Our Answers to Your Questions About Long-Term Storage Meals (10 to 25 Years)
Creating a food stockpile is a good way to prepare for emergency situations. It can be useful to include non-perishable items such as honey, salt, sugar, or vinegar. However, these items alone won't provide sufficient nutrition.
When it comes to complete meals, regular canned goods found in supermarkets typically have a shelf life of a few years, requiring careful monitoring and frequent stock rotation. On the other hand, freeze-dried canned meals offer the significant advantage of much longer storage, lasting 10 to 25 years depending on the brand. Yes, you read that correctly—25 years.
For the skeptics, we address frequently asked questions about these products in this article.
How Can These Products Be Stored for So Long ?
The long shelf life (10 to 25 years) of the meals offered by the brands we carry has been extensively tested in laboratories, both internally and externally. This impressive longevity is guaranteed by these rigorous tests.
The key factors behind this long shelf life are food freeze-drying, the canning process, and the airtight nature of the packaging.
- For Emergency Food by Trek'n Eat, the product is canned, the oxygen is removed, and replaced with nitrogen to create a healthy atmosphere that preserves the food for years.
- For Fuel Your Preparation, oxygen is "eliminated" from the cans using oxygen absorbers placed in each can (be sure to remove these before rehydrating the meal!)
Do Long-Term Storage Meals Contain Preservatives ?
Unlike canned products commonly consumed in households, long-term freeze-dried foods contain little to no preservatives or additives.
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Are Freeze-Dried Meals Dangerous for Your Health ?
As with any diet, the impact on health depends on the balance of the diet and individual energy expenditure, whether the food is freeze-dried or not.
In any case, the nutritional details for each meal are clearly listed on the cans and available on the product pages online, allowing everyone to choose and balance their intake as desired.
What Does It Taste Like ?
The taste is identical to the individual portion pouches. The same recipes are used for both the cans and the individual outdoor pouches.
For example:
- The Emergency Food range by Trek'n Eat matches the recipes in Trek'n Eat pouches.
- The Fuel Your Preparation range mirrors the recipes found in Fuel Your Preparation pouches
How to Heat/Prepare the Meal ?
Similar to the pouch format, long-shelf-life cans are rehydrated according to the instructions provided on the container. The process is both simple and quick.
Will I Feel Satiated and Like I’ve Had a Substantial Meal (Enough Energy/Fat Intake) ?
Most canned recipes provide an average of 400 to 700 Kcal per portion, and when rehydrated, they weigh between 300 and 600 g. The feeling of satiety depends on individual eating habits.
The energy content and the carbohydrate-protein-fat ratio for each recipe are clearly indicated on the can and on the product pages online.
How Long Does a Can Last Once Opened ?
The cans are airtight, watertight, and extremely durable. They come with an additional plastic lid to provide an airtight seal, allowing the contents to stay fresh for up to 7 days after opening.
Most ready-to-eat meal cans contain between 4 and 10 servings. Depending on usage, an opened can is typically consumed within 1 to 6 days, or even sooner for a family. They are well-suited for storage and group outdoor activitiese.
Why Does the Contents of the Cans Look Like ? Are Thei in Powder or Pieces ?
Depending on the product, you may find powder, pieces, or both. Simple ingredients like milk or butter come in powdered form, while complete meals consist of pieces (pasta, meat, vegetables) and powder (sauces).
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Is There a Risk of Getting Tired of the Products?
To avoid fatigue, and based on our experience with people who consume freeze-dried foods for much of the year, such as offshore racers and adventurers on long expeditions, the best approach is to vary both dishes and brands! Why not mix freeze-dried meals, ready-to-eat dishes, and dry goods in your food stock?
If I Order Long-Term Storage Products Today, What Best-Before Date Will They Have Upon Arrival?
For Fuel Your Preparation and Katadyn Emergency Food, production is frequent, and the products currently in stock were manufactured 2–3 months before we received them, sometimes up to 6 months. If you want to know the exact best-before/use-by date (BBE/UBD) of specific products, you can check the product pages where these dates are listed.
If I Store This Type of Can in the Freezer, Can It Last Even Longer ?
Storing the cans in the freezer may actually damage them and reduce their shelf life. The best way to preserve them is in a cool, dry place. Storing them in overly humid or hot conditions can shorten their best-before date. That said, manufacturers confirm that even beyond the expiration date, the products remain safe to consume.
How to Build Your Stock? How Much Space Does It Take?
You can purchase individual cans, but complete packs are often the most convenient option. These packs are available for various durations, from a few days to a year. For example, the 1-month pack for 1 person from Emergency Food—which can also serve a family of 4 for 1 week—includes breakfasts, meals, compact rations, and even a water filter.
A 1-month pack comes in a box measuring 42x32x20 cm and weighs 12 kg, which is not very bulky for a month's supply of food.
What Do the Pack Durations (1 Month, 3 Months, 6 Months, etc.) Actually Represent?
It’s clear that everyone stores food for different reasons and needs. According to Katadyn, the complete packs they design (1 month, 3 months, and 1 year) "are developed based on the principles of nutritional science and human food requirements. Emphasis is placed on the balanced composition of rations in essential nutrients: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fibers..."
Although 1,100 kcal/day is not sufficient for an adult, in the context of survival stockpiles, it ensures a minimum daily nutritional intake for the consumer.
According to Fuel Your Preparation, nutritional needs during a crisis are very different from usual. The body requires more energy-dense foods and protein-rich items. Our meals are specifically designed to have high calorie content and be enriched with protein to provide sustained energy rather than quick sugar spikes. Our freeze-dried fruits are an ideal choice for emergency situations as they provide the extra fiber and energy the body needs.
1-month vegetarian survival pack - Meals, compact rations, water filter - 15-year shelf life
(2 reviews)
Net weight (g): 14225
€506.21
Explore Our Full Range of Survival Food Packs for Self-Sufficiency From a Few Days to an Entire Year
For additional questions, our team is available via email or phone (contact details below)
A Word About Lyophilise & Co 🌶
Based in Lorient, Lyophilise & Co is the go-to reference for freeze-dried meals and high-quality outdoor gear. Whether you're a hiker, skipper, trail runner, bushcraft enthusiast, or bivouac lover, we offer a wide range of technical products tailored to all your adventures. With over 2,000 items available, we support your expeditions in France and abroad.
If you have any questions, our experts are here to help and will gladly assist you:
☎ +33 (0)2 97 87 23 73
✉ team[at]lyophilise.com
We also have a showroom open Monday to Friday:
📍 6 bis rue du Sous-Marin Vénus, 56100 Lorient, France
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