Honeyville Food Products...

...is a favored supplier for the Casa JR "rainy day" preparation effort. When I have mentioned Honeyville in the past, I stated that:

Honeyville is a great resource for folks who like to put a little something away for a rainy day. Their food storage products include a wide variety of foods that would fit very well in any food storage program. The powdered eggs and instant milk substitute are definitely worth a look. They also have high quality freeze dried fruits and vegetables to add a bit of flavor (and nutrition) to your menu if you have to dig into your food stores for any reason.

Honeyville's main focus has been grains and flour for the baking industry, so of course their selection of these items is going to be top notch.

In their recent sales flier, Honeyville announced a new product:

Greetings from all of us here at Honeyville Farms! It's time to stock up and prepare for the unexpected. We're releasing new products, from food staples to treats that will keep your family healthy and happy and give you the peace of mind you need in any economic climate. For a limited time we're offering 10% off of your ENTIRE ORDER. From Thursday, June 4th, 2009 thru Tuesday, June 9th, 2009 we're offering 10% off of everything in your cart (except for our already low flat-rate shipping cost of $4.49). Just order as usual and enter the coupon code PREPARE09 during checkout. The coupon code field is on the second page of the checkout process. Enter the PREPARE09 code, click the APPLY button to the right and the savings will automatically be calculated for you. This is a great time to stock up and save on our most popular staples like Powdered Eggs, Milk Substitute, and the all new Hard White Wheat in the #10 cans.

Visit us at http://store.honeyvillegrain.com. ACT NOW as this discount will end promptly on Tuesday June 9, 2009 at 6:00PM PST. If you have any questions, concerns, or just want to place an order over the phone call us, toll-free, at (888) 810-3212. We're happy to help.

Also new this summer are canned Black Beans, Freeze Dried Blackberries, Hard Red Wheat in a #10 can, and much more.

The #10 cans of wheat is an expensive, but convenient way to store whole wheat. The #10 cans contain 5 lbs of whole wheat and, by the pound, are twice as expensive as purchasing the bulk 50# bags from Honeyville. However, the cans are packed with an oxygen absorber and have a reported shelf life of 10 to 15 years. I believe this shelf life can be easily doubled to 30+ years if stored properly. From the Provident Living website:

Longer-Term Storage—30 Years or More

Properly packaged, low-moisture foods stored at room temperature or cooler (75°F/24°C or lower) remain nutritious and edible much longer than previously thought according to findings of recent scientific studies. Estimated shelf life for many products has increased to 30 years or more (see chart for new estimates of shelf life). Previous estimates of longevity were based on "best-if-used-by" recommendations and experience. Though not studied, sugar, salt, baking soda (essential for soaking beans), and vitamin C in tablet form also store well long-term. Some basic foods do need more frequent rotation, such as vegetable oil every 1 to 2 years.

While there is a decline in nutritional quality and taste over time, depending on the original quality of food and how it was processed, packaged, and stored, the studies show that even after being stored long-term, the food will help sustain life in an emergency.

For tips on how to best preserve longer-term food storage products, see Longer-Term Supply.

Many of the canned freeze dried and low moisture products from Honeyville, if properly stored, will last decades and can basically be considered a one time purchase.

How much food should you store? This Food Storage Calculator can help with that answer.

Purchasing grains and legumes in bulk and packaging them yourself (.pdf) is a much more cost effective way to set up long term food stores, but these #10 cans of beans and wheat from Honeyville are a convenient way to get started or add something different to your current stores inventory.

For me, the freeze dried fruits and vegetables offered by Honeyville are a worthwhile addition to any long term food storage program.

If you decide to purchase anything from Honeyville, remember to enter the code "PREPARE09" at checkout to receive 10% off your entire purchase.

One last thing. I am not affiliated with Honeyville Food Products in any way. I just like their products and their flat rate $4.49 shipping fee.