# Food links.



## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Could you guys post your favorite links to bulk instant foods? I'm looking into the food that comes in the buckets. Anyone have a site or brand they like?


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

Have you considered dehydrating your own? 

It is sooo much cheaper than buying.


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## kappydell (Nov 27, 2011)

Linc is right, Pip; and the shipping costs will double the purchase price easy. I just buy meal componenets out of the store and make my own, then mylar those in buckets. For example, a dinner bucket could contain a variety meals, such as dehydrated chili (homemade) with a side of rice (home dehydrated so it cooks up fast like Minute rice if you like) a couple of those tubes of sugar-free soft drink mix (to flavor up water if desired - only the orange has any vit C in it), and some deli packs of salt & pepper. Bag up, combine in a quart zip lock and toss it in the mylar bag. How about dehydrated cooked ground turkey, with some store bought country gravy mix, and ramen noodles for a casserole, along with some dehydrated peas & carrots (home dried from frozen) and a pkg of instant pudding with a sealed baggie of the dry milk in the proper amount so you can make in on scene. There goes meal #2. Tuna in those mylar envelopes mixes well with cheesy broccoli rice of the generic store bought mix kind for a good fish dinner. I assume you get the drift. I have tried Mountain House and similar 'meals' and they all were not as tasty as home made ones. Nor could they be adapted to family likes and dislikes, or medical conditions, etc. Add to that the shipping costs, and well, they were just unacceptable.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

*Wish I could*

In the instant food department, some of my favorites include hummus, falafel, and dal. These are all Asian food dishes, with hummus and falafel being found in most mideastern restaurants. With these instant versions, I just add water, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

I have found the dehydrated versions in the bulk section at a couple local grocer stores, and have not been able to find them to buy a 25 pound bag. I know if I ask at one of my local stores, I will be able to have them order a bag for me for a 10% price discount.

To some people, these foods will be very unusual. I like a variety of spices. These are foods that can be a part of a meal that requires no meat.

Hummus, is made with ground chickpeas, aka garbanzo beans, and is mixed with tahini (sesame seed butter) and garlic. Hummus is much more common now than when I first began eating it 35 years ago.

Falafel is ground and seasoned chickpeas, rolled about the size of a golf ball, fried and eaten in a pita bread with vegetables and a sauce made with yogurt, hummus, lemon and garlic.

Dal is made with lentils, seasoned with curry and other spices and served over basmati rice. Dal looks like stew, but in no way is considered a stew or soup by the people who make it and serve it. An Indian flatbread such as naan is a wonderful addition. I only recently found this in dehydrated form. Just add hot water, and in about 5 minutes, dinner is ready.

All of these would help round out food storage and offer some meatless varieties for meals.

I believe there are trace nutrients in some of these spices.


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## Emerald (Jun 14, 2010)

weedygarden said:


> In the instant food department, some of my favorites include hummus, falafel, and dal. These are all Asian food dishes, with hummus and falafel being found in most mideastern restaurants. With these instant versions, I just add water, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
> 
> I have found the dehydrated versions in the bulk section at a couple local grocer stores, and have not been able to find them to buy a 25 pound bag. I know if I ask at one of my local stores, I will be able to have them order a bag for me for a 10% price discount.
> 
> ...


I like all kinds of different foods from around the world and while I love hummus and make my own and falafel I am on the fence with Dal.. I love some recipes of it and others I just hate. 
I would love to find bulk amount of the different colored lentils.. like the red and black.. when I make bean soup I add a good couple scoops of the plain old greenish yellow lentils that I can get cheaply in the Mexican aisle they cook down and disintegrate and make a nice creamy texture in my bean soup. 
And don't forget Ghee.. easy to make and it can be canned safely. 
I've even sprouted the lentils and used them in stir fry and they are yummy.


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks all!


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

PipLogan said:


> Thanks all!


There is a WEALTH of information in older threads, so be sure to go back and read some! You will learn so much from the folks here!


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## PipLogan (Apr 25, 2011)

Thanks Linc!


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## Immolatus (Feb 20, 2011)

Honeyvilles sale. They do have some prepared foods, but I havent tried any. On sale now!


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