreak. Now a #10 can that holds an entree provides 9-12 servings, depending on the entree, and the fruits and vegetables provide 18-48 servings, again, depending on which fruit or vegetable.
Packed in airtight #10 cans, freeze-dried foods have the longest shelf life available. The interior and exterior of the cans are coated with protective enamel for double protection, and during the canning process, which matches military standards, both vacuum oxygen removal and nitrogen flushing is used. Just like the pouches, as long as they are stored unopened, in a cool area avoiding temperatures 75° F (24° C) and up, they will last the predicted life span. It’s also important to remember that after opening, it is recommend to use the dry contents within 2-4 week for best results and taste. Use the plastic lid between uses to seal in the freshness and its great to know that each #10 can has a 25-30 year shelf life.
To have comfort in knowing that, in the case of an emergency, you have the supplies needed for you and your loved ones is priceless. Please comment and let me know what do you think is better Can or Pouch?
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IN my mind that cans are better for our usage. We have a number of people to worry about feeding and the can last 30 years over the pouch which is only good for 5-7 years. I won’t still be around in 30 years.
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:24 amI have bought pouches before, and they are great. Although the #10 cans definitely are what I need, just so we can be well prepared (and a peace of mind) for when we have serious emergency that may last months, even years.
July 23rd, 2009 at 12:49 pmCans are definitely the way to go for home storage. They stack easily (especially in cases), are relatively lightweight, and last a long time if not temperature cycled.
July 27th, 2009 at 4:33 pmGreat article. I liked how you talked about the pros and cons of each option and further went on to talk about why you may want to have both types.
I use the Mountain House & Saratoga Farms #10 cans for our shelter in house cache and the Mountain House pouches for our “Go-Bags” and camping gear. I actually keep our camping gear ready at all times as it is part of the Go-Bags.
I also have a case of MREs that I may throw in the trunk if we are going on a long trip. Between these and the water, we are ready for longer than planned stays anywhere we go.
Enjoy
July 29th, 2009 at 3:31 pmIs there any difference in taste between Saratoga Farms and Mountain House? Does anyone have a preference? I suspect they are equally good, but I haven’t every had Saratoga Farms.
September 9th, 2010 at 10:29 amIf you opened a can and then vacuum sealed individual portions, would it still only last 2-3 weeks? I see where once you opened a can, it was advised to consume within 2-3 weeks. I am looking for economical ways to pack more food for a long range hike, like the appalachian trail.
September 21st, 2010 at 3:08 amSo the advice is to store #10 cans BELOW 75 degrees. How far below? In an unheated garage/shed where it can get WELL below freezing? (While this might seem great for winter, in summer my garage gets well above 75 degrees so it seems I’d have to haul them all inside for the summer…) Hmm. Womenfolk tend to frown on large cardboard boxes scattered about the premises.
December 4th, 2010 at 10:00 amI too am interested in the response to Bonnie’s question above regarding taking #10 cans and repackaging them into 1 gallon vacuum sealed packages for ease of carrying and reduction of size and weight. What would the expected storage life span become?
March 9th, 2011 at 7:11 pm