[TaintRight]

I had to laugh at myself the other day. I was packing my brand new "bug out bag". My Marine son-in-law picked it out for me. Its just dripping with Molle. And the inside is wrought with pouches and hidden compartments. I love it! Christmas in July!!

Inside I found a nifty spot for my Armageddon fire steel and striker, adjacent another for my little block of magnesium, bundle of "lighter", and my baggie of char cloth. Then another for my magnifying lens. And next to that I stowed my "fire pump" in another slot. I stood back and smugly examined what I had done. I could make fire any number of ways and under any condition.

It suddenly dawned on me I had not even thought to include a BIC lighter much less a supply of waterproofed matches in my kit.

How often do we overlook the obvious? Particularly if it ain't no fun.

[UnknwownWarrior]

Originally Posted by snowshoe67

Like them and I also Make my own up.

How do you make your own MREs? Some light please.

[cowgirlup]

Originally Posted by warvet

My only point of this is, lets say your a great survivalist, you have all your food stocks, more and more every year, what happens if the SHTF and you have this awesome stock of food but most of it is expired or near expiry. By the time you check you find you actually have far less than you will need. Do you eat it up every few years and buy more? Isnt that sort of defeating the process? im sure well see tons of posts to this one lol
Tim

I don't know about everyone else but we stock things we normally eat and rotate them out. So the majority of what we have isn't freeze dried stuff or MRE's. If we don't use the Mountain House stuff for an emergency we'll take it hiking.

[LaRemnant]

Originally Posted by taintright@comcast.net

I stood back and smugly examined what I had done...

Hhaha, who hasn't done that?

I can't really say anything more than what has already been said, but I sure like to hear anything else you may want to know about, because you practically answer you own question almost, but as you explain your inquiry, I learn SO much, so PLEASE keep asking questions like that taint!!!!

[lpm67]

Originally Posted by cowgirlup

I don't know about everyone else but we stock things we normally eat and rotate them out. So the majority of what we have isn't freeze dried stuff or MRE's. If we don't use the Mountain House stuff for an emergency we'll take it hiking.

I think this is the best way to select your stock....you know already how to prepare, that you like it and when TSHTF it will be comforting to have familiar foods to eat (if you can).

[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by UnknwownWarrior

How do you make your own MREs? Some light please.

Since there is no way to retort package items at home like the true MRE's, I assume that it is simply packaging food items from home together in a single baggie that have long shelf lives. Jerky, individual pouches of things like tuna or salmon, peanut butter, jelly, or string cheese, ramen noodles and boullion, perhaps some dehydrated entrees, etc.

In my case, I go to the supermarket, go to the aisles where they have things like the pasta and sauce, or the soups and stews, and get some of the new retort packaged meals that are shelf-stable and packed in their own little trays, or the individual cups that are microwavable. No one says you HAVE to heat them in a microwave. They are fully cooked, and you can warm them if you want in any of the conventional ways (not in their little plastic cups of course!). The only things I usually get from an MRE supplier are a few of the entrees (some are ok, like steak, hot dogs, the new brisquette, sloppy joe, etc.) or the sides like bread and individual PB pouches. Unopened they last a LONG time. Depending on if it is for a backpacking trip (too bulky/weighty isn't good) or car camping, and if it is going to be relatively soon, I might go ahead and add things like the individual cups of fruit or applesauce, jello or pudding, some cookie or cracker 100 calorie packs, fruit roll-up, gummi bears, and/or some of the lunchbox-style cups of Pringles potato crisps or similar items.

Whatever I am putting in, I then individually wrap them in boil-in-bag type ziplocks, include napkins, wet wipes, spork, salt n pepper packs, fast food condiment packs, etc., squeeze out the air and partially seal them, then put them all into a larger Foodsaver bag with an oxy-absorber and silica gel pouch and then put a soft vacuum seal on it. Not so much that delicate items are crushed, but enough to get out most of the air. Once they are sealed, they can be put into a pack and taken the next time I head out and want a little comfort food, instead of rehydrated goo or another handful of GORP.

Hope that helps.

[crazydave]

if you pick up thick sealable mylar bags you can make your own after an ersatz fashion. I used to get bags designed for freezing fill them with tinned food then seal with a clippid and place in boiling water for a bit to resterilise them, lasted the few weeks I needed them with no great issues. I'd rinse the bags out and use them again for a few times before they tended to get punctures.

handy for hiking as you could prep food when you found a store which was cheap and not have to lug tins and jars with you.

[lpm67]

Originally Posted by Celticwarrior

Since there is no way to retort package items at home like the true MRE's, I assume that it is simply packaging food items from home together in a single baggie that have long shelf lives. Jerky, individual pouches of things like tuna or salmon, peanut butter, jelly, or string cheese, ramen noodles and boullion, perhaps some dehydrated entrees, etc.

In my case, I go to the supermarket, go to the aisles where they have things like the pasta and sauce, or the soups and stews, and get some of the new retort packaged meals that are shelf-stable and packed in their own little trays, or the individual cups that are microwavable. No one says you HAVE to heat them in a microwave. They are fully cooked, and you can warm them if you want in any of the conventional ways (not in their little plastic cups of course!). The only things I usually get from an MRE supplier are a few of the entrees (some are ok, like steak, hot dogs, the new brisquette, sloppy joe, etc.) or the sides like bread and individual PB pouches. Unopened they last a LONG time. Depending on if it is for a backpacking trip (too bulky/weighty isn't good) or car camping, and if it is going to be relatively soon, I might go ahead and add things like the individual cups of fruit or applesauce, jello or pudding, some cookie or cracker 100 calorie packs, fruit roll-up, gummi bears, and/or some of the lunchbox-style cups of Pringles potato crisps or similar items.

Whatever I am putting in, I then individually wrap them in boil-in-bag type ziplocks, include napkins, wet wipes, spork, salt n pepper packs, fast food condiment packs, etc., squeeze out the air and partially seal them, then put them all into a larger Foodsaver bag with an oxy-absorber and silica gel pouch and then put a soft vacuum seal on it. Not so much that delicate items are crushed, but enough to get out most of the air. Once they are sealed, they can be put into a pack and taken the next time I head out and want a little comfort food, instead of rehydrated goo or another handful of GORP.

Hope that helps.

Great ideas CW...can I also pack you? LOL

[Celticwarrior]

Originally Posted by lpm67

Great ideas CW...can I also pack you? LOL

Sure, although the shipping costs to get me to NZ may be a bit high! LOL (and this time I want a couple of air holes in the crate. That's a long 22 hour breath-control exercise from LA otherwise.)

[lpm67]

Originally Posted by Celticwarrior

Sure, although the shipping costs to get me to NZ may be a bit high! LOL (and this time I want a couple of air holes in the crate. That's a long 22 hour breath-control exercise from LA otherwise.)

hehehehe