Freeze Dried Foods

[Julie]

Where is the best place to get freeze dried foods? This would take in quality and price.

[libertygranny]

The past 7 months since I was called as the Home Storage specialist in the ward we have been doing group buys from a couple of different places depending on what is on sale. So far from the comments I am getting back from ward members who have ordered, they seem to like the freeze dried items from Emergency Essentials. As far as price, we only buy if it is on sale so for us it is a good price and again, everyone likes the quality just fine. Most are saying they prefer the freeze dried over dehydrated so I am on the lookout for more bargains for freeze dried items.

[mirkwood]

Emergency Essentials has received most of my business for FD and DH products.

[libertygranny]

I have several Honeyville dh products and I like them. I basically have a combination of EE, Honeyville, LDS home storage, Wholesale Foods (www.bulkfoods.com (http://www.bulkfoods.com)), and Pleasant Hill Grains stuff.

Anyone have a good recommendation for powdered milk? I have the church stuff but no one will drink it and I primarily use it for baking/cooking. I haven't made it part of our group orders yet because I'd like to find a good product/price.

[Charsee]

Just be careful, the more expensive the product the less there is in the can with some companies.

I opened a #10 can of strawberries yesterday and the can was just slightly over 1/2 full. The tomato powder was about 65 percent full, but the black beans were within an inch or two of the top of the can. They like to use different units of measurement to make it difficult to compare, like honeyville will say .75 lbs and Auguson Farms will say 12 oz.

You can also buy it in the bag from some places and can it yourself.

[CurtisG]

Charsee, I opened a can of freed dried blueberries last week(to put in my oatmeal yum) and the can was only half full. I know this is sold by weight but i imagined a #10 full of berries:glare:
There must be a reason for this...maybe the berries shrink over time in the can??? If there isnt a practical reason then the cans could be smaller and take up less space.

[Earthling]

The practical reason is they want you to think you are getting a full can. Most people won't open the can until "necessary for survival" anyway.

[CurtisG]

Maybe i'll call Monday and ask about the partial can. I bought a variety case of berries and fruit to have some handy to add to oatmeal, yogurt or whatever as needed, not for long term storage.

[CurtisG]

Speaking of oatmeal.....i was going to make some for breakfast and asked my wife if she wanted some. She said yes , so the 2 seving recipie is what i use for me so figured i'd better double that. I figured wrong and actually TRIPLED it....ended up with a giant pot of oatmeal that could have fed a platoon of Marines:l0 (31):
I rehydrated the blueberries in the simmering water, made the oatmeal a nice blue/purple effect.

[phylm]

I have several Honeyville dh products and I like them. I basically have a combination of EE, Honeyville, LDS home storage, Wholesale Foods (www.bulkfoods.com (http://www.bulkfoods.com)), and Pleasant Hill Grains stuff.

Anyone have a good recommendation for powdered milk? I have the church stuff but no one will drink it and I primarily use it for baking/cooking. I haven't made it part of our group orders yet because I'd like to find a good product/price.

I grew up milking cows by hand, and married a dairy farmer, so we always drank pure milk. I'm still a bottle baby! The best dried milk I've found is the Emergency Essentials dried milk. (Haven't tried the fortified, because it is pricier by unit cost, but it would probably taste as good.) Their dried milk is as close to fluid milk that I have found. I mix up a pitcher whenever I get caught without "store-bought" milk. Even my husband doesn't fuss about it.

[goldilocks]

Auguson Farms is a good brand and they sell alot of it at Walmart.

They have their own website as well and specials every month.

Preparednesspro.com lady can give alot of good tips on best brands also.

[libertygranny]

Thanks Goldilocks.

Our Walmarts don't carry any fs stuff, must be a UT thing.

I'm on Auguson's email list, but I've never tried their milk and I really don't want to order a "special" and no one likes it.

I have checked out preparednesspro's website, but again it is her opinion and I'd like more than one, kwim.

[iggy]

Thanks Goldilocks.

Our Walmarts don't carry any fs stuff, must be a UT thing.

I live in south Lincoln County Oregon- and our newly remodeled Walmart [now it is a Super Walmart] carries this brand. What blew me away is the Dehydrated Honey! What a hoot! I'll wait for one of the more adventurous sisters in the Branch to get that.