It seems like I'm running into more and more folks just beginning to prep. A sign of the uncertain times? Tinfoil? You be the judge I suppose, but the fact remains: Americans in increasing numbers are stockpiling everything from toilet paper to juice boxes for their own reasons. Prepping is nothing new to me. I've been rotating food stores for a couple of decades. While I'm no expert by any stretch, I do get more than my fair share of inquiries as to prepping and most frequently, what to buy to get going. My answer usually begins with: "Buy something - a can of stew, a pouch of tuna, a bag of rice - anything to get the ball rolling. One needn't buy a pallet of MRE's, (unless you can afford it), to adequately prep for anything that may lay ahead. Generally, a good bucket, some medium to long term food items and a place to store them is all you need, but the key as most of you know is to get the process started in the first place.
It seems more and more, 'big box' is jumping on the bandwagon. Retailers like Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club and others have been offering emergency food preps as part of their retail line for several years. WalMart has joined the fray in the last year or two as well and I spotted one of these buckets at a Wally World near North Reading a few months ago, checked it out and decided to pass. Recently, the Pittsfield store began to stock them, so I had a friend who works there, (wiredp) pick one up for me. I decided that rather than stash it with my other preps, I'd pick it apart piece by piece and offer my opinion on the product and its contents here for your information. Again, I am by no means an 'expert', but I have been in the game long enough to have sampled much of what's out there. I hope that even in a small way, it will shed some light onto the value - fiscally and nutritionally of the Augason Farms Emergency Food Supply...
I was planning on going into a long-winded review of Augason Farms history. I've decided to let you do that for yourself. Suffice it to say, that they've been around since the early 70's making long-term storage foods - many of which are whey based. Some of the first long-term food I purchased beyond MRE's were from Augason Farms:
http://www.augasonfarms.com/about_us
The item I purchased was the Augason Farms Emergency Food Supply. It's rated by Augason to be a 4-person, 72-hour kit, but they do indeed offer this kit, (with an included plan) as a 1-person 12 and 24-day food supply. I think that may be a bit of a stretch, but what do I know? It comes in a really nice, sealed Kirk Containers square bucket, (#34). The container has a very secure gasket lid and a zip-pull to open. You'll need a pliers, a lid lifter, or a screwdriver to get this open - the zip-pull is very secure and the bucket appears to be nitrogen flushed. The lid is on there. The bucket lists a net weight of 13lbs and the cost at Wally World is $64.99.
- Upon opening the bucket, the first thing I came across is two mylar packages. Neither of them are labeled, which I found to be frustrating. Is it rice? Maybe? Oatmeal? Soup? Who knows? I'm guessing one is rice, but the other will have to remain a mystery, (for now).
- Beneath the two 'mystery pouches', lay three 5.5oz pouches of 'Beef Flavored Vegetarian Meat Substitute', (aka: TVP)
- From there, twelve 2.9oz envelopes of 'Morning Moo Low Fat Milk Substitute', (aka: sweet whey powder)
- Then I hit more foil pouches - this time, they were labeled. First is a large mylar pouch of 'Vegetable Stew'. I can't find my kitchen
scale, but I'm guessing the weight at just under a pound, (will try to get an exact weight soon)
- Next was another mylar pouch of 'Cheese Brocolli w/ Rice' - estimated weight is over a pound.
- Then came Oatmeal, a pound estimated
- And lastly, 'Creamy Potato' - over a pound estimated
At the bottom of the bucket was a double-sided '12 and 24 Day Meal Planner' sheet and preparation instructions. I generally avoid vegetarian food supplies - my experience with them has not been great. However, I'm willing to give things the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to improve. If this stuff is better than anything I've had from Wise, it may be a buy - at least to supplement existing food stores, get started, or have something quick and easy to stash in a bug-out location. I plan on sampling everything in this bucket and will report back here my findings, likes and dislikes, along with suggestions for either utilizing this resource, or passing on it altogether...
It seems more and more, 'big box' is jumping on the bandwagon. Retailers like Costco, BJ's, Sam's Club and others have been offering emergency food preps as part of their retail line for several years. WalMart has joined the fray in the last year or two as well and I spotted one of these buckets at a Wally World near North Reading a few months ago, checked it out and decided to pass. Recently, the Pittsfield store began to stock them, so I had a friend who works there, (wiredp) pick one up for me. I decided that rather than stash it with my other preps, I'd pick it apart piece by piece and offer my opinion on the product and its contents here for your information. Again, I am by no means an 'expert', but I have been in the game long enough to have sampled much of what's out there. I hope that even in a small way, it will shed some light onto the value - fiscally and nutritionally of the Augason Farms Emergency Food Supply...
I was planning on going into a long-winded review of Augason Farms history. I've decided to let you do that for yourself. Suffice it to say, that they've been around since the early 70's making long-term storage foods - many of which are whey based. Some of the first long-term food I purchased beyond MRE's were from Augason Farms:
http://www.augasonfarms.com/about_us
The item I purchased was the Augason Farms Emergency Food Supply. It's rated by Augason to be a 4-person, 72-hour kit, but they do indeed offer this kit, (with an included plan) as a 1-person 12 and 24-day food supply. I think that may be a bit of a stretch, but what do I know? It comes in a really nice, sealed Kirk Containers square bucket, (#34). The container has a very secure gasket lid and a zip-pull to open. You'll need a pliers, a lid lifter, or a screwdriver to get this open - the zip-pull is very secure and the bucket appears to be nitrogen flushed. The lid is on there. The bucket lists a net weight of 13lbs and the cost at Wally World is $64.99.
- Upon opening the bucket, the first thing I came across is two mylar packages. Neither of them are labeled, which I found to be frustrating. Is it rice? Maybe? Oatmeal? Soup? Who knows? I'm guessing one is rice, but the other will have to remain a mystery, (for now).
- Beneath the two 'mystery pouches', lay three 5.5oz pouches of 'Beef Flavored Vegetarian Meat Substitute', (aka: TVP)
- From there, twelve 2.9oz envelopes of 'Morning Moo Low Fat Milk Substitute', (aka: sweet whey powder)
- Then I hit more foil pouches - this time, they were labeled. First is a large mylar pouch of 'Vegetable Stew'. I can't find my kitchen
scale, but I'm guessing the weight at just under a pound, (will try to get an exact weight soon)
- Next was another mylar pouch of 'Cheese Brocolli w/ Rice' - estimated weight is over a pound.
- Then came Oatmeal, a pound estimated
- And lastly, 'Creamy Potato' - over a pound estimated
At the bottom of the bucket was a double-sided '12 and 24 Day Meal Planner' sheet and preparation instructions. I generally avoid vegetarian food supplies - my experience with them has not been great. However, I'm willing to give things the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to improve. If this stuff is better than anything I've had from Wise, it may be a buy - at least to supplement existing food stores, get started, or have something quick and easy to stash in a bug-out location. I plan on sampling everything in this bucket and will report back here my findings, likes and dislikes, along with suggestions for either utilizing this resource, or passing on it altogether...
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![[grin]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/041.gif "Grin [grin]")
). Cooked, it gains the visual consistency and smell of ground beef. It tastes fairly neutral - with just a hint of beef bullion flavor. It does have a slightly rubbery bite, but is not bad. 
![[wink]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/002.gif "Wink [wink]")
