Until this year, if someone spoke to me about food storage, I would have decried this as a ridiculous waste of money. Why would a family who lived in an area where natural disasters are rarer than four-leaf clovers, need to be concerned with having a stock of non-perishable food around?
If you've been following Books, Products and More!, you know our area of Massachusetts was hit with record-breaking snowfall this winter. On June 1st, a tornado unlike anything seen in the past 50 years whipped through, leaving death and destruction in its place. A month later, some of the same areas that were in the process of rebuilding, were struck by a destructive microburst that claimed the life of an 85-year-old motorcyclist. In June and July we lost power for a few days. Both times I had to throw away food from our refrigerator and downstairs freezer. Now, that's a waste of money! My husband and I work too hard to throw money away. While Hurricane Irene did not impact our immediate area, portions of Massachusetts were hard hit. Since Hurricane Season in the Atlantic begins on June 1st and ends November 30th, there are plenty of opportunities for cities and towns on the East Coast to get slammed.
I requested a sample from Daily Bread 25-year Worry-free Food Storage. My sample included a pouch of Beef Stew, a booklet listing information about their products, a price list for 3 months through 12 months worth of supplies, and pricing on their A la Carte items.
After ripping open the package and removing the oxygen absorber, I boiled 1cup of water and added it to the pouch. I stirred and let the food sit for 10 minutes. These products are made in sturdy pouches so that you can eat right from them, but I opted to use a bowl so I could eat at my desk.
Adding two slices of whole wheat bread and a bottle of water, this delicious stew was a filling meal that I enjoyed. It has a great flavor and texture. The meat and vegetables are cut into bite-size portions, so you don't even need a utensil to eat it. I didn't think freeze-dried foods could taste good, but Daily Bread gourmet meals are fabulous.
Now, this product is definitely an investment. Their 3- to 12-month meal plans are based upon a family of 5 (2 adults, 3 children), and will run from $1559.99 (3-month, 2 entrees a day) to $8,999.99 (12-month, 3 entrees a day). Their A la Carte items run from $84.99 (4 vegetable combo 86 servings/4 cans) to 6 cans of of diced ham (156 servings) for $339.99. But, if you consider your current grocery shopping bill, and the products that go stale before you have a chance to use them, there is added value in Daily Bread. In addition, since all their entrees are prepared with little water--which is rarely available during an emergency--and that they require no cooking, that saves you money too. They also have a good variety of foods: maple & brown sugar oatmeal, blueberry pancakes, scrambled eggs with sausage, chicken ala king, beef stroganoff, chicken noodle, and more!
I'm very impressed with this product and would recommend it to anyone who is interested in preparing themselves in uncertain times.
Daily Bread sent me a free sample in exchange for my honest opinions. I received no monetary compensation of any kind for this review.
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