Are instant mashed potatoes a suitable food for survival? Read on and understand more about this instant survival food!
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Instant Mashed Potatoes | Survival Food Pros and Cons
Tasty Mashed Potatoes
As many of you may remember from a recent article I wrote titled 21 Home Remedies For Toothache Pain Relief, I just had my wisdom tooth extracted a couple of weeks ago and had to be on a soft food diet for a few days while I healed.
Well, I am back to eating regular foods but not without a new appreciation for a delicious snack that kept my stomach full — instant mashed potatoes.
Being a southern boy, I grew up on my Nana's best mashed potatoes recipe, so suffice it to say I was a little hesitant to try the instant variety.
Now I have had them before as my mother was not the best cook, but the tasteless, chunky gruel that my mother used to serve me should have never been called instant mashed potatoes.
My wife loaded me up with these nifty single-serve portion sizes or Idahoan mashed potatoes. The first bowl had me hooked and each variety I tried was just as good.
The best garlic mashed potatoes with just a touch of extra butter are by far my favorite. Now, what does this have to do with survival?
The Pros
After doing a little research I have found out that these pouches and cups of instant mashed potatoes have a fairly long shelf life (roughly 18 months) and I am fairly positive that they would be okay for much longer than that.
It's extremely lightweight and only requires water to eat even though you are supposed to heat it (and it tastes better heated). I have set a bowl of it out and made it without heat.
Obviously, there is something much better about a steaming pile of potato than there is about a room temperature mound of it but it is still flavorful and filling
Idahoan has a good variety of flavors. At roughly $1.00 per package, they are a good investment to get a filling meal or add substance to an otherwise light meal.
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The Cons
While the shelf life is fairly long for a bagged food, the actual container is rather flimsy. The microwavable cups have a very vulnerable paper top that will tear easily.
The cost of the cups with a single serving is the same as a 4 serving pouch.
The Bottom Line
At around $1.00 per bag, these are a steal. They provide a quick tasty meal with minimal water. Even a prepper on the tightest budget should be able to make room for these.
Now I have specifically pointed out the Idahoan brand instant mashed potatoes, but I know there are several other brands available. Does anyone else stock up on these or have any alternatives?
I am going to give you a link to these so you can check them out, but if you want them I would much rather you go to your local grocery store to pick them up for a lot less.
Or if anyone knows an online retailer that sells them cheaper please leave a comment and let me know.
Watch this video by Homestead Corner on how to store instant mashed potatoes or potato flakes in long term food storage:
The key points about these instant mashed potatoes are the long shelf life and it only needs water to prepare. When it comes to food in a survival situation, ease of preparation is extremely important considering the potentially limited resources you'll have.
Either way, these simple mashed potatoes are great for home serving or for survival purposes!
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What other instant foods have you tried to prep? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Don’t forget to stay connected with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram!Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 30, 2020, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
