Meal Replacement Shakes for Food Storage

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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

I was at our local grocery store’s health food section as my teen son was looking for protein powder.  We found a large canister of one of the trusted brands at 20% off.  With several servings that would last for weeks, I started to think it would not be a bad idea to include meal replacement shakes or protein powder in the food storage shelf.

Why include meal replacement shakes in food storage?

  • Nutrition –  One serving provides protein and vitamins
  • Servings – One canister can last for weeks
  • Easy to prepare – when you don’t feel like cooking and need a quick meal, all you need to do is a bit of mixing and you have a nourishing drink
  • No other ingredients needed – many brands just require some water.
  • Shelf life – they have at least a couple of years shelf life
  • Storage – If you want to avoid the large canister, you can repackage them for long term storage in mylar bags

Some examples:

Garden of Life Raw Organic Meal Vanilla

Ensure

Amazing Grass Chocolate Powder

GNC Total Lean Shake Vanilla Bean

Choosing your Nutritional Shake

There are so many variables, you would need to choose according to your own health conditions and preferences:  gluten free, sugar content, fat (saturated and unsaturated) content, sodium, organic etc.

If you prefer meal replacement bars, they are a good option as well.  We keep these high calorie SOS Rations Emergency 3600 Calorie Food Bars in the car.

There is just one caveat:  you must like the taste.  There is no point stocking up on something that tastes vile.  Take advantage of in store samples before you buy.  Before stocking up, try a small container first.

Ask about the store’s return policy.   Some stores, such as Trader Joe’s, have signs posted that they will accept your returns if you try a new product and you don’t like it.

I’m not suggesting you forgo canned foods, bulk food storage and freeze dried selections –  because of their convenience and nutritional value, meal replacement shakes would be a good addition to these other foods as part of an overall food storage plan.

© Apartment Prepper 2015


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5 comments

  1. This is a great idea! Why didn’t I think of it myself? 😉 There are some pretty good protein powders out there now. Thanks for the post.

  2. I think these are a good idea. They do not take up a lot of space, they taste (some brands) real good and will last awhile. The only downfall I can think of is that they are not that filling.

  3. I work at LABRADA Nutrition (here in Houston, TX) where we manufacture many kinds of meal-replacement powders. I have looked into this concept already. The shelf-life is pretty dead-set for the expiration date (as opposed to canned goods which may last much longer past it’s extirpation date.) Nothing beats real whole foods, but these would work great in a survival situation. Powders are light-weight, jam-packed with nutrition, and take up little room. Many of our products have no sugar, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, or preservatives. Plus, you can get many meals out of just one jug or box of protein powder. We even make a peanut protein powder that is very versatile. Speaking of versatility, protein powder can be used in place of flour in many recipes. Check out http://www.labrada.com for more. And feel free to ask me any questions about it.

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