Food Storage: Freeze Dried Vs Canned Food

Trying to build up a good food supply can be a daunting task, especially if you start looking at survival websites. Often, they will tell you that freeze dried food in #10 cans is the way to go. That stuff lasts for a decade in many cases. Yet other people will suggest you buy canned food instead. Which is better?
The truth is that a good mix of foods is probably best for most people.
Freeze Dried Food
These foil sealed packets are available with a wide variety of foods and they can be very useful in an emergency situation. Since these packets of food are lighter, they can be carried more easily than cans if you have to leave your home during an emergency situation.
Freeze dried items are usually sealed very well, so they can even survive a flood if need be. On top of this, freeze drying creates food that will last far longer than canned and makes for a good long term storage item.
There are some down sides to this type of food, however. Freeze dried is very expensive, approximately 75% more than canned food. Also, you will need water to re-hydrate the food and prepare it, which may not be easy when you are in an emergency situation.
Canned Food
One of the biggest advantages of canned food is that it is cheap. Also, you probably use it already, which means it will be familiar food for your family in an emergency situation, boosting morale.
Canned foods are often edible directly from the can, so there is no preparation required if you do not have the ability to cook. Many canned foods come ready to prepare, too, so there is no extra water wasted on the food. In addition to this, you will usually get more calories from this type of food because of the way it is prepared, with fat and everything.
However, keep in mind that if you need to bug out, cans are very heavy and you will not be able to take very many of them with you. In wet or humid conditions, cans tend to rust, which can compromise the safety of the contents, so they do need to be kept dry.
Which should you choose? The most important thing is to have a food store, so canned goods are usually the best way to start. If you can afford them, add in some freeze dried food, but above all, make sure you have something ready so your family can survive in an emergency.