So, is it just me, or did you LOVE going to the science center/museum when you were a kid? Wow, I would get so excited when I found out we would be going there on a field trip! Ok, so I have to admit, it wasn’t probably for the same reasons everyone else liked to go there. I liked to go to the science museum because it was the only place I could find freeze-dried ice cream! Yes, I was addicted, and I love it to this day. I was so thrilled to be eating the same stuff that astronauts ate it space…and it tasted great! Although, I always wondered how they got that ice cream to fit in an aluminum package and not melt somehow in the process. Well, I finally found out how that process works…

Freeze-drying was first developed during World War II to preserve blood plasma for emergencies without the use of refrigeration. (Yes, the freeze-drying process can be used for many things other than foods.) After the war was over, the process was then used for food products. Coffee was the first manufactured product that was sold on a large scale.

All food is tested and checked for purity before it goes through the freeze-drying process. Meats and fruits are checked for bacteria before they are used. Seafood and meat must be pre-cooked before it is freeze-dried. That way, when you open the package to use it, the meat requires no cooking to eat it…only the addition of water to re-hydrate it. After the foods have been checked and tested, they are spread out flat on metal trays. Then the trays are wheeled into a huge walk-in freezer where the temperature is around -40degrees. The food is frozen quickly. After they are frozen, the foods are wheeled to vacuum drying chamber. In this room, a process called “sublimation” is used to force solid material to change into a gas material without ever having turned into a liquid. This can be achieved by evacuating the air with a vacuum pump to reduce the air pressure. Once the pressure falls below the point of sublimation, the water vapor from the food is drawn away from the food, leaving the dry food behind. The dry food retains its original size and shape. The food is then packaged into airtight containers so that moisture from the air will not re-enter the food. The whole freeze drying process can take anywhere from 4 to 12 hours.

So, yeah, it’s a bit complicated, but fascinating all the same. Freeze-dried food has so many advantages to other food storage options. It is extremely light-weight, requires no refrigeration, and the food retains its color, shape, texture, and most importantly…flavor! Freeze-dried food may cost a bit more to start with because of the complex equipment that is needed to make it, but in the long run, it will be an asset. Freeze-dried food can last up to 30 years and sometimes longer! I challenge anyone to show me a can of mushy green beans that can do that! Freeze-dried food is definitely the way to go for emergency food storage.

    My earliest memories of eating freeze dried food was from when I was 7 years old.  My parents had taken me and my siblings to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.  After taking a tour of the museum we stopped off in the gift shop.  We were each allowed to pick out one small item.  When I saw the freeze dried ice cream that was the same ice cream used in space during the Apollo missions, I knew I had to try it.  I instantly fell in love.  It was a block of Neapolitan ice cream with the strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate flavors.  I broke off a bite and it slowly dissolved in my mouth, releasing the most amazing flavors.  It was like nothing I had ever had before and I couldn’t get enough.  To this day I still buy packages of freeze dried ice cream any time I find them at a museum or store.  My husband even bought me some for Christmas once.

Although Neapolitan ice cream is probably the most recognized flavor of freeze dried food, there are many varieties of food available these days.  You may have already eaten freeze dried food without even knowing it.  Some instant coffee is freeze dried, as is fruit that is sometimes included in breakfast cereals.  With freeze dried food now being used not just for missions in space, you can get freeze dried food for any meal of the day.

Some of the popular flavors for different meals are:

• scrambled eggs with ham or bacon
• granola with fruit
• bananas, cinnamon apples, peaches, pineapples, strawberries, blue berries, or raspberries
• potatoes, broccoli, rice, green beans, peas, or corn
• dice beef, diced chicken, or ground beef
• beef teriyaki
• pasta primavera
• chicken and rice
• seafood chowder
• spaghetti with meat sauce
• sweet and sour pork
• vegetable stew
• beef stroganoff
• chili mac
• mac and cheese
• blueberry cheesecake
• raspberry crumble
• and many more

As with the ice cream, some items such as the fruit can be eaten as is without preparation.  The other items couldn’t be easier to prepare.  Simply boil water, add it to the food item, and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.  The food tastes great and can be stored for up to 30 years.  So if you are planning a camping or hiking trip where weight of your gear is a concern, or you want to have quick and easy meals on hand, then freeze dried food is an excellent option.

Last summer, a friend of mine invited me on a camping/backpacking trip with her and her fiancé.  I had never been much of an outdoors person, but I was intrigued and really excited to go!  I spent several days packing for this 4-day excursion.  I was confidant I had everything I needed…extra water, toilet paper, food, bug spray, etc. for a 4 day trip.

We met at a place in town and drove to a very secluded area meant for backpacking.  I felt good about the fact that we had trails to follow and wouldn’t have to worry about getting off course or lost.  Needless to say, on our fourth day we ended up heading the wrong way.  While we were supposed to be heading back from where we came, we were actually heading farther and farther away.

I had a little food left, but only enough to last me for another meal or so.  I felt a little panicked, but didn’t want my friends to notice since they seemed somewhat relaxed for being in the situation we were in.  All my friend’s fiancé could tell me was, “we’ll get back, it just may take awhile.”  Needless to say, after walking for another couple hours I finally ended up breaking down and crying.  I had never been in this kind of situation before and felt helpless.

My friends felt bad, but assured me there was nothing to worry about.  I was pleasently surprised when my friends took pouches out of their bags, which they informed me were freeze-dried foods.  They explained to me that freeze dried foods were meals (like lasagna and pasta primavera) that had gone through a dehydration process to minimize the size of the food and to preserve it.

Immediately, I began to relax knowing they were prepared for this type of thing. Since then, I’ve become an avid backpacker and always make sure I have a 7-day supply of the freeze-dried food with me.  They’re very light weight, easy to store in my backpack, and healthy and nutritious to boot!   I’m so thankful to my friends for showing me the outdoors and introducing me to this incredible emergency-related item.  Never again will you find me in the outdoors without being prepared!

I have recently become a convert to freeze-dried food.  One of the things I love about freeze-dried food is that it stores for 30 years in a #10 can.  That’s right.  30 years!  No more worries about rotating food and checking expiration dates.  I am fully aware that rotating food storage is a huge job and freeze-dried food essentially eliminates the need for this time-intensive task.

Freeze-dried food can be prepared by adding hot water.  You can also eat some of the products such as the freeze-dried fruit right out of the can.  We have added freeze-dried fruit to oatmeal, muffins, and pancakes.  I have had to put our can of triple berry blend on the highest shelf in my pantry since my kids eat it like it is candy!  The Saratoga Farms fruits are fantastic!  We love everything from the pineapple chunks to the cinnamon apple slices to the sliced strawberries.

In a disaster, you will probably be overwhelmed physically and psychologically, and knowing that you can just add water and have a meal for your family can be a huge relief.  No grinding wheat or figuring out how to cook a meal in a tiny mess kit pot.  Just add water and you are ready to go.  I also like that the freeze-dried meals are complete on their own-no need to make side dishes.  Everything is in one can.  The beef stroganoff comes with the pasta, meat, and sauce all together.  The chicken teriyaki has the chicken, sauce, and rice in one can.  The directions don’t get much easier than this:  add water and eat!

If you lived in Colorado last year or in Eastern Washington this year, then you know what a good idea it is to be prepared and have a year supply of food and essential materials. Most recently the small town of Pullman, Washington has had snow storm after snow storm. They are experiencing the most snow that the town has seen in over two decades. Washington State University actually closed for the first time in over twenty years. It has gotten to the point where semi trucks are unable to bring in food supplies to the stores and the selections of bread and milk are pretty slim. So you can see where a year supply of food would save you a lot of stress and give you the assurance that your family would not go hungry.

Starting to build a year supply can seem overwhelming, but as with any other project, you just need to start with one thing at a time. Just like putting a little money in savings each week, over time it will build up. Even spending as little as $10.00 each week will help prepare you in times of disaster, unemployment, or economic depression. It is very important that you buy food that you will eat. It wouldn’t make much sense to store a large supply of Spam if you can’t stand the taste. It would be great if you never had the need to use your food supply, but you will still need to rotate out the food so that it does not spoil. So make sure you’ll eat what you buy.

Most canned foods only have a two to three year shelf life. A good long-term food storage alternative to canned foods is freeze dried food. If stored in a cool dry area (Normal house temperatures) freeze dried food offers a thirty year shelf life.

In addition to food supplies it is a good idea to keep a supply of non-food items that you will need. Some of these items are toilet paper, first aid supplies, a camping stove with fuel, candles, diapers, hygiene supplies, flashlight and batteries, blankets and clothing, money in a waterproof container, a shovel, an ax, a can opener, utensils, and cookware.

Overall, if you are willing to spend a little time and money each week, you will be able to prepare your family for any situation that may arise that may prevent you from going to the store. You will be self sufficient and need not fear that you and your children will go hungry.

Four years ago, Colorado had one of the biggest storms it has had in over a decade. The snow was falling in feet, not inches and that was in town, not just up in the mountains. The Hospitals were all on the plan D, Disaster Mode. Stores were shut down because people couldn’t get out of their driveways, let alone get to work. Fortunately for us, we have a year’s supply of food for just this type of situation.

When people are asked about emergency preparedness, they tend to think of “end of the world” scenarios. But it can be as simple as a snow storm or outrageous gas prices that prevent you from going to the store for the things you need. Ideally, it would be best to be prepared for short term needs as well as long term needs.

For short term needs, the best route to go is to get 72 hour kits for each member of your family. 72 hour kits are backpacks that contain enough supplies to last a person 3 days. They typically contain high calorie food bars,(with a minimum of 1200 calories per person per day) water or purification tablets, waterproof matches, a flashlight, a whistle, a space blanket, and a first aid kit. Some even have tents and hygene kits and there are a number of other items you can add. There are also adult and child specific kits. The children’s kits usually contain the same general items as the adult kits but they also have some sort of entertainment, such as coloring books or small toys.

Once you purchase your kits it is a good idea to make copies of important records, such as driver’s license, birth certificates, and copies of prescriptions that you take, to include in the kit. It is also a good idea to have spare keys for your home and vehicles and to have at least $100.00 cash. You also need to make sure that you keep handy a supply of diapers, wipes, formula, etc. that you would need for young children. Since emergencies can cause panic and anxiety, it is also helpful to make a list of items you should take with you, if you have time to grab them, so that you don’t have to try and remember everything when time is limited.

For long term needs, it is ideal to have a year’s supply of foods and essentials. MRE’s (meals ready to eat), freeze-dried food (that all you need to do is add water), and high calorie food bars are all good options. The MRE’s typically need to be rotated every 5-7 years depending on the temperature at which they are stored. The freeze-dried food comes in a 2 person serving pouch that can be stored for up to 7 years or in a 10# can that has up to a 30 year shelf life. The high calorie bars need to be changed every five years. It is also essential to have a good supply of water. You can buy water storage containers or you can even fill up empty 2 liter soda or juice bottles. Anything that is used to hold liquids. you should change the water once a year, or you can buy purification drops that will keep the water usuable for up to 20 years. It is also a good idea to have a year’s supply of items such as toilet paper, candles, matches, disposible dishes, etc.

If you are just starting to prepare your family and home, don’t be overwhelmed with the amount of things you need to buy. Start with the 72 hour kits and then buy a little bit each paycheck or each month. A disaster can happen any time, any place, so it’s best to be prepared.