# living it now



## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

How many of you who have long term food storage are living off the meals that you have been storing?

I don't mean the stuff you are growing in the garden right now, or the pig/cow/deer etc. you harvest each year or so.

I mean like the canned foods, the ready made survival meals, MREs, the collected and stored beans and rice, stuff like that.

Reason I'm asking, is I'm curious about long term health concerns for consuming the massive amounts of sodium in these foods, the high caloric and carb content, and depreciated nutritional value. 

I'm not knocking anyone's preps here to be clear, but I want to get a real idea of how the body holds up on this kind of diet.

So I have 4 questions for you if you fall into the above category. 

1. What is the basic meal content and frequency?

2. How much fluids do you consume? (Each type ie. water, coffee, tea, Gatorade etc.)

3. What is your daily activity level? (work, hobbies, exercise routine, etc.)

4. How has your weight, energy level, and general health changed since starting this meal structure?


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## shooter (Dec 25, 2012)

I don't eat canned food everyday but as part of my routine I eat 3-4 meals a week based on my stored food. I started this because I know if you have not gotten your body used to the canned/boxed/processed food it can have a hard time digesting it. 

At first I felt a little slow and even though I had eaten a fair amount hungry. After doing it a few times I did not have the issue of the feeling hungry afterwords or slow. I tend to drink 1 or 2 glasses of water when I eat so that probably countered the salt. As for the rest of my diet I drink 3-4 cups of coffee a day 2 cups of green tea and have a beer or wine just about every day. I drink 1-2 glasses of water when I eat and tend to drink another 3- thought out the day.

I am semi active hard to say right now as I had a knee and shoulder injury not to long ago and am still recovering from that. But I tend to walk 4 or 5 miles a day when I walk my dogs and when work its pretty active. As for how I my weight/energy/health changed since doing the 3-4 meals a week of stored food, I have not noticed much of a change.

When I do backpacking trips/hunting trips where I will be out for a while living on packaged foods I start eating those packets (usually mountain house) about 2 weeks before the trip mixing them in for a meal here and there to make sure my body is used to them. And I never noticed a difference with them, I know if your stationary that they can be bad as they have higher calorie levels then normal foods as they are meant for people who burn lots of calories. 

Hope this helps ya


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

We have multiple "phases" of food stores;

Fresh Foods that we consume daily. Then store bought canned foods that we rotate. We are now filling bins with canned food that have a 2018 Best Used By Date and consuming canned foods that have a 2015 date. Usually in December or early January of each year, we go thru our bins and make sure we don't have any cans with old dates. Last Jan, we only had a handful of cans with 2013 and 2014 dates and since the dates are "Best Used By", we consumed them and they all were good. Make sure the cans are not dented and no mold/discoloration/smell when opened and they should be fine to eat. There are a few threads where people have eaten canned foods that were 5 or more years past the "Best Used By Date". 

We try and buy low sodium if possible. Also in this category are foods that we grow ourselves, usually in spring summer and fall. 

Our next phase is medium term stores. Foods that we place in mylar bags with Oxygen absorbers. Most of which are 1-7 years old. We try and rotate some of these when possible...or when we run out of something for a recipe that we are cooking. Also in this category are foods that we "can" ourselves. I doubt that we have self canned foods over 3 years old as they are foods that we like and are usually good tasting foods that we eat regularly. Mrs Slippy's canned jelly and jams don't last long! 

Then we have Mountain House, Wise Foods and Augason Farms 20-25 year food. We rarely use these as they are our insurance policies so to speak. They are all real high in sodium so drinking lots of water is important. I try to drink lots of water anyway. Helps with the daily hangovers!!!


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

The long term dry foods that I've stored in aluminized Mylar bags will probably outlast me. 
I put them up for Long term where it was once and done. My canned foods I have stored are 
each labeled with their best used by date and I rotate them into my panty about 6 months to 
one year after the best used by date. I got thru my canned food every 6 months and check 
the dates and rotate as necessary. Never had a bad can yet. I have found a couple of cans
that did get "lost". They were both a canned roast beef hash. They were both over 2 years
past their "date". While my wife was very hesitant, I ate them and found their taste was fine.
Obviously not having a lab to check, I'm guessing they may have lost some nutritional value.
Most of my protein foods are canned. I have a pail of Wise pouches for grab and go and like 
Slippy they will sit until the SHTF.


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## redhawk (May 7, 2014)

I don't know if this will help you out or not, but here goes...we lost electricity the other day and we decided to eat a couple of MRE's. I am diabetic and have a small B/P problem so I was a bit concerned. I was pleasantly surprised that my sugar was good the next day and so was my B/P...that being said, I had a vegetarian burger with BBQ along with spiced apples and my wife had cheese rotini in tomato sauce and some sort of Danish...we both enjoyed the MRE's and had not problem digesting them...we have in the past ate MRE's over a weekend about 6 months ago and cannot remember having any problems...hope this helps.


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## kevincali (Nov 15, 2012)

Since losing my full time job, I have been eating from my preps. I work part time now, but still consume from my preps. Reason is twofold. 1) to save money until full time comes available again 2) I am planning a move across country. Try hauling a years worth of canned food across country! Currently am down to about 9 months food. Mostly beans, rice, canned condensed soups, canned corn/peas/mixed veggies etc. 

Haven't really noticed any health concerns. Had a kidney stone a few weeks back. I feel sluggish once in a while but I contribute that to a more sedentary lifestyle (2 days a week light work versus 6 days tossing hay around). 

I tell you one thing though. Beans and rice get tiring real quick. I make it a point to get Mexican or Chinese food once a week for variety.


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

If you are rotating foods then you'll be going through some. I don't think we use so much that I would worry about that sort of content. I certainly think a young healthy person would be fine even with a lot more than what we consume. The nutritional content for canned food is still there after remarkably long times if it is stored properly and the can I undamaged.

If you are someone with health issues or dietary restrictions I can understand you may need to be selective, but otherwise I would not worry about consuming a can several years past the use by date, which is generally a couple years out when you purchase a can in the store.


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## tirednurse (Oct 2, 2013)

since I grow and can my own food (vegies, fruit, and meat) I know it is much healthier than food you are getting at the store. there is nothing unhealthy about eating rice and beans. They are even considered the only complete protein. they are also low fat and full of fiber which fills you up faster and keeps you full. 
I eat no different now and plan to eat no different in the future, than my grandparents did. they lived well into their 90's and had no problem with the typical American with heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. they never had a problem with dementia either which I would attribute to their health lifestyle. they did not ever have to limit sugar or salt from their diet. they used what they wanted but did not go overboard either. They worked every day of their lives and did not sit around watching the TV. They also drank unlimited amounts of coffee every day of the year and so do I. 
I have never had an unhealthy check up from my doctor and I have lived this way most of my life


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## Jakthesoldier (Feb 1, 2015)

tirednurse said:


> since I grow and can my own food (vegies, fruit, and meat) I know it is much healthier than food you are getting at the store. there is nothing unhealthy about eating rice and beans. They are even considered the only complete protein. they are also low fat and full of fiber which fills you up faster and keeps you full.
> I eat no different now and plan to eat no different in the future, than my grandparents did. they lived well into their 90's and had no problem with the typical American with heart disease, diabetes, obesity, and cancer. they never had a problem with dementia either which I would attribute to their health lifestyle. they did not ever have to limit sugar or salt from their diet. they used what they wanted but did not go overboard either. They worked every day of their lives and did not sit around watching the TV. They also drank unlimited amounts of coffee every day of the year and so do I.
> I have never had an unhealthy check up from my doctor and I have lived this way most of my life


It's always amused me that what people call "health foods" and "diet" I've always just called dinner. Benefits of growing up on a ranch I suppose.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Single years:

1. What is the basic meal content and frequency?
Processed foods, easy to heat and eat. Canned beans, precooked chicken in bags, etc.

2. How much fluids do you consume? (Each type ie. water, coffee, tea, Gatorade etc.)
Coffee and water. Eight or nine glasses a day.

3. What is your daily activity level? (work, hobbies, exercise routine, etc.)
Work. Avionics mechanic on Black Hawks. Diving every weekend.

4. How has your weight, energy level, and general health changed since starting this meal structure?
200 or so pounds, energy level adequate for activities, doctors said health was generally good.

Since this marriage:

1. What is the basic meal content and frequency?
Meals prepared from fresh veggies, nuts, bananas and avocados, lean meats.

2. How much fluids do you consume? (Each type ie. water, coffee, tea, Gatorade etc.)
The same as above, except add green and herbal teas.

3. What is your daily activity level? (work, hobbies, exercise routine, etc.)
Same as above, except no diving, and more hours at work.

4. How has your weight, energy level, and general health changed since starting this meal structure?
Weight around 180, energy level adequate for activity, and doctors says general health is good.


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