Emergency Food for home delivery

Emergency food has sat at the heart of preparedness strategy for hundreds of years. International military organisations have long depended on 'MREs' (ready to eat meals) to fuel dispersed troops on deployment. Closer to home, however, governments are now encouraging the average household to do what they can to plan ahead for other emergencies, from flooding to public health scares. 

Check out the 'UK Prepare' campaign, published on the 21st May 2024.

What is emergency food?

On a basic level, emergency food consists of a stock of meals or ingredients which can be eaten in the event of an emergency. It requires minimal preparation, is generally long-lasting, and does not need refrigeration. 

The ability to draw upon nutritious meals in emergency situations has become critically important in a broad range of scenarios, and its impact can be life-saving.

Why would you need it?

Emergencies are typcially unexpected, leaving little time for preparation. Natural disasters such as hurricanes or earthquakes are a good example of emergency situations, but there are many other scenarios where you might be grateful for an emergency supply of food — they could involve financial or political difficulties, flooding, or widespread public health scares. In any of these situations, having a stock of emergency food relieves some of the immediate pressures felt by a rapid change in circumstances.

Modern day 'rations'

There are plenty of options when it comes to modern-day ready meals. Most people are familiar with the type of ready meals, available from the supermarket. Designed for convenience during a busy week, these typically have a shelf-life of a few weeks at best. 

There are plenty of other specialist meals, which are often used during expeditions as they are compact, and easy to carry. These meals can be divided into ‘wet’ and ‘dry’ meals, and can be eaten either hot or cold directly from the packaging. Wet food tends to be heavier but can be eaten in places which don’t have any water. Dry food needs water to rehydrate. 

What is a Firepot meal?

Firepot makes a range of dried meals with a five year shelf life. The meals are cooked in Dorset using fresh, natural ingredients, and are then dried to increase their shelf life. The food is preserved using special dehydration techniques rather than relying on chemicals or preservatives to guarantee longevity, as with many other brands. Once each recipe is cooked in our kitchen, it is then placed straight into a drying cabinet for 12-16 hours, where it is dehydrated. Then, is placed into a food-grade waterproof pouch, where it can be stored for over five years until needed. Compostable pouches are also available.

Firepot was created for people surviving on dried meals for days, weeks or months at a time, so the nutritional value and the taste of each meal are key.

Home delivery is available for all Firepot meals. Orders are typically packed and shipped within 24 hours of receipt, with various delivery options available.

How do you use a Firepot meal?

To eat a Firepot meal, follow these steps:

1. Tear open the pouch and remove the oxygen scavenger sachet.
2. Pour in boiling water up to the level indicated on the packet.
3. Stir and the seal the pouch using the zip-lock strip.
4. Let sit for 15 minutes*. Stir again and eat.

*They can also be prepared using cold water if required, but please note that rehydration will take closer to an hour.

* Average statistics taken from a range of competitors with same menu item in Sept 2019.
** From an actual competitor’s Chilli Con Carne ingredients.