Patriot Food Supply Review ~ 25 Year Emergency Food

My patriot supply is one of the best-known emergency food suppliers, and their food is consistently less expensive than other long-term food storage options. But how does it taste? Does this emergency food kit have enough calories to keep you satisfied?

Generally, I’m skeptical of emergency food companies, especially those with apocalyptic advertising that plays on people’s worst fears. There’s nothing stopping a company from making horrible food if they think you’re just going to pack it away in the bunker and never eat it.

If you’re going to store emergency food, it’s incredibly important to test it ahead of time, both to learn how it tastes and learn how to cook it.

Patriot food supply is one of the most inexpensive emergency food options on the market, and I honestly wasn’t expecting much. I was pleasantly surprised and all their food was easy to cook and had good flavor.

The portions are larger than many emergency food brands, and they contain a minimum of 2,000 calories per day.

Add in 25-year shelf life and space-saving packaging, and this is a great option to keep on a shelf in the back closet for the next emergency.

That said, there are some downsides (which I’ll cover in a moment). These are not the very best emergency meals in my opinion, but they are the best budget emergency food available on the market today. (Here’s where you can read a full review of the best emergency food suppliers.)

I’ll take you through each meal and how to cook it, plus some pro tips on how to add on to their basic kits over time to get the best nutrition (if and when your budget allows later on down the line).

What Does Patriot Food Supply Sell?

Unlike other emergency food companies, My patriot supply doesn’t just sell emergency food. They try to be your one-stop-shop for stocking your emergency kit. They do specialize in food of course, but they also source high-quality gear.

You should always start by checking their “deal of the day” page. It features a different product each day, and they’re usually half off.

In order to eat the food, you’ll need some way to cook it as well as fresh potable water. They offer:

As far as food goes, they offer a number of food kits designed to last for a short-term emergency or a long-term emergency.

For the short term emergency:

For the long term emergency:

Beyond that, they also have add-ons to their meal kits that allow you to adjust the food to your tastes. Things like:

Freeze Dried Meat that can be added into meals during cooking to increase the protein content.
Freeze Dried Fruit that can be eaten right out of the package as a tasty nutrient-rich snack.
Freeze Dried Scrambled Eggs that make a spectacular breakfast (and are a welcome alternative to oatmeal)
Freeze Dried Egg Powder that can be used in baking, allowing you to easily cook with stored flour and sugar.
Sprouting Seeds that add fresh greenery into your meals, whether they’re used as sprouts or homegrown microgreens.

They also offer long-term storage coffee that will keep for extended periods and gluten-free emergency food.

If I were just going to choose one thing, I’d go with their Ultimate Solar Powered Cooking and Emergency Kit, which not only contains food but everything you need to cook it. It also has a high-grade water filtration system and solar charger for your devices.

That said, their most popular starter option is their one-week ammo can emergency food supply kit. It provides 2,000 calories per day for one person for a week, and it comes packed in a sealed ammo can for easy storage.

Patriot Food Supply Review

As I mentioned, given that they’re usually advertised as the “economy” option, I wasn’t expecting much. Cheap calories to put into your back closet for a real hunker-down emergency.

I was pleasantly surprised by the kit, and actually really enjoyed the food. While it’s not grandma’s home cooking, it’s much better than many of the “convenience” meals on the market today.

It definitely tops microwave dinners, frozen pizza, and cans of Chef Boyardee.

Hot and ready in minutes, plus a 25-year shelf life? Total win.

Pros

Inexpensive ~ As one of the least expensive emergency food options, it’s an easy way to get peace of mind.
Light & Portable ~ Freeze-dried meals are really light, and these are packed for easy portability.
Over 2,000 Calories per Day ~ Many emergency food suppliers actually provide less than 1,000 calories per day in their meals, which is unacceptable in my opinion. All of My Patriot Pantry’s kits include more than 2,000 calories per day of real food, without resorting to sugary drink mixes to pump up the stats.
Options to Upgrade ~ If you’re on a budget, the basic meal kits work really well, and you can always add no. 10 cans of freeze-dried meat, eggs, veggies & fruit later to increase your cooking options.
Fast Shipping ~ While other suppliers take 3-4 weeks to ship, My Patriot Supply ships same day via Fedex 2 day delivery!

Cons

Cook Time ~ These meals are not “instant” like freeze-dried camping food (ie. Mountain House meals), where you just pour boiling water over the top and wait. They do actually need to be cooked. Just about every Patriot Pantry meal requires simmering in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes. Not the end of the world, but worth mentioning.
Package Size ~ Each package contains 4 servings to save on space. Packaging takes up a lot of the volume in any emergency food kit, and having individual servings means a lot of mylar pouches to store. It’s practical, but not ideal if you’re going to be eating alone.

How to Cook Patriot Food Supply Meals

As I mentioned, you’ll need to cook My Patriot Supply emergency food before you eat it. While instant would be nice, cooking for 15 to 20 minutes isn’t the end of the world.

If it does happen to be “the end of the world” you’ll need to have a way to boil a pot of water, so keep that in mind. Their ultimate emergency kit includes both food and emergency cooking options, along with water filtration, so it’s a good all-in-one option.

To cook My Patriot Pantry meals, simply bring a pot of water to boil on the stove and pour in the contents of the packet. The exact amount of water and cook time varies by the meal, but it’s usually around a few cups of water and 15-20 minutes.

All the meals absorb the water to cook, and are just a single packet, so there’s no straining pasta through a colander or extra steps. Just pour into boiling water, cook, and eat.

If you are looking for a truly “instant” just add water to the pouch option, then you’re going to pay a bit more. It’ll save you cooking time, not to mention washing pots and pans during an emergency.

Even meals from my favorite emergency food supplier, Valley Food Storage, require a short cook on the stove.

That said, there are instant options.

Nutrient Survival costs a bit more, but all their meals are “just add water” (no cooking required). They’re also much higher in protein, vitamins, and Omega 3 fatty acids.

Of course, there are also Mountain House camping meals. They’re instant and tasty, but incredibly expensive.

What’s Included in My Patriot Supply Emergency Food?

The contents really depend on the specific kit you choose. I’ll walk you through some of their most common meals, and those that are often included in the meal kits (from the 72 hour kit to the 1-year kit).

Beans and Rice

A staple in most survival meal kits, beans, and rice are a balanced meal that satisfies.

The version from My Patriot Pantry was well seasoned, and not all that different from the beans and rice I make from our home-canned beans.

Their Black Bean Soup is pictured below, which is why it’s more of a soup consistency. They also have bean and rice kits, which cook up into a fork-able dish.

Both options are delicious on their own, but they’re even better with some freeze-dried cheddar cheese sprinkled on top.

Unfortunately, long-term storage cheese is one of the few things that My Patriot Supply doesn’t sell. You’d have to get that, and other pantry staples, from Emergency Essentials, Valley Food Storage, or Augason Farms. Remember, this is a starter kit and you can always add on extras like cheese/toppings later.

Macaroni and Cheese

It’s kind of amazing that they’re able to create a creamy, just add a water mac and cheese pouch.

There’s no colander or straining with this kit, and you don’t have to mix the cheese powder separately. Simply pour the pouch into a measured amount of boiling water, stir and allow it to simmer until it’s done.

The pasta’s perfectly cooked and the cheese sauce is creamy and rich, without any additional dishes.

Potato Soup

Most emergency food suppliers include some version of potato soup in their offerings.

It’s neutral, inoffensive, and filling, and a good option if you have kids or picky eaters at home.

The Potato Soup from My Patriot Supply is more interesting than most, and it’s got good chunks of potatoes in there which makes it a lot more satisfying than a completely smooth potato soup. It’s well seasoned too, just enough to compliment the flavors but not enough to overwhelm.

Traveler’s Stew

Believe it or not, this one’s my favorite meal from My Patriot Supply.

It’s called Traveler’s Stew, and it’s a hearty soup with rice, pasta, carrots, and lentils. Incredibly comforting, without being heavy or rich. Mac and cheese is comfort food too, but of a different sort.

This one’s more like comfort food for the soul, where you’d curl up under a blanket and enjoy it during a blizzard (or snuggled up when you’re sick).

Maple Oatmeal

For breakfast, they include a 25-year shelf life Maple Oatmeal.

We’re in Vermont, so we know maple, and I’ve gotta say they got the seasoning down for this one. It smells and tastes intensely maple-y right out of the package.

Packaged instant oatmeal is obviously nothing fancy, but they did a good job with this one. It’s quite similar to quaker instant oatmeal, though I’d say it has a better maple flavor and better texture. It’s also not quite as sweet as quaker oatmeal, which is always a bit over the top for my tastes.

The bonus is, unlike regular oatmeal packets this one’s packed to be shelf-stable for 25 years.

Hacking My Patriot Supply Meals

Personally, I think My Patriot Supply is the best budget option for emergency food. The recipes are tasty, it’s well packaged and it’s affordable.

There’s already a good mix of protein in there, but you can always add on a Meat and Protein Kit. Mixing in freeze-dried meat to the black bean soup or traveler’s stew would really add in terms of both flavor and nutrition.

(I even have a guide to cooking with freeze-dried meat if you’re interested.)

Adding in scrambled eggs would really increase your breakfast options too.

Or you could just supplement the oatmeal with a pack of freeze-dried fruit, which would allow you to have a different flavor each day.

Adding plain white rice is also a good way to extend the meals, and most of the dishes would be great served with white rice.

Lastly, adding in some pantry staples would allow you to bake or cook favorite meals (like pancakes). Their pantry staples pack includes 25-year shelf life freeze-dried milk, eggs, butter, and bread mix.

Patriot Food Supply Equipment

One real bonus of My Patriot Supply is that they also sell emergency equipment, which means you can get everything you need to stock your kit from one supplier.

Most other emergency food companies just sell food, which means you’ll be looking elsewhere for cooking equipment, water filtration, and lighting.

If you’re not sure what you need, I’d suggest going with the ultimate emergency kit which includes food, a cook stove, and water filtration all in one package.

For the budget-minded, a simple 1-week kit or 1-month kit is an easy answer, provided you already have good emergency options for cooking and water filtration.

All around, I thought these were great kits. Tasty food, easy to cook, family-friendly, 2,000+ calories per day and perfect for emergency preparedness on a budget.