Review: Wise Company Prepared Meals

So about two weeks ago, I took up a offer from Wise Food Company, which is a partner with National Geographic's Doomsday Preppers. I mentioned this program in my last blog "Your Bug Out Bag and You!" in reference to light backpacking food. In short I did not go into very much specifics about food for BOB's but I touched on it just to give a minor idea about what would need to be in your bag. I used the term MRE (meals ready to eat) and I didn't really go into any other area for back packing food. This should explain a little bit more about what foods may work in your own BOB.

Wise Food Company is a business that is selling long term storage foods. And by long term I mean 25 year storage foods. They sell fairly affordable packs for single adults, all the way up to 1 year supplies for a small family. They use the show Doomsday Preppers as a means to get the word out and to advertise by saying "You can try a free sample by mail." Needless to say, I was interested in seeing what they offered, and looked at this as an opportunity to try it and give a review of what I thought about it.

I immediately put in a request for my free sample and about a weeks time I had my package. It was sent in a USPS box mailer. It came much faster than I thought. As expected, it came with a few paper materials about the company and a Doomsday Prepper advert as well.

"Nice packaging, and fast delivery from Wise Co."

My initial first impressions were good. The bag the food came in was durable, looked like it was perfectly sealed, and there was no any light leaking through the material as far as I could tell with my naked eye. I read the info, and it was crazy to think that it could last 25 years. I also read the instructions and easily enough, (and to my liking) all was needed was water to make it. As you can see in the picture, I got Pasta Alfredo.

It took me a few days to want to eat it. I had been making food for 3 the last few weeks and I enjoy my time cooking. So when I found a night when I didn't want to really get all Mario Batali in the kitchen I decided to make it. The instructions were easy enough. Find a pot, put 4 cups of water in it, boil the water, dump package in. Then the most difficult part was this. Wait 10 - 15 minutes with the heat turned off stirring occasionally. This is the serious easy button food. It basically made itself. And I like that.

At first I was like, "Well it kind of looks like some other stuff I cook in a package..." and it was nearly identical. The only difference was an o2 oxygen absorber and thicker packaging. It had generous portions, stating on the bag that it was enough to serve 4. Since no one else really wanted to eat this per say, I knew I would be the only person to eat it. And I figured it would be proper for a review. As you can see in the picture above, it looks really watery. I wondered what ingredients in had in it to thicken it up. I was really close to throwing flour in it to do the work, but alas I waited the full time of 15 minutes before I tried any Iron Chef techniques.

After the longest 15 minutes of my life, waiting, and anticipating a rather nasty looking "pasta" from Wise Co. This is what it looked like.

It smelled and looked like actual food. And the best part was it required little or no thinking. One pot, one other ingredient, and 15 minutes later... boom I had food. It was like something from biblical times, like the first time Jesus went to a party and made bread, fish, and wine appear out of nowhere. My god, have I become a magician or a religious icon? Where will I build my first place of worship? Can we all wear black? Will my group get a tax exempt status? I had some serious questions to answer, but first I had to eat it.

I admit, I didn't really think it was going to be that good. I didn't have to share, so I had made a small bowl first thinking it was going to be no bueno. It was exactly what it stated it was. Pasta motherfucking Alfredo. It was delicious. It was thick and creamy, the noodles were totally cooked al dente. This was an easy solution to a lazy problem for me at home. But it could be worth much more than that in a crisis situation. The portions were big. I had eaten about half a pack so which broke down into two servings and I was full. I saved the other half and ate it the next day for lunch.

So after everything, Wise Co. nailed this. With it being free and letting me try it I would say if I had the money on hand, I would very possibly buy their products. Just for the FYI, I am not being paid by Wise Co. for this very unorthodox style of reviewing. I am reviewing it for other people to read and figure out if they would want to purchase it or even try a sample maybe.

It isn't like this brand is the only solution, but I will state this upfront. The shit isn't cheap. You can try other brands that make this same type of food with similar packaging, only needing water to make it. Brands like Mountain House is a very capable replacement to this Wise Co. variant. The good thing about brands like Mountain House is that they are available at places like Walmart. They are priced anywhere between $5 - $7 dollars if I remember correctly, per pack. And they offer a 10 year life on the products.

The pricing for Wise Co. brand is steep for your average bear. Lets face it. Were all going broke, working harder for less money, and not much is going to change in the future. The only con to Wise Co. that I can actually see is the price point. For the smallest Grab-and-go kit with 56 entrees, which will last a month for one adult (2 meals a day) is about $2.50 per pack. Yes, its cheaper if you buy more after you figure in shipping this is about how much it cost. Its cheaper than Mountain House that is for sure, but could you do it cheaper? Of course you can.

I think these are all viable options for a typical person if the money is allowed to do it, but I currently pack and store food for short time spans. Were talking 1 - 2 years at most. And cycling the food in and out is easy. I do not have a need, nor that much of a want for 25 year shelf life food. It just isn't necessary for me. Hell, even the 10 year Mountain House foods are not necessary in my setting. For the same caloric content, and very similar (less durable) packaging, I get packs of noodles much like the one I reviewed for .89 - .99 cents. That's right. For less than a buck, I can get a very similar product with just less life span.


And just recently, I found a you tuber that I wish I lived near. We both share a frugal approach to survival food, and storage. He is further proving you do not have to spend a lot of money to be prepared. The price is a strong point to remember, especially if you are trying to make sure you and all your family and friends are ready in a crisis or a time of need. 

This video he explains how to make the short term foods (1-2 years) last longer. Its very relevant to this subject and for the fiscally keen prepper. This guy really knows what is going on. And I will be following him for a long time, and will probably watch nearly all of his videos. 

If you are well prepared with food like this, in any given crisis you have enough food to sustain until you can get help, or get back home. And all of these options listed above would work for most. Its important to think about it from this perspective. Flood victims had a much better chance being rescued if they had food on hand that they could eat and prepare in the time of need. Your chances for survival and rescue go up dramatically if you are capable and able to sustain for 72 hours. This isn't just about the doomsday scenario people attribute to prepping. It might take days to get help from our servicemen and women and other agencies if a disaster is big enough. Planning for long term is important, but planning for immediate is the same.

Getting started is the hardest part. What I suggest is watching ZombieTactics videos, especially the start of this series I posted and getting in tune with what you can do now, and plan for later. Prepare for immediate use, then go long term as you continue. His series "Food Prep for the Lazy, Late, & Cheap" is chock full of useful information that can save you days worth of studying. His shortcut methods are very similar, damn near identical to my approach. So without me having to show my mug, and give out any info about my identity, I find it easier to link him and support his efforts in making smarter, new preppers for the next generations to come.

As usual. I will post links for more info in the citations section. I was not paid, nor endorsed by any of the companies I mentioned.These are strictly my own opinions, and thoughts. My sharing of them are to help aid in the cause to help others learn about preparing on a budget.

Works Cited

http://wisefoodstorage.com/

http://www.mountainhouse.com/

ZombieTactics youtube page
http://www.youtube.com/user/ZombieTactics?feature=watch

Your Bug Out Bag and YOU!

The show "Doomsday Preppers" has done wonders in doing two things successfully. The first and most prominent thing is opening up the world of preparing to people who never would have had access to the idea otherwise. The unfortunate opposite end of this stick is making people who prep look like paranoid, tin-foil hat wearing, conspiracy theorists.

Is it really that strange that there are people who like to be prepared? Have some people shown on the National Geographic show made it seem like folks are just losing their minds in general? Is it necessary to go the extent these people explained and brought to light? What is going too far survival wise?

The short answer to all these questions is no. However, I do think the Doomsday Preppers program is making the individuals out to be loonies and such with editing and cutting major bits of video. And of course, the extent you are willing to go is up to the individual. And also the digits their bank account possesses helps dictate how far one is fiscally capable to go.

Years ago, I started to make my Bug Out Bag or (BOB) as its aptly called in forums and other web areas. A BOB is a bag that you can take with you at any moments notice and survive for days at a time. This was long before the show Doomsday Preppers was even conceived. What had sparked my interest in building my own was fairly simple. Zombies. Yes, that is right. My love for everything zombie actually aided me in the start to building my own. My need/want to be self sufficient, and self reliant was a major drive to fuel the endeavor. What I knew was this.

• In the scenario came when I actually needed this stuff I was accumulating, Id be happy I did.
• If a scenario never came to be for the intended use, I still got camping gear etc.
• Natural disasters have happened in recent years past, and people were helplessly unprepared.

What started out as light research, turned into something different. The research I was doing was extensive to say the least. And in the true fashion that is TSB, it went full blown compulsive at some point near the start. The way I looked at this BOB gear was, "It certainly could not hurt." And in a very white and black way, I was never really prepared before this. It was not really a worry before this point.

Should I have a bug out bag?

Yes. I think everyone should have a contingency plan for given scenarios, and have a single bag ready to go in the case of any emergency.

"Everyone needs a plan B in their life. Sometimes, I even like plan C, D, E, F, or G."

Where do you start if you are interested in BOB gear and the items you should include?

As I said before, the love for fictional horror-based movies that usually had zombies was the start. Deep within that statement there is more. I hated the idea of not being able to leave ASAP if needed and being confident I had everything to leave for 72 hours in most scenarios. The drive to learn was leading me to the eventual forum areas. Which ones do not matter specifically, but many tactical forums and zombie related forums have much more information than I can give right here. I separated from the forums I was originally part of shortly after, as I felt the direction and demeanor of the moderators, and site advocates were not on the same page as my own. They were highly unrealistic to what real world scenarios one might encounter, and what measures one should take to diffuse/resolve them. Although, the differences in ethics shouldn't deter anyone from learning the necessary information.  My separation was quiet, I left because I was a paying member of the group. I refused to pay people who avidly opposed talking about the darker areas of survival, yet preach living under the guise of a "zombie apocalypse".

What types of things should I put in my BOB?

To loosely understand how and what yo put in your bug out bag, you should divide your bag into these categories. I have found this works the best for me, and many other people have too.

• Water
• Fire
• Shelter
• Food
• Medical
• Signal
• Miscellaneous

Each of these categories are very important. And you should remember if you were planning on having a 72 hour (3 day) bag to pack smart because you are hauling it around for long periods of time. Weight will come into play very quickly to an inexperienced new hiker.

"This is an example of an exploded BOB for comparison. Its a pretty good general idea of what would be found in any given BOB, with the exception of a few important tools."

1. Water - purification tablets and collapsible canteens are pretty much a must.  You can get kits that allow water purification for under $100. Otherwise, you can decide to carry all the water you would need for 3 days from the start. Camelbak's are a great way to haul and drink. 100oz packs are easy to come by, and they are usually reasonably priced. 
2. Fire - Well derp. You cant cook, or keep warm without it in most cases. Lighters, waterproof matches, and magnesium bars will usually get the job done. Candles may also come in handy for starting and keeping light as the wax is a good fire starter. Or if you are Bear Grylls, you can rub your penis on a piece of wood and fire appears.
3. Shelter - The most important things regarding shelter can be learned with learning some bush craft skills. The lessons are invaluable in a survival situation. You could carry a tent, but its heavy and bulky. Or carry some para cord, and a tarp for example to make a simple shelter. Or a hammock would work good in some cases. Yes, companies do make single person, light bivvy alternatives. They get a bit expensive. Anything light or backpacking gear seems to have been picked up and price raped by REI. If money isnt the issue, why are you reading this still?
4. Food - High energy bars, granola, soup packets, or MRE's (meals ready to eat) will suffice. Or if you got the cash, you can buy food prepacked in camping outlets. Some other items are a mess kit, fishing supplies, knife, aluminum foil, and freezer bags will be useful if you plan on obtaining food while out. Should I mention guns yet?
5. Medical - Lip balm, butterfly sutures, surgical knife, broad spectrum antibiotics,  gauze, soap, bandages, topical ointments, anti fungals, aspirin, anti-diarrhea, safety pins, and compression wraps. Any medications taken should be stored here too. Manuals, and first aid booklets would help the average person in most cases.
6.  Signal - Personally, I think every bag should contain 3 items for signalling. A mirror, a loud whistle (of the rape variety), and flashlight. You can also get cheap neon items to use as signalling devices. Laser pointers work too. A US flag is always recommended as.
7. Miscellaneous - Compass, money, knife sharpener, survival manuals, maps, needle and thread, extra glasses/contacts. All of these items are good to have. While I don't consider some of them miscellaneous and more so ultimately necessary, the US ARMY SURVIVAL MANUAL does. 

"This single person bivvy tent is great for backpacking. Lightweight backpacking gear is $$$ if its price that dictates your gear."

This list is a very basic idea of what you would want to have with you in a BOB. Weight is key. Think durable, multipurpose, and lightweight. Imagination can do wonders for a bag like this. This by no means is a finalized version of what every person needs in a bug out bag for every situation. Your bag will change through out the year seasonally to conform with what will be needed clothing wise and equipment wise. Plan for a specific, generalized scenario. It will help with the overall usefulness of your BOB, and make for a more comfortable survival situation.

You can spend obscene amounts of money on something like this. But truth be told your equipment is of no use if you are a busted up, rambling mess in the woods someplace. Knowledge is the golden key to this, and practice using the tools and smarts you acquire will make your chances for surviving go up exponentially. Read manuals, and find forums where the information is free to you. Find ways to try and get others involved doing the same thing. If you care about them, you should care about their survival too. Remember though, the first aid in your backpack is not meant for your friends. Its ultimately meant for yourself. Spread the information to them and hopefully they will share an interest in learning and achieving alpha level survival skills like your bad ass self.

"Sorry, TSB refrains from posting his personal collection. A few items in this picture would work"

Oh, and I almost forgot. Not only can this whole bag be left to the imagination but I kind of forgot one very important thing. Defending yourself! The possibilities are endless. I suggest carrying a firearm (or 8) to help in the possible situation you encounter zombies or food you want dead. A short - medium range rifle, and a pistol will work for most people. This is open to interpretation, and local laws play into this heavily but lets be honest. If the shit hits the fan, you want to have this part covered. Because laws wont mean dick. You will need every necessary means to defend yourself, and to be able to thrive and survive if any SHTF scenario does arise. Firearms make that part a little bit easier. Tools like machetes, hatchets, axes, saws, and shovels are also in this area I think as they are multi use.

"For survival purposes and to keep moral up, I keep a copy of The Road Warrior in my BOB."

Congratulations! You are now a sniveling ball of compulsive, paranoid, doomsday preaching homeless vagrant! I kid.  What you are now is aware of a plan of what might be necessary in a hit the deck situation. I try my best to stay on topic, as this specific area could be written about for days on end. I might even consider doing follow ups about this exact subject. What I figure I can offer is a very easy to understand and follow guideline to making you more aware of what it might take to be prepared person. Think of it this way. You might want to outlive all your neighbors and sworn enemies just to be able to wear tires as armor, and see a real life gladiator arena. Why not?! Just to be able to say, "back when the (insert awesome apocalyptic event) happened" would be worth it.

Yes, you might tell people that you are making a BOB, and they might look at you like you are crazy. Then again, when you tell people that you are doing it, you should probably glare back with an intense look like you are sizing them up as a meal. With the idea in mind that its really just camping gear, it will put them in a different place with the intentions specially with family members. God forbid it has to be used as such, but its a possibility. Teaching others about being prepared is a duty. If you care about them, you will talk sensibly to them, and talk practicality, and if they have half a brain they should understand and be open to learning.

"They have delicious meals. Alpha children are the future."

Some people make Bug Out Bags (BOB), some make Get Me Home bags (GMH), and some people concentrate on Every Day Carry kits (EDC), all of which are important. I have at least some idea about each one of these and hope to touch eventually on each subject. I will provide links about where to begin, and I will also provide as much pictures (because I know people love pictures) to explain and gain understanding in depth. My hopes is that someone finds this of use. The whole point of writing this as a blog is to gain understanding and interest in the areas I have studied. I'm finding that after a long time of trying to explain individually to people, and open forum its exasperating and fruitless. Being a survivor is about being the ultimate alpha. Its about being prepared, and being conditioned mentally, and physically to endure any situation. With the economic situation changing here in the States, and the dollar becoming worth less than it was yesterday, it may not be that strange to start thinking about this off the grid information. You have to rely on yourself. You cannot rely on your government, or your local authorities to take care of you as we have seen in the past natural disasters and with any degree of alert.

"The Clark Griswald beachside vacation 20XX"

Links of interest for further reading:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_Preppers

http://survivalcache.com/bug-out-bag/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contingency_plan

US ARMY FM21-76 SURVIVAL MANUAL FREE TO READ DOWNLOAD IT!

http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm

ONLINE STORE FOR GEAR

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/

FORUM - BUG OUT BAG THREADS

http://www.survivalistboards.com/tags.php?tag=bug+out+bag