|  | | | Customer Reviews: | | | Average Customer Review: ( 23 customer reviews )
Write an online review and share your thoughts with other customers.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
69 of 70 found the following review helpful:
 Good Product Jan 18, 2009
By BrianW
If you are looking for a product that has a long shelf-life, is compact, and will provide you will the sustenance you need in a survival situation, then this is it. I bought some to store in the pantry (about 3 weeks worth per person in the household) just in case we are held up in the house for an extended period, such as would be the case in a zombie attack.
43 of 43 found the following review helpful:
It's survival food - not a gourmet meal May 09, 2008
By S. Sherman
The person who says this isn't food proceeds to list food ingredients that appear in most things in the grocery store. Flour and sugar aren't food? You need some fat in a nutrition bar. While hydrogenated oils have their problems, it is the only way to ensure shelf-stability for fat. These bars will last FIVE YEARS without refrigeration. You need carbs for energy in a stressful (remember, it's an emergency) situation. I like lemon cookies, so the taste is just fine for me. MREs are a great supplement, although the best only have a 3-year shelf-life. So use these in combination if you can afford the cost and space for the MREs. BTW, these bars are Kosher and meet the dictates for Halal. Not bad for meeting a wide range of dietary requirements. As always, people with specific food sensitivity should read the label.
69 of 73 found the following review helpful:
 Pretty top notch for what it is Jul 02, 2006
By Christopher Boatright
I purchased a packet of these for a lightweight and handy meal for packing in the woods. The taste is fine as advertised. This isn't a three star based on this being just a snack, however. They are survival rations, not just some kind of nosh. I would not choose to eat these as a snack as they are rather dense, and despite claims to do make you thirsty; just as eating anything bread-like will make you thirsty.
There is also an aftertaste that, while not strong, will make your mouth continue to taste the lemon-bar you just ate for as long as it takes you to drink enough water to wash it down.
I would rather have an MRE, but the compact and portable nature as well as the price makes this a good item for extreme light hiking.
24 of 24 found the following review helpful:
Great product. Jul 12, 2010
By D. Clark
The purpose of these rations is to keep people alive despite limited potable water supplies. They've got plenty of vitamins and minerals, however, they are greatly lacking in sodium and other electrolytes. That's a benefit when potable water is extremely limited, but it's a curse if you'll be performing strenuous activities.
Each bar contains only 23mg of sodium, which is 1% of the recommended daily allowance. That makes sense - any more salt is going to provoke thirst. But it also means that with any moderate or greater activity, you're going to be sweating out electrolytes, and these bars won't replace them. If you have any desire to fend for yourself in a survival situation (doing anything but sitting around waiting for help to arrive) I'd STRONGLY suggest adding a sports drink powder high in sodium and potassium. Same thing if you're planning on using them to replace/augment hiking rations.
The texture is heavy but crumbly, and doesn't seem to absorb much water. (The first two ingredients on the list are Enriched Flour and Vegetable Shortening; the shortening would repel water or saliva) Meaning: it's not going to provoke thirst anywhere nearly as bad as most baked goods.
The taste is similar to a lemon cookie. It's slightly cloying, but quite tolerable. Taste might not be a significant consideration for adults, but when you've got kids, you don't need the extra aggravation of one of them refusing to eat at meal time because they don't like the taste of their rations.
The packaging is a sturdy foil. Tough, but can be opened without tools, and can be folded closed to protect an unused portion.
All in all, I'm impressed. I wouldn't want to eat these things for a month straight, but they would be great to get by for a few days. They managed to cram 3 days worth of food into a package about 1/3 the size of an MRE.
Mainstay also markets 1200 and 2400 calorie packages, which are more conveniently sized for personal emergency kits.
Nutrition facts (summarized from the package I received):
Serving Size: 1 bar
Servings per container: 9
Calories: 400
Fat: 20g (36%)
Sodium: 23mg (1%)
Carbohydrates: 46g (15%)
Protein: 3g
Vitamin A: 50%
Vitamin C: 60%
Calcium: 50%
Iron: 10%
Thiamin: 15%
Riboflavin: 25%
Niacin: 30%
Vitamin D: 50%
Vitamin E: 25%
Vitamin B6: 90%
Folic Acid: 35%
Vitamin B12: 20%
Phosphorus: 40%
Magnesium: 30%
Pantothenic Acid: 100%
20 of 20 found the following review helpful:
Still tastey even after they're expired! Aug 23, 2009
By technonaut
Mine are 6 months expired (i.e. 5 and 1/2 years old), and I've had them in the garage in extreme heat (Florida) for quite a while. I've never actually tasted them before. Since they expired, I figured I might as well give them a try. If they're good, I've still got the rest of them to keep handy. If they're bad, well, at least I know.
I wasn't sure what to expect as I peeled the package open. Would it be a moldy mess, or dry as cardboard?
I first realized they were moist, and showed no signs of mold. They smelled pretty good, actually, so I went ahead and took a nibble. Lo and behold, they tasted great! Even as old as they were and how they'd been stored.
I give these a big thumbs up.
See all 23 customer reviews on Amazon.com
|
| | |
