# M&M's



## firefighter72 (Apr 18, 2014)

How long do these things last? Can you store them for a long time like rice or beans? What I was thinking is why not store some M&M's with you SHTF food. You have the food yes, but no sweets. Why not store some? They could be great for moral or you could trade them. Plus if you have a diabetic(like I do) in your family or group then it could just save their life. Also there are many flavors of M&M's normal, peanut, peanut butter, pretzel, and more. So could these be a good thing to store for when SHTF?


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## bigdogbuc (Mar 23, 2012)

I don't see why not. We may be "surviving" but I don't see anything wrong with some comfort foods. Especially if it's small. Better yet, why not a solid supply of Trail Mix? Good thinking young man!


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## Reptilicus (Jan 4, 2014)

It is absolutely impossible to store M&M's in my house! They fall into the same category as Beer, Tequila, Summer sausage and cheese! They are not bought to store and be saved for later!! They are bought for immediate consumption!!!


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

We fall into the same category as Reptillicus. There is no way we are going to store anything chocolate unless it happens to be around my waist. Mrs Inor does have all of the raw ingredients to make various candies post-SHTF. But she refuses to combine them together now for the reasons I mentioned earlier.


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## HuntingHawk (Dec 16, 2012)

In Florida chocolate doesn't last outside the refrigerator due to heat.


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## Sharkbait (Feb 9, 2014)

HuntingHawk said:


> In Florida chocolate doesn't last outside the refrigerator due to heat.


That's what I was thinking too-melting.

Everyone in my house has a sweet tooth and we are trying hard tack candies for long term stores (lifesavers,jolly ranchers,etc).We are storing them the same way as our dry stores,in mylar bags that are nitrogen purged and o2 absorbers added.Just opened a 2yr old pack of dum-dums recently and they are still fresh.

But even with the melting aside,I have to agree with the others.Chocolate last about as long as vodka in this house,lol.We tried the vodka storing too and found out that it just makes us drink more.;-)


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## Sharkbait (Feb 9, 2014)

Arklatex said:


> My doctors office has had the same batch of dum dums for about 15 years now. So I can vouch for their longevity. They still taste good too!


I figured the worst would be them all stuck together,which would still be ok with me for long term,but no,they're fine (and tasty)

.And yeah,we used to eat tack candy at my grandmas house that was so old,not only was it all stuck together in one giant lump in the candy dish,but it was yellowed from nicotine,lol,never got sick from it though.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

M&Ms were invented for the military. The candy coating keeps them from oxidizing and they last a really long time - even in hot and humid climates. Vacuum canning would seem to be the best way for long term storage but I think around where I live a paper bag would be as good as anything. We have very low humidity and rarely have temps in the triple digits. Now, I just have to find a place that my wife won't find them... they would disappear faster than gin in an alcoholics kitchen cupboard.


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2014)

dark chocolate will last the longest since it has less fat in it. nice post..im gonna go buy some m&m's tomorrow


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## BlackDog (Nov 23, 2013)

We store some hard candies and some chocolate morsels. Now I'm hooked on this m&m idea. I also developed a recent addiction to Wonka Runts. I have a bulk wholesale source and am considering them for long-term storage.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

nightshade said:


> dark chocolate will last the longest since it has less fat in it. nice post..im gonna go buy some m&m's tomorrow


Not before you pass your exams! :lol:


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2014)

Inor said:


> Not before you pass your exams! :lol:


lmao i need to go to sleep on that note..its AP1 :/..once its over im heading to go fishing in the country to relax.


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## MI.oldguy (Apr 18, 2013)

They wont last long here either,we have run into some m&m's that had stale peanuts or un-tasty,checked the date and it was all good.just crappy peanuts on the particular batch I guess.


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## Kauboy (May 12, 2014)

Ya know, buying up those M&M Minis tubes and storing them away might make for an amazing barter item.
Crush resistant, extra protection from the elements.
If you filled a bucket with those tubes and O2 absorbers, this could be an excellent prep for low morale or trading.


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

m&ms have a long shelf life, just a short pantry life, they don't last long enough to store...


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## whoppo (Nov 9, 2012)

Wait... you guys actually get the M&M's home from the store ??


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

whoppo said:


> Wait... you guys actually get the M&M's home from the store ??


takes a lot of discipline and yelling no to the kids


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## GTGallop (Nov 11, 2012)

Reptilicus said:


> It is absolutely impossible to store M&M's in my house! They fall into the same category as Beer, Tequila, Summer sausage and cheese! They are not bought to store and be saved for later!! They are bought for immediate consumption!!!


On a side note... Do not vacuum seal beer!!! Pressurized carbonated beverages do not fare well in plastic bag and a pressure reduction.


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## MrsInor (Apr 15, 2013)

We have some hard candies stored, especially mint flavored. No sense being stuck with a bunch of people with halitosis.


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## omegabrock (Jun 16, 2014)

what's wrong with melted m&m's? my wife will open a pack and put them in the microwave for a few seconds before she eats them...every time


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

The fat in any food is the spoiler in it. Even hydrogenated vegetable oil in coffee creamer is the part that goes bad. Same for milk fat in powdered *WHOLE* milk, I only package *non-fat* dry milk.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Hmm, I sense a market opportunity here.
The original manufacturer of the John Wayne Candy Bar that was packed in C-rations could re-introduce them for the prepper market. Those things were indestuctable. Of course they had a down side - they were nearly inedible too. In fact, that's how they got their name.

Ahhh, you young guys don't know how good you had it.

edited to correct spelling mistake.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

John Wayne candy bars held a special place in the hearts of most soldiers. Lots of us would save them up and use them the shore up the foxholes like sand bags.
I bet You think I'm kidding!


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

I think they were actually brown colored wax. With chunks of "something" in there disguised as nuts.


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## firefighter72 (Apr 18, 2014)

Those things sound awful. My buddy had MRE stuffing one time and he broke it like peanut brittle. It didnt taste good either.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I bet I could store them when it's 90 my basement stays in 60s do you really think 
they would be good like years later? 
Humm, Maybe I should pump that cool air up stairs


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Hmm, I sense a market opportunity here.
> The original manufacturer of the John Wayne Candy Bar that was packed in C-rations could re-introduce them for the prepper market. Those things were indestuctable. Of course they had a down side - they were nearly inedible too. In fact, that's how they got their name.
> 
> Ahhh, you young guys don't know how good you had it.
> ...


When I was a kid my Boy Scout troop got a "really good deal" on several cases of C-rations. For about two years, that was our main food source at all of our campouts.  For a 12 year old kid, it wasn't too bad. The potted meat was tolerable. The candy bars made excellent slingshot ammo if you broke them into thirds. And every box came with a mini pack of Lucky Strikes! What's not to love? :lol:


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## Guest (Jul 3, 2014)

MrsInor said:


> We have some hard candies stored, especially mint flavored. No sense being stuck with a bunch of people with halitosis.


its good for ur stomach too


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

budgetprepp-n said:


> I bet I could store them when it's 90 my basement stays in 60s do you really think
> they would be good like years later?
> Humm, Maybe I should pump that cool air up stairs


Thats an idea I have pondered for a long time. If I could have gotten Mrs Slippy to go along, we would have made our basement the main level of the house. I just spent a couple of hours in the basement during the heat of the day +92 degrees outside and my basement is a cool 68 or so. No heat no air conditioning.


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## slewfoot (Nov 6, 2013)

I found that living here in SW Florida you cannot leave m&ms or most any other type of candy anywhere outside of an air-conditioned room for any length of time.
We have trail mix stored .


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I have the same problem here in Arizona. Apparently it gets so hot that the chocolate melts into the pours of counter top and disappear. Or there is a chocolate black hole wandering thru our house.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

The regular M&Ms without nuts or anything else will last a long time (undisturbed). Putting them into jars and vacuum packing the jar would make it even better. 
They don't stay around our house for long - my wife and brother are drawn to them like coyotes to road kill.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Here ya go!
View attachment 5898


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