I am a big fan of zombie movies and shows. I was into them long before they were trendy (thanks to The Walking Dead). I’ve been a fan of zombies since the original Dawn of the Dead film (1978).
My husband and I often joke about what we’d do in the event of a zombie apocalypse. It’s all a joke. We never take it seriously. However in this day and age everyone should have some kind of a “game plan” in the event of a terrorist attack or natural disaster. You just never know when something terrible will happen and you find yourself without power, food, water and cellphone service.
Are YOU prepared in case of an emergency?
I have to admit that we are not. It’s not that we don’t want to stock up on supplies – we do! It’s just a matter of lack of space. We have no room in our home for us let alone stuff. And our storage unit is so stuffed that it’s bursting. We have had to resort to putting some of our stuff in our neighbor’s storage unit as well as my father’s basement.
We usually have extra water on hand. Living in a condo complex our water gets turned off a lot throughout the year. Whenever a neighbor is having plumbing work done and they have to turn off the water while they work it affects 20 condo units. For that reason I keep extra water on hand for drinking, doing dishes, flushing the toilet and washing hands. We don’t have enough to sustain my family for a few weeks – let alone a few days.
If we couldn’t get to the store for a few days we should be fine. After that I don’t know what else we can do. We can only store so much food in our pantries (we have two). I try and stock up on canned goods that don’t require heating to eat. I also have a non-electric can opener on hand.
I have seen sites that offer emergency food supplies. I have always thought that was a great idea. I would love to stock up on non-perishable emergency foods for me and my family.
I was sent a couple of samples from one such company called Valley Food Storage.
Valley Food Storage came about after one of the co-founders discovered that his family’s emergency food storage containers had become mis-shapen and the food had gone bad. That is because the foods had a shelf life of 2-3 years. They contained ingredients such as hydrogenated oils, whole eggs, corn, and MSG’s which are not meant to last that long.
What if there was a true emergency? His family would have assumed their emergency supply was OK to consume when it fact, it was not. They could have got gravely ill from it and not have any food to eat after all.
That is how Valley Food Storage was born. The founders worked hard to find a better solutions. They found that natural food ingredients and a nitrogen flushing process would help to ensure a shelf life up to 25 years without any added preservatives, MSG’s, or GMO’s. And so Valley Food Storage was created.
Valley Food Storage offers consumers “kits” filled with breakfast, lunch and dinners – enough to last one person an entire month. They also have kits with 3, 6 and 12 months worth of food. The kits are designed for one person so you would need to purchase kits for all household members.
They also carry Gluten and dairy free food items.
I was surprised by the variety of foods Valley Food Storage offers. It’s hard to believe that in an emergency situation you and your family can enjoy things like Apple Cinnamon Pancakes, Brownies, Pasta Primavara and Lasagna.
All of their products come in mylar packages which are easier to store and tote around.
The only downside is that all of the foods require water and some require a heat source. Therefore it’s important to have plenty of clean drinking water available to drink and to prepare your meals.
As for a heat source, if you have no electricity you’ll need to have a campfire or heating source that is non-electric to heat up the foods. If you are planing on being prepared in the event of an emergency, hopefully you have already taken these thing into consideration.
In addition to the kits, Valley Food Storage also offers kits made for the outdoors man in mind. Their Emergency Kits come with food and a backpack. These kits are available for one person, two people or a family of four. Each has enough food to last for 72 hours. These emergency kits also contain emergency tools and first aid items including:
- 2 – Gerber Blades Multi Tools
- 6 – Emergency Light Sticks
- 2 – Cooking Pot
- 2 – Berkey Bottle Filter – Purifies up to 110 Gallons.
- Survival Equipment
- 2 x SOL Emergency Blanket, (56″x84″)
- 2 x Fire Lite Fire Starter
- 8 x Tinder Quick Firestarter
- 2 x Slim Rescue Howler Whistle
- 2 x Button Compass
- 2 x Duct tape, (2″x26″)
- 2 x SOL Survival Instructions
- Medical Supplies
- 4 x Antiseptic Towelette
- 2 x Ibuprofen (200mg) 2/pkg.
- 2 x Triple Antibiotic Ointment, 0.5g
- 2 x Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle
- 4 x Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric (1″x3″)
- 2 x Safety Pins
These kits would be great for people and families who enjoy camping, hiking and going on road trips. In the event of an emergency, of if you get lost, you know that you and your family will have the tools and equipment needed to get by.
The foods don’t need to be saved for an emergency situation. You can enjoy them any time.
I was sent some products to review – Irish Pub Style Cheddar Potato Soup, Pasta Primavera and Mango Habanero Chili.
I didn’t try the chili because it’s not a flavor my family or I would eat. I’m not a fan of mango or habanero.
The foods are all dried meaning the pasta is not cooked, the potatoes are dehydrated and all the seasonings are like powder. This quickly changes when you add water and cook the meals.
I honestly didn’t think that these meals would have much flavor to them, but I was wrong. They are not bad at all. They are not gourmet restaurant quality, but they do taste like something I could have made on my own. Not bad at all.
Each made two servings. That was fine for me, or maybe even my daughter. I think my husband and son could eat an entire package on their own. Of course, in the event of an emergency situation people need to economize so big, hearty meals are not an option.
They were both a bit more liquidy than I had hoped for, but none the less still tasty and satisfying.
I find it hard to believe that these have a 25 year shelf life. I think about myself in 25 years (in my 70’s!) and still having these foods being edible. It’s a weird thought.
I love the idea of having an emergency food supply on hand. If/When we are fortunate to have a house (we have to win the Lottery first) I will most definitely start stocking up on non-perishable foods in case of an emergency, like those available at Valley Food Storage. You never know when an emergency might strike.
For more information about Valley Food Storage please visit ValleyFoodStorage.com. The brand can also be found on social media. All of their links are found on the top left of their website.
Are YOU prepared in case of an emergency? Do you have plenty of food, water and supplies stocked up for you and your family?
Kimberly
*I received free product samples to review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own and not influenced in any way.
Kari says
This is something I think about all the time but, sadly, never really do anything about. It seems overwhelming and expensive to get started but I know it is something I should do. I will definitely check out Valley Food storage.