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Pros and Cons of Freeze-Dried, Dehydrated, MRE, Canned, Food-Bars, Grains-Beans

January 28th, 2014 Ken Jorgustin

A pros and cons list of the various methods and types of food for storage that you may consider in your overall preparedness plan.

Add your own to the list…

Freeze-Dried Food

Pros

  • Very low moisture
  • Very lightweight
  • Generally tastes better than dehydrated
  • Long shelf life
  • Reconstitutes quickly
  • Retains original shape, texture, color after reconstitution
  • Best way to dry meat items

Cons

  • Most expensive food storage option
  • Most items require water to prepare
  • Items are bulkier than if dehydrated
  • If purchased in mylar pouches, they’re susceptible to puncture

Dehydrated Food

Pros

  • Low moisture
  • Lightweight
  • Long shelf life
  • No waste
  • Not easily spoiled

Cons

  • Requires water to prepare
  • Some items take a long time to reconstitute
  • Some items lose taste after reconstitution
  • Dehydration process can affect nutritional value
  • Some items have poor visual appeal

MRE (Meal Ready to Eat)

Pros

  • Can be eaten right from pouch without preparation
  • Requires no water to prepare
  • Can be heated for hot meal by many methods
  • Convenient to use
  • Familiar foods available
  • No mixing or blending required

Cons

  • Taste of MREs considered poor by some
  • Not intended for long term consumption
  • Artificial additives added in many recipes
  • Expensive considering actual food received
  • Many entrees more like sauces & require additional quality carbohydrates for a filling meal
  • Entrees alone will not supply adequate nutritional value
  • Because of foil pouch, they are susceptible to puncture
  • Can be heavy if larger quantities need to be transported

Commercially Canned Food

Pros

  • Moderate shelf life, generally 3-years – depending on food
  • ‘Real’ shelf life often much longer than posted without issues
  • Readily available at all grocery stores
  • Wide variety of canned foods
  • Secure packaging-containment

Cons

  • Heavier than dried foods
  • Requires more physical space than other types of processing
  • Not as practical for on-the-go or carrying
  • Typically lots of preservatives-salt, etc.

Emergency Food Bars

Pros

  • Compact – convenient
  • Good for portability – small kit, etc.
  • Calorie dense
  • Low cost
  • 5 year shelf life
  • Can take exposure to high heat

Cons

  • Limited nutritional value
  • Not everyone likes the taste
  • Not a satisfying substitute for a hot meal
  • Not adequate for prolonged use

Grains, Beans, Basic Commodities

Pros

  • The basic food staples – very important
  • Low cost
  • Very long storage life if stored properly
  • Essential ingredients for sustaining life
  • Good nutritional value
  • Many sprout-able seeds, grains, and beans increase nutritional value

Cons

  • Not generally appropriate for shorter term emergencies
  • Heavy weight – meant for storage, not portability
  • Requires relatively large quantities of water and fuel to prepare
  • More time consuming to prepare
  • Time is required to adapt to basic commodity oriented diet
  • For calories, a fairly large quantity must be consumed when eaten exclusively.

I believe there are use-cases and scenarios for all of the above.

When it comes to food storage, DIVERSITY is a good thing. I believe that is the key.

Learn more: http://modernsurvivalblog.com/survival-kitchen/pros-and-cons-of-freeze-dried-dehydrated-mre-food-bars-grains-beans/

Ken Jorgustin

Posted in Food & Water, What Do You Need?
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