Nigel and I have been adding some long-term items to our food storage. Of course, you can usually only buy these in large quantities and they are VERY expensive. So how you do avoid buying things that you don't like? (Like dried carrots -- I'm sorry, I hate dried carrots -- even reconstituted, they're still nasty)
Here are a few tips we've discovered:
1. Freeze-dried products are more expensive than regularly dried products, but they are SO much more delicious. I try to buy these whenever I can afford to.
2. Health food stores carry little snack-size pouches of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables. This is a great way to discover which ones you like (strawberries and corn) and which ones you don't (peaches and again, carrots) without buying a huge #10 can of it.
3. Camping stores carry single serving pouches of freeze-dried meals. These same meals (by the same company) are also available in big cans at food storage stores. This way you can check them out before buying.
4. Ask around. Usually someone has tried the product before and can give you advice (a woman at the local emergency store says that sour cream powder is great to add to recipes -- I'll have to get some).
5. When buying freeze-dried products, try to get them in the largest sizes possible (such as WHOLE strawberries instead of DICED strawberries or SLICED strawberries). They're so dry that they rub against each other in the can and sometimes you end up with more powder than product.
We will be taste-testing some products and posting our results.
*Quite a few years ago I was riding the bus and a man gets on with a freeze-dried golden lab. He sits down with his big stiff dog and then begins to tell anyone who will listen what a great pet it makes because you don't have to feed it or clean up after it.
2 comments:
Did Nigel ever tell you about the huge plaster Collie Mom used to have? In the dark, it almost looked alive & the house dogs would mistake it for a real dog & bark like crazy... DaBee would sit on it like it was a horse... Which reminds me of the time that I had a life-sized "doll" when the Hills closed it's doors in PA. Nigel didn't know Mom had picked up the mannequin & left it in our room. He came in after dark, walked to our room & before flipping the lightswitch, saw "her" standing there in the dark. It startled him at first & he said "Excuse me" or something before realizing she wasn't "real"... I thought it was pretty darn funny... :oP So, anyway...
SC MOMMIE -- oh my goodness, both of those would've freaked me out. I'm glad to hear that Nigel was very polite to the mannequin.
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