Product Comparisons - What is the Difference?

What is the Difference?

These are questions I get asked frequently.  What is the difference between freeze dried and dehydrated?  What is the difference between instant and regular?  Is the shelf life different?

When there is more than one option for the same food, which do you choose?

Here are answers for some of the most popular questions concerning food storage items:

In all cases where there is a freeze-dried (FD) product versus a dehydrated one, the freeze-dried product will have a higher concentration of nutrients and flavor, as well as a longer shelf life.  You can learn more here.

Fuji Apples (FD) vs. Granny Smith Apples (FD)

These sliced Fuji Apples have their skins left on and are sweet, just like a fresh Fuji apple--they are great for snacking on or adding to your oatmeal, etc. The sliced Granny Smith Apples have already had their skins peeled and are slightly more tart, just like a fresh Granny Smith apple--these are great for baking or snacking!

Neither of these are comparable to dehydrated apples, which double or triple in size when soaked in water.  Freeze dried foods maintain their original size when rehydrated.

Strawberries (FD) vs. Whole Strawberries (FD)  

You may have guessed it, but the main difference between these two is that one is sliced and the others are left whole. The Whole Strawberries have a reputation of being sweeter than the sliced ones.

Onions vs. Onions (FD)

Both of these onions are chopped and ready to go, but the dehydrated onions will plump up when you rehydrate them; however, they have less flavor when compared to the freeze-dried onions. So, if you need an onion with a bit of bulk, go with the dehydrated ones; if you need an onion more for the flavor, go with the freeze-dried ones. Also, because the dehydrated ones plump up, your can of onions will actually "go farther" than the freeze-dried ones because the freeze-dried ones stay their original size.

Red & Green Bell Peppers vs. Green Bell Peppers (FD) vs. Red Bell Peppers (FD)

The Red & Green Bell Peppers are chopped, dehydrated peppers. They will plump up a bit when you cook with them, and can add great flavor and texture to your meals; I like to add them to salsa and soups. The Green Bell Peppers and the Red Bell Peppers are cut into long slices and have great flavor and cook up really well; however, they are sold individually and not combined in a single can like the dehydrated ones are.

Potato Beads vs. Mashed Potatoes

The Potato Beads are powder pearls used for making mashed potatoes and include milk, salt, and oil. These are occassionally available at the LDS Cannery, as well as other food storage companies, but have been replaced by Thrive Life's Mashed Potatoes. The Mashed Potatoes are flakes of Idaho-grown potatoes and that's the only ingredient. They rehydrate faster, easier, and creamier than the Potato Beads.

Potato Chunks vs. Potato Dices (FD)

The Potato Chunks are dehydrated cubes of potatoes and will plump up when you rehydrate them, though they take about 15-20 minutes of simmering to fully reconstitute. The Potato Dices (FD) are freeze-dried cubes of potatoes that rehydrate in very little time and have more of a fresh-potato flavor than the dehydrated ones. The Potato Chunks and Potato Dices (FD) can be used interchangeably in many recipes and are ultimately the same size, it's mostly a matter of reconstitution time; however, the can ofPotato Chunks will "go farther" because the potatoes are smaller before they plump up, while the Potato Dices (FD) will stay the same size.

Instant White Rice vs. White Rice

The Instant White Rice is already partially prepared and only takes 3-5 mins. to cook at home; however, because they have been partially prepared, there are fewer grains of rice in a can due to their increased size. The White Rice has almost twice as many servings in its can, though it takes about 15 minutes to cook. Personally, I prefer the texture of the non-instant white rice, but instant rice works well for camping.

Hard Red Wheat vs. Hard Winter Wheat

Hard Red Wheat has a higher amount of protein, which yields itself well to rustic, artisan breads with its nutty flavor (though sometimes bitter). Because of its lower, moderate level of protein, Hard Winter Wheat makes softer breads, has a more subtle flavor, and requires less sweeteners in its breads.

Cheese Blend vs. the other FD cheeses

Unlike the other freeze-dried cheeses that are shredded and a single type of cheese in the can, the Cheese Blend is a powder. It is a blend that lends itself well to cheese sauces like you would use in a soup or macaroni.

Instant Milk vs. Powdered Milk

Instant Milk is intended for drinking, though I also use it in stove-top recipes that call for milk. Powdered Milk, on the other hand, is intended for cooking and baking. However, both can be used interchangeably. A #10 can of Instant Milk will make approximately 3.5-5 gallons of milk, depending on how much powder you use. The milks have a 2-year opened shelf life (25 years when unopened), so if you can buy it in the 6-gallon bucket (that will be your best value).

Beans vs. Instant Beans

The non-instant beans are regular dried beans, just packaged for long term storage of 30 years. They need to be prepared as traditional beans are, which takes several hours and a lot of water. The instant beans have a 25-year shelf life and have been par-boiled and dried again before packaging, so they only take 15-20 mins. to cook at home. They appear cracked when you open the can, but once cooked look the same as the non-instant beans. Both cans have pretty much the same number of servings, but the instant beans are about half the weight.

Beef Dices (FD) vs. Roast Beef (FD) 

Both of these meats are cooked and cut. The Beef Dices are about the size of stew meat while the Roast Beef is smaller. They both have salt added to them. These are very versatile and can be used in several recipes, including stroganoff, stew, burritos, fajitas, etc. There is the equivalent of approximately 5 lbs of fresh beef in each can.

Chopped Chicken vs. Seasoned Chicken Slices 

Both of these meats are cooked and cut. Just as the name implies, the Chopped Chicken is chopped, but there are no other ingredients. The Seasoned Chicken Slices have salt added to them and are cut into larger strips. Both of these can be used in a number of recipes, including chicken salad, burritos, fajitas, soups, etc. There is the equivalent of approximately 5 lbs of fresh chicken in each can.

Scrambled Egg Mix vs. Whole Egg Powder  

The Scrambled Egg Mix is still just eggs, but it has a different ratio of egg whites to egg yolks. They make excellent scrambled eggs (and omelets and French toast, etc.), and you can also use them in your baking recipes that call for fresh eggs. They have a longer shelf life (7 years) than the Whole Egg Powder (3 years); however, there are fewer eggs per can because it requires more powder to equal 1 egg than the Whole Egg Powder does. But, the Whole Egg Powder is only intended for baking. The Whole Egg Powder doesn't have an anti-caking agent in them, so your cakes will stay nice and firm.

Don't forget, today is the last day for Thrive Life's March Madness Sale!  Every one of these items listed, (and more) is discounted, up to 50% off!

Shortening Powder

If you haven't jumped on the bandwagon of shortening powder yet you are seriously missing out.
This is one of the newer additions to my food storage and I Love Love Love it!

I should probably start by saying that I am not a huge baker.  I consider myself to be a decent cook, but rarely do I bake.  Shortening makes its appearance in my kitchen most often in biscuits.  We love biscuits.  But then the hubs decided it was better to make them with olive oil and the shortening container was left, unopened, for who knows how long.

Until one day when I needed some for a chicken pot pie crust recipe.  Any of you ever experienced the look or smell of rancid shortening?  Ew... to say the least.

Anyway, I was super annoyed; both at the thought of throwing food away (even if its bad - because I'm a freak like that), and because I had already made the filling for the pot pie.

Enter Thrive Shortening Powder:

THRIVE Macaroon Cookies, Product Review

It has been a while since I've done a food storage product review, but I have a bunch of them lined up!  I wanted to quickly post about these Macaroon Cookies however, since they are on sale this month!

Every time I am working I ask the question, "what is something you would wish you had in an emergency?"  Almost always, the first answer is "dessert".  Or chocolate.  And so it seems appropriate that I do a dessert food storage review.

Thrive Macaroon Cookies

Food Storage Conditions and Shelf Life

 Although food storage guidelines vary depending on the type of food, all storage life can be significantly impacted by the following conditions:

Temperature:

Store products at a temperature of 75°F/24°C (room temperature) or lower whenever possible – the lower the better.

 If storage temperatures are higher than this, faster rotation of products is needed to maintain food quality.

Moisture and Elements:

All storage areas should be kept dry.

It is best to keep containers off of the floor to allow for proper air circulation.

Remember if storing food in your basement to keep it off of the floor.  If your basement flooded; from water, sewage backup, etc. everything on the floor risks the possibility of contamination or spoilage.  A few inches could provide you with plenty of time to relocate items if necessary.

Light: 

For the most part, light should be kept to a minimum, if not eliminated completely.

Especially protect cooking oil and products stored in PETE bottles from light.

Insects and Rodents:

All food storage should ideally be packaged in containers that will keep rodents out.

Avoid (or protect) foil pouches, PETE bottles, cardboard, plastic and paper bags, or any other container that rodents could penetrate.

If evidence of rodent activity is presented, properly clean food containers before use.

Sugar

All sugar products in the market place differ only in crystal size or molasses content.  Molasses adds both color and flavor.  The darker the brown sugar, the more molasses it has.

Sugar Classification:

Granulated or White Sugar, as it is known to consumers, is the sugar found in every home's sugar bowl, and most commonly used in home food preparation.

Oats

This information is a compilation of my personal notes along with any other various handouts I have received in regards to Oats.  Hopefully someone somewhere will learn something new!

Oats

Oats have excellent nutritional qualities and are rich in high-quality protein, with some B vitamins, calcium, fiber and unsalturated fats.  A new 10 year study published in the American Journal of Public health indicated that eating oatmeal (a wholegrain cereal) on a regular basis can help to reduce the risk of Type 2 (adult onset) diabetes.  The study showed that eating 1 serving of oatmeal (equivalent to 1 c. cooked) 2-4 times weekly resulted in a 16% reduction in risk of suffering from Type 2 diabetes.  By increasing consumption of oatmeal to 5-6 times weekly, there was a corresponding 39% reduction in the risk of onset of Type 2 diabetes.

Oat Classification:

Oat Groats are minimally processed oats with the outermost, inedible chaff or hull removed.  They look a lot like wheat to me.

Honey

Honey is one of natures' best energy foods because it contains many carbohydrates.  It is different from cane sugar, which is also an energy food, because honey also contains small amounts of protein, minerals and vitamins.  Honey is the only form of sugar food that does not need to be refined.  About four-fifths of extracted honey by weight is sugar, mostly in the form of simple sugars, which are easy to digest because they are already in the form that can be absorbed by the body.

Morning Moo's Chocolate Drink Mix

We don't drink a ton of chocolate milk at our house, but if we do, it isn't the pre-made kind you can buy in the gallon jugs.

We usually stick to chocolate powder or syrup.

However, I saw this in the store and thought I'd give it a try.

It was amazing!

Here are the basics (text taken directly from can):

Mixing Instructions:

1. Using the chart below dissolve indicated amount of dry product in corresponding volume of warm tap water by shaking vigorously or by mixing in a blender or mixer.

2.  Add cold water up to desired quantity and chill in a closed container before serving.

3. Proportions may be altered to suit individual taste.

 1 quart: Take 3/4 c. dry product mix with 1 c. hot water.  Dilute with cold water to make 1 quart.

2 quarts: 1 1/2 c. dry product mixed with 1 pint hot water.  Dilute with cold water to make 2 quarts.

1 gallon: 3 c. dry product mixed with 1 quart hot water.  Dilute with cold water to make 1 gallon.

General Directions for Use

Hot Chocolate Drink: Simpoy mix as above substituting hot water in place of cold water.  Tope with marshmallows or whipped cream if desired.

Microwave: To make a single serving of hot chocolate, heat 3/4 c. water (do not allow to boil).  Remove from heat and stir in 1 or 2 heaping Tbsp. of chocolate mix (more or less to suit desired taste).

Dry Toppings: Sprinkle on your favorite desserts.

As a Smoothie: Add 1 - 2 Tbsp. to your favorite vanilla flavored mix.

Ingredients:

Made from can sugar, whey, non-gar dry milk, partially hydrogenated soy bean oil, cocoa, corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, guargum, mono and diglycerides, salt, dipotassium phosphate, lecithin, Vitamin A palmitate, Vitamin D3 cholecalciferol.

Conatins dairy.  No preservatives.

It also includes recipes for the following drinks: chocolate-cinnamon quick mix, chocolate-fruit jubilee, chocolate-almond supreme, and chocolate malt drink.

So, when you are ready to make some,

you just have to mix the powder with warm/hot water first.  However hot my tap water gets, that is what I use.

Then you mix or shake that up really well, letting it dissolve somewhat, and then fill it up with cold water.

Chill in your fridge for a few hours and you are good.

(Or of course just use hot water for hot chocolate).

Quality Check:

The powder looks just like your regular Nesquick chocolate powder, and it smells sweet and delicious!

Once made, it looks exactly like the store bought chocolate milk.

It does not separate easily, like nesquick and chocolate syrup do (which is another reason why I love it).

And of course the taste is SO GOOD!

Chocolate milk that you buy at the store has a thicker, richer consistency than what you get when you make it at home with regular chocolate powder / chocolate syrup.

Morning Moo's is just like the store bought kind!

It is creamy, thick and oh so delicious!

Seriously, I have tricked a lot of people into trying it and they were shocked when they found out it was from powder!

It is also very good as hot chocolate; I think it tastes very creamy.

How much do you get?

One #10 can makes 20 quarts (hot or cold).

20 quarts = 5 gallons

At first I was worried that I was going to have to add WAY more powder than it called for to make it taste good, and that was NOT true.

I actually altered the amounts, making the powder amount lower than what they recommend, because it was much too chocolately for me.

Which means that for me it actually makes more than 20 quarts.

(I use 1 1/4 c. instead of 1 1/2 c. when making 2 quarts).

How long does it last? / Shelf Life

Instructions say:

Store in a cool dry place.

Can be stored (unopened) up to 10-15 years at temperatures ranging form 55-70 degrees F.

Opened I am guessing around 6 months depending on storage conditions.

Once made, I keep it to the same rule as powdered milk, never drink over a week old (but I am kind of a freak when it comes to milk possibly going bad) so use your best judgement.

How much does it cost?

I bought my can on sale for around $9.

They are regularly $12-15, depending on where you shop.

(You can find this at Macey's, Walmart and possibly Winco).

Macey's will list it for $15 and will occasionally have it on sale for under $10.

Walmart always has it for $12-15.

Is it worth it?

Taste wise, absolutely!

It also doesn't require milk, and it has a great shelf life, which is nice.

Price wise...

It makes 5 gallons, which would cost you $7.50 in milk alone if you got it for $1.50 per gallon.

Just for the chocolate that ends up being $1.50 (if you buy on sale) to $4.50 (if you buy for $12) or $7.50 (if you buy at top price).  Keep in mind it makes enough for 5 gallons, and that is assuming you get your milk at bottom dollar.

The 21.8oz carton of Nestle Nesquik makes 38 1 cup servings, which is 9.5 quarts, or just under 2 1/2 gallons.  I can't remember exactly, but I want to say it was about $5.

So yes... not only does it taste WAY better, it is also cheaper (especially if you buy it on sale)!

** As a side note - my sister recently purchased this product (after tasting mine a while ago), and regrettably told me that it was AWFUL!  I am becoming more and more concerned with Morning Moo's product line.  I haven't done a 'proper review' yet, but I would recommend buying 'Country Cream' Chocolate Milk Powder.  I have had continued success with them.

Honey Powder

Ready for another
Product Review?

And today's topic is: Honey Powder

Honey powder - lets cover the basics:  This text is taken directly from the container.

Directions: use as a sweetener on hot cereals, substitute for sugar or honey in recipes

Liquid Honey Substitution: Honey Powder - Example: 1 c. liquid honey is equal to 1 c. honey powder and 1/4 c. water

Re-hydration: Slowly add 1/4 c. cold water to 1 c. honey powder.  Mix well.  Heat mixture on low to dissolve sugars.  Place in a covered jar and cool.  Use as you would fresh honey.

Ingredients: Honey powder (honey, refinery syrup), fructose.

Contents can be stored for 10-15 years under proper storage conditions.

Lets make some!


 Start with your powder... add the water... and you are left with this:

It is a runny, crystallized looking liquid about the consistency of heavy cream.
Next, heat to remove the crystals (I microwave 1c. of honey for 2-3 minutes, stirring a few times throughout).
Liquid should be crystal free when heated sufficiently.

**This is a very important step!

If the honey has ANY crystals in it they will sink to the bottom.  Over time, they will turn into a waxy substance that is unedible and will most likely ruin the honey.
Be sure it is totally clear before you stop heating.

This is regular honey on the left, and powdered honey on the right, before it has ben heated to remove the crystals.

See how its all cloudy?

This is powdered honey (on the left) after it has been heated.

 The color turns from bright yellow to dark amber, and the consistency is that of maple syrup.  It should be clear, without any crystals.

Now that it's made, lets do a Quality Check:
- Smell: Minor difference, I probably wouldn't notice if I didn't have regular honey to compare it to.

- Taste: Noticably different, but close enough for it NOT to matter.  To me, it tastes artificially sweeter than regular honey, but good enough that I'd eat it on a piece of bread.

- Texture: The same, although not quiet as thick as regular honey - about the consistency of maple syrup.

- Color: Dark brown/amber.  Regular honey is gold.

- How long does it last once it's been made?
After one month crystals will begin to form on the bottom.
The honey will continue to crystallize on the bottom as time passes (I let it sit for 3 months).
The crystals will not go away after reheating (I brought it to a boil and they were still there).
The taste and texture of the honey is the same.
I am sure it will last several months, continuing to crystallize, without any taste difference, but because it lasts so much longer as a powder, I chose not to experiment after 3 months.

Okay, now lets get down to the facts:

First, how much do you get?
~ 7 1/2 cups of powder, which equals 7 1/2 cups of honey.
By the way, it comes in a #10 size can, but it is based upon weight, so don't be suprised when you find that it is only about 1/2 way full.

Ok, lets talk Price:
I just bought 80oz. (10 cups) of regular clover honey for about $20.00 (on sale).
A can of honey powder runs about $9.00, and as we've discussed, provides about 7.5 cups.
So yes, it is cheaper than regular honey. Almost half as much.

What about Shelf Life?
10-15 years under proper storage conditions.
Real honey has an indefinate shelf life (but that doesn't mean it does not have a 'best if used before date', so keep that in mind).

So... Is it worth it?
In my mind, yes.  It (along with real honey) is a pantry staple at our house.
I use it consistently for cooking - mostly for making granola.  I like it better for cooking because it isn't as thick as real honey, which makes it easier to incorporate with the other ingredients.
That, and it is cheaper!

**UPDATED 11/10/13
I decided to update this post because this particular brand of honey powder is no longer available in stores.  I wanted to provide a link to the honey crystals that I use now.  They are a higher quality than what I posted about above, and they also have more honey in each #10 can.  You can purchase it online as well, so location is no longer an issue.  You can view the product at the link below:
Thrive Honey Crystals

Wheat Flour - how long does it last?

 The first time I made wheat flour I made about 20 lbs. worth.

I kept it in a poly bucket, just like all of my other dried foods.

I would use it sparingly, since I wasn't used to it and I didn't prefer the taste.

About 1 1/2 years later, I went to a bread making class where the instructor taught that wheat flour only lasts about a week.

I ended up dumping my entire bucket of flour out after I made a loaf of whole wheat bread that ended up turning into a rock after baking (not to mention the fact that it didn't rise).

Several other similar experiences with friends and family over the years convinced me to do the following experiment:

I made wheat flour once a week, over a period of 6 weeks.

Older flour was put into bags and stored in my pantry.

Then I made 6 loaves of bread, each with flour made on a specific day.

Each loaf followed the exact same recipe, had the same amount of rising time, and cooked for the same amount of time.

This is what I found...

Let me explain the numbers, because I should have done them differently.

The loaf without a number was made from fresh wheat flour - ground the same day.

#2 loaf is a week old flour, #3 is 2 weeks old, going up to #6, which is 5 week old flour.  You with me?

Okay, here's a closer look:

Surprisingly to me, they all looked relatively similar (size wise).

But they definitely were not the same.

Loaves 1, 2 and 3 (fresh, 1 week, and 2 week old flour) seemed to weigh less than Loaves 4, 5 and 6.

The older the wheat flour was, the harder and more dense the bread.

This was especially noticeable while shaping.

When kneading the fresh flour dough, it was extremely elastic and flexible; very easy to work with.

The older flour dough became progressively harder to handle.  It was very difficult to even knead the 5 week old flour dough - it would crack easily and quiet frankly just didn't want to cooperate.

Loaves 4, 5 and 6 also had a drier looking crust.  If I knocked my fist on the tops of them, it would make a knocking sound.  When I did the same thing on Loaves 1, 2 and 3, the dough would 'give', making an indent of my knuckles, and then popping back up again.

Basically, loaves 4, 5 and 6 had no give.

Here is a shot of loaf #6 next to the freshly made loaf:

You can see by the amount of browning on the side (where I wrote 6) that it didn't rise as much as the fresh loaf did.  It also had several cracks and uneven lumps, not to mention the overall dry appearance.

Here is a top view:

 

This is a really good representation of how dry and unappetizing it looked.

After cutting each loaf open, again, they all looked the same.

Taste and texture were extremely different.

The older the flour, the drier the bread.  Loaf #6 was crumbling all over the place.  There was no moisture.

Here is a good example of what I mean:

This is me holding a piece of bread from the fresh wheat flour loaf:

Do you see how it bends?

The bread was moist and flexible.

This is a piece from loaf #6:

 

There is no give, no flexibility, and no moisture... it even started to crack down the middle.

I tried a bite from a slice of each loaf.

They all tasted the same, but the quality wasn't nearly as good, especially when eating from loaves 3-6.

Eating from loaf #6 was like eating week old bread; it was very dry, crumbled easily, and almost had a powdery texture.

Although from the outside, loaf #3 (2 week old flour) looked and felt the same as 1 and 2, it was not nearly as moist or flexible once I cut into it.

There were minor differences between loaves 1 (fresh) and 2 (1 week), probably nothing I would have noticed had I not been experimenting.

So... my conclusion is that wheat flour definitely makes major, unwanted changes after about 1 week of being ground.

The recipe I used is from Pantry Secrets, and can be found here, along with an explanation of ingredients used.

I make my own bread from scratch regularly (with white flour), using Pantry Secret's recipe, which does have some minor changes compared to the wheat bread (all appropriate information is covered in the link above).

My point is, this recipe doesn't call for Vital Wheat Gluten, which is a common ingredient used in bread which helps make it rise better and become more 'airy', if you will.

I don't know what kind of differences it would make if you used vital wheat gluten when making bread with older wheat flour.  I am sure it would improve the bread, but I'm not sure by how much.

Another thing to consider is if refrigerating or freezing the flour would make it last longer.  I didn't try this, nor will I, because I don't use wheat flour enough to want to store it under those conditions.

Either way, the differences in bread made with flour older than a week were significant in my opinion.

I will definitely be using all of my wheat flour within a week from now on.