MRE's / USA and foreign

[W.Lynn]

I hear ya. At least with mine, it's easy enough to avoid. Since theirs is a "big 8" item, make sure they're watching out for the others. Seems like everyone I know with one, ends up collecting others.

[redman2006]

Lynn, I am not familiar with the big 8, other than sports.

[apache235]

Think soy is bad (it is) try having problems with grain - all grains. The wife has real issues with any grain and trying to find any long term food for storage that doesn't have grain is an issue. Legumes too, so no rice, beans, wheat, corn, soy etc.

[redman2006]

Sheezh, yeah. I am having a hard time making meals in my mind that do not involve grain and store. Beef jerky and dried fruit

[W.Lynn]

The Big 8 are the foods that are implicated in 90% of human food allergies in the USA, and many other places.

Milk - though there are some hard to find, expensive cows that don't carry (or pass in the milk,) a particular protein. Some milk-allergic folks can consume it, but it usually involves being able to find, afford, and keep a cow.

Eggs - not sure about any possibilities or hope here. Maybe duck or goose eggs?

Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod) - fins and gills. River & ocean pollution, anyone?

Crustacean shellfish (e.g., crab, lobster, shrimp) - for many, this includes clams, oysters, and mussels. More contaminated water, perhaps?

Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans) - trees filter LOTS of air.

Peanuts - more closely related to beans than to actual nuts, so watch that direction for additional other problems. Also, peanut pods do their growing in the topsoil. Any contaminants that settle out of the air, or treated water, or chemical fertilizers or weed sprays that get sprayed in the area will settle in the topsoil.

Wheat - used to grow to 4.5-5' tall, but indiscriminate breeding *before* there was much in the way of scientific or nutritional input, or much in the way of tracking who did what brought it down to about 2', and no real clue what other changes occurred. Some people find they can use ancient varieties like einkorn.

Soybeans - possibly the most genetically modified food stuff on the planet?

Not that allergies haven't always been a thing, but they've become MORE of a thing. Much like autism spectrum issues, and diabetes.

[W.Lynn]

Sheezh, yeah. I am having a hard time making meals in my mind that do not involve grain and store. Beef jerky and dried fruit

Think soup or stew made with freeze-dried meats, vegetables, and alternative thickeners. Potato starch maybe, if you can find any made on dedicated grain-free equipment. There's also learning to make reductions of broth, stock, juice, etc, so that you don't have to rely on thickeners.

[redman2006]

I wonder if allergies are really more of a problem or we are just reaping the benefits of modern life and medicine? Now people who would have died of anaphylaxis are surviving to reproduce more allergic kids.

[kickstand]

Although the Mrs & I don't have an allergic reaction to wheat flour, she just really doesn't like using wheat flour or cornstarch as a thickener. Since I'm a guy, sometimes I just need a gravy (she would be fine without). We have found that Arrow Root fills the bill rather well. It's about the same consistency as cornstarch, and a little bit goes a long way.
Prior to finding out about lactose issues, I used to make a great sour cream gravy, but alas, those days are (mostly) gone.

[0utlaw]

Seven days after the SHTF the new bloodsport will be watching an organic health food junkie and a vegan fighting over a can of ravioli.

[W.Lynn]

LOL! Can it be the extra-cheap, nasty ravioli that even kids won't eat?