The Best Food Storage Options for Families -
My Favorite Company to Purchase From

Long-Term Food Storage Basics: PART 2

From pre-done food storage kits to what I choose for my own family

Long-Term Food Storage Part 2

When it comes to food storage options, there are so many to choose from. In this post, I’m breaking down the basics for pre-selected food storage kits and what I love about the food storage company I chose to use for stocking my own family’s long term food storage supply.

Wondering about those Pre-Done Food Storage Kits you see at Costco?

Sure, you can buy a pre-done package but I really don’t think you’re going to like it.

Some of them are okay.

Some of them are really lame.

None of them are awesome.

Believe me when I tell you, not all food storage packages are created equal.

Okay, so what are the pros of pre-done package?

Don’t get me wrong, there are some good things about these food storage kits, so to be fair, let’s talk about them:

PRO #1 – QUICK & EASY

If you are looking for a way to just drop a big chunk of money (like a tax return or a bonus) and not invest much time in the process, these package deals are a decent way to get a good start.

PRO #2 – PRICE BREAK

There is usually a price break when you purchase a pre-done package, meaning that if you add up the cost of each individual item, you would spend more money by purchasing each of those items individually, than the cost of the total package.

Now what about the cons?

Here’s where things go south and why you want to pay a little more attention to details:

CON #1 – A FOOD STORAGE COMPANY CAN’T POSSIBLY KNOW YOUR FAMILY’S PREFERENCES

For instance, a value pack will likely come with a bunch of different fruits. But there are sure to be a couple favorites (and not so favorites) in the pack.

CON #2 – THEY CAN’T ANTICIPATE EXACTLY WHAT YOUR FAMILY WILL USE AND HOW LONG IT WILL LAST YOU

CON #3 – THEY FOCUS MOSTLY ON THE BARE BASICS

That means mostly things like wheat, beans, rice, etc. Why? Because they’re smart. They include cheap foods that sustain life, so they can claim a certain amount of servings/meals, while keeping the cost low.
Sometimes there are fruits and veggies mixed in there, but those are almost always dehydrated rather than freeze dried. Again, because that’s cheaper.

They rarely include meat or other things like sour cream powder, milk, butter powder, cheese, etc.

The bottom line on pre-done food storage kits is this:

There will be some food that you will likely never use, and there will also be holes that you will need to fill.

In my experience, the value isn’t as good as it looks because there are often things in the pack that you wouldn’t have chosen.

WHY I PURCHASE FROM A FOOD STORAGE COMPANY

There are so many different food storage options, you certainly don’t have to purchase all of your food storage from a food storage company. But for a very large portion of your long-term food storage, purchasing food from a company that specializes in this is a good idea for 3 reasons:

1 – EQUIPMENT

Freeze dryers are EXPENSIVE. Like, thousands of dollars expensive. And then you still have to buy the food to freeze dry.

2 – TIME

Even if you are willing to purchase a freeze dryer for thousands of dollars, freeze drying food is a very lengthy process, that yields incredibly small batches. Freeze dryers intended for home use only have a few small trays, and everything has to be laid out in a single layer during the process. There are several steps to the process (including flash freezing the food in your normal freezer).

By the end of the process, you have a very small amount of food to show.

What I choose for long term food storage for my own family

To be completely honest, I chose Thrive Life about 12 years ago when I was drooling over their can rotator system. I signed up to be a consultant and the rest is history.

Yes, I got my can rotator and it has been a member of the family ever since.

Click here if you already know you want one for yourself.

I even have a post all about the pantry organizer that you can read here.

Is thrive life the best?

I don’t use absolutes; they’re dangerous and often inaccurate.

I say with confidence that Thrive is ONE of the best; I have been a loyal customer of theirs and have never felt the need to go elsewhere for my food storage.

4 reasons why I choose Thrive Life

Reason #1 - Nutrition

They harvest their food at its nutritional peak. Here’s a summary:

Reason #2 - Freshness

They flash freeze their food within hours of being picked, usually on the farm itself, before getting it back to be freeze dried.

Vitamins and nutrients are locked in, optimizing flavor, nutrients, freshness, etc.

And of course: NO PRESERVATIVES

Reason #3 - Service

They have always replaced any cans damaged in shipping that threaten the integrity of the seal, without a problem.

If you have a problem, I am happy to go to bat for you with them – I am in YOUR corner, not theirs.

(I have only had to do this twice in the last 12 years, so I don’t anticipate you having any issues, but if you do, I am here for YOU!)

Reason #4 - Monthly Delivery Service

This is the BEST reason in my book!

It is such a fantastic way to build your food storage little by little, month by month. Don’t wait until you “have the money to do it all in one shot.”

Start now. It adds up faster than you think!

BONUS Reasons #5, 6, 7, 8, 9, & 10

Other reasons I seriously love this stuff:

I always have it – no emergency runs to the store for an onion
It’s already washed
It’s already peeled
It’s already cut
It’s already chopped
It’s pretty much every mom’s dream in a can

What is the difference between a pantry can & a family can?

A “Family Can” is what Thrive Life calls a #10 can. They are the larger cans (think coffee cans) that most people think of when they hear “long-term food storage.”

A “Pantry Can” is quite a bit smaller than a #10 can. They are unique to Thrive Life and are a really cool option. Don’t rule them out just because you have a large family. I store both sizes for different reasons.

Family Can (#10) details:

Requires a can opener
Lower price per serving, making it the more economical choice
Takes up more space in the pantry
6 cans per case
Good for larger households and/or items your household will go through quickly (to keep it tasting fresh once opened)
Convenient to use a measuring cup to scoop food out
25 year shelf life for most items

Pantry Can details:

These are pretty dang cool. The idea is to be able to use these in your pantry for everyday use, and refill them from your #10 cans, since #10 cans are so big. They take up less space, making it much more convenient to incorporate your food storage into your everyday cooking.

Another absolutely BRILLIANT way to use this size can is in your 72-hour kits. It is a perfect way to pack snacks for kids and adults alike, that have a shelf life of 25 years, requiring NO ROTATION FOR 25 YEARS!! 🙌🏻

Pop-top (no can opener needed)
Higher price per serving, but lower price per can (a great way to try things out)
Takes up less space in the pantry
Same diameter as a 29-ounce can of tomato sauce, but about 3/4 of an inch taller
10 cans per case
Good for smaller households and/or items your household will go through slowly (also great for 72-hour kits)
Same shelf life as Family Cans (25 years for most items)

Bottom line:

Both sizes are awesome for different reasons. They both make great additions to your long-term (and short-term) food storage.

how to get the most for your money with thrive life

Order through the Monthly Delivery Service!

Never order anything under the normal shopping cart.

Place every order through the Monthly Delivery Service.
Every Monthly Delivery Service order gets an automatic 15% off retail price!

You’ll want to check out this post (Long-Term Food Storage Basics: Part 3) for details on the monthly delivery service.

Conclusion

I am not a fan of pre-done kits.

I am a HUGE fan of the Monthly Delivery with Thrive Life, where we build our food storage one month at a time on a budget.

Click here if you’re ready to learn how to utilize the Monthly Delivery Service from Thrive Life.

Still have questions?
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at melanie@planforawesome.com

Long-Term Food Storage Part 3

In the next part, you’ll learn everything there is to know about ordering from Thrive Life, including:

How the monthly delivery service works
How to get free shipping
How to get 15% off of every order
How to get access to the monthly specials
How to shop the sales

You’ll be a money-saving maching after reading Part 3 of Long Term Food Storage Basics!

Simplify Your Family's Emergency Preparedness

The Best Food Storage Options for Families -
My Favorite Company to Purchase From

Long-Term Food Storage Basics: PART 2

Long-Term Food Storage Part 2

Wondering about those Pre-Done Food Storage Kits you see at Costco?