Valley Food Storage Review

I recently wrote about the importance of food storage, during the Emergency Preparedness Series, here on Stringtown Home.

I was elated when Valley Food Storage contacted me to review their products.

Wow, is all I can say!  

I, honestly, am now a fan!

They offer such an amazing variety of options... and, they cater to allergens.

In a no gluten, no milk, no sodium... yada yada yada.... kind of world, they have taken their food storage options a step further - you can see the possible allergens on the label!

(I have a grandmother who has Celiac Disease... I do understand the ramifications of allergens in food)

The ingredients are also listed on the label, and I am happy to say.... I could PRONOUNCE every single one.

No supercalifragilisticexpialidocious-glycerine included in this mix....

You'll find ingredients such as tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, garlic, sea salt, carrots, celery, etc....

They also have developed a formula to ensure that the food is shelf safe for up to 25 years.

25 years, y'all.

My child will be 29 (almost 30) years old, by the time my Valley Food Storage items are expired. 

Maybe I'll serve up a pot of their "Mango Habanero Chili" at her party that year?! 

I bet it is long gone (in our bellies) before then, though I do plan on being a recurring customer.... who knows, I may have some in the pantry to party with!

Today, I whipped up a pot of "Southern Style Chicken and Rice"...

I'm not gonna lie.  I was expecting a flavorless, mushy, get me by while the zombies are attacking filler food.

But, I was pleasantly surprised.

It was flavorful, the seasonings were great, the texture was yummy (just as if I had prepared the rice/veggies/broth/etc. separately and combined them in a recipe, myself), and the one serving we each ate (5 servings total in this bag) were filling!

My four year old even ate her entire serving!

So.... After all of my research of the company, taste testing the product, seeing their great customer service, etc.... I give Valley Food Storage a 5 star rating!

Here's Why:

-They offer a great variety

-They have easy to read labels that detail allergens, list all ingredients/nutrition facts, etc.

-Each package is in a resealable mylar package, and does not expire for 25 years.

-Easy to prepare... product + water + heat source

-Great flavor & ingredients

-Awesome customer service

-Reasonably priced.

It is so very important to stock your pantry with foods that last, and are easy to prepare in an emergency situation.  Valley Food Storage provides food options that are perfect for stockpiling.

 Head over to Valley Food Storage to see all of the great things they have to offer!

Be sure to use the code: stringtown10 for 10% off of your purchase 

(excludes Burkeys)

Happy Stockpiling, y'all!

-Heather

**I was given free product for review by Valley Food Storage, but can honestly say that all opinions (even those regarding zombies and supercalifragilisticexpialidocious-glycerine) are my own.**

Emergency Preparedness: Week 8 - Recap & Link Up

Oh my goodness!  This series has been so fun, and I hope informative.

I am still learning about emergency preparedness, myself, so it was fun to take time to research different components of preparing my family, and to get things together in our own home.

Today's post is even more fun!! YOU have a chance to show off the ways you've prepared your family for an emergency &&& a chance to win a $50 gift card!!!

Before we start the party, though - 
A quick look back at the series:

Week 1 - Food	Week 2 - Water	Week 3 - Storage	Week 4 - Power
Week 5 - Sustainability	Week 6 - Evacuation	Week 7 - Family Binder

InLinkz.com

Now, today is the FUN part!

I want to see what you've all done to help ensure your family's safety in the event of an emergency.

I'm switching the format to comments -
***Simply leave a comment with your tip to preparing for an emergency!***

 

 

Ready... set... go..

 

Leave a comment! :)

Emergency Preparedness: Week 7 - Family Binder

 Just think of it... fire... flood waters... hurricanes... you name it... it's knocking at your door.

You can rest assured, anything that is left behind, will most likely be destroyed.

If you and your family had to evacuate, would you be able to put your hand on the information it would take to rebuild your life?

No?

Easy fix!  I've created a fifteen page free printable to compile a family binder.  The idea is to organize your family's most important info, into one location, alleviating the stress of finding it all in an emergency.



Emergency Preparedness: Week 6 - Evacuation

Sometimes emergencies happen without warning.  Sometimes, though, we have a small window of time that we can gather our belongings, and head for safer ground.

When I was in high school, a massive wildfire erupted in my hometown.

I was raised on 72 acres of farmland, in the middle of a huge hunting club.
 Wooded land surrounded us for miles.  The fire started in those woods.
We could stand on a hill and watch the flames rolling in the tree tops.
The momentum of the flames - indescribable.

It crossed miles of land in a moment's notice.
I can remember standing around our house with a water hose, spraying water over our roof, praying that the embers from the nearby fire wouldn't cause our home to burn...

The fire began to get to close to our home, and we were ordered to evacuate.
This was before pictures were uploaded to the web, and I can remember my mom running down our hallway, throwing family photos into a laundry basket.

We were each given a task.  My sister and I were to pack as many clothes as we could fit in our baskets, my mom took all photos and important documents in her basket, and my dad and brother loaded all of the animals up with their necessities.

Within ten minutes we were on our way to town, with everything that we could grab, fearful that we had forgotten something of worth.

Thankfully, though there were structures burned, our home survived.  The fire didn't even cross our property line.


We learned such valuable lessons, though:

Emergency Preparedness: Week 5 - Sustainability

We aren't a wealthy family, by any means.  Truth be told, we really live paycheck to paycheck.

I stay home with the little one, while the hubby goes out and makes ends meet.

We are okay with that.  Our priorities just aren't in creating a nest egg.  We would rather make memories and ensure that our little one is cared for, than have a bulging bank account.

Unfortunately, it leaves very little wiggle room when it comes to my husband's paycheck.
Last year, right after we had spent money on Christmas, my husband was laid off.

It was almost like being in a car accident.... things flashed in a panic through my mind.

It wasn't memories from my life, though, it was all of the bills that we needed to pay, our mortgage...

Emergency Preparedness: Week 4 - Power

I've never been much of a girlie girl, especially since I've stopped working outside of the home and have a little one to keep up with.  I like to fix myself up a bit when I go out, but most days you'll find me in comfy clothes (jeans or yoga pants, and a tshirt or button down)... no fancy pants here.

 

I have naturally curly, wiry hair, and usually just go with it.  I add a little product right out of the shower, and let it air dry, cause the heat from hair dryers/etc. just make the frizz worse.

 

Messy buns are my best friend.

My days are crazy busy, so easy wardrobes and minimal beauty routines are a must!

 

 

I love to camp.  Probably because my morning routine is so basic.

 

BUT - I LOVE electricity.... my coffee pot needs it (and my friends and family need me to have my coffee), I like to run the ac y'all (in Texas, keeping your house at 75 degrees even requires the ac to run), and I like to have lights on (at night... I usually keep lights off during the day).

 

I also have a lot of food stored in the freezer...

 

You don't realize how much electricity you use (even if you are a no frills person, like myself), until it isn't working.

Emergency Preparedness: Week 3 - Storage

Here I am... hair in a messy bun, on top of my head...

No makeup.  Tshirt and yoga pants.

Its 5:45 in the evening, and the phone rings.

 

 

 

 

It is a friend that I haven't seen in a while.

She and her family are in my area, and want to stop by for a visit.....

They'll be at my house in 30 minutes.

 

I take a quick glance around.

Everything that is out of place gets shoved in a closet put back where it goes.

 

 

 

I have 20 minutes to spare!

I throw some war paint makeup on my face.

The messy bun will have to do.

I change into some jeans and a tshirt (with fewer stains... ha!).

 

Woohoo!  15 minutes left.

Why not throw something yummy together, and have it baking while they are here?!

At this point I'm just trying to convince them that we are civilized.

 

I have a frozen lasagna (hello Stouffers) and salad in a bag...  That'll do for dinner...

 

 

 

I still have 10 minutes, y'all!

 

I remember that I have the ingredients for a millionaire pie (recipe on the blog tomorrow), and it only takes 5 minutes...

 

I grab the graham cracker crust...

the coconut...

the crushed pineapple... and my heart sinks.  The crushed pineapple that I rarely use, is expired.

I toss the can (It was in the back of the cabinet, I never see it, and the can even looks a little rough).

I decide it'll just be a millionaire pie, minus the pineapple....

 

BUT - then I grab the condensed milk, only to see that it, too, is expired and looking tired.

...you simply cannot have a millionaire pie without condensed milk...

Emergency Preparedness: Week 2 - Water

My husband's television show interests are ever changing.  One week, he may be watching men run around the country scooping up antiques for a steal.... another week, he may be watching survivalist shows where you watch a person go from a bubbly, healthy, strong individual, to someone stuck in the wild, weak, dehydrated, and losing their marbles.

 

The next week he may be watching people debating back and forth about what their used item is worth in a pawn shop.  Barefoot Contessa makes more sense to me.

 

Something I've noticed, though, when watching the survivalist shows with him, the first thing that the people who are in the jungle (or wherever the show may be staged) notice their body needs is water.

 

Good ole' H2O.

 

 

 

 

It is so convenient to go into our kitchen or bath, turn a knob, and have ready to use water. 

 

We leave it on as we brush our teeth, wash our dishes, and watch it run down the drain as we bathe.

 

We are quite careless with the resource, but only because of the convenience of modern design.

 

But... what if we no longer had water at our fingertips.

There are so many different scenarios that could cause a water shortage.

Emergency Preparedness: Week 1 - Food

I'm so excited about this series - "When Life Gives You Lemons - Emergency Preparedness".

 

Let's face it, nearly everyone will deal with a disaster at some point in their life.

It may be a natural disaster or a man made disaster...

 

Your main income for your home may be cut off.

 

There are so many different scenarios that could happen to you to put a strain on your finances, your home, work, etc.

 

 

Better safe than sorry!
 

 

(source)
 

This week's topic, "Food", really resonates being smart in your stockpiling, because everyone eats.  Regardless of whether a storm blows in or not, you will still eat.

Even if your husband gets a grand promotion next month, and you have more money than you know what to do with - you will still eat.

 

What do you have to lose by keeping your pantry stocked?

Nothing, unless you don't do it, and an emergency arises.

 

When Life Gives You Lemons

One of the beautiful things about living near the gulf is, well.... you live near the gulf.

You can drive to the beach, spend the day there, and drive home the same day...

But, one of the unfortunate things about living near the gulf -

Hurricanes. 

Several of the most notorious hurricanes, Katrina, Rita, Ike, Ivan... 

have happened within the past two decades.

When Rita hit, the power was out for over two weeks at my parents' home.

National Guardsmen brought MREs and water and passed them out in a line to residents, because stores and banks were inoperable.