Augason Farms Emergency Food Storage Review

Every outdoorsman knows that food is one of the most crucial survival needs. The problem is it’s challenging to find nutrition and sustenance in the wild, especially during disasters and emergencies when resources are more dire.

That’s where emergency food storage can come in handy. Today, we will talk about Augason Farms Emergency Food Storage.

Augason Farms is a company that manufactures high-quality, shelf-stable food and water products. They are the perfect products to add to an emergency survival kit or to place in long term food storage. Augason Farms has a comprehensive line of products designed for families of any size, lifestyle, or budget.

It also started when Phil Augason introduced Morning Moo in 1972. It is their signature low fat milk alternative that looks and tastes like real milk. It is rich in calcium and packed full of essential vitamins.

Since then, Augason Farms has continued to supply families with a steady supply of ready-to-prepare meals, including emergency food storage kits, freeze dried foods, and dairy products that are convenient and cost-effective and perfect for any emergency situation or long term food storage as long as the temperature and individual storage conditions are ideal.

Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Food Storage

This Augason Farms emergency food storage bin comes in a seven-gallon pail. It contains multiple food pouches that one can reheat and rehydrate to make it ready for eating. Interested in what those pouches are? Don’t worry; we will list them in detail below.

Product Features (Meals Included)

As promised, here are the different meals you will find inside this food storage container:

• Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal: Want to take this oatmeal up to a notch? Top it with your favorite dried fruit.
• Instant Potatoes: This can be served as a hearty snack or a side dish to the other meals included in this food storage bin.
• Cheesy Broccoli Rice: Just add water as instructed and let it simmer for a bit.
• Creamy Potato Soup: Don’t underestimate the power of a hot bowl of creamy soup outdoors, especially in an environment of extremely cold temperatures. All you need to do is let the pack simmer, and you’re all set.
• Macaroni and Cheese: An American classic, all you need to do is boil your macaroni until it’s cooked to your preference (we prefer al dente), and just stir in the cheese sauce.
• Hearty Vegetable Chicken Soup: As with the creamy potato soup earlier, it only takes your pack a little simmer for a hot bowl of vegetable chicken soup.
• Creamy Chicken Flavored Rice: Add water and let it simmer for a hearty and satisfying meal.
• Banana Chips: A children’s favorite, but even adults can enjoy this tasty and crispy snack as well. Honestly, we prefer to top this on our oatmeal, but it’s up to you.
• Morning Moo’s Low Fat Milk Alternative: This is a whey-based milk alternative that tastes like real fresh milk. You can serve this either warm or chilled.

Pros

• Easy to Prepare: As detailed above, almost every meal included in this product is only a simmer away.
• Comes with a 30- to 45-Day Meal Plan. Food storage containers like this can be very hard to ration, especially during emergency situations. Take the guesswork out of the game by following the 30-day meal plan that comes with this bin. Expecting to be staying out there half a month more? Then you can opt to use the 45-day meal plan instead.
• Delicious: We’ve had more than enough of our fair share of MREs, so we understand how bland meal packs like this product could be. Surprisingly, Augason Farms’ homecooked-tasting meals are a pleasant surprise.
• Serves Three Meals a Day: There are a lot of different food storage options out there, but most of them cover only a single meal a day. On the other hand, this product has your back for breakfast, lunch, and dinner (with dessert included!)
• Long-Lasting: The product claims to stay fresh for twenty years, so you can stockpile these food storage containers for as much as you want without worrying that they will go stale any time soon.
• Great Availability: You can find Augason Farm products easily online on Amazon.

Cons

• Good for One Person: Of course, you can ration this to share with another person in the family if the time comes and you have no choice, but it is not recommended. The nutritional value of each meal suggested in the meal plan is meant to sustain a single person for a month. Not following it would mean you won’t be able to take advantage of the formulated nutritional value of these meals.
• Meal Packets Come in Easy-to-Tear Wrappings: This can either be a good thing or a bad thing. We understand that having them packed as they make it easy for anyone to access the food inside, but it also makes them more prone to accidental tears and exposure.
• Requires a total of 18 Gallons of Water: To prepare all the food in the pail, you must have at least 18 gallons of water in storage. This can prove problematic if you’re down on water supply.
• Requires Cooking: If you’re looking for meal packs that you don’t have to cook anymore or something that comes with its own heating and cooking mechanism, then you’ll be disappointed with this product.

Augason Farms Lunch and Dinner Variety Pail Emergency Food Supply

In this Augason Farms Lunch and Dinner Emergency Food Supply, you will find 11 varieties of entrees, soups, and dessert. In total, there are 92 total servings, 21,170 calories, and 557 grams of protein in each pail. The food comes in a watertight 4-gallon pail that is easy to transport and store.

The meals are easy to prepare and are ready in just minutes. The shelf life of these pails is 10 to 30 years with proper storage.

Some of the meals in this emergency food kit include cheesy broccoli rice and creamy chicken flavored rice, hearty vegetable and chicken noodle soup, corn chowder soup, creamy potato soup, macaroni and cheese, fettuccine alfredo and Italian marinara, creamy stroganoff, and chocolate pudding.

Pros

• Complete Meal Solutions: In this one pail, you will find various easy and complete meal solutions in individual pouches.
• Good for Emergency Use: With the long shelf life and grab-and-go design, this pail is good for any emergency or shelter-in-place situation. It is also a good size for camping, the office, or in an RV, boat, or cabin.
• Large Variety: Each pail contains a large variety of meal options, including a dessert option.
• Easy to Store: Each pail takes up minimal space, making it easy to store in your long term food storage area. The pails are also stackable, airtight, pest-proof, and heavy-duty.

Cons

• No Small Serving Sizes: Everything in the pail is packaged in one or two bags according to food type, meaning there may be 8 to 16 total servings per bag, with the smallest serving size being 4. This may not be ideal unless you are feeding a small family.
• Some Lack Flavor: Some users reported that some of the meals were bland and needed salt.
• Longer Prep Time: These meals may require slightly longer prep time than other emergency food storage solutions. Most require you to add hot water and stir for several minutes, which can take up to 15 minutes for some.

Augason Farms Freeze Dried Food

In addition to the 30 day emergency food storage Augason Farms pails, they offer a number of Augason Farms freeze dried food options you can use for snacking or to add to a meal.

Augason Farms Freeze Dried Sliced Strawberries

This canister offers 18 servings and 630 calories of freeze dried fruit. They are ready to eat as a snack and have an actual shelf life of up to 30 years. These strawberries are packed with vitamin C and can be eaten or reconstituted with a little water.

Reconstituting this survival food allows you to add them to different recipes like strawberry shortcakes or milkshakes.

Not a fan of strawberries? Augason Farms also offers other freeze dried fruit options, including whole raspberries, whole blueberries, and pineapple chunks that you can snack on or add to everyday meals.

Augason Farms Dehydrated and Freeze Dried Fruit Variety Pail

This Augason Farms dehydrated and freeze dried fruit variety pail has a great taste and makes the perfect addition to your long term food storage and emergency essentials. It includes strawberries, apples, bananas, raspberries, and blueberries. Each of the fruits is individually packaged in airtight pouches. The shelf life ranges from 10 to 30 years, based on the food type.

Augason Farms Freeze Dried White Meat Chicken

This canister consists of 100% real precooked chicken, ideal for long term food storage. It is certified gluten-free and all-natural and has an unopened shelf life of up to 30 years. It is a convenient way to add protein to your salads, casseroles, tacos, and sandwiches.

The freeze drying process also preserves the meat’s original flavor, color, and texture and does not compromise its nutritional value.

Augason Farms Freeze Dried Sweet Corn

This canister of Augason Farms freeze dried sweet corn contains 23 servings and a total of 1,840 calories. Like the other Augason freeze dried food options, this also has a shelf life of up to 30 years when unopened.

You can eat this sweet corn right from the can or use it as a crunchy topping for other meals, including tacos and salads. It can be used in different recipes like soups, chilis, and casseroles when reconstituted with water.

Pros of Augason Farms Freeze Dried Food

• Augason Farm products are some of the most economical options when it comes to freeze dried food options
• Each package is designed to maximize calories and fill bellies
• Augason Farms freeze dried options make great snacking options

Cons of Augason Farms Freeze Dried Food

• There may not be as much variety as you would like when stocking up on freeze dried products

Augason Farms Customer Service

Overall, Augason Farms rates highly when it comes to the quality of its products and customer service. They have an informative and transparent website with a FAQ page that answers any and all questions the average consumer may have. They don’t offer any kind of loyalty program, but they keep their costs low, so you get better value for your money.

How Do You Store Augason Farms Products?

To ensure that your Augason Farms products last until the date of their actual shelf life, you want to make sure that everything is properly stored and taken care of. Once your pail or bucket is opened, it will last up to one year when stored in a cool, dry, and dark place.

Summary

The Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Food Storage contains a month’s worth of meals for one person to eat three times a day. That’s 37 food pouches to be divided into 307 servings of food, containing 54,670 total calories (or 1,822 calories per day).

The meals included are maple brown sugar oatmeal, instant potatoes, cheesy broccoli rice, creamy potato soup, macaroni and cheese, hearty vegetable chicken soup, creamy chicken rice, banana chips, and Morning Moo’s low-fat milk alternative (that is whey-based).

In addition to the variety of meal buckets Augason Farms offers, there is also a variety of freeze dried and dehydrated food options you can also add to your long-term food storage that are complementary and can be used to supplement the meals you have.

To ensure you get the nutritional value intended from your Augason foods, two meal plans are included with the storage: one for 30 days and another for 45 days should you need to extend your supply.

It is important to keep in mind, though, that you would need a heat source, a pot, and 18 gallons of water to cook the meals included in the bin.

Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Food Storage vs. The Essential Meal Assortment Food Bucket

Essential Meal Assortment Food Bucket

A similar product we have seen is the Essential Meal Assortment Food Bucket by the company Mountain House. Like Augason Farms’ product, this also comes in a plastic container with meal packets individually packed inside.

Unlike the previous product, though, this bin only contains 22 total servings or 12 total meals,  enough to feed a single person for three to four days. That’s a huge difference.

The shelf life is extended, though, with a 30-year taste guarantee by the manufacturer. Another thing we like about this product is that you won’t need to cook the meals anymore.

All you need to do is add hot water to its meal packets, and you’re all set. To prepare all the meals in this bucket, you will need 17 cups of water.

This bucket contains certified gluten-free meals, including beef stew, breakfast skillet, scrambled eggs with bacon, and rice and chicken.

If you’re going on a camping trip and you only expect to be there for a few days, then this is definitely what we’d recommend for you. However, if you’re purchasing a food storage bin for long-term prepping, Augason Farms’ product would be the better choice.

The Verdict

In the end, as we just mentioned, it will depend on your needs. If you’re going on a trip that would take less than a month, then the Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Food Storage is not for you. That is unless you will be sharing its contents with other people.

With that being said, if you’re getting food storage bins for your prepper pantry, then we definitely recommend getting the Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Food Storage. Its shelf-life extends to up to two decades, and it also comes with really delicious meals!