Costco’s ‘Apocalypse Dinner Kit’ has a shelf life of 25 years. What is it?

Canadians looking to stock up on food for an emergency can order ready-made tubs from Costco online.

An Instagram video with 2.2 million views went viral last month after someone encountered what they called “Costco Apocalypse Dinner Kits!” at their local warehouse.

The pail featured in the video – ReadyWise’s Emergency Food Supply – contains 132 servings of food and is packed with a variety of meals like cheesy macaroni and other pasta, teriyaki rice, soup, cereal, whey milk alternative and vanilla pudding. It also boasts a 25-year shelf life.

A post shared by Pressure Luck (@pressureluckcooking)

But could it actually get you through an emergency?

Maude Morin, a registered dietitian at JM Nutrition, says it could.

“I do think something like a bucket can be realistic,” Morin told CTVNews.ca in an interview Thursday. “When we talk about nutrition and following a healthy, ideal diet, we take into account the fact that people have some control over their circumstances. So when we’re talking about emergency preparedness, I feel like 100 per cent perfect nutrition kind of takes (the) backburner a little bit more.”

That said, the serving sizes might not be an adequate portion size for everyone in the family, Morin noted. With women typically eating 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day and men eating 2,300 to 3,000, Morin said, the portions in the emergency bucket – which seem to hover around six servings – might not properly feed everyone in a household.

“Each person per meal will probably eat two or even three servings as an adult to really kind of satiate their appetite,” Morin said.

The bucket may also not be an ideal solution for those with certain allergies or dietary restrictions.

“If someone has diabetes, for example, and they’re not able to take their insulin or medications or something, that would be a lot more carbohydrates than maybe their body can handle. So I think considering your own unique health circumstances and seeing if it’s in alignment,” Morin said. “Whether or not it’s an emergency, we can’t circumvent some of these dietary restrictions.”

CTVNews.ca reached out to Costco, asking how long these products have been on the shelves and whether they are available in Canadian stores, as the particular product does not appear to be for sale online. However, there are some emergency food kits for sale online in Costco Canada, advertising a 30-year shelf life.

All of the food items packed in ReadyWise’s bucket are either freeze-dried or dehydrated, which the company says not only makes “an extremely long shelf life” possible, but also helps maintain flavour and nutritional value. The amount of water required to prepare the food, according to preparation instructions online, ranges from a couple of tablespoons for its whey milk alternative to four cups of boiling water for their dinner entrees.

When packing an emergency kit, the Canadian Red Cross recommends packing at least one litre of water per day to drink and an additional two litres for each person to use for cleaning and personal hygiene. British Columbia and Alberta advised packing four litres of water. One litre of water amounts to just over four cups. 

While the Canadian Red Cross does not say anything about including freeze-dried or dehydrated foods in a preparedness kit, it does advise packing goods with long shelf lives that also do not need to be tossed into the fridge after they’ve been opened.

Morin noted Costco also offers one-ingredient freeze-dried food options, like chicken, ground beef, fruit and vegetables, for those looking to supplement the ready-made kit with items containing more protein, vitamins and minerals.

“The other thing too is there are things that we can use in our day-to-day pantry that we can keep stories of if we have space for it,” Morin said. “If we think about jerky to provide a little extra protein, or tomato sauces that could be a source of vitamins and minerals, even jams and jellies and things like that, although (that) comes with sugar, (are) still made with fruit.”

Canned tuna, beans, lentils, peas, and evaporated milk are also good options to have in case of an emergency, Morin adds.

It’s also crucial to constantly keep an eye on the best before and expiration dates, the Red Cross notes, to ensure they are still safe for consumption.

“During a disaster, the power may be out for hours or even days, meaning leftovers would need to be thrown out,” the Red Cross said in its guidance on how to craft an emergency kit.

The organization also recommends packing non-perishable items like peanut butter, apple sauce, oatmeal, dried fruit and meat, trail mix, protein bars, dry cereal or granola and ready-to-eat canned foods. The federal government advises packing ready-to-use baby formula, pet food and a hand-held can opener.