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.

Unfortunately, Thrive closed their doors in 2025. And while that made me super sad, ultimately I was able to make a pretty easy transition to Emergency Essentials. You can read more about this situation here.

Is Emergency Essentials the best?

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

I say with confidence that Emergency Essentials is ONE of the best. I am always open to trying new companies and if I find another one that I think is worth mentioning, I’ll let you know!

4 reasons why I choose Emergency Essentials

Reason #1 - Variety

One visit to their website and you will see what I’m talking about. I absolutely loved my foods from Thrive Life and there are a few they offered that Emergency Essentials does not. BUT, EE has way more options available.

Reason #2 - Transparency and Education

Because Emergency Essentials has been around since 1987, they have a pretty robust backlog of information on their website. It’s well categorized, thorough and they do their best to keep things up to date. They really do want to help you understand the importance of preparedness and how to actually build your reserves in a way that fits your needs.

Reason #3 - Service

Like Thrive, Emergency Essentials will replace 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 don’t anticipate you having any issues, but just thought I’d throw it out there.)

Reason #4 - Shelf Life

With few exceptions, you can expect most unopened products to last up to 30 years when stored properly. That’s pretty awesome!

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 a #10 can?

They are the larger cans (think coffee cans) that most people think of when they hear “long-term food storage.”

#10 can details:

Requires a can opener
Lower price per serving, making it the more economical choice
Takes up more space in the pantry
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
25-30 year shelf life for most items

Conclusion

I am not a fan of pre-done kits.

I am a HUGE fan of following 52 Weeks of Growing Your Food Storage to help you make sure your family has the most robust food storage – that you’ll actually use!

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

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?