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Buying Food On Line

I’ve been thinking a lot about food, the availability of it now, and in the future. While I am able to get it relatively easy right now, that may not be the case in the future. And as much as I’d like to think I am prepared for food shortages, in reality, I am really not as prepared as I’d like to be… I have been stocking up on canned foods, anything that doesn’t require refrigeration, the problem is meat, sure you can get canned chicken and canned hams, but real, wholesome, tasty meats, including beef are not so easy to come by. I checked out the internet grocer, and guess what? They have canned meats, beef, chicken, turkey and pork. They also carry canned butter and canned cheese. I am ordering their smallest sample pack of meats, it includes one can of butter and one can of cheese.

I ordered the meat sample pack, and the no rinse body cleaner and no rinse shampoo, I am trying the smaller size of these to see if I like them, the total with shipping (UPS) came to just under $60.00 (YIKES), the shipping was nearly $20.00! Oh well, it costs me more to drive to town now days, and I can’t even get these items in town, not even in the bigger towns that are farther away.

While surfing their site, I ran across this, dehydrated squirrel, yes, I said squirrel, apparently there is a farm that raises squirrel for human consumption, FDA approved and everything. LOL! I just thought of them like fluffy long tailed rats, something you could get right outside your front or back door. It is said that during processing, the squirrel carcases are checked twice to make sure there is no hair in the meat, nothing like a bit of squirrel hair in your squirrel stew. :)

I’ll post another message about how well I like the meats from the internet grocer, I have high hopes. Anyone else try them?

If these are as good as they look, I might talk to a few people out here and see if some of them want to go in on full cases and split them, that’s where the best price is, but at over $100.00 a case (plus shipping), it would take me forever to be able to build up a a good stockpile of a variety of canned meats, this way splitting the cost between one of two other families out here, we can all benefit.

14 Comments

anon16-rounded-5661787 seth said…

will ups deliver to your “doorstep”?

June 19, 2008 6:11 AM

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wretha1-6956521

b16-rounded-4008479 Wretha said…

If they could GET to my doorstep, yes, but since they can’t get to my doorstep, Bobby (my UPS delivery driver) will deliver it to the country store, that’s usually what he does for the deliveries to the places where his truck cannot go (many roads out here are 4×4 only) and for people like us whose house is not right next to the road.

Wretha

June 19, 2008 8:21 AM

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anon16-rounded-5661787 seth said…

wretha….check the Diatomaceous earth that internet grocer has. is food grade, but also works as an insectacide, might help with the ant problem you mentioned earlier.

June 21, 2008 7:31 AM

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b16-rounded-4008479 vlad said…

should be easy to dry meat this time of year

https://tinyurl.com/2cp3o9

June 21, 2008 7:47 AM

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openid16-rounded-6652096 lornkanaga said…

My favorite canned beef is Yoder’s beef, which I get from Survival Enterprises. The only problem with that is that the beef comes in such large cans, although sometimes they have the smaller cans in stock. Oh, and the Yoder’s Turkey isn’t bad at all, but I wasn’t too terribly impressed with the chicken (YMMV). Surival Enterprises also has the Red Feather canned butter–really good stuff, if you don’t mind the high cholestrerol/fat content. I haven’t tried their canned cheese.

Other foodstuffs I order online are from justtomatos.com–I love their organic dried fruit. I also get their roasted garlic and green onions (they don’t have those in organic, yet).

I buy Manuka Honey from oraganics.com–I’ve tried the UMF 16+ and UMF 20+. I have pretty bad stomach acid problems, and thanks to the Manuka Honey I *very* rarely take antacids anymore!

Another one of my favorite places to order specialized supplements from is Vitamin Shoppe. I highly recommend their 100% organic Goji Juice, and I buy George’s Aloe Vera Juice by the gallon (g).

TheMajor’sLady

June 21, 2008 11:19 AM

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anon16-rounded-5661787 seth said…

i ordered the sample pack like you wretha, am curious to try it out. i may not be offgrid yet, but sure am looking to be prepared.

June 23, 2008 5:51 PM

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wretha1-6956521

b16-rounded-4008479 Wretha said…

Thanks everyone for your suggestions and comments!

Seth, let me know how you like it! I just received my delivery confirmation, I hope to have it in a few days, I can’t wait to try it! :) Oh, and I know about diatomaceous earth, I wished I had ordered it with my order now… :( I’ll get some soon.

TheMajor’sLady, what a great list of things! I know about Vitamin Shoppe, I used to shop there in my previous (city) life.

Vlad, very interesting link, I’ll investigate it more, I scanned a little of it, what a wealth of information! :)

Wretha

June 23, 2008 5:59 PM

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myavatar1-2008511

b16-rounded-4008479 Selous Scout said…

Hi Wretha.

I have purchased the canned cheese and butter form the internet grocer. I haven’t tried it yet because i’m saving it for when times get really bad and you need a treat. I too am going to order a sampler pack of their meats (with the cheese and butter) to try out. it looks reallyu good.

June 24, 2008 11:36 PM

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anon16-rounded-5661787 seth said…

should have my sample order friday….woo hoo, can’t wait

June 25, 2008 6:46 AM

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anon16-rounded-5661787 Anonymous said…

I lived on a sailboat for over a decade. Some “off-grid” things I learned”

(1) Can your own meats. Because we lived on a boat, I didn’t want all those glass jars aboard, but in a land based home, that shouldn’t be a problem. There are places where you can can into metal tins, plan to do a LOT at once if you book time at one of these places.
(2) We liked the canned butter – it was better than Ghee because the canned butter had the milk solids, which the Ghee doesn’t.
(3) The canned cheese was “ok” but for me, a ‘sharper is better’ kind of girl, it was always a last choice thing. But then, I don’t mind cutting mold off my cheese. Buy the biggest wheels you can, wrap them in vinegar soaked cheese cloth and then dip them in melted paraffin.
(4) Dry (dehydrate) as much as you can, takes up less space and saves lots of the vitamins.
—Pam

June 29, 2008 3:38 PM

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wretha1-6956521

b16-rounded-4008479 Wretha said…

Thanks Pam, I have been researching and learning about canning my own meat, but until I have a better kitchen set up, that is pretty much out of the question, so until then, I will have to rely on buying my canned meats. I do want to dehydrate foods, here in the desert, it’s the perfect climate to do that. I don’t mind cutting mold off cheese either (grin). I have high hopes for the canned cheese (and the meats & butter too), we do like sharp cheese, but for cooking, we like a mild easily melted cheese, so hopefully this canned cheese will fit the bill.

When you get your cheese wheel, do you cut them up into smaller pieces before you wrap them and wax them?

Seth
Did you get your cans yet? If so, how good is it? Mine aren’t here yet, a mix up in the shipping, it got shipped to my Dad’s house (billing address) instead of the shipping address… bummer, at this rate, it will be the middle of next week before it shows up.

Wretha

June 29, 2008 4:14 PM

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anon16-rounded-5661787 seth said…

Hey Wretha, got my order on friday, but haven’t tried any as of yet, was finishing up left overs. Probably try the beef chunks first…was thinking of making beef and noodles. will let ya know how it is.

June 30, 2008 10:21 PM

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anon16-rounded-5661787 seth said…

OMG….the canned beef chucks…..is like mom cooked them all day. just what the can says, beef, salt, pepper. the only thing for me was the about of actual meat. six nice size chunks and broth. would say 70% meat, the rest meat juice and stuff. Might have been that particular can. any way…..very tasty!!!!

July 1, 2008 5:17 PM

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wretha1-6956521

b16-rounded-4008479 Wretha said…

Wow Seth! I really can’t wait now… I’ll let you know how I like it when I get it. Let me know how you like the rest of it.

Thanks for the report.

Wretha

July 1, 2008 10:33 PM

14 Responses

  1. Wow Seth! I really can’t wait now… I’ll let you know how I like it when I get it. Let me know how you like the rest of it.

    Thanks for the report.

    Wretha

  2. OMG….the canned beef chucks…..is like mom cooked them all day. just what the can says, beef, salt, pepper. the only thing for me was the about of actual meat. six nice size chunks and broth. would say 70% meat, the rest meat juice and stuff. Might have been that particular can. any way…..very tasty!!!!

  3. Hey Wretha, got my order on friday, but haven’t tried any as of yet, was finishing up left overs. Probably try the beef chunks first…was thinking of making beef and noodles. will let ya know how it is.

  4. Thanks Pam, I have been researching and learning about canning my own meat, but until I have a better kitchen set up, that is pretty much out of the question, so until then, I will have to rely on buying my canned meats. I do want to dehydrate foods, here in the desert, it’s the perfect climate to do that. I don’t mind cutting mold off cheese either (grin). I have high hopes for the canned cheese (and the meats & butter too), we do like sharp cheese, but for cooking, we like a mild easily melted cheese, so hopefully this canned cheese will fit the bill.

    When you get your cheese wheel, do you cut them up into smaller pieces before you wrap them and wax them?

    Seth
    Did you get your cans yet? If so, how good is it? Mine aren’t here yet, a mix up in the shipping, it got shipped to my Dad’s house (billing address) instead of the shipping address… bummer, at this rate, it will be the middle of next week before it shows up.

    Wretha

  5. I lived on a sailboat for over a decade. Some “off-grid” things I learned”

    (1) Can your own meats. Because we lived on a boat, I didn’t want all those glass jars aboard, but in a land based home, that shouldn’t be a problem. There are places where you can can into metal tins, plan to do a LOT at once if you book time at one of these places.
    (2) We liked the canned butter – it was better than Ghee because the canned butter had the milk solids, which the Ghee doesn’t.
    (3) The canned cheese was “ok” but for me, a ‘sharper is better’ kind of girl, it was always a last choice thing. But then, I don’t mind cutting mold off my cheese. Buy the biggest wheels you can, wrap them in vinegar soaked cheese cloth and then dip them in melted paraffin.
    (4) Dry (dehydrate) as much as you can, takes up less space and saves lots of the vitamins.
    —Pam

  6. Hi Wretha.

    I have purchased the canned cheese and butter form the internet grocer. I haven’t tried it yet because i’m saving it for when times get really bad and you need a treat. I too am going to order a sampler pack of their meats (with the cheese and butter) to try out. it looks reallyu good.

  7. Thanks everyone for your suggestions and comments!

    Seth, let me know how you like it! I just received my delivery confirmation, I hope to have it in a few days, I can’t wait to try it! :) Oh, and I know about diatomaceous earth, I wished I had ordered it with my order now… :( I’ll get some soon.

    TheMajor’sLady, what a great list of things! I know about Vitamin Shoppe, I used to shop there in my previous (city) life.

    Vlad, very interesting link, I’ll investigate it more, I scanned a little of it, what a wealth of information! :)

    Wretha

  8. My favorite canned beef is Yoder’s beef, which I get from Survival Enterprises. The only problem with that is that the beef comes in such large cans, although sometimes they have the smaller cans in stock. Oh, and the Yoder’s Turkey isn’t bad at all, but I wasn’t too terribly impressed with the chicken (YMMV). Surival Enterprises also has the Red Feather canned butter–really good stuff, if you don’t mind the high cholestrerol/fat content. I haven’t tried their canned cheese.

    Other foodstuffs I order online are from justtomatos.com–I love their organic dried fruit. I also get their roasted garlic and green onions (they don’t have those in organic, yet).

    I buy Manuka Honey from oraganics.com–I’ve tried the UMF 16+ and UMF 20+. I have pretty bad stomach acid problems, and thanks to the Manuka Honey I *very* rarely take antacids anymore!

    Another one of my favorite places to order specialized supplements from is Vitamin Shoppe. I highly recommend their 100% organic Goji Juice, and I buy George’s Aloe Vera Juice by the gallon (g).

    TheMajor’sLady

  9. wretha….check the Diatomaceous earth that internet grocer has. is food grade, but also works as an insectacide, might help with the ant problem you mentioned earlier.

  10. If they could GET to my doorstep, yes, but since they can’t get to my doorstep, Bobby (my UPS delivery driver) will deliver it to the country store, that’s usually what he does for the deliveries to the places where his truck cannot go (many roads out here are 4×4 only) and for people like us whose house is not right next to the road.

    Wretha

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