Well, thanks to Food Storage Depot, now we can tell you. Food Storage Depot offers a whole line of "gourmet" food storage, and they sent us two "just add water" meals to try out.
I tried the Teriyaki Turkey with Rice. All I had to do to prepare it was add boiling water and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes. It was made with brown rice (yum) and included dehydrated veggies and some nuts for a nice, subtle crunch.
This was insanely easy to prepare and made the whole house smell delicious. And I have to say, the taste did not disappoint. Abbie was over for lunch and she thought was a little too salty, but I really like salty foods and I thought was just right. Even my two-year-old liked it.
Above photo: Teriyaki Turkey with Rice, from Food Storage Depot.
Abbie made the other meal, which she'll tell us about now:Abs: I made Food Storage Depot's Beef Stroganoff dinner for my family one night. It was very easy to prepare--just boil in water. So nice for a busy night.
It tasted like a good casserole. It obviously wasn't as good as a homemade version of beef stroganoff, but it was pretty good for the amount of work you put in.
It tasted like a good casserole. It obviously wasn't as good as a homemade version of beef stroganoff, but it was pretty good for the amount of work you put in.
Above photo: Beef Stroganoff from Food Storage Depot
It's definitely a great option for those who's time is more valuable than their money.
All in all, I will definitely consider adding a few dehydrated meals to my food storage. The only thing is, I will need to be sure to have enough water stored up to actually make these meals, just in case I do not have access to clean water.
I (Hannah) am also seriously considering adding one of these Food Storage Depot meals to my 72-hour kits. I will need to pack a couple of cups of extra water in order to make them, but it would be well worth it in my opinion. The Teriyaki Turkey with Rice was pretty hearty and I know I would be very happy to sit down to a meal like that in a disaster (actually, I was very happy to have a meal like that in my own home on a regular day). One thing Abbie did point out, though, was that it takes a lot of fuel to cook something for 10-12 minutes. That's a great point. Like most foods, however, I'm sure it would cook up just fine if, in an emergency, I add the food to boiling water then just take it off the heat and let it sit for a while. Sure, it would take a lot longer, but if fuel is a hot commodity (haha), it would be just fine.
Have you considered dehydrated foods in your food storage, or in your 72-hour kits? Tell us about it!
Want to learn more about Food Storage Depot? Click here to visit their website. You can buy food storage by the month, or even a whole year's worth at once.
