How puffy should my bags be?
Our unique process injects nitrogen into the bag so as to ideally result in a neutral pressure that allows the contents to shift. This means that ideally the packaging for your product should allow the contents to shift. This might range from a bag that is obviously puffy, to one with slight firmness. This is for several reasons, including less stress on the packaging and more effective removal of oxygen. While many believe that packaging components using vacuum sealing, or oxygen absorbers that result in a tight brick state of the final product, this prevents all oxygen from migrating to the Oxygen Absorber Packets (OAPs) for removal. The result in this is that product degrades in the pockets where damaging oxygen remained. Thus, the ideal method results in the packaging being loose enough that the product can shift so as to allow oxygen to access the OAPs for safe removal. However, it is worth noting that after the process of oxygen removal has completed, in the week after packaging, it is not unusual for the final product to have some firmess.
It is worth noting that in some cases, mylar bags might have a corner cut off at an approximate 45 degree angle. This is an indication that the packaging firmed up more then acceptable so the package was re-injected with nitrogen to lessen the stress on the packaging.
Why is shipping so expensive?
We ask this question all the time. However, please note that our products are HEAVY as they are sold by weight. There is simply not a cheap way to ship a 46 pound box and shipping prices are skyrocketing. We do not mark up shipping, we do not add fees and our system calculates exact shipping cost. Consider a group buy or pallet freight shipment as a way to save on shipping.
Why do you mainly recommend Bulk Staples as a starting point?
Mountain Fresh Foods was founded originally to freeze dry beef, which is essentially a single $100+ meal. However, during the Pandemic we recognized that while people had extensive seasoning and random cans of soup in their pantries, few had any form of bulk calories sufficient to survive in their homes. Thus the "30 Day Meal Foundation Kit" was created and THOUSANDS were shipped nationally. For those wishing to get into a lifestyle of preparedness this is ALWAYS the best starting point. You can survive months on the basics our kits provide at a price point that is affordable.
Shouldn't I buy these staples at the store and simply package them myself at home?
The lifestyle of preparedness always points to self-sufficiency. However, not all of us are retired and many of us have kids and demanding jobs. the savings realized are NOT what one would expect. OUTSOURCE your food packaging, and BUY CONSISTENTLY - you have better things to do with your time. It's simply a fact that professionally packaged food lasts longer. This because the specialized equipment is expensive and is simply more efficient at sealing food in the correct gas environment. Another factor worth considering is that quality mylar is NOT easy to buy. Our company manufactures it's own mylar bags for a reason.
