Canned Food For Survival

For a pack of 12 with two servings per can – the Progresso Chicken and Wild Rice is one of the most affordable canned soups I’ve tried. And it’s also one of the best!

It took us less than five minutes to prepare this soup on our backpacking stove.

First, let’s talk about the taste.

I found this to be flavorful and delicious. But my buddies preferred less salty, so they added a bit of water when we boiled it. So, that’s a matter of preference.

But we all agreed that when it came to the ingredients and how they come together, it’s just right. It’s almost like we prepared it in our home kitchen.

Add to that…

Progresso isn’t cheap with their rice and chicken. There’s enough of both to fill our stomachs, and it’s not flooded with water there.

I think I can consume a whole can if I’m hungry. But I didn’t want to risk a stomach ache at camp, so we rationed one can per two people. And we’re all filled in.

Also…

It’s packed light and small, so it’s convenient to carry even while backpacking.

The only problem was that two or three cans were dented when they arrived. We immediately consumed those so they wouldn’t go bad. But we suggest that you take good care of it when transporting.

Overall…

We found almost everything we could ask for in Progresso Chicken and Wild Rice Soup! It’s affordable, tasty, and relatively healthy for survival food.

No wonder it’s our Editor’s Choice!

Most of my outdoor buddies are chicken noodle soup fans. So we had to try Campbell’s. That’s how this pack of eight cans/cups won our Best Value award!

Aside from its price…

We were impressed by its quick prep design, especially that hole on the lid where you can sip the soup from. 

It only takes about three minutes in the microwave. But you don’t have that outdoors, so you’ll need to take the contents out and cook it on a backpacking stove.

That’s where I started to complain.

The packaging is great, don’t get me wrong. It’s light and easy to grip when you’re on the go but hungry. And it’s super-secure that there were no spills or dents when our package arrived.

But to secure the contents, the lid made it so hard for a hungry camper to take off! I thought it was just me, but my friends also had a hard time with it. And when I read about it online, apparently, it’s one of the consumers’ biggest concerns.

Still…

There’s a lot to love about this canned food. 

With just one cup, you’ll feel like you’ve had a whole meal. There are more nutritious and flavorful options. But if you’re on a budget, this is the best at this price point!

This Farmer’s Market Foods product is our favorite among the canned vegetables we tried. That’s a collective judgment from people who aren’t big vegetable fans!

But I’m a vegetable fan, and I think this product deserves to be our Top Pick.

That’s because…

This is the most reliably organic canned vegetable on the market. If you look at its label, you’ll find that it’s more nutritious than other types of canned food.

But we’re specifically impressed by their BPA-free liner, non-GMO, and 100% organic certifications.

And despite being a healthy option…

This pumpkin puree is very tasty and smooth. You won’t find chunks or bits of vegetables at all. 

I found it delicious, but it’s meant to be cooked with other recipes to make them more flavorful.

When we’re at the campsite, we usually add this to our soup to make it thicker and heavier. But I sneak out a spoonful or two while it’s cooking…

Just a note…

The can itself is thin and flimsy. 

The pack arrived in bubble wrap, so there weren’t any dents. But I dropped my bag while trekking the trail to our campsite. When I took out this puree, it was almost crushed.

But that won’t be a problem if you’re careful enough. So, it’s a great option to carry in your bug-out bag!

If you’re not a fan of puree, here’s another healthy option from the canned vegetable aisle. Amy’s black bean soup is already a full meal, unlike the usually canned beans.

And we loved it!

Honestly, beans aren’t my favorite veggies. So I was skeptical about this, especially because the soup doesn’t look nice. I’d even call it unappetizing. Green beans and baked beans look better.

But I have friends who enjoy black beans, so I thought I’d try it. And I was surprisingly delighted!

To my taste…

It needs more saltiness and spice. But as it is, it’s not that bad. I even finished a whole can when we tried it at home.

And when at the campsite, it helped fill our stomachs up.

Beans are heavy, so this might be your best choice if you get super hungry after a hike.

But again…

Be careful with the can. It’s thin and flimsy, so don’t drop it. Also, don’t use it as a cooking pot, either. Even the lightest backpacking stove can burn it.

Anyway, it doesn’t need anything else. Just pour the contents into your backpacking pot and heat it for less than five minutes. Then, you have a tasty meal!

On top of that…

It’s certified organic and gluten-free. So it’s as healthy as canned food can be.

If you’re a meat lover, you’ll probably think this canned stew needs more beef chunks. But to me, it’s alright for the price.

Especially because…

The Dinty Moore canned beef stew tastes almost the same as the one I’d make in my kitchen. So, this is as good as emergency foods go.

Its nutritional value is also impressive. There are your usual veggies in this can. And since there’s beef, it’s high in protein content.

It could be a filling meal if I were a small guy. But I’m not, so a can and a half of this is the best amount for me.

And once again…

I’m complaining about the flimsy can. There were a few dented cans when our order arrived. 

It might be because of the shipping, but a relatively expensive product could have better packaging, right?

Still, overall…

Dinty Moore is great for canned survival food. But it’s also nice to have this on hand in your food stockpile – as I do.

I’ve been a fan of tomato sauce ever since I can remember. I also love to put diced tomatoes in everything. Still, I was surprised by how this canned tomato stew turned out.

First of all…

This Muir Glen canned tomato is 100% organic and certified non-GMO. And it’s as nutritious as canned vegetables can be.

This should be on your radar if you’re looking for a healthy and tasty option. 

However…

Since tomatoes are acidic, it has a shorter shelf-life than other canned foods.

When the package we ordered arrived, we found that there were dented ones. We immediately opened them and transferred the contents to a better container. But they went bad in a day or two anyway.

So you need to ensure that you bring a completely damage-free can when you go on the road.

Still, we’re pretty impressed.

Muir Glen canned tomato stew is flavored with just enough sea salt that you can eat it alone. But it’s meant to be added as an ingredient to other foods.

At the campsite, we add this to thicken a soup and make it more flavorful. But that’s only because my buddies don’t like tomatoes as much as I do.

Also…

Muir Glen is in the aisle of affordable canned foods. But you won’t guess it by its quality!

Where I come from, you can’t pass up a canned chunk chicken breast – especially one with rice. So we had to get a Mountain House freeze-dried chicken and rice.

You can order it online in small cans or packs of six. But to try it, my friends and I ordered the biggest, 9-serving, 0.82-kg can.

We tried it first at home…

…and we were impressed! It’s not the best-canned meat on the market, but it’s not soggy once cooked. Turns out, freeze-drying has its perks – besides having a long shelf-life!

And we cooked it in no time at all.

We just boiled some water, added it to the contents, waited for a few minutes, then served it. That’s why it’s one of our go-to canned foods for survival.

Also…

It’s pretty lightweight – even the can of nine servings! But we bought the single-serving cans so we could bring our own meals in our own bug-out bags. 

Add a thermos of hot water to that, and we’re prepped for the ride – or hike!

My only complaint…

…would be its price. Canned meat products are generally more expensive than most other canned foods. But I was still surprised by this one.

It would’ve been better if I saw more chicken than rice in the contents. But that’s just me. If you’re a rice fan, you’ll love this even more.

Besides…

It has adequate nutrition to help you last for hours before you go hungry again.

And because of its shelf life, I recommend that you include this in your emergency food supplies. If you keep that in your apocalypse bunker, nobody’s judging you…

You’ll hear a lot of negative things about this Armour Star product. I just did after the first time my friends and I tried this straight from the can.

We were still at the trail when we decided to give this canned meat stew a go. Hungry, tired, and still a long way from our go-to campsite – we picked one that needed only a can opener and nothing else.

And here’s what we found…

My buddies thought it was too salty, but I thought it was fine. As I said, my tongue can tolerate more sodium than my friends. But we all agreed that it needed more meat and vegetables.

It’s not bland for me, but it could use more flavors.

So, why do we recommend it?

Armour Star is one of the market’s lightest, most affordable, and shelf-stable foods. 

You can keep it stocked for emergencies, and it won’t go bad for years. Also, you may bring this backpacking without adding too much weight. There’s no need to cook it, so that’s additional points for convenience.

Also…

Even though it doesn’t taste as good as we hoped, it smells and looks like a real stew. Only with less meat, that is.

Plus, it will give you enough nutrition until you finally get fresh food. So you’ll still get your money’s worth.

The minute I tasted this vegetable stew, I knew I would recommend it. 

It doesn’t taste exactly like fresh vegetables, but it’s close enough. The only difference is the texture. Of course, coming from a freeze-dried state, it will feel different in the mouth.

But what’s impressive is…

This Augason Farms vegetable stew claims to last up to 25 years! You read that right… As long as you don’t drop it, dent it, or accidentally puncture the can, it will stay good and ready to cook.

That’s why it’s a great addition to your emergency supplies.

The only downside is that it takes about ten minutes to soften the dried veggies. We didn’t notice how long it took to cook it when we were in our home kitchen. But out in the wild, let’s just say we got a little impatient.

Still, we got around that…

… with a good backpacking stove. So it’s better to bring one with you if you’re planning on taking this Augason Farms canned food.

You might as well bring a soup base or other ingredients. This canned food is okay, but it’s meant to be added to a recipe. Either way, it’s a good survival food option.

Plus…

Affordable canned foods don’t usually come with such nutritional content. Sure, the powdered bits are disappointing, but we shrugged them off because of the price. So we’re satisfied, overall.

Unlike other canned meats I’ve tried, this Nutristore product has freeze-dried meat in it. That may be the reason why it took us longer to prepare it.

But the advantage of that is…

…it lasts longer on the shelf. 

Nutristore claims that it will be good for 25 years. But some of the cans we purchased blew up a little after a few weeks. But that can be a problem with storage.

The important thing is…

This Nutristore canned food tastes good and with better texture than most canned meats. Just don’t mind its smell when uncooked.

Once we’ve cooked it to our liking, we start enjoying it. And it’s now one of our favorite backpacking foods – if only it weren’t so expensive.

Still…

We all think it’s not a waste of money. After all, you’ll get enough nutrition for hours before eating again. So overall, we highly recommend this one.