As a blogger I get pitched pretty much every product under the sun. Twice. And to be totally honest, I turn down 99% of them. But when the peeps at Valley Food Storage offered to send me some samples of their dehydrated food I said, sure why not. I’m not a camper, nor do I have much experience eating freeze dried food, but the food on their website did look pretty tasty.
Plus, food storage is totally important to me. What if there is a natural disaster? Or worse yet {and way more probable} a zombie apocalypse? You’ve got to be prepared.
Well let me tell you Bob, I was a little surprised when my box from Valley Food Storage arrived. The box looked so little. Could someone actually live on what they consider 1 month food supply? Is that even possible? Well of course, the wheels in my brain started turning. What would it be like to have to use one of these kits in a real life scenario? What if you found yourself with no access to a grocery store, no access to Amazon.com – just you, some water and your box of emergency food?
I recently read “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed, so it’s possible I was in a “I can do anything I set my mind too mentality.” Or it’s possible I’ve just lost my mind, but I’ve decided to see what it would be like to live on this box, AND JUST THIS BOX, for 30 days.
Seriously. I’m living on zombie apocalypse food for ONE MONTH. Nothing else.
The pros: check out those ingredients. I was shocked that I knew what every ingredient was! I’m not really sure what the dehydrated foods will taste like, but at least I know I’m dealing with real food and real ingredients that I can actually pronounce.
The cons: I’ll be living on 85 servings {2.83 servings a day} of dehydrated food. That’s what’s in their 1 month VALUE Kit. They have a 205 servings Premier Kit, but I’m thinking in an emergency situation, how much food would you have access too or really need? I think 2.83 servings will give me enough calories to keep me nourished. {Right? RIGHT?}
Oh and another con. They didn’t take my tea addiction into consideration. Which is pretty unbelievable. Clearly, they forgot that tea is a NECESSITY item to all people on the planet earth. Seriously. So I’ve added 31 bags of tea to the box. {Yes, it’s true there are only 30 days in June but I’m adding in an extra one just in case}.
And, because I was worried about not getting enough vitamin C {scurvy, it’s a BIG fear of mine} I’ve also decided to take a daily multi-vitamin as well. I REALLY wanted to buy the gummy ones {because I thought they’d taste like candy and because I’m really, really going to miss eating candy for 30 days} but the gummies were $5 more. And well, you all know how frugal I am, so I went with the boring horse size pills instead.
I figure this way, if I’ve got food, tea, water and vitamins, I should be covered. Right?
So here goes nothing. Of course I’d love for you to come along for the virtual ride. I’ll be taking pictures and blogging all about it, so check back daily to see if I’m still alive over here. If you haven’t heard from me in a few days, it’s probably because I’m too weak to type. Send help.
Lastly, I am not suggesting YOU try this. I am not a doctor, not a nutritionist, and I have no idea how this is all going to pan out. I’m just a housewife who thought hey, what if I actually had to rely on one of these kits in an emergency situation. It’s that simple.
I also want to add that the people at Valley Food Storage had no advanced warning I was going to do this whole living off a 30 day supply of their dehydrated food challenge. I didn’t even know I was going to do it until I started reading the ingredient list on the back of their food packages and was amazed that I could identify all the ingredients. And that my friends, upped my interest level tremendously. Valley Food Storage simply sent me a box of their freeze dried food to try out and review.
But if you ask me, if you are advertising a one month supply of food, you should safely assume somewhere in suburbia lives a crazy housewife who’s going to TEST IT OUT {and tell all her friends about it}.
Because soccer moms, we’re crazy like that.
Wish me luck! 🙂
~Mavis
Tina B says
I’m intrigued by this idea, Mavis. A woman of average height, fairly active, may need approximately 1500 calories a day, give or take a few. I’m going to toss you an added twist to this plan of yours and ask that you secretly record your weight tomorrow morning, and then the morning after this is done. My bet is that you will lose weight eating like this.
The ingredients in the chili shown above sound pretty good. There ARE some good dehydrated foods out there (Bear Creek soup packets come to mind) so maybe this company is good, too.
I’m going to be following your journey from the comfort of my home, and not eating dehydrated food, but very curious about whether this is doable or not. After all, with all the world changing, weather-wise, one never knows when a need for such food may arise.
Best of luck to you, and let your journey commence! 😀
Tina
Mavis Butterfield says
I did take a photo of myself on the scale this morning. So I’m set there. I think it will be interesting too. Maybe my metabolism will stabilize though. I guess we’ll see.
Lori H says
I purchased some emergency food from another company (4 weeks worth) and am keeping it on hand, in case. I am super excited that you are doing this test – I have been very curious if it is possible to make it work. Looking forward to following your journey – good luck! (And I would have to add tea as well. What were they thinking?)
Em says
A few years ago, I had made up an emergency 72-hour food supply, that fit into a half-gallon milk carton. (Extra water was required.) I decided to “test” it and that’s all I ate for a three-day weekend.
My kit was made with home-collected things such as soup mix, apple cider mix, gum, and hard candies. I survived, and it was not too bad.
I suspect your food will taste better. I’ve read that the problem with eating stored food is “fatigue,” where you don’t have enough variety to keep your morale up.
I still have a 72-hour kit for me, and a pail of food and treats for the dogs. (The food gets used and replaced as we travel.)
Good luck and let us know what you think!
JC says
This is a great idea! As a hiker I am totally interested to see how you fare on this one! Also I totally wouldn’t mind at all if you sent the good people at Valley Food Storage my way. I’d love to do a review on one of our upcoming camping trips!
Crystal says
I second the idea that you record your weight starting now, and throughout the month. I would think you are going to lose weight.
I’m also wondering, are you really going to pass up on fresh strawberries, raspberries, peas, lettuce, etc, for an entire month? Grow a great garden, and not eat anything from it for a whole month?
Jennifer Jo says
No fresh strawberries? Cherries? Crunchy garden salads? Snap peas? New potatoes? I vote you do this (fascinating experiment) in the dead of winter, not in the height of garden goodness!!!
Mavis Butterfield says
I won’t have strawberries until the end of June/Early July. Snap peas I will miss but I can plant those again to harvest in the fall. Salads I’ll miss. New potatoes… I don’t dig them up in June… usually July. And cherries? I usually stock up on cherries mid July. Winter is depressing enough… I would have done this in May had I thought about it sooner. 🙂
Taryn Dillon says
I love this! I can’t wait to read about your adventure.
Rosaleen says
Mavis,
I am a backpacker who has happily lived on dehydrated and freeze-dried foods for up to 3 weeks at a time. It is quite do-able, BUT I was eating foods I had customized to my own tastes. Chili was on that menu, but with meat added. The freeze dried meals had my ingredients added for further customization. You may want to further study those food labels as they may guide you as to vitamin and mineral content, especially sodium. I’m a good bit older than you so have to watch these things. Most commercial backpacking food is loaded with salt. While one may need some extra while sweating through a long hike, it is something to watch for many of us. These emergency meals you are trying may be fortified with vitamins and minerals, more info you may find on the label. The better backpacking meals frequently have this. It’s reassuring in emergency or long hike situations.
Following your journey will be interesting. Just remember even backpackers and emergency survivors may do some foraging, be it local flora and fauna or stores along the pathway…
Julie says
No chocolate or other sweet treats? Pretty sure I wouldn’t make it past one day, let alone a whole month. Good luck!
Leanna says
That is one way to reduce your Costco spending. 🙂 You are brave. Do not think I could do it. I will be waiting to find out how good everything tastes.
Jesse says
I think you should also get to eat anything that comes out of your own garden! Zombies would totally not eat your garden food so you would still have access to it. A few herbs in your chili and a handful of snap peas are your right!
Vickie says
I had tried some freeze dried foods that were good. They had things like chicken, sausage, potatoes, corn, carrots, strawberries, instant milk, etc. so you could cook your own recipes. It gives you a lot of flexibility and lets you work with any dietary restrictions you may have. I thought the freeze dried foods tasted better than the dehydrated ones and were truer to the flavor of each food.
Lisa L says
Wow, Mavis you are so cool! What a fun idea. Looking forward to following this 30 day adventure! Good Luck!
Jenn in Indiana says
Is the whole family doing this along with you? I bet the HH has some fabulous commentary!!!! Is there meat in this food? I could not do this, but am looking forward to seeing how this plays out.
Mavis Butterfield says
No. Just me. 🙂 And no, there is no meat but there is chicken base {dried chicken stock} for flavoring. I think that’s one of the reasons why the food has a shelf life of 25 years.
Gaye Levy says
The 25 years more likely has to do with packaging – Mylar and O2 absorbers – than the ingredients. Meats actually do well when freeze dried.
Mrs. Chow says
Like Rosaleen, I have some of these foods, but I have customized them for my family. Some of them are fantastic, but you do have to watch the sodium.
Andrew C. says
Just as a warning…multivitamins are notorious for not being easily absorbed into the body. If I were you I would take those back and get a straight Vitamin C or some of those Vitamin C drops. Your body can absorb the vitamin much better that way.
Jenn says
I’m so excited to see how this journey goes for you. I need to invest in a few freeze dried meals so I will be interested to see how well you like the food.
Mrs. Chow says
Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but Costco has gummy vitamins and they are on Sale this month!
Mavis Butterfield says
Shame on you. 😉
Ellen in Clackamas says
Hi Mavis,
I have never done the 30 days for freeze-dried or dehydrated foods..although have had some very good ones I put in my camping boxes, but I have done the Nutri-system program where you are basically only eating out of the box they send you. You do have to add fruits and veggies but I was very strict with myself otherwise. I lost a lot of weight but ran into a medical problem and had to stop but did very well on it. I was concerned about the processing so don’t know if I would go back that route, but it is amazing if you focus just on the box. Of course with that program I got dessert every day..yahoo! Good luck to you.
Marcia says
Well, good luck! I look forward to reading your updates. I have some food storage like this in my closet. I have to admit, I don’t much like it – have taken it camping, used it for emergency meals, “used it up” to not waste it, etc. I should probably check the dates on it – it’s probably getting on the old side.
Pretty much I’m on a very fresh-produce diet these days, trying to lose the last vestiges of baby weight.
PEggy K says
Only 31 tea bags. That’s not an addiction! That’s just a normal cuppa after dinner.
Good luck – it will be so interesting to read your blog. you will have to post what you made the family for dinner and what you are eating.
You do give yourself some very interesting challenges!!
diane @smartmoneysimplelife says
Now that’s what I call a challenge! I’ll be following your progress…
My guess is that after a few weeks of dehydrated food, the zombies might end up being the ones on the menu! Is it cannibalism if they’re zombies?
Along with the vitamin C, you might want to keep an eye on your iron intake.
Good luck!
Janine says
I love that you are doing this…however I agree with the other member that you should pick a boring food month not during growing season and summer to boot! I too am obsessed with the apocalypse and have a “go” bag, tub of supplies and every portable way to start a fire without matches. I must say…life is short, spend the extra five and get the gummies…it’s the only reason I take my vitamins!
Angela says
Mavis –
You are pretty awesome. I love your frugality and your gardening obsession. 😉 I recommend you check the protein and fat levels in these foods before you begin.
Most of these “kits” are pretty full of empty carbs mixed with some salt and a few vitamins. They are starvation rations and actually starving can wreck your body forever…. forever ever. Read up on the minnesota starvation studies dome during world war 2 for more info. (The follow up info is the most informative- Gary Taubes writes about it extensively in “good calories bad calories”)
Maybe you need to add a powdered milk or protein powder with coconut oil ration each day (all are shelf stable and fit into the emergency food strategy.)
You need to keep track of your weight and have an acceptable “tap out” plan. I hate to see you get hurt or permanently damage yourself.
Best of luck – Angela
P.S. if you habe any advice on keeping pak choi from bolting Id be happy to hear it.
Lana says
I used to have to eat a very restricted food allergy diet for an allergy treatment that lasted for 4 weeks. It was seriously hard and full of gastric distress because of the drastic sudden change of diet. The reason I would not do it is that eating only processed foods will make the body acidic which could leave you open to illness. Do buy some Ph test strips to keep an eye on that. Making the body acidic can make you you just feel generally sick so beware.
Gwen in L.A. says
Appetite fatigue and serving sizes will be challenging. I’ve found with other brands (not familiar with Valley) that the fruit flavored applesauce and cereals taste is much too strong. To the point of nausea. Plain would be dull, but easier to work with on the long haul.
This plan provides two meals a day. If you are a ‘grazer’ like me 🙂 it can be quite an adjustment. OTOH, in times of a real emergency, you may be too busy to eat thrice a day. Still, going to bed on an empty stomach is not fun…learned that after the ’94 Northridge quake.
May I suggest you include seasonal veggies and fruit that you grow yourself? Or trade with others, not purchased? Keeping it real scenario…
We incorporate our food storage into every day meals, FWIW, so keep products rotating and learn how to best use them.
Jennifer Meyer says
Why do you turn down 99% of the items pitched to you to review? Wouldn’t you get lots of free stuff? Talk about saving money lol!
maile says
Completely intrigued. i love the ingredient list. Will follow your “prepper” journey. ha ha
In regards to the tea…..as you have a love addiction, why not grow your own? I am personally growing Tulsi (basil) Tea. Homegrown Sage tea with honey is so yummy, the go to mint tea, borage tea…on and on. I got my love going on too! 🙂
Jane says
This is pretty darn fun. Good luck!
Shelley van Erp says
Please, please, ease drink tons of water and tea during this diet. Kidney stones are not fun and dehydrated food is lacking all that water we usually get. and so you needy h more tea than you have planned for, Mavis. Gotta stay your perky self during gardening season, right?
Mavis Butterfield says
I am drinking plenty of water so no worries there. 🙂
Gaye Levy says
Hi Mavis – I too live in the PNW and am a blogger. Anyway, just to clarify, freeze dried foods and dehydrated foods are two different products and are manufactured differently. You might want to check with the company to ensure you are representing their product correctly.
Enjoy your month practicing for the Zombie apocalypse – or, more likely – the big earthquake that is long overdue in our neck of the woods.
Gaye
Angela says
What a page-turner! If your blog was actually a book, I wouldn’t be able to put it down!
Good luck on your challenge, Mavis!
Lisa Millar says
This little adventure will be fascinating to follow! Good luck – hope you don’t miss too many nice spring vegies!
But what I am intrigued by is about all the products that are pitched to you. Do you have a top 10 or 20 list of the weirdest things?
🙂
SilverIzzy says
I am incredibly interested to see if you can do it! Thank you very, very much for even attempting this challenge. Best of luck to you!
Kayla says
I too am “afeared” of scurvy. Possibly more than zombies.
Kelly says
The timing of this whole experiment you did is fascinating with their being all this hub-bub in the media lately about how “the Big One” earthquake is imminent (in geology terms) and set to destroy much of Washington & Oregon. I live in Eugene so I’ve been wigging out a little bit after reading the New Yorker article in particular. Definitely makes me want to look into purchasing something like this just in case! Thanks for sharing your whole experience. I enjoyed following along.
Mavis Butterfield says
You bet Kelly. The food was a good and I’m glad I stuck with the experiment for 30 days.