The Five Item Challenge

[simpleguy]

A "Natural" Rice A Roni

Nature's Way - Parmesan and Romano Cheese

Source - Albertson's
Price 8 for $10.00 on sale
Container Size - 5oz(dry)
Price per serving - $0.50 (2.5 servings/container)
Chief Advantages - Stores well, easy to make just some milk or milk sub, water and oil or fat
Disadvantages - Big on sodium, 750mg/serving, it seems putting "Nature's Way" on a box allows you to reduce the contents by 23% and charge the same........gotta love marketing.  But it does have less sodium than the regular stuff by 20+%

[simpleguy]

Special K K2O Protein Water Mix

Iced Tea Flavor .49 oz

Source - Amazon
Case Price 6 boxes of 7 for $21.92
Container Size - 3.4oz(.49oz./packet)
Price per serving - $0.53
Chief Advantages - Awesome addition to your BOB, Stores well, easy to make just add to a 16-20oz. water bottle.
Disadvantages - You need to shake this up a bit on a reugular basis.

The taste is like thick iced tea, but a great BOB addition with 5% of your daily protein and 20% of your daily fiber intake.

[smittymojoe]

Vigo Saffron Yellow Rice




Source - Dollar General Store

Price - $1.00

Container Size - 10oz. Foil bag

Servings per container - 5

Calories per serving - 190

Price per serving -  $.20

Chief Advantages - Completely seasoned, year or more storage life, handy sized packaging just right for a family meal, priced right.

Disadvantages - 20 to 25 minute cooking time.

Uses - As a side dish or stir in some chicken, pork or seafood and have as a complete meal.

My Opinion - Tasted pretty good, the whole family liked it. I am going to add some more to my storage.

[Heavy G]

(This thread has been selected as a “best of” thread by Heavy G.  You can search for “best of” threads by using that term in the search mode.  Everyone on the forum is encouraged to reply to a post they think is “best of” worthy so we can all search for them.  For more information on the “best of” thing, see http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=3423.0 )

[homeshow]

Source - Costco

Price - 6.99

Container Size - 3 pack of 32 ounce jars = 96 ounces

Servings per container - 7 per container = 21 per package

Calories per serving - 50

Price per serving - 33 cents a serving

Chief Advantages - Taste great, no real prep time, most anyone will eat it especially kids, versatile from pasta, lasagna to an ingredient in soups, stews, etc or just to simmer sausages and peppers.

Disadvantages - They only had the three pack with two "fire roasted tomato" and one "triple mushroom" - some don't like mushrooms so it may be an issue.  Not the cheapest sauce out there but among the best and it doesn't taste "institutional" like Ragu to me so I would rather pay a bit more.  Heavy glass jars that are easy to break, but nothing in a can tastes anywhere like this so far.

Uses - With pasta or as an ingredient in other Italian dishes.  Would be a bad ass sauce for pizza.

My Opinion -We have been using Bertolli but this is our new first choice.  About the best tasting jared sauce I have yet found.  A winner now if they could only make something this good in a can, I just think it is the acidity of tomatoes that ruin a full sauce when canned.

remember to save these jars for canning! 
the atlas canning jars work great in my pressure canner for chili, chicken stock, green beans. 
at $8.69 per case at walmart for quart jars these jars are worth about 70 cents each.  thats $2.10 per 3 pack just for the jars.  that should shave some money off your price per serving if you save and re-use the jars.

[MightyRunt]

Banquet Homestyle Bakes
Cheesy Ham and Hash Browns




Source - Wal-Mart

Price - $3.00

Container Size - 28.2 oz box

Servings per container - about 6

Calories per serving - 280

Price per serving -  $.50

Chief Advantages - Can Be done stovetop in 15 min, a year or more storage life, handy sized packaging just right for a family meal, priced right.

My Opinion - Tasted very good.   Throw in some garden broccoli and magicly a balanced meal.     DH and I both liked it. I am going to add some more of this flavor and the stroganoff version.  Didn't like the Asian fried rice one bit tho.

[MightyRunt]

Zatarain's Ready-to-serve Complete Meal
New Orleans Style
Red Beans & Rice with Sausage



Source - Wal-Mart

Price - $2.50

Container Size - 6.5 oz microwaveable plastic bag

Servings per container - 1

Calories per serving - 350

Price per serving -  $2.50

Chief Advantages - Can be microwaved or heated in  a skillet in 2-3 min.  Could be eaten cold even.   Handy sized packaging just right for a single person meal. Comes in a variety of flavors

Chief Disadvantages - Pricey and only has about a 6 mo shelf life

My Opinion - Discovered that neither of us likes Cajun. Way spicey. The one I have left Ill add to a pot of beans or rice to season the bland. That'll make it a little more cost effective.

[Mr. Bill]

I just discovered this thread and the associated podcast, and it sounds like such a sensible idea I'm going to try it.  (Probably not at the 5 new items a week level -- don't wanna stress out the spouse, who is already too stressed from work -- but she will probably enjoy 2 or 3 new foods a week.)

This one's not a new item for us, but it's one of our favorite storage foods that we actually enjoy eating:

Vermont Country Store Canned Scrapple

What is it? - Basically a paste of very finely ground pork sausage and corn meal mush.  That's a rather unappetizing description of something that's pretty tasty.  You can slice it into patties, fry them up, and serve them drowned in warm maple syrup (our preference) or with ketchup .  Or you can just warm it up and eat it with a spoon.  Or you could probably eat it cold if you had to.  See the above link for ingredients and nutritional info.

Source - Vermont Country Store catalog

Price - $9.95 for 1 can, $8.33 ea for 3 or more cans
(plus shipping, which would be $3.95/1 can or $5.95/3 cans in the US, if that's all you order)

Container Size - 28 oz

Servings per container - 14 according to the label (if you can believe that 2 oz constitutes a serving!).  4 servings in our experience, if you're going to make a full meal of it.  The following calorie and price numbers are based on four 7-oz servings per can.

Calories per serving - 315

Price per serving - $2.58 (based on cost of 3 cans plus shipping)

Chief Advantages - Storage life 3 years according to website (but the cans don't have a manufacture date).  Plenty of protein (about 17g per 7oz serving).  Easy to prepare.  Yummy.

Disadvantages - Expensive.  High in fat, cholesterol, and sodium.  Can't buy locally (unless you're in VT).  Cans often arrive dented.

Uses - Breakfast, lunch, or dinner, as a one-dish meal or in smaller quantities as a side-dish.

My opinion - I wish it were cheaper.  I may try ordering a whole case next time, to reduce the dented-can problem.  But my wife and I both like the taste, the shelf life is long, and for us it's a good treat to include with our storage food.

[Mr. Bill]

Bryan Deviled Ham

Didn't notice this was already on the list, but we just tried a different brand of same.

Underwood Deviled Ham Spread

An olde-tyme canned food that was heavily advertised on TV when I was a kid.  The ads didn't work -- I think this is only the second time I've ever bought it.

What is it? - Finely-chopped ham, spiced up with mustard and what tastes like black pepper.  This is "hot" by the standards of 1960s American cuisine, i.e. not very.  The ham taste is also rather mild.

Source - Fred Meyer (grocery/department store)

Price - $1.73 (probably available cheaper elsewhere)

Container Size - 4.25 oz

Servings per container - 2 (where 1 serving = enough for a modest sandwich)

Calories per serving - 180

Price per serving - $0.87

Chief advantages - Storage life appears to be 4 years from date of manufacture.  (Note that date is printed on bottom of can, and paper label must be pulled back to read it.)  Unobtrusive taste, could be used in various sorts of meals.  (Today we just spread it on a matzo cracker -- another good storage food, by the way.)  8g of protein per serving.  Convenient size for 1 or 2 servings with no leftovers to refrigerate.  The can has a pull-ring for easy opening.  And there's a red devil on it.

Disadvantages - High in fat, cholesterol, and sodium.

Uses - The packaging recommends using it in sandwiches, wraps, salads, dips, tacos and quesadillas.  I don't think I want to imagine a deviled ham taco.  Sandwiches (or something similar) are probably the best use.

My opinion - It's okay.  I could probably eat it once every other month without developing a hatred of it.  So I'll get a dozen cans or so.

[Mr. Bill]

Barilla Tortellini - Cheese & Spinach

What is it? - Little pasta thingies stuffed with cheese and breadcrumbs.

Source - Walmart

Price - $4.88

Container size - 13 oz.

Servings per container - 7 according to label (but we found ¹/₆ of a pkg to be a very light dinner; 4 is probably more realistic).  Data below is based on 7.

Calories per serving - 240

Price per serving - $0.70

Chief advantages - Stores at room temperature.  Storage life for the package I bought was 6 months past the purchase date.  Taste is reasonably good, cheesy and a bit peppery.  Fairly good protein source (8g per serving).

Disadvantages - A bit more saturated fat and cholesterol than I'd like (but it is cheese, after all), and pretty generous on the sodium too.

Uses - Boil it for 11 minutes, drain, and serve with some sort of sauce.  Extra virgin olive oil alone is okay with this, but it's greatly improved by adding another taste (we sprinkled some ham on top).

My opinion - Not bad at all.  Check the expiration date before buying.

[Eric M]

Sorry not quite 5 but I thought I would drop this one in:

McCann's Irish Oatmeal - Steel Cut
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 20
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g 3%
    Saturated Fat  0g 0%
    Monounsaturated Fat  1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat  1g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
    Dietary Fiber  4g 16%
    Sugars  0g
Protein 4g 8%
Calcium 2%
Iron 6%

It is basically just unprocessed oats. 

It is a long cook oatmeal- about a half of an hour.  I recomend it with brown sugar. 
The family liked it.  My 4 year old sun had a problem with the texture.

[Mr. Bill]

McCann's Irish Oatmeal - Steel Cut

Ahhh, that's good stuff.  I wish my innards could still digest it. 


Bush's Grillin' Beans - Smokehouse Tradition

What is it? - ...After the flames died down, they searched for the lone survivalist, but they found only two things.  One, an escape hatch in the floor leading to a long underground tunnel.  And two, a can of Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans simmering on what was left of the stove.  The beans had absorbed a hardwood smoke aroma from the now-ruined cabin, as well as traces of capsicum from the pepper grenades the authorities had fired in through the windows.  "Hey," said one investigator, tasting the beans.  "They oughta sell this stuff."...

Source - local grocery store.

Price - $1.99 (on sale)

Container size - 22 oz

Servings per container - about 5 half-cup servings according to the label (or about 2 meal-sized servings according to my stomach).

Calories per half-cup serving - 160

Price per half-cup serving - $0.40

Chief advantages - Shelf life 14 months from my purchase date (I'm guessing 18 months from manufacture date).  Lots of protein and fiber.  Ready to eat.

Disadvantages - My wife hates sweet baked beans!

Uses - Heat and eat.  Probably would be tolerable cold too.

My opinion - I like Bush's plain baked beans better.  Probably won't buy, since my wife woudn't eat it except in an emergency.

[homeshow]

Sorry not quite 5 but I thought I would drop this one in:

McCann's Irish Oatmeal - Steel Cut
Calories 150 Calories from Fat 20
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 2g 3%
    Saturated Fat  0g 0%
    Monounsaturated Fat  1g
    Polyunsaturated Fat  1g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 0mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
    Dietary Fiber  4g 16%
    Sugars  0g
Protein 4g 8%
Calcium 2%
Iron 6%

It is basically just unprocessed oats. 

It is a long cook oatmeal- about a half of an hour.  I recomend it with brown sugar. 
The family liked it.  My 4 year old sun had a problem with the texture.

love it but now i buy the unprocessed whole oats from a local health food grocery for 1/3 the price and cut them with my coffee grinder.  they store better whole anyhow.

[Mr. Bill]

Hormel Compleats - Sesame Chicken with Oriental Vegetables and Pasta

What is it? - Essentially canned spaghetti with a thick Americanized-Oriental sauce, chicken cubes, and veggies, in a microwaveable container.

Source - Walmart

Price - $1.98

Container size - 10 oz

Servings per container - one

Calories per serving - 320

Price per serving - $1.98

Chief advantages - Stores at room temperature.  Shelf life 16 months from my purchase date (probably 18 mo from manufacture date).  High protein (22g), low fat (8g).  Ready to eat, heats in microwave or pan of boiling water.  Reasonably tasty, and the water chestnuts and baby corn add some texture.

Disadvantages - If you're concerned about eating chemicals absorbed from food stored/heated in plastic, this isn't for you.

Uses - Heat and eat; a lunch-sized meal.

My opinion - It's okay.  Acceptable as emergency food, and I'll probably eat it occasionally when I'm too lazy to cook, so I'll buy a few.

[thefishingangler]

Isopure Whey Isolate 7.5lb tub - various flavours

Can be found a most health food places in the States. GNC has a sale every once in awhile but, even now it's on for $77 at Advantage Supplements http://www.advantagesupplements.com/natbeslowcar.html (I haven't used this site specifically but, I might try). The serving size is supposed to be 2 scoops which gives you 52 servings but, I usually just go with one (104 servings) and add it to some fruit like bananas and strawberries. At the $77 cost this is $1.48 at the suggested 2 scoops or $0.74 with just the one.

What's so great about the product? It has the following:

Each (2 scoop) serving provides: Calories 300 Calories from Fat 0 Total Fat 0 g Saturated Fat 0 g Cholesterol 5 mg Sodium 320 mg Potassium 750 mg Total Carbohydrate 3 g Protein 50 g

It also has quite a bit of vitamins in it.

Nutrition Facts (Creamy Vanilla)
  Amt per Serving % Daily Value
Serving Size: 86g (2 scoops)
Calories 300 
Calories from Fat 0 
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 10mg 3%
Sodium 320mg 15%
Potassium 750mg 20%
Total Carbohydrate 25g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 1g 
Protein 50g 
Vitamin A  50%
Vitamin C  50%
Calcium  60%
Iron  6%
Vitamin E  50%
Vitamin K  50%
Thiamin  50%
Riboflavin  50%
Niacin  50%
Vitamin B6  50%
Folate  50%
Vitamin B12  50%
Biotin  50%
Pantothenic Acid  50%
Phosphorus  50%
Iodine  50%
Magnesium  50%
Zinc  50%
Selenium  50%
Copper  50%
Manganese  50%
Chromium  100%
Molybdenum  50%
Chloride  20%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet

I'm not saying you could survive on the stuff but, you could add water to it and it would sure help things. You can also make a planter out of the bucket.

 

[Mr. Bill]

Raji brand Upma Mix



What is it? - Extra-thick cream of wheat with hot chili and other goodies, imported from India.

Source - An Oriental grocery in Kansas City

Price - $0.99

Container size - 200 g

Servings per container - 4 modest servings (or 2 very filling meals if you're hungry)

Calories per serving - 150

Price per serving - $0.25 

Chief advantages - Stores at room temperature.  Shelf life unknown (Oriental groceries frequently carry goods near or past their expiration date, so check before buying), but packaged in an airtight aluminized plastic pouch, so I'd guess it would keep for years past its official expiration date.  4g protein per serving, thanks to the split black gram (urad beans).  Very fast easy preparation: boil water with some ghee or oil (I used unsalted butter), add the mix, and stir for a few minutes until it absorbs all the water.  One small box turns into quite a lot of food.

Disadvantages - Pretty spicy, if that bothers you.

Uses - Quick meal or side-dish, lotsa carbs with a modest amount of vegetarian protein.

My opinion - This is serious stick-to-your-ribs food.  I will get a few more boxes if I can find it.

One thing I like about foreign foods: they make you think about different ways to prepare common ingredients.  I mean, who would have thought of making cream of wheat into a spicy dish?  This sort of thinking could come in useful post-SHTF when everyone in the BOL is bored stiff with the stored staples.

[Mr. Bill]

Raji brand Upma Mix

Additional benefits - Cures constipation. 

[Ann]

Tasty Bite Madras Lentils

What is it? - Tomatoes, Lentils, Red Beans, Onions, Cream, Salt, Butter
I don't know really how to describe this, but I SWEAR it smells and tastes like Wolf Brand Chili, but it IS vegetarian.  I do both.

Source - Costco

Price - $7.99 (I think)

Container size - 4 10 oz packages

Servings per container - 2

Calories per serving - 120

Price per serving - $.50 (?)

Chief advantages - Stores at room temperature.  2 Servings per pouch.  Shelf life approx 14 months from my purchase date.  Low fat (5g).  Ready to eat, heats in microwave.  "I" really like this stuff, but I really love Wolf Brand Chili.

Disadvantages - Salty, pretty spicy.  You have to put it in something else to be able to heat it.  If you have acid reflux, this is NOT for you.

Uses - Heat and eat; a lunch-sized meal....AWESOME with brown rice (tames the spice a bit)

[Ann]

...and yes, it will most like cure constipation as well...

[ebonearth]

Tasty Bite Madras Lentils
What is it? - Tomatoes, Lentils, Red Beans, Onions, Cream, Salt, Butter

Reminds me a bit of Pav Bhaji, that stuff keeps well and tastes divine!

[Going Galt]

I just found out about this while going through old podcasts.  I'll add a few, starting with this one.

Item: Market Basket Pear Halves in Heavy Syrup

Source: Market Basket (a local grocery store chain here that used to be called Demoula's).  They're probably all the same anyway.

Price:  $1.50

Container size:  29 oz

Servings: 6 (1/2 cup)

Calories: 90

Price per serving:  $0.25

Chief advantages: Very quick and simple desert or snack, requires nothing else to make it good.  Tastes better than fresh pears.  Children will love it too.

Disadvantages: Fairly hefty dose of sugar.

Uses:  Desert or snack.

I'll be getting a few more of these to keep around and eat once in a while.  I'll have to see if I can find these cheaper at BJ's (although they'll probably be in #10 cans that I then have to cover up, refrigerate and finish off before they go bad once opened).

[Going Galt]

Item: Valley Fresh White Chicken in Water (contains white chicken, water, sea salt)

http://valleyfresh.com/Products/Default.aspx

Source: Market Basket

Price:  $2.50

Container size:  12.5 oz

Servings: 4.5 (2 oz).  Realistically, it'll make 3 sandwiches.

Calories: 70

Price per serving:  $0.55 (or $0.83 if going by my 3 sandwich guideline)

Chief advantages: Canned chicken is always terrific, one of the best things to have canned.  This brand is the first all natural canned chicken (or turkey) that I have found; they usually add hydrolyzed soy protein, modified food starch and other odd stuff that I don't understand.  This one is all natural and still tastes good.  The cans I got expire 3 years from now.  No danger of these going to waste if you store a lot of them -- someone will eat them!

Disadvantages: I'm pretty sure this contains less actual chicken than other brands that sell 12.5 oz cans of chicken.  With other brands, I can make 4 sandwiches, not 3.  (I should try a side by side comparison using my digital scale to be sure.)

Uses:  Sandwiches.  Mac & Cheese + a can of chicken (instead of the usual tuna).  Salads.

I'm a fan of canned chicken and turkey, and have been eating it frequently for the last couple of years.  I normally have a couple dozen cans on hand.  This is my first time trying this all natural brand that I didn't know existed before.  This tastes very good, about the same as the other brands.  My only disappointment is the lower chicken amount in this.  The going price for 12.5 oz cans of any brand are about $2.50, so this one isn't quite as cost effective given the chicken content difference.

[Mr. Bill]

Stokes Green Chile Sauce with Pork



What is it? - Very mild green chile gravy with many small bits of lean pork.  I call it "gravy" to emphasize the texture: this is a thick sauce intended to be served hot, not a salsa.

Source - Walmart

Price - Don't remember, but it was prettty cheap -- just over $2, I think.

Container size - 15 oz

Servings per container - "about 3.5" half-cup servings

Calories per serving - 120

Price per serving - about $0.60

Chief advantages - A surprising amount of meat (7 g protein per half-cup serving), and a pleasant savory flavor.

Disadvantages - A tad salty if you're on a low-sodium diet.  Don't expect this to taste Mexican.

Uses - As a topping for other foods (e.g. enchiladas), or alone with a starchy accompaniment.  This evening we just mixed it with a can of white hominy and ate it -- not the greatest meal ever, but okay.

My opinion - I'll keep a few cans in the cupboard.  There are several other varieties available on the manufacturer's website, but this is the only one I've found locally.

[Mountain Ron]

What is it? - Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)

Source - Costco

Price - $12.

Container size - 4 lb bag

Servings per container - 40 1/4 cup servings

Calories per serving - 170

Price per serving - about $0.30

Chief advantages - A great source of protein and carbs-very easy to prepare and it stores very well.

Disadvantages - it has its own unique taste-if you like rice and other grains you'll like quinoa

Uses - as a main dish and a carrier for beans and veggies as well as meat like fish and chicken. great by itself ,too.

Heres a rundown per serving:

total carbs 10%
dietary fiber 3grams
protein 6grams

RDA:
Calcium 2%
Iron 12%

[AcesHigh]

This seems a valuable thread, and I'm going through the old podcasts, so when I heard about this thread, I had to jump on.  I'm paying on an extra mortgage while I wait for a house to sell, so you'll get 1 or maybe 2 posts a week from me until I get distracted.

Source - Kroger's

Price - I bought these awhile back, and just used them. I believe I paid 1.49

Container Size - 16 ounces dry

Servings per container - 13

Calories per serving - 110

Price per serving - 11.5 cents, assuming I remembered the price.

Chief Advantages - Easily stores a full year or more, good source of protein and nutrition, good balance of protein, fat and carbs, no prep needed.  No additives or other nasty stuff in them, low price per serving. If you can find tahini, or are willing to grind toasted sesame seeds, you can make hummus.

Disadvantages - Like all dry beans, they need soaked, and require a lot of water to prepare.  They are also bland, so you'll need to add flavors in some way.

Uses - Add to salads, make a salad from it, or make hummus.

My Opinion - I like them a lot.  I made this batch using the overnight soak, and basic cooking method from the packaging.  They were then allowed to cool, and we added Red Wine Vinegar, fresh diced tomatoes, onions and dry parsley.  We then allowed it to sit for awhile so the parsley would rehydrate a bit.  Next time, I plan to infuse the vinegar with garlic beforehand.

[mhallee]

Simple to make and everyone loves this Dutch Oven Recipe...

Items Need: Serverings 4 - 8 (depends how much you eat;)

2  x  Large cans of Peaches (or other fruit, mixed berries is good too) Cost: $2.00- $3.00
1  x  Box of cake mix (golden works best) Cost: about $1.00
What ever other items needed for cake mix as indicated on box.

Line your dutch oven with foil or grease your pan for in home oven.  Mix cake mix as directed on box.  Pour in your Fruit into the bottom of the pot.  Pour cake batter on tom of fruit.  Put Dutch Lid on and bake for time indicated on cake box.  Be careful not to use too much heat in the dutch oven, it will burn.  When done, cool and serve.  Everyone loves it, and I usually let the kids make it since it's so simple to do.

Items store easily and you can just use the cake mix with just water if you need too.

Enjoy....

[misst]

Source - Dollar tree
tin chicken
cream o chicken soup
mixed veggies
tin potatoes

Container Size - one pot
Price per serving - about $1.00 (4 servings/pot)
Chief Advantages - great as a budget meal for a family, you could add veggies from garden to up nutritional value, you could add dumplings to make it more hearty. I suppose you could add beans if you like them to make it better as well
Disadvantages - preservatives, not fresh, i found it needed a lot of crushed red pepper as i like my food spicy
I like my soup thin so I was OK with it not being thick after i added water.If you like thick soup it may not serve as much.