MRE – in thriver words

The recent devastation from Hurricane Harvey and the imminent approach of Irma have me thinking about a gluten-free hurricane emergency kit. Of course, every time a disaster happens, I feel like I need to develop a plan for that type of emergency. When cars drove over the edge of the damaged I-40 bridge into the Arkansas River in 2002, I developed a list of procedures I will follow should I ever speed over the edge of an unexpectedly missing bridge. I always feel better when I have a plan.
hurricane
If you’re gluten-free or on any sort of specialized eating plan, preparing an emergency kit is extremely important. If you should lose access to grocery stores, restaurants, and delivery services, it can be extremely difficult to avoid gluten and other allergens. If you end up in a shelter, choices may be limited.

Hurricanes are not the only type of emergency your kit can be used for. With slight variations, it will be appropriate for wildfire evacuations, tornado displacement, ice and snow storms, and dam overflows or other flooding. No matter what event leads to your displacement, a handy backpack filled with basic water, food, and supplies will make your life less worrisome.
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Water
Water is the most important consideration. Your body will require water before it requires food. How often have you heard interviews with disaster victims who have been waiting and waiting for water? It’s a common problem in catastrophic circumstances.

Bottled water is the most readily available option, but it’s heavy and hard to carry. Depending on the circumstances, you may want to consider a water bag, portable filtration system, or filter straw.

Food
Gluten-free foods that do not require preparation or cooking, have a lengthy shelf-life, and can be served without the need for special utensils are ideal for inclusion in an emergency kit. At my house, we like to include gluten-free beef jerky, individually packed peanut butter, raisins, dried pears, and dates. We also pack individual cups of applesauce and mandarin oranges. I carry some Starbucks Via® instant coffee in my suitcase as well as the emergency kit. If we have them handy, a bag of pretzels, and some raw almonds may go in the pack as well.

Of course you may have different preferences. Protein bars are a good option. Baby food or applesauce in pouches is easy to carry. If you prefer full meals, you can buy 12 gluten-free MRE‘s for $97.95. MRE stands for Meals-Ready-to-Eat. They are used by the military. We used to buy them from the Army surplus store to carry on canoe trips. Those were not gluten-free and many MRE’s still are not. Be sure to check before you buy.

According to the MRE Star Website, each gluten free single complete MRE meal contains:
1. Main Entrée
2. Toasted Corn
3. Nut and Raisin Mix
4. Dried Fruit Mix
5. Drink Mix (Fruit Flavored from 5 varieties)
6. Spoon
7. Napkin
8. Wet Nap
9. Coffee
10. Sugar
11. Non-Dairy Creamer
12. Salt
13. Pepper
14. Candy
15. Hot Sauce
16. Flameless Ration Heaters

You get all of that for $7.32 per meal. It may not be as cheap as cooking at home, but the cost is less than many restaurants, the meals are easily carried, and they come with their own heat source. That’s a lot of value for the money.
MRE
MRE meals…
contain a fully prepared and ready-to-eat entree.
are packaged for long-term storage.
have no preservatives.
require no refrigeration with up to a 5 year shelf life when stored at 70 degrees or cooler. Higher temperatures will reduce shelf life.
should not be frozen.
are manufactured to military specifications.
are fully cooked and ready to eat, cold or heated.

Medicine
Another important consideration is medication. If you have medicine you need, make sure to pack a generous supply in your go bag before any threat is imminent.

Supplies
Of course, you’ll want to keep your food, medicine, telephone, and a change of clothes dry. If you canoe, you probably already have a collection of dry bags. If not, you can purchase document bags (great for stashing some $1 and $5 bills), cell phone bags, small dry bags, dry duffels, and dry backpacks from sporting goods or specialty retailers. Many of those outlets will also carry compact flashlights, first aid kits, rain suits, waders, lightweight towels, hand wipes, no-rinse bathing wipes, disposable toothbrushes, and travel toilet paper perfect for emergency kits.

An emergency cell phone charger should be included to make it possible to contact rescue crews and family after a loss of power. Other useful supplies include pliers, a Swiss Army knife or all-in-one tool, and a plastic bag for trash. In the event of floods, floaties for the kids will easily fit in your emergency kit. Floating coolers can also be used to carry extra food or water.

Comfort Item
It’s amazing how comforting a small symbolic item can be. When you do the final check of your emergency kit, have each member of the family place one small comfort item in the bag. It could be a favorite photo, crystal, rock, ball, stuffed animal, heirloom necklace, poem, toy car, doll — anything that brings a smile or feeling of warmth.

In my part of the country, tornadoes and ice storms are the biggest ongoing threats to life as usual. Some nights each spring are designated as watch-the-radar nights. Those can be scary. Last summer a windstorm knocked out power for several days. It was over 100º in my house in a matter of hours. I was quickly exhausted. It is at that moment of exhaustion that a comfort item can remind you of good experiences. A brief glimpse of better times will remind you that you can feel good again.

No matter how prepared you are, a major flood, hurricane, or tornado creates a lengthy ordeal if you are its victim. The physical and emotional toll can take exhaustion to a whole new level. Sometimes the best thing we can do is help ourselves by allowing others to help us, by asking for help when we need it, and by being patient with ourselves.

Sometimes the best thing we can do is let you know our hearts are with you. Our hearts are with you!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

http://lifestraw.com/

https://ortliebusa.com/product-category/ortlieb/water-transport/

https://www.rei.com/c/water-treatment?r=c&origin=web&ir=category%3Awater-treatment&page=1

https://nuts.com/driedfruit/pears/premium.html

https://dolesunshine.com/products/fruit-bowls/organic-diced-nectarines

https://www.target.com/p/mott-s-snack-go-natural-applesauce-4ct-3-2oz/-/A-14779763

http://www.jif.com/products/snacks/to-go-creamy-peanut-butter

https://www.oberto.com/spicy-sweet-beef-trail-mix

https://www.oberto.com/faq/

http://www.snydersofhanover.com/products/wholey-cheese/mild-cheddar.html

https://mre-meals.net/mre-meals/product/gluten-free-menu-case-of-12-mre-with-heaters-m018hgf/

https://www.target.com/p/babyganics-hand-and-face-wipes-30-ct/-/A-16397526