# Condiments



## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

Was visiting a friend, who makes her kiddos' lunches for the week on Sunday. She ordered online the single serving mayo and mustard packets, like you get with fast food to go.

Just occurred to me that may be a good item for your food stores. No refrigeration needed like a jar of mayo would require after opening.

Might be good in a BOB, too.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Add honey and salt packets to that list.


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## justinsane (4 mo ago)

ItsJustMe said:


> Was visiting a friend, who makes her kiddos' lunches for the week on Sunday. She ordered online the single serving mayo and mustard packets, like you get with fast food to go.
> 
> Just occurred to me that may be a good item for your food stores. No refrigeration needed like a jar of mayo would require after opening.
> 
> Might be good in a BOB, too.


I am not saying to grab them every time you go into a restaurant or convenient store that has them available for grabbing...
I am definitely not saying that
also there are jelly and butter and syrups and dipping sauces you know depending on what restaurant you're not grabbing them at


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

ItsJustMe said:


> Was visiting a friend, who makes her kiddos' lunches for the week on Sunday. She ordered online the single serving mayo and mustard packets, like you get with fast food to go.
> 
> Just occurred to me that may be a good item for your food stores. No refrigeration needed like a jar of mayo would require after opening.
> 
> Might be good in a BOB, too.


I see two issues with that, 1st being that those packets cost a lot more per ounce then a small jar.
2nd, those packets never have dates on them, and one must really be diligent and keep a scrap book for dates of expiration for all the packets.

I remember going on a trip, having an assortment of condiments in packets and found the mayo tasted different, and that is how I noticed that the packets had no dates on it, out of caution, I threw the rest away.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

I've tried saving those packets before and they really don't seem to last long. You get about a year of them being good and you run the risk of them exploding in your truck. Really not worth it to me.


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

Well the heat in your truck is more likely the culprit for them exploding, but I agree about their short shelf life. Mayo & ketchup in particular, honey and soy sauce last longer, mustards last very long imo, but everything else is downhill from there.

Hmm I should note that peanut butter packets seemed to last a couple of years.

Despite shelf life, they are handy to have never-the-less for camping or having a spare in your drawer at work to enhance a meal, just got to jot down the expiration date as they dont print that on packets.


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

It sounds like shelf life may be a problem under adverse conditions. I am thinking that if power is out for an extended time (24+ hours), the jar of mayo in the fridge gets tossed and any backup jar opened at that time won't last long either, whereas the packets may. IF stored under optimal conditions?


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

ItsJustMe said:


> It sounds like shelf life may be a problem under adverse conditions. I am thinking that if power is out for an extended time (24+ hours), the jar of mayo in the fridge gets tossed and any backup jar opened at that time won't last long either, whereas the packets may. IF stored under optimal conditions?


sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but your frig after 4 hours (possibly 5 hours with much older frigs that 34-36 F) will be spoiled. You are thinking of a freezer, and that can last 24+ hours for a half filled freezer, & up to 48 hours for a full pack freezer. During a blackout, I race to the nearest place that sells ice and grab my 5 day Coleman Extreme cooler filling it up with ice, and at the 4 hour mark if the power didn't come back on, I start loading the cooler with the most expensive food I have in the frig. (incase I have more food then available cooler space)

Hmm this is bring back not so happy memories 16 months ago when my Ex threw out all of my meat in the basement freezer and put my stuff out on the porch when she left me. That was a lot of money in food.


In situations like Mr Krinkle and myself that do not have a temperature regulated storage means, shelf life of foods are diminished. To give you an example or two, I bought a cucumber during the heat wave and put it in my fruit and veggie bowl. The next day when I went to grab it *KABOOM *it exploded in my hand shooting out liquid across my kitchen. My brand new parmesan cheese in the cabinet turned from bright yellow to a dark orange and had to be tossed out.


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## ItsJustMe (Dec 12, 2020)

@Spenser 
Oh man, that's awful. So sorry to hear that.


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

ItsJustMe said:


> Oh man, that's awful. So sorry to hear that.



Umm which part lol The cucumber going KABOOM, not having a regulated kitchen temp, the fact that the food in the frig would last 4 hours not 24+ hours, or my ex. As of right now, for me it would be the Hellish temperatures.


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## Beechnut (Sep 6, 2020)

ItsJustMe said:


> It sounds like shelf life may be a problem under adverse conditions. I am thinking that if power is out for an extended time (24+ hours), the jar of mayo in the fridge gets tossed and any backup jar opened at that time won't last long either, whereas the packets may. IF stored under optimal conditions?


When you open your new jar of mayo don't use a knife in it. Spoon the mayo onto your bread and then spread with a knife. Mayo does not need to be refrigerated but if you contaminate it then it will spoil.


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## One Shot (Oct 25, 2021)

When I'm traveling I pick up the fork/spoon salt/pepper and napkin packs and in the Motel/Hotel I keep the coffee sugar/creamer pks....and the little bottles of shampoo/lotion and refill them if needed for my GHB's. I also keep a small bottle of Red Tobasco in the GHB to make almost anything taste better, don't forget spices and the Red pepper packs from pizza places.

I found this a while back, just thought I could do it cheaper.








Condiments Case Pack Kit (5 varieties, 6 pk.)


For flavorful food—even in an emergency—add the Condiments Case Pack to your supply! Just add water for a savory sauce in seconds. Grab a pack of your own today!




mypatriotsupply.com


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## Spenser (5 mo ago)

The 1st thing I do when I throw out out dated MRE's is to take the condiments out of it, which seem to last even longer than the food. I love those tiny Tabasco sauces, creamers, salt& pepper, and sporks they come with and next I save the heaters. One Shot, you were the inspiration for this post.


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## justinsane (4 mo ago)

Spenser said:


> I see two issues with that, 1st being that those packets cost a lot more per ounce then a small jar.
> 2nd, those packets never have dates on them, and one must really be diligent and keep a scrap book for dates of expiration for all the packets.
> 
> I remember going on a trip, having an assortment of condiments in packets and found the mayo tasted different, and that is how I noticed that the packets had no dates on it, out of caution, I threw the rest away.


I think this is a climbable mountain. A bin for 2022 condiments collected and different one for 2023, 2024...
You can organize and subdivide within the bin to your desire (months if that's what your concern is). Whenever you choose you can dispose of the old unused units. 
Let's face it, at this point, planning on collecting condiment packets from convenient stores and restaurants beyond Jan 2025 may be optimistic.


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