The benefits of building up your preparedness pantry with #10 cans cannot be overstated.
These large steel cans are lightweight, stackable, durable, and once they’re empty, even able to be repurposed!
Are the #10 cans you’ve stacked in your stash designed for long-term storage? Yes. Do you have to wait until disaster strikes to crack ‘em open and try the freeze-dried foods inside? Nope!
In addition to emergencies, there are a number of reasons to count on #10 cans:
- A cost-effective alternative to rising prices at the grocery store.
- A defense against food shortages.
- A meal and snack solution for camping trips and outdoor adventures.
- A backup supply to keep the family fed when funds are tight.
- A shelf-stable replacement for foods that require refrigeration.
And, of course, these cans can come to the rescue when the family’s scrambling to find food on those over-scheduled weeknights!
Sound familiar?
Regardless of your reasons, when it’s time to whip out that survival supply, these simple recipes using #10 cans are sure to come in clutch!
Honey Berry Overnight Oats
Ingredients:
- ½ cup EE Quick Oats
- ½ cup EE Powdered Milk (prepared)
- ¼ cup Greek or plain yogurt
- ¼ cup EE Blueberries (prepared)
- 1 tablespoon EE Honey Powder (prepared)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions:
- Pour the oats into a container, then add the prepared milk, yogurt, and prepared blueberries.
- Top the stack with the prepared honey and cinnamon.
- Place in the refrigerator and allow the overnight oats to sit for at least 8 hours.
- Eat up!
Tip: Not a big fan of blueberries? Substitute them with our prepared strawberry slices instead!
Sweet Peach Cornbread
This is a much simpler rendition of what is often a more complicated recipe!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup EE Yellow Cornmeal
- 1 cup EE White Flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup EE White Sugar
- ½ teaspoon EE Iodized Salt
- Equivalent to 2 eggs from EE Egg Powder (prepared)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons EE Butter Powder (prepared)
- 2 cups EE Peach Slices (prepared, then chopped)
Instructions:
- Place a 9-inch cast iron skillet in the oven, then preheat the oven to 400° Fahrenheit.
- In a bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the prepared eggs, buttermilk, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared butter.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl containing the dry ingredients, then stir together.
- Add the prepared, chopped peaches to the mixture.
- Pull out the skillet, then coat the bottom with the remaining 2 tablespoons of prepared butter.
- Pour the batter into the skillet, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Let cool, then let them eat cake!
Tip: Drizzle with our prepared honey powder for an extra sweet slice.
Beef Taco Bowls
Need a new dinnertime go-to? Feeding four, this recipe is the perfect pick for families with jam-packed weeknights.
Ingredients:
- 6 cups EE White Rice
- 3 cups EE Beef Crumbles
- 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, or a custom mix of similar spices
- 2 cups EE Black Beans (prepared)
- 2 cups EE Sweet Corn (prepared)
- 2 cups EE Tomato Chunks (prepared)
- Additional toppings of choice: sliced avocado, shredded cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, pico de gallo, cilantro, etc.
Instructions:
- Prepare the rice as directed, then set aside.
- Pour the beef into a large pan, then add the amount of water required to reconstitute. (See the specific measurements on the can.)
- Top with the taco seasoning, then simmer for around 5 minutes. Drain any remaining liquid.
- Scoop some rice and beef into a bowl, then add the prepared black beans, corn, and tomato chunks.
- Top with additional fixings as desired, then chow down!
Tip: Prefer a slab of steak over ground beef? Swap the beef crumbles with our beef dices for bigger chunks of meat. If you'd rather skip the meat entirely, try our vegetarian substitute instead!
Cinnamon Apple French Toast
Ingredients:
- 6 to 8 slices of EE Bread Mix (prepared)
- Equivalent to 2 eggs from EE Egg Powder (prepared)
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup EE Powdered Milk (prepared)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅓ cup EE White Flour
- 2 cups EE Cinnamon Apple Slices (prepared)
Instructions:
Before beginning, be sure to bake a loaf of bread using our bread mix. Although bread of any variety will work with this recipe, using our bread mix will help you make the most of your existing survival staples!
- In a large bowl, whisk together the prepared eggs, vanilla, prepared milk, and cinnamon.
- Gradually add the flour, stirring until smooth.
- Dip each slice of bread into the mixture, coating both sides.
- Heat each slice in a pan over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes per side.
- Top with the prepared cinnamon apple slices, then dig in!
Tip: For a stronger cinnamon flavor, sprinkle on a little more cinnamon. Or add powdered sugar—or our brown sugar—to sweeten up the stack!
Beef and Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- 10 cups water
- 2 cups EE Beef Dices
- 4 cups EE Potato Dices
- 1 cup EE Chopped Onions
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ cup chopped celery
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Pour the water into a pot, then warm it over medium heat.
- Drop in the beef, potatoes, and onions, then cover with a lid.
- After 5 minutes, stir in the remaining ingredients and replace the lid.
- Reduce heat and simmer for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until all freeze-dried ingredients have rehydrated and reached the desired texture and tenderness.
- Scoop some soup into a bowl, then slurp it up!
Tip: Need to increase your vegetable intake? Add our mixed vegetables to this recipe and get ‘em in a jiffy.
Recipe Wrap-Up
This wide range of simple recipes is just a glimpse into the kind of concoctions you can create from your collection of freeze-dried foods!
The next time you’re stressed about putting together something to eat, swing by this blog post for inspiration—or our recipe page for even more ideas.
Check in with The Essentials Blog each week for expert education, tips, and resources to make your shift to self-reliance as smooth as possible!
