A friend offered me a complimentary bag of a Thrive Life freeze-dried meal. I took the opportunity to try the Beef Pot Roast.
The meal is very easy to prepare. Instructions tell you to use a container with a lid, so I chose a 1-1/2 quart casserole dish with a glass lid. Pour the contents of the bag (minus the large oxygen absorber) into the container and add 2-1/4 cups of boiling water. Stir. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes. I set the table and prepared the rest of the meal while it was rehydrating.
The meal is like a thick stew or a casserole. I personally think it should be called something like Pot Roast Casserole or Beef and Vegetables instead of Beef Pot Roast. The name is a little deceptive to me since I’ve had freeze-dried chicken breasts and that’s exactly what they are. Beef Pot Roast should be slices of beef pot roast.
The rehydrated beef was very firm and not tender like my braised pot roasts. It wasn’t tough but it was chewy.
The potatoes rehydrated very well. They had structure but were soft.
The carrots were spongy.
The celery rehydrated okay. It was like very cooked celery that still had some firmness left in it.
All the above – meat and vegetables – may have had a better texture if I had let them sit and soak longer.
The seasonings in the sauce were strong. It was a little spicy and had too much black pepper. It overshadowed other flavors.
Price? High. $21.52 for one pouch that serves 3 people. It will be less for consultants, or you can watch for a sale. (Just in case you are wondering, other Thrive Life meals, especially chicken meals, are much less expensive.)
Shelf life for this meal is 20 years, which is good for long-term storage. Just remember the mantra of good food storage conditions – Cool, Dry, Dark, Airtight. The dry, dark, and airtight are taken care of by the packaging. You just need to make sure you provide the “cool.”
I’m spoiled by my own cooking and food preservation methods. This meal was okay, but I wouldn’t choose it for my food storage. I have ways to make similar meals that taste much better, in my opinion, for a lot less money. Look for one soon. Another can be found in Pantry Cooking: Unlocking Your Pantry’s Potential on page 87.
Reminder: always try new-to-you products before stocking up on them for your food storage.
If you are interested in any Thrive Life products or have any questions, please contact my friend Linda on her website www.thriveeveryday.thrivelife.com The Spring sale started April 23.
