# Longer shelf life?



## Ahudson (May 25, 2021)

I was making a quick dinner last night. One of those soups where you just boil water and stir in the package. Daughter and wife both like them for what they are. A quick meal for when time is short. 

Got me thinking could one repack them in mylar bags and oxygen absorber and get a longer shelf life out of them. They don't seem to much different then some of the kits I've picked up from various on line places.
I don't know that's why I'm asking? Just curious.

This was what I cooking.



https://www.walmart.com/ip/Idahoan-Loaded-Potato-Hearty-Soup-7-1-oz-Pouch/46103892?findingMethod=wpa


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

Ahudson said:


> I was making a quick dinner last night. One of those soups where you just boil water and stir in the package. Daughter and wife both like them for what they are. A quick meal for when time is short.
> 
> Got me thinking could one repack them in mylar bags and oxygen absorber and get a longer shelf life out of them. They don't seem to much different then some of the kits I've picked up from various on line places.
> I don't know that's why I'm asking? Just curious.
> ...


It would depend on the ingredients. The package could already be mylar. Some things just go rancid after a bit. Mylar and o2 absorbers will not stop that.


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## Auntie (Oct 4, 2014)

You would need to se what the shelf life of the ingredients are.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

If the soup ingredients a ALL plant based, I'd guess yes. This is exactly what the big name companies do so they can proclaim their food will last for 10 to 25 years. If there is a meat product in it, it has to be super lean meat. Mountain House is the only company stating a 30 year taste guarantee. Other companies get the shelf life because they have little or NO meat in it. Mountain house (from my experience) seems to use extremely carefully trimmed meat to eliminate the fat content, and then cook it to get rid of any residule fat. Easy way around it, buy stuff with no meat, and have cans of meat available to add to the meal. BUT if you look at the calories per serving, the food is pretty low calorie. Great if you're hiding in a fallout shelter, doing nothing to expend energy. But if you are having to work hard to survive, this low calorie content sucks. I have one pail of the factory made pouches for a grab and go, I purchase when I was a baby prepper. Now I put up dry foods in Mylar and have canned meat available. That way, I know the calories will be there when I need them. Here is an example from an "Eat Tomorrow, Creamy Potato Soup packet" : srevings 2, calories per pouch 150 (the recommend calories per day, is 2500 for a man, do the math), total fat 3.5 g, saturated fat 2 g, trans fat 0 g, cholesterol 0 mg, sodium 460 mg, sugars 5 g, protein 2 g, potassium 600 mg, total carbs 28 g, dietary fiber 1 g. Sodium and postassium are both fairly high to give the soup some flavor. In my BOB, I only have Mountain House for 3 days, their meals are about 400-500 calories.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I just did a check of "4 Patriots" food. average 240 callores/ serving. They don't show you ingredients, you have to ask for each food. But, at lest they say you need to eat 7.6 servings to get 1500 calories. And all 688 servings for only $579.00


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

paraquack said:


> I just did a check of "4 Patriots" food. average 240 callores/ serving. They don't show you ingredients, you have to ask for each food. But, at lest they say you need to eat 7.6 servings to get 1500 calories. And all 688 servings for only $579.00


IF they are reporting the calorie count correctly. I've heard that many sort of stretch that count. I prefer, for the most part anyhow, to just buy the ingredients to be able to make the finished product ourselves.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

inceptor said:


> It would depend on the ingredients. The package could already be mylar. Some things just go rancid after a bit. Mylar and o2 absorbers will not stop that.


If it has fats or oils it won't last. A can of Chunky soup or similar will have a much longer shelf life it not exposed to high temps.


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## The Tourist (Jun 9, 2016)

I like these debates and I learn things. There is one thing I have found. Ergo, even when my mom carefully stocked cans out of the cold and direct sunlight, she always lost a few items. Admittedly, I think there has been a huge uptick in the invention of food containers. My wife hasn't lost anything, ever.

I will admit one thing, when the "big one goes off," I expect to lose a lot of canned goods, maybe even nails that have survived for twenty years finally going into rust because they were simply moved.

More to the point, I think "modern stuff" has a better chance simply due to the way we get rid of dampness and use more modern containers.

To that end, has anyone ever buried anything? If you dug it up now, could you ever use it as a staple?


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

The Tourist said:


> I like these debates and I learn things. There is one thing I have found. Ergo, even when my mom carefully stocked cans out of the cold and direct sunlight, she always lost a few items. Admittedly, I think there has been a huge uptick in the invention of food containers. My wife hasn't lost anything, ever.


When I was a kid in the 80s canned goods that were past date especially green beans and carrots tasted like tin. Now 2 years past date they're still good.


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