Research has shown that freeze-dried and dehydrated foods can remain viable for up to 25 years or more. To ensure the longest storage life, it is recommended to store food in a cool, dry location, such as a basement, at temperatures ranging from 50 to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once you open a package of dry food (dehydrated or freeze-dried), the shelf life can vary based on the type of food, how it's stored, and the conditions of the environment where it's kept. Generally speaking, most opened dry foods can last anywhere from a few months to a year if stored properly.
Here are some recommendations to maximize the shelf life of opened dry foods:

Freeze-dried food and dehydrated food are both shelf-stable options that have had most of their moisture removed, which extends their shelf life and decreases their weight. However, the methods used to remove the moisture, as well as the resulting texture, nutritional content, and rehydration capabilities, differ significantly between the two.

Freeze-Dried Food
Process: Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization, involves freezing the food and then reducing the surrounding pressure to allow the frozen water in the food to sublimate directly from ice to vapor.
Texture and Quality: This process preserves the structure and composition of the food more effectively, resulting in a product that retains its original shape, color, and flavor. The texture is often lighter and more porous.
Rehydration: Freeze-dried foods rehydrate more quickly and completely, often regaining a texture and taste closer to their fresh counterparts.
Cost and Equipment: The equipment for freeze-drying is more expensive, and the process is more energy-intensive, making freeze-dried foods generally more costly than dehydrated foods.

Dehydrated Food
Process: Dehydration removes moisture through the application of heat and air circulation. This can be done using a food dehydrator, an oven, or even air-drying in some cases.
Dehydrated foods are typically denser than their freeze-dried equivalents.
Rehydration: Dehydrated foods can take longer to rehydrate.
Cost and Equipment: Dehydration equipment is generally less expensive and more accessible for home use. The process is less costly, making dehydrated foods a more economical option.

Benefits of Dehydrated Foods Regarding Compactness:

Reduced Volume and Weight: Dehydration effectively removes water from food, resulting in a significant reduction in volume and weight. This process can make dehydrated foods extremely compact, which is ideal for storage and transportation. For instance, dehydrated foods take up less space in storage facilities, pantries, and emergency kits.

Efficiency in Packaging: The compact nature of dehydrated foods allows for more efficient packaging and storage solutions. You can fit more dehydrated food into a given space compared to freeze-dried foods, which, although lightweight, retain more of their original shape and volume. This efficiency is particularly beneficial when space is at a premium, such as in small kitchens, for long-term food storage, or in emergency preparedness kits.

Cost-Effectiveness in Transport: The reduced weight and compactness of dehydrated foods lower the cost and environmental impact of transport. This is because less space and energy are required to ship dehydrated foods compared to freeze-dried or fresh foods, making dehydrated foods a more economical choice for both consumers and suppliers.

Convenience for Outdoor Activities: For activities requiring minimal gear weight and space, such as hiking, backpacking, or camping, dehydrated foods offer a convenient solution. Their compactness allows adventurers to pack more food with less bulk and weight, supporting better nutrition and variety over longer periods.

Comparison with Freeze-Dried Foods While freeze-dried foods are also lightweight and have a long shelf life, they tend to retain more of their original size and shape due to the sublimation process used in freeze-drying. This means they may not be as compact as dehydrated foods when packed. However, freeze-dried foods do offer advantages in terms of rehydration properties, as previously discussed.

In summary, dehydrated foods offer significant benefits in terms of compactness and space efficiency, making them an excellent choice for situations where space saving and weight reduction are critical. However, the choice between dehydrated and freeze-dried foods will ultimately depend on your specific needs, including considerations around taste, nutritional content, rehydration quality, and the intended use of the food.

Our food manufacturing facilities follow a strict allergen food safety program to avoid cross contamination. The following allergens are present in the facility, including, but not limited to: wheat, dairy, gluten, soy, celery, and tree nut (coconut).

Each item is packed in a bulk bag to maximize the amount of food we can fit in a container. The servings in each bag can range from 10 to 40 servings depending on the food item. After opening the bag most people will place it in another airtight container and consume more servings as needed.

A manufacture date and batch/lot code should be found on the outer packaging of the kit. A manufacture date is also printed on each of the individual pouches inside the kits.

We ship mainly through UPS and occasionally LTL carriers or USPS.

You can find nutritional information on the individual product pages. Please contact us via the chat if you have a hard time finding it.

Our foods are packaged with both quality and convenience in mind to ensure that they maintain their freshness, taste, and nutritional value over time. We start by sealing our products in thick Mylar barrier bags, a material chosen for its excellent protective qualities. These bags effectively block light and moisture, two of the main culprits in the degradation of stored food. To further enhance the shelf life and preserve the quality of our foods, we include oxygen absorbers in each pouch. These absorbers remove oxygen from the environment inside the bag, preventing oxidation and the growth of aerobic pathogens and pests.

Once our products are securely sealed in these Mylar bags, we then package them into rugged plastic containers. These containers are not only durable, ensuring the safety of the contents against physical damage, but they also come with handles for easy transport. This design choice emphasizes storability and portability, making our food packages convenient to store in a variety of settings - from your home pantry to a camping supply kit. The containers are also stackable, which maximizes space efficiency and simplifies organization.

Our packaging process is meticulously designed to meet the highest standards of quality and convenience. Whether you're storing food for emergency preparedness, planning a long camping trip, or simply seeking reliable, long-term food storage solutions, our packaging ensures that when you're ready to enjoy our products, they're as fresh and nutritious as the day they were packed.

While many of the ingredients are certified Halal and Kosher the final product is not, due to the extensive number of ingredients contained in the kit.

This depends upon where you live. Our products are made of dry components but can be affected by temperature, moisture, oxygen, and light. Optimal storage conditions for our foods are in cool, dry places.

The amount of water required to prepare each meal varies from product to product, but on average each serving requires about 1 cup of water. For an entire kit, an estimated amount is 25 gallons.

Using boiling water with long-term shelf-life foods, such as freeze-dried or dehydrated meals, offers several benefits, particularly in terms of preparation, safety, and nutritional quality. Here are the key advantages:

1. Rapid Rehydration
Boiling water significantly speeds up the rehydration process of freeze-dried and dehydrated foods. The high temperature of boiling water helps to quickly break down the cellular structure of the dried food, allowing it to absorb water more efficiently. This means meals can be prepared and ready to eat in a shorter amount of time, which is especially beneficial in situations where time and fuel might be limited, such as camping or in emergency scenarios.

2. Improved Texture and Taste
The use of boiling water can improve the texture and taste of rehydrated foods. It ensures that the foods fully expand and soften, closely mimicking their original state before dehydration or freeze-drying. This can make the rehydrated meal more palatable and enjoyable to eat, which is important for maintaining appetite and morale in long-term food storage situations or during outdoor activities.

3. Enhanced Safety
Boiling water can help to eliminate potential pathogens that might be present on the food surface. While freeze-drying and dehydration are effective at preserving food, using boiling water adds an extra level of safety by killing bacteria, viruses, and parasites that can survive in a dry state. This is particularly crucial when dealing with foods stored for very long periods or in conditions where the packaging integrity might have been compromised.

4. Nutrient Retention
The quick rehydration process facilitated by boiling water can help in retaining the nutritional content of the food. While some nutrient loss can occur during the initial freeze-drying or dehydration process, rapid rehydration minimizes further nutrient degradation, especially heat-sensitive vitamins that might be lost if foods were cooked or simmered for extended periods.

5. Convenience and Efficiency
Using boiling water for rehydration is straightforward and requires minimal cooking equipment, which can be a significant advantage in emergency situations or when outdoor cooking options are limited. It allows for the efficient preparation of meals without the need for extensive kitchen facilities, making it ideal for disaster preparedness kits, backpacking trips, and other scenarios where ease of preparation and minimal cleanup are desired.