# Taste the rainbow



## mikhailfrankovich (Jun 28, 2017)

Yesterday I was at a bulk food store buying steel cut oats when I stumbled on a large vat of skittles. It donned on me that they might make a good survival food. Basically empty calories (though it does have Vitamin C!) but seems like something that could store for a long time, provide calories, and give some flavour and colour to a pretty bleak situation. 

Does anyone store any kind of candy? If so, any recomendations about what type/how to store?

For moneys sake I wouldnt want to go with mylar and O2 absorbers. But I figure if I kept them in a bag tied tight, in a food grade barrel away from light they should be edible for many years. 

Thank you


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## RUSH25 (Nov 20, 2015)

I'm sure all the old fogies around here have a stock pile of Werther's Original :vs_lol:


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## jim-henscheli (May 4, 2015)

Oddly enough, I stored about 10lbs of skittles for a few years, the first bag came around 08-09 when I was in college. Somehow it never got opened, more bags came and never got opened. They just sort of hung out in the milk crate pantry I used for a few years.
I opened 2 bags a month or so ago, one was totally fine, the other was melted into a solid lump, so I would say you're golden if you keep them cool.
As for bulk candy stores, I keep several bags of werthers hard candies, and some other coffee flavored candies from te Asian market. Don't know if they actually contain caffeine or not, but they have sugar and taste good


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## jim-henscheli (May 4, 2015)

RUSH25 said:


> I'm sure all the old fogies around here have a stock pile of Werther's Original :vs_lol:


Did not see this before I posted! I guess I'm a fogie now!


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## TG (Jul 28, 2014)

There might be no dentists around.. just saying :vs_laugh:


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

hard candies last the longest - they are still finding looooong lost 1960s Civil Defense caches with edible hard candy - it's 100% sugar with some flavoring ... the old recipe rock candy is still up to the standards ....

I've got plenty of after holiday candy canes in bucket storage - individually wrapped - cost like a penny a piece - good all around morale booster ....


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

mikhailfrankovich said:


> Yesterday I was at a bulk food store buying steel cut oats when I stumbled on a large vat of skittles. It donned on me that they might make a good survival food. Basically empty calories (though it does have Vitamin C!) but seems like something that could store for a long time, provide calories, and give some flavour and colour to a pretty bleak situation.
> 
> Does anyone store any kind of candy? If so, any recomendations about what type/how to store?
> 
> ...


stuff like that will turn into one giant solid mass - really need to be wrapped to keep the sugar from combining .... no mylar or 02 absorber necessary - a desiccant wouldn't hurt


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

I'm told that honey will last forever, so I stock that. I can always make something sweet if I need to.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Jolly Ranchers are popular with unlicensed ethanol producers. 
Jolly Rancher Moonshine Recipe ? Learn to Moonshine


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

sideKahr said:


> I'm told that honey will last forever, so I stock that. I can always make something sweet if I need to.


All the more reason to have your own little honey hive in the back yard, . . . up on the garage roof, . . . over in the flower bed, . . . or any place you can put a hive of bees.

They take up about 6 hours to 10 hours time a year, . . . for between 8 and 20 quarts of honey, . . . per hive.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Camel923 (Aug 13, 2014)

TG said:


> There might be no dentists around.. just saying :vs_laugh:


Hey TG! I got to make a buck somehow.


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## sideKahr (Oct 15, 2014)

dwight55 said:


> All the more reason to have your own little honey hive in the back yard, . . . up on the garage roof, . . . over in the flower bed, . . . or any place you can put a hive of bees.
> 
> They take up about 6 hours to 10 hours time a year, . . . for between 8 and 20 quarts of honey, . . . per hive.
> 
> ...


I know. Both my hives died, perhaps from colony collapse disorder. It's hard keeping bees near the city. People spray chemicals everywhere.


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## 23897 (Apr 18, 2017)

TG said:


> There might be no dentists around.. just saying :vs_laugh:


I'm hoping there'll be at least one TG x

Sent from my iPhone using Technology whilst it still exists.


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## yooper_sjd (May 14, 2017)

During WW 2, M&M's were in C-rats as a quick energy kick, In the Navy life rafts, Hard candy 100% sugar is used. Suppose to be enough food and water for 40 personnel for 3 days. well you get 3 sticks of Charms (use to be it back in the 90's) and each stick of Charms was 1200 calories. So ya candy makes a good stash item so long as it is hard any way.


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## Jammer Six (Jun 2, 2017)

I never saw M&Ms in C rations, and I saw every type of C ration. (Any vet from the C ration era saw all of them.) Sounds like an urban legend to me.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

Jammer Six said:


> I never saw M&Ms in C rations, and I saw every type of C ration. (Any vet from the C ration era saw all of them.) Sounds like an urban legend to me.


they were including gummy worms - even had camo colored .... the better grade of WW2 rations also had a stick of Wrigley's gum and a couple of cigs ....


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## rstanek (Nov 9, 2012)

sideKahr said:


> I'm told that honey will last forever, so I stock that. I can always make something sweet if I need to.


We stock up on honey also, it has medicinal properties also, we use it for superficial cuts,and scraps as well as burns.....no expiration date.... we make sure it's unpasteurized.....


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## yooper_sjd (May 14, 2017)

Jammer Six said:


> I never saw M&Ms in C rations, and I saw every type of C ration. (Any vet from the C ration era saw all of them.) Sounds like an urban legend to me.


The Wartime Origins of the M&M - Hungry History


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## dmet (Jun 5, 2016)

I have some hard candy and honey stored.


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## 23897 (Apr 18, 2017)

rstanek said:


> We stock up on honey also, it has medicinal properties also, we use it for superficial cuts,and scraps as well as burns.....no expiration date.... we make sure it's unpasteurized.....


There was some research in Brazil circa 2009 which showed improved healing with burn injuries when applied. There is a Chilean company that supplies honey coated burn bandages to US military. The bandages have a very very long expiry date on them.

FF

Sent from my iPad using Technology before it is shut down.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Jammer Six said:


> I never saw M&Ms in C rations, and I saw every type of C ration. (Any vet from the C ration era saw all of them.) Sounds like an urban legend to me.


 @Jammer Six

You are one snarky little be-atch aren't you? :vs_smirk:

But that's OK, I'll try and help you become a better woman. Lesson of the Day; Just because you have not seen something, doesn't mean it doesn't exist!

Yours Truly,

Slippy :vs_wave:

https://www.militarytimes.com/off-d...-as-m-ms-turn-75-a-look-at-sweets-in-service/


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## Toefoot (Jun 21, 2017)

M&M's are well known to be in Crats. Many German children loved 'em during REFORGER and I traded them along with peanut butter for German beer.

Stuttgarter Houfbrau schmecht gut.


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## Illini Warrior (Jan 24, 2015)

yooper_sjd said:


> The Wartime Origins of the M&M - Hungry History


only little piece of M & M history they conveniently leave out is the WORST marketing goof up EVER - M & M was approached first for product permission for the movie ET - marketing geniuses over there laughed them out of the building - Reeses Pieces couldn't even get shelf space before the movie premiered - thanx to M & M they skyrocketed ....


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## Prepared One (Nov 5, 2014)

I store honey, sugar, and some of the hard candies. I am not big on candy but every now and then it's a treat.


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