Practical Prepper
Variety: Something You Shouldn’t Have To Ration
When you think of ration bars you probably get an image of something like the picture to the right…
Dense, bland and not much to be desired in the way of flavor.
Don’t get me wrong, I have had some that taste OK, but the same flavor over and over just gets a little old.
There is another HUGE problem with these types of ration bars, they all come packaged in mylar.
That’s good for long term food preservation, but as soon as you open the package the food is compromised and starts to decay.
It becomes immediately susceptible to insects and other animals, water, and is quite easily broken apart in your pack with normal movement.
One of my ration bars had the mylar tear and then at some point one of the aquablox bottles was crushed and leaked into my pack( another product that I don’t recommend and the reason I switched to Mylar pouches). I don’t know how long this BOB sat like that, but the next time I cleaned it out I was greeted with a very unpleasant smell that still, months later, hasn’t quite gone away.
I had seen these Millennium Ration bars in some pre made survival kits, but finding them on there own has been nearly impossible and I had all but forgotten about them. Until last night…
I ran across these on amazon and the price looks really good ( at $1.38 per bar that’s less than the cost of a candy bar at the gas station!) Now I will say that, other than the one that I have had (cherry) I tried the other flavors yet. But I am looking to order these pretty soon and I am excited to try the lemon and coconut.
So with that being said, and even though I can’t vouch for all of the other flavors, I wanted to share this find with y’all so that you can snatch up a case and try them out too.
Product Features
- Each of the twenty four 400-Calorie bars has high energy value, and is non-thirst provoking
- This variety pack of long-life (5 years) energy bars provides ready-to-eat, non-perishable food for up to two people for three days
- A total of 9,600 Calories in 24 individually wrapped 400-calories portions.
- A variety of Lemon, Vanilla, Raspberry, Cherry, Apricot, Orange, Coconut flavored bars.
- Great for hiking, camping, boating and disaster preparedness.
The Good:
Price- Each one costs less than the price of most candy bars at a gas station ( $1.38)
Variety- With 7 different flavors, you don’t have to eat the same mush every time you have one of these
Packaging- These 400 Calorie bars are half the size and half the weight of most other 400 calorie bars on the market and the smaller packaging allows you to A) fit more in a pack and B) pack your gear differently ( no more sticking ration “bricks” in the same spot)
Mobility- You can grab one of these and keep moving if stopping is not an option. This is much better than having to stop, open a mylar pouch, break of a chunk, and then wrap it back up, all before you can start moving again.
The Bad:
Nutrients- Like any ration bar, these will have what you need to replace and maintain vital nutrients in a crisis. But they will lack fiber and cause certain “intestinal issues” with prolonged use.
The Bottom Line:
Variety is known as the spice of life, and in an emergency having something as small as a different variety of flavors to choose from can be a huge morale boost. And at under $1.50 per bar you cant really lose. Get a case of them and keep them stashed around your office, car, and your emergency kits.
If you have tried these, or you get them before I get my own, let me know what you think of the flavors.
I’d love to hear from you!
Check out these great articles for more survival foods to stockpile in case of emergency:
Build a 6-Month Food Stockpile on a Tight Budget
Emergency Food Secrets for Your Survival Kit
43 Survival Food Items That Actually Taste Good
A Simple Trick to Make Survival Food Last 20 Years
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Temple
April 18, 2013 at 9:09 AM
What is the expected shelf life of these bars? Would freezing them before hitting the road extend their life? If I just have them stuffed in my grab bag, how long will they remain edible?
Thanks!
Okiemom
April 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM
My daughter is allergic to nuts. Are these safe for her?
Nanook
April 22, 2013 at 11:14 AM
okiemom, & anyone else in central OK, I would like to start a local group of preppers/survivalists. I am near I 40 east of OKC. If you are interested, contact me at nanook at rsib dot net.
Cort
April 18, 2013 at 1:20 PM
Temple, if you read the full description above, it says 5 year shelf life. I do not know about freezing them to extend the life, usually freezing leads to freezer burn, which could actually reduce shelf life. Most survival foods should be used in a FIFO (first in, first out) manner, as should all foods. I would date mark all such things and as the expiration date gets closer, use them for day/weekend trips, then replace. The only foods I know that held almost an eternity life where the original C-Rations in a can. When I was in the USMC back in the mid 70’s, we were issued C-Rats that were dated back from the late 50’s. Delicious! LOL
Nanook
April 22, 2013 at 11:17 AM
it’s been my experience that freezer burn is caused by the packaging being compromized. I hate to think how much meat we have had to discard because of it. For long term in the freezer, double package or place in a hard container that can be sealed.
richard1941
April 19, 2013 at 11:17 PM
I have been baking my own “survival ration”. What I am making is Civil war hardtack. It seems to have been developed jointly by the north and south for use as body armor, but you can soak it in broth for a half hour and almost eat it. Be sure you have dental insurance to cover the broken teeth.
Simple: two cups of flour, one cup water, 1 Tablespoon salt. Mix it up into a nice blob of dough, roll it out about 1/4″ thick, poke it full of holes, and score it into squares. Bake on a cookie sheet for 1/2 hour at 375 degF, then flip it over and bake another half hour. When done, it must be cured: break the brick into individual pieces as scored, and put them into a large skillet. Leave it on the stove at “warm” for about two days. By this time it will be hard as rock.
This stuff keeps forever if kept dry.
Warning: the recipe is similar to Jewish matzoh, and it is equally constipating. I recommend whole wheat flour boosted with 1/4 cup of bran for every cup of flour. The one thing you want in a survival situation is for everything to come out OK.
Nanook
April 22, 2013 at 11:10 AM
hard tac has no real nutrition, tastes like sh__, & is poison with all that flour. my opinion.
Nanook
April 22, 2013 at 11:07 AM
reading this got me to thinking. Years ago, special forces were issued freeze dried food packets called Lurps, I don’t remember for sure but I think the pkg was stamped LRRP., I thought they were delicious, especially the chili con carny. The good thing was they could be eaten dry or with water added to rehydrate. After water was added in the am, you resealed the pkt & placed it in you shirt next to your body. after a few hours they would be ready to eat at or near body temp. That & a snickers bar was what I carried. Now days, they are no longer available, but Zataran’s makes dehydrated food that can be found just about anywhere for a very reasonable price, doesn’t take up alot of room, is tastier & more nutritious. It will work the same way if placed in a mylar or zip lock bag. And, of course they still make snickers. I lived on that stuff for a long time and it was far superior to c rations or mre’s, or those disgusting fat laden survival bars I’ve tried. I have no knowledge of the brand you are suggesting here, but I know that one bar is normally not enough to satisfy your hunger.
MARK
April 26, 2013 at 3:04 AM
LRRPS are basically commercial freezed dried rations with a newer selection of flavors. Used for both LRRP/Cold weather operations.
TpC
April 22, 2013 at 11:14 AM
the shelf life and price are the best things going for these. After reading the ingredient list on another website I found you get what you pay for.-. corn syrup, hydrogenated (likely gmo) soybean oil, wheat, corn starch, etc.
Nanook
April 22, 2013 at 11:18 AM
all poison