Costco is selling an “emergency food bucket” containing 132 servings of food that can last up to 25 years.

Apparently this is "causing concerns"

Costco link here.

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"I drank WHAT?" (Socrates)

Oh-yes, The chicken little "The Sky" is falling"
Being prepared is one thing, but some folks just can't help stocking up.

Ten years ago I was spending a LOT of time at the range. For every round I fired I replace it with two. Soon ended up with several thousand round's . So I limited mt range time and did a monthly count of ammo on hand, and replaced only if needed.

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Always Stay Strong!

I’d like to know what’s in bucket for that price. I’ve got a giant tote full of “stuff”. Tuna, oatmeal, spam, jerky , instant coffee etc…… I keep it at my cabin. I also installed a hand (pitcher pump) on top of my well for water. I’m sure my giant tote of food from Walmart is cheaper than Costco bucket. But one or 2 buckets might be convenient during hurricane season in some parts. Or blizzard season in others.

Or, if you feel the need to a Gran-N-Go stash the bucket could be handy. There is an event coming up this November, that we're not allowed to discuss, which could cause temporary "confusion". I'm not in the market but I bet they sell a lot of these.

FWIW there are nutritionl info labels on the Costco website, plus more info on Readywise website.

Sounds like you're pretty well stocked up. I have totes of "stuff' in the basement but I should check them as they've been there for some time

The Costco/Readywise buckets might have the advantage of longevity. esp. for storage at a remote location. I don't have the latter so would be "bugging in."

Edited to add: These are not listed on Costco Canada's website, so presumably we are to be spared the apocalypse-thingy and will continue to enjoy the "sunny ways" promised by our Head Honcho several years ago. With a dodgy back, the last thing I need is an Apocalypse to contend with

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"I drank WHAT?" (Socrates)

A good choice for some. For us, since my wife is Gluten free (and I have adopted that as well to make things more convenient for cooking) and coupled to the fact that the "food bucket" stuff is just ehhhh at best, we have found what is a better approach for us.

We have stocked up on the normal things we eat everyday BUT that will last a very very long time. Of course it will not last 25 years, but since they are items we eat all the time, we constantly rotate them - eat the old and restock with new.

Progresso cans of soup
GF pasta
canned goods
steaks, chicken and ribs - frozen will last a while
cereals, mixes, condiments
crackers
paper goods and toilet paper
seltzer, water and a few soft drinks
booze - not just for consumption but for barter as well
batteries
fire started kits
med's, first aid stuff and OTC common drugs
etc, etc, etc.

We normally never have any food around for more than 6 months. The stock is constantly being rotated and as we stock up on new items we just use the stored stuff. PLUS - we do not need to store big buckets of food we will most likely never use. Storage is a premium in our home.

Every time I read a thread like this I'm reminded on a story a friend once told me.

The friend was a Mormon I knew nothing of his religious beliefs at the time so I asked questions and one thing he told me about was the doctrine on having 2 years worth of food and supplies on hand for hard times.

So he told me a story about a friend of his who was unemployed and asked to borrow money for groceries, My friend asked him " Well what about your two year supply?" and the guy responded " But that's for hard times."

My friend said he looked the guy right in the eye and asked "What do you think these are?"

I don't even know if he intended it but I learned the lesson

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Retired Career Security Guard

The Costco bucket kinda appeals to me. (They have 'em on Amazon, same brand and others, too.)

I have long known I should keep a couple of weeks of food on hand for emergencies, more likely natural than manmade, in my view, but have never gotten around to it. Sticking a prepared emergency food bucket in the garage, hopefully one I would never use, would be an easy solution for me.

That’s actually a pretty good price for that much dried food.
What makes it noticeable is a Mega Retailer is featuring it.
Like they recently did with Gold and Silver.
Are they sending a message or just trying to increase sales?

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

Here in hurricane country emergency supplies:
1) AA powered lights, lanterns, flashlights. 2x 36 "Home Depot packs" changed out yearly.
2) Propane stove & 4 1 lb tanks. The single mantle lantern is extra and creates lots of heat.
3) 8 cans tuna, 4 double size cans chicken breast. 2 40 oz peanut butter.
4 lb boxes pasta. 4 cans tomato sauce.
4) Cell phone & backup charger.
5) Several good "purposeful knives."
6) Guns, ammo. You decide. Folks evacuate to here so I ain't carrying anything far.

If stuff ain't fixed in 2 weeks no preparations are adequate. I went down to Miami on a "relief trip" after Andrew in '92. 3 weeks after the storm trash and debris was 6 ft high on both sides of the street. If you went out after dark you were on your own, nobody to call, nobody was coming.
I brought a van load of "shrinks" to counsel victims. Day one 78 folks met "Baker Act criteria." No where to send them.
Believe what you want, when SHTF you are on your own. I've seen it. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

You can supersize it by getting the 13,680 total servings for the poultry price of $6K

Heck, I might get one and try it, just because I hate going to the grocery store. I ain't fussy about what I eat. When my wife got sick and I had to start buying the groceries the only thing I knew to buy was bread, bologna, and tomato soup, eggs, coffee, and tea...what else was there?

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John 3:16 .

Cooking is as much a survival skill as bushcraft. I've had 3 wives and if'n I wanted to eat well I have to get after it. I'm not gourmet but I haven't been to a house with regular inhabitants that I couldn't whip something up, very tasty more often than not. A box of pasta, a can of tomato sauce/paste, an onion and any protein available, seasoned to taste. I'm getting hungry typing this. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

I remember a news segment after Sandy. It was literally the day after and a woman was on there saying she had no food and that someone needed to bring her food, as the stores weren't open. She hadn't even kept one days' worth of food. Now, why she hadn't is open for discussion. Maybe she was used to buying her food fresh every day. I know that some places in Europe that is the norm. It doesn't matter why, she was unprepared for even a one day disruption. I mean 6 cans of soup is what? Less than $10 even not on sale. Some people are woefully unprepared to deal with any interruption in supply. Whether it be food, water, gas, electricity or whatever, they have no plan or resources to deal with it.
I live, not in, but next to a city of bridges. Old bridges for the most part, but lots of them. We are also due for a massive earthquake, possibly up to a 9. In that case, bridges gonna be rubble. Same with others all over the state and neighboring states too. Transporting anything is gonna be a nightmare. A couple of these buckets, or one of the competing brands, would be a comforting insurance against the immediate need for food. This isn't paranoia any more than having homeowners or life insurance.
And above all this I remember a quote, from who I forget, that said civilization is only 3 meals thick.

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The best I can with what I got

Back in around 2013 or so I bought three buckets of long lasting dried food. In 2020 I opened one rather than brave the masked hordes at Walmart. I could starve or die from eating that maxed out sodium loaded foul stuff. One serving exceeded my allowance of salt for the day. Want nothing to do with that stuff even if it is still good for another 15 years

I agree with grover99. Much of this stuff is loaded with salt and sugar, and mostly carbs to begin with. There are MRE's and then there is "survival food".

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Heavily armed old man.

I think I have a week's supply of food under my belt.

I would add a solar charger for the phones and a couple of rechargeable flashlights.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Like I stated in my post #6 above, buying, storing and constantly rotating the normal things you eat makes sense to me - AND it tastes good. All that is necessary is that the quantity be increased. Nothing goes to wast because it is just in your normal diet.

While I suppose in an emergency the food buckets would suffice to feed you, it certainly would not be a health option. Loading up MRE's with salt and sugar may be ok for fighting GI's in the field who need the calories and carbs, but not so good for older people who are just not as active as soldiers.

"...shelf life of up to 25 years ..."

Who are these people that think people are concerned about the longest it might keep as opposed to what's the minimum time it will keep? I suppose the same people that write ads saying " ... save up to 50% ...".

Peanut butter and jelly. Larry

Are there really people here who are concerned about high sodium and sugar or gluten during an emergency? It’s an emergency. The goal is to get through it anyway possible. Maybe a Zombie Apocalypse would be a good thing. Help us all shed those last 10 lbs we’re trying to loose.

But, but, gold.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

I have Gold Dot ammo and Gold Tip broadheads. Good enough

You're absolutely right. With our combined medical issues, my brother and I would want to keep from compounding the emergency.

honey lasts forever

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Common sense isn't so common.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only Type 2 Diabetic on this forum.

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Retired Career Security Guard

The problem with these sort of kits is that the food is either dried or dehydrated. Ya gotta have water to eat it.
In a real emergency, potable water may be very scarce and you may need it for drinking rather than cooking.
That's why I prefer food you can eat straight out of the package. Canned vegetables, soup, canned meat, etc.
132 dried meals are useless if you ain't got enough water.

FWIW, carefully read what type of “ meals” are in buckets like this. Mountain House has been around a long time and ones I/ we ate/ tested were Very Good. Those in RVN remember LRRP rations which were same, same as most freeze dried meals. Freeze dried meals are for mobil get aways where one can carry Enough water to prep. them. Suggest one look on a survival forum for suggestions and real life use. Regular grocery store canned goods are fine if “ staying put”. Most of these freeze dried foods require heat to prep. There are some “ survival meals that have the self heating packets included but not sure what their shelf life is.

Mountain House food is excellent and has a long shelf life, but it’s not cheap.
I see at my local REI a 2 serving bag of their Beef Stew is $11.50.
Extra Regular food is an excellent suggestion, I have some.
Also have a small amount of freeze dried.
And some Good Old MREs.
And the Training Meal, the MRE little Brother.

Attached Images

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NRA LIFE MEMBER

I'm good.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Every BOB, Get home pack, and pantry need a couple of things.
1) a .2 micron water filter that is good for 3 gallons a day per person.
2) a pack of coffee filters to make the water filter last longer.
*) You'll need buckets for hauling and large pots for storage

A 1000-gallon system makes 333 days' worth, divided by the number of people using it. Bathing and Laundry water isn't included in that 3 gallons a day!

Ivan

My second son was into ultralight back packing, until his 40's. He and I had many discussions on water treatment. His solution was a Ultraviolet light pen to kill microbes one quart canteen at a time. Yes, it is small and light weight, but the corpses' are still in the water with other fine debris. Chems, UV light and boiling all leave "stuff" in the water. Charcoal filters catch the chems and "stuff". So you need a long term two stage system. That takes time and equipment (equipment=$ & weight)

When I'm in the backcountry I carry a Sawyer Mini Filter. This is the company's description.

Ideal for hiking, camping, hunting, fishing, emergency prep, or traveling abroad, Sawyer's Squeeze Water Filter ensures access to clean water in the backcountry or anywhere in the world. Rated to 0.1 micron absolute filtration, the Squeeze Filter removes 99.99999% of bacteria such as salmonella, cholera, leptospirosis, and e. Coli, and removes 99. 9999% of protozoa such as giardia and cryptosporidium (independent testing laboratory Hydration, LLC.; microbiological report S05-03). The Squeeze Filter also filters out 100% of microplastics.

I have drank filtered water from Cheyenne Creek which is known to have Giardia in it with no ill effects.

At home we filter our city water anyway through our Berkey.

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Retired Career Security Guard

I once had a Mormon secretary who was really into the 2-year supply thing. She and a group of her Mormon friends frequently got together to can food. Her house had a full basement which was well stocked. Not sure It was a 2-year supply but it was a lot.

Don't forget to stock food supplies for your furry friends.

So let's see; wife & I plus 4 kids for two years would equal 4380 individual meals! 270 meals (90 days for 1) of dried/long storage food in small pouches, takes 4.5 cubic feet. For 6 people for two years, think 3 cubic yards, for very basic (no meat, milk, or eggs), includes a Kool-aide like drink but no liquids. Can goods in home canning jars would have liquid think 3 to 5 times the volume! Toilet paper alone would be at least a cubic yard! An 8' tall room of 12x15' (think good sized Living Room!) is 53.33 Cubic yards. I don't think you can get that much canned food on shelves in that room!

Now think of a Missile Sub with provisions for the 108 man crew for one year, even freeze dried that's a huge amount of space, regular can goods would take way too much space.

Way back for Y2K I normally had a 90 day supply of food for the winter, but for Y2K I upped it to 6 months. Can goods, dry goods & frozen food. You couldn't walk in the pantry!

A couple of buckets for a two person/two week supply would be great for us aging "Boomers" without kids, but kids and grandkids (for me) add another 13 more mouths to feed. We did a family get away for 3 of 4 kid families with us for 4 days last Easter. The food piles looks like we're opening a Convenient Mart!

Cost and space are a major consideration! Shelf life is consideration #3!

Ivan

Yes.
Little do they know if you run out of food quickly, it won’t be the sodium and carbs in the MRE’s and emergency meal buckets that will kill you.

Not having anything to eat will kill you in 3 weeks or less.
Eating a little too much sodium will take much longer.
Misplaced priorities?

Lack of water will kill you sooner than lack of food. And as you say, high sodium will take even longer.

In a societal breakdown situation, one needs water, a means to defend their turf and themselves, and then food. Pretty simple in concept, not so simple in actual execution.

The Rule of 3's helps you set priorities.

No Hope can kill in 3 months.

No Food can kill in 3 weeks.

NO Water can kill you in 3 days.

No Shelter can kill you in 3 hours.

No Oxygen can kill you in 3 minutes

Not Thinking can kill you in 3 seconds.

Ivan

The county I live in has 94,000 cows and less than 13,000 people, lots of fresh water springs. I am good

Anyone made or tried Pemmican????? early long time “ survival food”.

The longest I have ever gone is 21 days without food.

So, no it won't kill you in 3 weeks or less unless you are already starving.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Without venturing into prohibited territory, I believe that there is a fairly good chance that we might see widespread social unrest beginning in November. It might be prudent to hunker down and not venture far from home if you live in an urban or suburban location.

As a result, it would be prudent to have enough provisions at home for a couple of weeks at the least. Not sure if the Costco bucket is the answer, but it beats being caught with an empty pantry. It always amazes me the number of folks who live in areas susceptible to hurricanes who don't have supplies and clean out the shelves once a storm is approaching.

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Only a cold warrior

The media is no help. They stoke "the end is near" at every opportunity. If there is a category 1 within 1,000miles of Florida Jim Cantore gets a trailer "within the cone of UNCERTAINTY." Next thing you know no TP, batteries or bottled water in the state. I have what we need for 2 weeks, after that it's "Lord of the Flies" anyway. "Modern" folks have zero "skills" of any kind. Joe

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Behavior Creates Destiny

There's an old saying amongst Preppers "Stock what you eat and eat what you stock."

We don't buy special "emergency" food, we stock up on canned/dry foods that we eat normally and rotate through them in our normal life.

During the Covid insanity I suggested to my wife that she keep a list of things that were hard for us to find and when things eased up add them to our stocking list. That's what we make sure we keep on hand now

Off topic but one day in the middle of the toilet paper panic I went to take the trash out and there was a case of 100 rolls of toilet paper and a box of 25 rolls of paper towels in front of the trash can. They might still be in our storage.

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Retired Career Security Guard

Euell Gibbons said many parts of a park bench are edible.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

dried beans, long grain rice, and some canned tomatoes for the vitamins can be had for next to nothing, last a long time and don't take up much space.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

SHHHHsh, look at all the doomsday venders you will be putting out of business.

Ivan

Pretty boring diet though.

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Common sense isn't so common.