Long Term food Prices?

[Bob]

So, I was literally going to purchase like a Wise food bucket or something like that, and re-up my MRE supply (used them all for camping etc...)

What WAS a good price for a Agusta/Wise/Emergency Essentials etc?

Saw a 30 days supply for $200. Were these like $120, $!50, or $180 prior to Corona Zombie Virus?

Also - where are current MRE's available for sensible prices?

[David]

It's been awhile since I've looked at pre-made food buckets, but IIRC, depending on the brand and contents, a 30-day bucket could be had in the $75-$90 range. Some were a tad over a $100 if it was specialty like low sodium or gluten free. Before, these were really only sold to preppers and a few on the fringe wanting quick meals for whatever reason. Now that industry has a cash cow and they. like everyone else is cashing in. That and I'm sure buckets are flying off the shelf. I know some were out of stock and back ordered. So between supply and demand and cashing in on the crisis I'm not surprised the prices have shot up.

Although I haven't checked the prices of mylar bags and O2 absorbers lately I would imagine the price probably hasn't changed too much. And 5 gallon buckets are $5 or less at the box home improvement stores. So it's still way less to make your own.

MRE prices use to be obtainable with some looking at around $4-$5 per MRE which was about half (or more) of places like the Army/Navy store which usually opened the MRE's and parse out the contents. Seems like the price has shot up on these as well. Ebay is were I normally got mine when I was buying them. The cheapest I'm see a case is $9.63 per meal which is about double what I've paid in the past.

This too shall pass however. At some point things will return to normal and most folks will no longer be interested in storing up. The food bucket industry has likely ramped up production and perhaps at some point the supply will exceed the demand and prices will return to normal.

[bdcochran]

Long term food prices - considerations.

1. inflation. In 1957, I was in a supermarket and deliberately memorized the price of t-bone steak. I did this because although I did not know the word "inflation", I could see prices increasing. Well, it was $1 a pound. If it is $6 a pound on sale today, you are lucky.
I used to eat a brisket or rye or a corn beef on rye downtown. Can't afford it now.

2. knowing nutrition and allergies. Before WW2, the average American family ate meat one meal a week. If you go to the boot of Italy where people live a long time, they don't eat all the pasta and pizzas that you see on television or in the movies. You don't need much meat. The problem is that canned meats is probably the way to go for most people to get animal protein.
I am not allergic to wheat products.

3. thinking outside of the box. Few people are totally rural. Fewer are safe gathering firewood, making cooked food with smells to attract the neighborhood, and gathering water. If shtf and the power and water coming to the house are off, most people will be in a world of hurt. When the "I'm safe because I own rural property" crowd has to spend 24/7 monitoring his place OR gathering water/firewood/harvesting animals, they will get a dose of reality. My isolated 120 acre wood lot with running stream is going to be hunted out within a week. The multi-hundred acre family farm under lease to a local across the road will be plundered by the locals if the crop is anywhere near ripe.
if you want to spend the time and money to put up rice/beans and are not worried about cooking it and clean up, fine for you. I simply made over 100 pounds of hardtack. It is not going to go bad. Other than putting batches in zip lock bags, into plastic storage boxes, no special handling. Cases of canned fruits, canned soups, canned stews, canned tuna, canned sardines, canned vegetables. None of it has to be cooked. The rations stored in the car are different. Coast guard ration stuff.
Between 2010 and 2013, Albertson's had to eliminate/sell 12 stores to comply with federal law. I bought cases of food on severe discount. The chain that bought the 12 locations took another $40 million in Albertson inventory and sold that at discount prices, apparently not paying Albertson's for the warehoused items - fight in bk of the replacement chain. That chain brought in its own canned food. When the replacement chain failed, I bought cases and cases of foods. THE POINT - look for the sales. Don't run with the herd on acquiring canned foods. Notice that when people are buying holiday birds, the prices on red meat drop. Notice that between the end of the last growing season and the harvesting of the new growing season, all kinds of canned foods go on sale.

[Bob]

I have home made buckets. just looking to diversify.

So - thanks for economic analysis. I was thinking they used to be ~$125...

But, you know - supply/demand. CAn't be ahead of every curve!

[David]

I have home made buckets. just looking to diversify.

So - thanks for economic analysis. I was thinking they used to be ~$125...

But, you know - supply/demand. CAn't be ahead of every curve!

Figure in normal times the prepper community has slow growth. Then something like this happens and the panic -buying goes into full tilt. Then things slowly subside back to normal.

But yeah, in regards to MRE's I avoid the Army/Navy store. They open the MRE and then charge (in normal times) like $9-$13 for just the entree. Then they parse out the other stuff for a few more bucks each. I use to look for full cases of MRE's on Ebay for less than $5 a meal. So around $60 give or take. Once the seller was right here in Tampa so I met up with him to avoid shipping. And these weren't the civilian version of the MRE, these were all the actual military version same as when I was in the service.

Now something you might want to also consider is #10 cans. I have multiple #10 cans in powdered eggs (the good kind), freeze dried fruits etc. Particularly when the price comes back down.

[Bob]

30 days supply is at about $200 now. That's about $6.50 a day for meals.

$6.50 a day to eat is not a bad deal IMO when it comes with a 25yr shelf life...half the cost of MRE's and wear more variety.