As I write this post, extreme weather is wreaking havoc across the United States. According to a current New York Times article, 11 million people are still under tornado watches, after much destruction and several deaths over the past week already. Another million are under blizzard warnings. Baseball-sized hail and flooding are included in the list of concerns. As I look out the window of my office, I can see snow that has been falling steadily for two days, in a month that usually ushers in spring in my part of the country.
Weather is only one problem. With the threat of earthquakes, wildfires, attacks, and other disasters (who can forget that pesky pandemic?), no one can argue that preparations should be done now. The official website ready.gov offers helpful suggestions and guidance to prepare for short term emergencies.
One of the points made on the website is that even after disasters are over, there can be loss of power, water, and other resources. That makes an emergency food supply part of a good plan. Experts suggest considering four things in readying your emergency food supply: suggested food supplies, food safety and sanitation, cooking, and managing food without power. We'll look at all four and see why Thrive foods can greatly simplify that planning.
Suggested Food Supplies
A few things we are cautioned to keep in mind when preparing a food supply for several days are choosing foods your family will actually eat and keeping any dietary needs in mind.
Here is the list they recommend:
Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and a can opener
Protein or fruit bars
Dry cereal or granola
Peanut butter
Dried fruit
Canned juices
Non-perishable pasteurized milk
High-energy foods
Food for infants
Comfort/stress foods
For years I prepared "72 hour kits" or "bugout bags" for my family to grab and lug around in the event of an emergency. We actually used five gallon buckets and I included most of the things on this list, in addition to the recommended non-food items. I didn't have Thrive foods in my life yet at that time.
Here are some of the reasons Thrive foods would have been a better choice:
Longer shelf life (25 years, 20 for the meal pouches). That would mean fewer times we'd need to switch out the food in our packs.
Pantry cans (smaller than #10 cans) with pop-top lids, and pouches. No can opener required!
Ready to eat, straight out of the can. Most wouldn't even need to be rehydrated if things were dire enough.
Much lighter in weight - making it easier to prepare for longer periods and transfer farther.
So much more variety! All kinds of fruits and vegetables, meats, dairy options, meals, and more. All prepackaged and protected for traveling or lasting through upheaval.
Nutritious and familiar, fueling your body with the nourishment it needs under stress. No worries about salt and additives and "weirdness" because it looks, feels, and tastes like the normal food that it is!
Ultimate comfort food. Thrive's creamy mashed potato bowl alone is enough to chase away stress with a stick-to-your-ribs deliciousness that will shock you. The other meals are pretty amazing too.
But wait.....what about baby food? Fun fact: Thrive food is already the best possible baby food you can get your hands on. Clean, whole, full of nutrients, and ready to eat....all it needs is to be powdered (which you can even do with your hands) and water added to it. No refrigeration required -- even for the meats and dairy products, until the water is added back in.
Did you know that grocery store baby food in bottles and pouches has been heat treated in some way to preserve it? Heat kills nutrients and antioxidants. Freeze drying uses very little heat, which is why the nutrients are well preserved. Knowing I had Thrive food for my babies in an emergency would have brought untold relief.
Food Safety and Sanitation
Remember that if Thrive food is kept dry, it will be safe to eat. Even Thrive meats, cheese, milk, eggs, and other products have no need of refrigeration, including after they have been opened. The pouches and cans protect the food in an emergency.
Cooking
Most Thrive foods can be rehydrated with any temperature of water, which means cooking is not necessary. Even the meals don't need to be cooked. Of course, a warm meal is going to go a long way toward reducing stress and calming anxious nerves, but it's nice to know your food will be available even without heating and cooking sources.
The experts recommend alternative cooking sources if needed, which can be useful in warming Thrive food or water to rehydrate it. Thrive meals can be rehydrated with boiling water right in the pouch, making it even safer and cleaner in an emergency.
Managing Food Without Power
If you've ever lost a freezer full of food because of power outages (or worse, an accidental unplugging), you know the panic that can be felt trying to preserve what's in the fridge or freezer in an emergency. Foodsafety.gov has a handy guide to help with that before, during, and after an emergency:
Anyone else as relieved as I am to see that the pie won't have to be thrown out once the power is back on?
But seriously, now that I'm done with this post, I'm going to assess my current emergency kits and get them up to date. Preparedness is no joke, and however casually we may think of it now, we will be indescribably grateful if our families are cared for when the need is greatest.
Check out this list of additional items suggested for an emergency kit:
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