Have You Considered Using Shelf Stable Meals For Their Convenience And Versatility

By Lena Stephenson


Occasionally it happens that there is no access to a refrigerator, but a supply of simple to use food is needed. Shelf stable meals are made from foods that would ordinarily have to be refrigerated, but have been processed in such a way that they can be safely kept at a regular room temperature. Storage in a special sealed container is required however.

Due to their ability to be safely kept at room temperature, also called ambient temperature, this type of meal can also be referred to as ambient food. They are able to be used in a wide variety of was as a result of not requiring refrigeration. Common usage of this kind of food varies from pure convenience to use as emergency supplies.

Most pre-prepared kits made from shelf stable food items have a very long storage life. As a result, they are ideal for use as emergency food supplies. These meals can be purchased and stored ready for emergency situations when food may not be readily available or easy to prepare.

Pre-packed meals that are shelf stable can be a great asset and even stop people from going hungry during emergency conditions. A good example of this would be people that are affected by a heavy snow, a hurricane, tornado or other severe weather event and have to take shelter, making it difficult for them to leave and get food. In a case like this, packaged food that can be stored without refrigeration and have a long shelf life can be a welcome source of much needed nutrition.

Another use to which these food kits is put is during times when members of the military are sent out away from a base and have no cooking facilities. This occurs frequently when military personnel are in training or deployed in an active combat situation. In both cases, they are not likely to have refrigeration equipment nearby so food that is suitable for storage, transportation and use at room temperature is ideal in this situation.

Elderly people can also find pre-prepared shelf stable food kits useful. Sometimes residents of retirement facilities of nursing homes have limited or no access to cooking facilities. Even if they have access to a kitchen there can be times when people at this stage of their lives simply do not feel like cooking every day.

Aside from the specialized uses mentioned above, food that is shelf stable can also be used just for convenience. Having a few stored in the pantry or grocery cupboard can come in useful when there is a power outage or there is not much food in the house and the stores are closed. Just open a couple of the ready meals and pop them in the microwave if there is power, or just use them as is if there is not.

In the past, certain types of these meals had a reputation for a bland a and boring taste, however food preparation technology has advanced so much lately that food of this type is a lot better than before. Unfortunately, though, there are still some manufacturers out there that do not keep up with the times and produce low quality meals. On the other hand, there are other companies that make convenient meals that are also very tasty.




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