The Food Storage Companies I Recommend & Why

Through the years, I’ve bought “survival” meals from a dozen or so completely different firms, and imagine me, they aren’t all created equal. In a few instances, the meals was so dangerous that even I, a fairly rattling good cook dinner, couldn’t salvage it. The meals storage world has additionally modified lots not too long ago, with one main participant shutting down in 2025, and readers asking me continually: so what do I purchase now? When you’re weighing choices like Augason Farms vs. Mountain Home, or simply making an attempt to determine who’s truly value your cash, preserve studying. I’ll provide the good, the dangerous, and those I’d skip completely.

This text up to date with new and present data and particulars, April 2026.

Sensible Guidelines for Shopping for Meals Storage (No Matter the Firm)

When you’re going to invest money in freeze-dried and dehydrated food, then it’s value taking time to analysis, learn, evaluate, and style first.

Begin small. Each firm sells bigger bulk sizes, and the per-unit worth is tempting. Resist it till you’ve truly tasted the product. Most firms provide smaller cans, pouches, or selection samplers — begin there. I’ve received cans of issues in my very own pantry that I purchased in bulk earlier than making an attempt, and so they’re nonetheless sitting there years later. Study from my errors.

Learn the components. When you or somebody in your loved ones must keep away from excessive sodium, gluten, soy, or widespread allergens, don’t assume something. Learn the label on each product earlier than ordering. Sodium ranges particularly will be surprisingly excessive in freeze-dried meals, which issues lots if you happen to’re managing blood strain or feeding older members of the family long-term.

Suppose selection. Stocking up on 5 instances of the identical hen and rice meal sounds environment friendly till you’re consuming it for the third week in a row. Construct in selection from the beginning with completely different proteins, completely different greens, completely different flavors. Your loved ones’s morale throughout a tense state of affairs will depend on it greater than you would possibly assume.

Purchase each particular person components and meals. Particular person components, like an assortment of fruits, veggies, grains, and proteins provide what that you must make a unending record of recipes. Good for recipes your loved ones already is aware of and loves, and you should use these components to make your own “instant” meals in a jar. Meals that come in pouches the place you solely want so as to add scorching water even have their place for comfort and a speedy meal once you want one.

Search for gross sales and promotions. Many firms provide reductions on bulk purchases, particular packaes, and different gross sales through the 12 months. Join their emails and/or comply with them on social media to get a heads-up.

Price per serving counts. Don’t give attention to the whole price ticket. Evaluate worth per serving in addition to energy per serving to get a greater thought of the actual worth.

The Meals Storage Firms I Suggest Proper Now

No beating across the bush. Listed here are the businesses value your money and time. None of them are good, and I’ll let you know precisely the place each shines and the place it falls brief. The one rule that applies to all of them: style take a look at earlier than you top off. Purchase small, strive it, then commit.

The 3 food storage companies used most often by #Survival Mom. #FoodStorage #Prepping #EmergencyPreparedness Share on X

As we focus on these firms, I’ll let you understand how they stack up in opposition to one another in meals high quality and in addition:

• Most useful web site and assets
• An auto-ship choice (very useful if you wish to purchase somewhat at a time frequently)
• Constantly top quality
• Number of merchandise.

Since Mountain Home and Augason Farms are the 2 best-known firms, let’s first see how they stack up in opposition to one another.

Auguson Farms vs. Mountain Home

Which is the best food storage company? Share on X

Mountain Home

Mountain Home has been round because the late Nineteen Sixties and has earned its fame. Their freeze-dried entrees are extensively accessible — you’ll discover them at REI, Walmart, and Amazon — and their high quality is usually constant. We’ve tried a number of of their meals, and most are genuinely good. That mentioned, not each taste is a winner. Their beef stew, for instance, was barely edible in my kitchen.

The larger limitation is their format. Mountain Home is constructed round just-add-water pouches and cans, which is nice for emergencies and tenting however provides you much less flexibility for on a regular basis cooking. In order for you particular person components to construct meals from scratch, this isn’t actually their factor.

Greatest for: Emergency grab-and-go, tenting, short-term provide.

Backside line: Dependable, however all the time style take a look at first.

Augason Farms

Augason Farms is without doubt one of the most accessible meals storage manufacturers on the market. You’ll find their merchandise on Amazon, at Walmart, and generally at Sam’s Membership. The costs are typically decrease than different manufacturers, which is interesting once you’re stocking up on a finances.

Right here’s my trustworthy take although: the standard is unpredictable. Some merchandise are completely superb. Others are a tough go. We purchased their peanut flour and couldn’t eat it.

Their soup mixes have left me unimpressed greater than as soon as, and I’m near-genius degree in relation to tweaking any meals to make it superb. When Augason Farms is sweet, it’s good, however you received’t know till you strive it, which brings me again to that golden rule: style take a look at first.

A product I’ve heard excellent issues about is the gluten-free Black Bean Burger Mix. One in all our Survival Mother writers discovered it at her native Walmart and says it’s a really versatile combine.

Whereas it may be shaped into patties for burgers, it can be used as a taco or burrito filling or a crumble for a taco salad or nachos. She does like so as to add extra seasonings to it and says that those that like spicy meals will most likely discover it bland with out the addition of some warmth. It makes base for quite a lot of meals and could be addition to my Macho Mexican Rice.

Greatest for: Funds-conscious preppers, bulk staples, merchandise you’ve already sampled and appreciated.

Backside line: Combined bag. Purchase small before you purchase huge.

Different Meals Storage Firms That Deserve A Point out

Honeyville

Honeyville has been round since 1951 and might be finest identified for his or her baking mixes and bulk grains. Their flat price transport continues to be $8.99 to your total order wherever within the contiguous U.S., which sounds nice, however consider that supply can take 4–12 days relying on the place you reside. When you’re an Amazon Prime member, it’s value checking Amazon first, since Honeyville merchandise can be found there and should ship sooner at no cost.

Their retail shops are lengthy gone, so on-line is your solely choice now. The $8.99 flat price does make it simpler to top off on heavier gadgets like 50-pound luggage of grain with out transport sticker shock, and that’s the place Honeyville has a real benefit. Their baking mixes for issues like cornbread and brownies are strong, and their grain choice is sweet if that’s what you’re after.

The place I’d pump the brakes: their focus appears to be drifting extra towards bulk components and personal label manufacturing than towards the on a regular basis prepper. When you’re on the lookout for all kinds of freeze-dried fruits, greens, and meats, this isn’t actually their power anymore.

They do promote freeze-dried meats underneath their Ranchers Reduce line — beef dices, floor beef, hen, turkey, and sausage crumbles. One vital heads-up although: when you open a can, the meat must be refrigerated and used inside a month, or inside only one week if left unrefrigerated. That’s a a lot shorter window than most different manufacturers, so issue that into your planning earlier than stocking up.

Greatest for: Bulk grains, baking mixes, heavier staples the place flat price transport saves you cash.

Backside line: Helpful for particular purchases, not a one-stop store, and assume twice earlier than stocking up on their meats.

Wet Day Meals

Rainy Day Foods continues to be going sturdy. They’ve been within the meals storage enterprise for over 30 years and now carry greater than 250 merchandise, together with freeze-dried and dehydrated meals, grains, and emergency provides. They’re a small, privately owned operation out of Montpelier, Idaho, and once you name them, an precise individual solutions the cellphone. That counts for one thing.

The web site can nonetheless really feel somewhat overwhelming for newcomers. When you don’t already know what adzuki beans or 7-grain combine are, you would possibly end up down a rabbit gap quick. Greatest to go in with a buying record reasonably than simply looking. Nonetheless, they’ve month-to-month specials, and you’ll obtain their worth record — useful for comparability buying with the same firm, like Azure Customary.

Most merchandise are available in #10 cans or buckets, which is a draw back if you wish to pattern earlier than committing. That mentioned, their pricing tends to be aggressive, and so they’re value checking for bulk grains and staples. Delivery varies relying on order measurement and placement. They use UPS, FedEx, USPS, and freight relying on what you order, so verify transport prices rigorously earlier than finalizing a big buy.

Once I first bought from Wet Day Meals, it was with a neighborhood group, and all of us shared the transport price.

Rainy Day carries Ova Easy eggs, a extremely rated egg combination (accommodates solely eggs), at a a lot lower cost than Amazon, however not a lot freeze-dried meat.

Greatest for: Skilled preppers who know what they need, bulk grains and staples.

Backside line: Good high quality and choice, however not probably the most beginner-friendly expertise.

Azure Customary

Azure Standard carries an enormous number of merchandise, and also you’ll have enjoyable looking by way of their web site. When you’re on the lookout for natural, these are your individuals!

For the needs of this text and firm comparability, Azure Customary is a superb selection for bulk meals. Not solely do they promote many licensed natural merchandise, however most are available in a number of sizes. That is good if you wish to check out a selected meals earlier than shopping for it in bulk.

I did a fast worth verify on white navy beans: Wet Day Meals at the moment lists a 25 lb. bag at round $54. Azure Customary’s pricing fluctuates, so verify their website for the present comparability, however in my expertise they’ve persistently are available in decrease on bulk staples like this.

Legacy Meals

Legacy Foods has been round for some time and has constructed a strong fame, notably for worth. They place themselves because the lowest price per pound within the emergency meals market, and their very own comparability chart backs that up fairly convincingly in opposition to opponents like Smart Firm and ReadyWise. (I don’t advocate both of these, by the way in which.)

Right here’s what stands out about them: their serving sizes are bigger than most opponents, they declare a median of practically 400 energy per serving. That is properly above the trade norm. They’re non-GMO, provide gluten-free choices, use each nitrogen-flushed mylar pouches and oxygen absorbers, and ship free to the 48 contiguous states inside 2–5 enterprise days. That’s sooner than most of their opponents.

Their product line has additionally expanded past just-add-water meals. They now promote bulk particular person components — freeze-dried meats, fruits, greens, and dairy — which provides them extra flexibility than they used to have. That’s a notable enchancment from just a few years in the past after they had been primarily a packaged meal firm.

The one factor I’d nonetheless say: their power is within the full meal packages, not scratch cooking components. If constructing a pantry of particular person freeze-dried parts is your aim, firms like Augason Farms or Mountain Home might provide you with extra selection in that class. However if you’d like a strong grab-and-go provide at a aggressive worth level, Legacy is value a critical look.

Greatest for: Funds-conscious preppers who need full meal packages, households constructing a grab-and-go provide.

Backside line: Sturdy worth, bigger servings, and sooner transport than most. Order a pattern pack earlier than committing to a big buy.

Thrivalist

With the lack of Thrive Life in 2025, a lot of firms have tried to step in and take their place. Thrivalist seems to be one of the more promising.

They provide month-to-month bundle specials, and also you’ll see all kinds of fruits and veggies in addition to dairy and meats. I like that they’ve #10 cans of parboiled rice (a favourite of mine for meals storage and on a regular basis cooking) and cornmeal.

Greatest for: Former Thrive Life prospects on the lookout for one thing related with meals decisions and free transport over $99, a rising recipe database, purchase direct from the corporate or by way of a marketing consultant. Just a few meals are available in smaller Pantry can measurement.

Backside line: Essentially the most promising Thrive Life different in the marketplace proper now, with good early critiques and the same philosophy of particular person components over pre-made meals. That mentioned, they’re nonetheless comparatively new and rising. Supply instances can run 7–20 enterprise days throughout busy durations. Order their pattern pack first and see how the standard holds up earlier than committing to a bigger buy.

Keep away from Making an Costly Mistake

Earlier than making a big buy of this meals, even if you happen to’re in an enormous panic and assume that point is operating out, please don’t purchase something you aren’t conversant in and should not truly use. Listed here are my 15 Food Storage Commandments that can assist you lay basis.

Mistake #1: Shopping for unfamiliar meals

I’ve 4 or 5 cans of fava beans. To my information, I’ve by no means eaten a fava bean however learn someplace they need to be in my meals storage! You don’t wish to retailer meals gadgets you don’t know if you happen to like as a result of it takes up area you possibly can use for different provides and meals you’ll truly eat!

Mistake #2: Shopping for an excessive amount of wheat

One other mistake I’ve made is to purchase way more wheat and fewer rice. Rice is in many ways more versatile. It’s additionally advantageous for households coping with gluten points. On the upside, I’ve a great deal of wheat to barter with, and now I’ve began to search for 50-pound luggage of rice that I can repackage.

TIP: When you purchase meals in giant portions, you’ll most likely need to repackage it for the longest shelf life.

Mistake #3: Shopping for the massive #10 cans of meals

One other mistake I made early on was shopping for all my meals in gallon-size #10 cans. As soon as opened, the food inside will be affected by humidity, oxygen, and light, and its taste and coloration will deteriorate. I wised up after some time and now purchase largely the smaller, #2.5 cans. This tutorial will enable you resolve which can size is best for you and your family.

Whichever firms you select, begin by shopping for small portions. This can be a very, excellent option to verify the standard, style, and flexibility of a meals. Many meals from Azure Customary are available in three or 4 completely different sizes. Honeyville and Wet Day have a tendency to make use of #10 cans and buckets, and Thrivalist gives a small collection of Pantry Cans, which holds about one-fourth the quantity as a #10 can.

Because the outdated adage states: There’s a primary time for every little thing. And fortunate you! If that is your first time inserting an order, you’ll be able to profit from what I realized my first time. Head on over and skim my tips for placing your first survival food order.

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Last Ideas

One factor I wish to be clear about: this meals isn’t only for emergencies. I take advantage of freeze-dried components in my kitchen frequently, like berries in baked oatmeal, corn in chowder, freeze-dried cheese after I’ve run out of the contemporary stuff. One of the best meals storage is the sort you’re truly rotating and utilizing, not the sort sitting in a closet for 25 years untouched.

The meals storage panorama appears completely different than it did even a 12 months in the past. Thrive Life is gone, new firms are stepping up, and the choices can really feel overwhelming. However the fundamentals haven’t modified: purchase what your loved ones will truly eat, begin small earlier than you decide to bulk, and style take a look at every little thing earlier than stocking up.

No single firm on this record is ideal for each household. Your finances, your dietary wants, your cooking type, and the way you propose to make use of the meals all matter. Use this text as a place to begin, not a last reply. Order samples, strive the meals in an actual meal, after which resolve.

And once you discover one thing your loved ones loves, top off.

Let me know what merchandise you want to make use of and the way you employ them!