LDS vs Other bulk food providers

[Diesel]

LDS cannery is new to me as far as their canning and bulk food operation, I find it truly interesting. Saw some posts about it and decided to do some price comparisons etc.

Hopefully those who have used them, as well as bulk packed themselves, or bought bulk like at emergency essentials can weigh in on the values, details, pluses and minuses etc


You can download a price sheet here for LDS

http://providentliving.org/content/d...4352-1,00.html


For comparison sake I looked at the BULK white rice

$13.85 / 25 lbs

I'm unclear how this comes packaged if at all, or if they provide buckets , or you provide it etc?

But compared to for example Emergency essentials

They charge $59
For 1 super pail Weight: 47.1 lbs.

So 2 LDS purchases at $27.70 for 50lbs of white rice seems to stomp ES

Thoughts?

[PT945]

I was told they will also pack your bulk foods. you pay for the can and there labor.haven't found out what the cost is yet for this service.

[slowz1k]

Though I've never bought in bulk, I've seen it go out the door when I've been at the cannery.
Sugar, grains, milk. potato flakes and cocoa all come in bags (usually heavy paper or pvc type weave). Pastas, apples, and carrots come in a bag-in-a-box.
You can buy the bags "as is" (bulk) or... during a canning session, the bags are opened and the contents transferred to #10 cans with oxygen absorbers when needed. The times that I've gone... Me and my group were the labor. We just paid for product. The price of each canned item includes can, lid, and o2 absorber. (At the Greensboro cannery anyway)


They use this as part of their ministry rather than a business. There is next to no profit for the church, therefore prices stay better than reasonable



Almost all of my LT Dry storage came from LDS

[ntwbn]

Lds

I just went to an LDS cannery a few weeks ago for the first time. I still don't know a lot about it but what I do know is..........Like someone said above they do it as a ministry. When we walked in there were many people walking out with lots of jars/cans etc. of food. I asked if they sell that food and they said no it is like a food pantry for needy people. What a great ministry they have.

I bought oxygen absorbers and mylar bags there and packaged my food at home that I bought from them. My friend who I went with has signed up for a time slot to actually do the canning next time he goes. I don't know if you do it yourself or they do it for you. They charge for the #10 cans. You can not bring your own food into the cannery as it may contaminate the food they have there.

The price they have listed is not actual. They had just posted a new list a couple of days before we went and the wheat ended up being much cheaper then what was on the pricelist. I payed $7.?? for 25# and the list said $11.??. I can't remember the other prices off the top of my head though.

Don't buy sugar as you should be able to get it cheaper at your store. At least I know I can. I bought the dehydrated refried beans and am thrilled with them. Contents... beans and salt. That made me happy that there was not added stuff. I also bought black beans 25#. That was it for this trip.


It was very easy to do mylar bags at home. I wanted to add that I buy used buckets at my grocery store bakery cheap. I would bet that even dunkin donuts etc. would sell or give buckets away if you need them.

[Diesel]

what kind of hours do they operate? How are the prices on mylar bags and oxygen absorbers?

[slowz1k]

what kind of hours do they operate? How are the prices on mylar bags and oxygen absorbers?

Hours depend on what the canning group scheduled and how big the work load is going to be. I've been there until 10:30 at night before (starting at 6:00)
A friend of mine went a few weeks ago from 8:30am to 2:30pm. The process involves calling the cannery and scheduling a session. The last I heard they had closed the doors to non-members, so you needed to be a LDS member or be with a member to do this. They might have changed this recently.
Once the session is scheduled, the cannery "directors" give a tutorial on how to can certain items and use the machinery. It's all very simple since everything is dry packed.

O2 Absorbers are .10 each
Mylar, they call them pouches are .39 each
These prices are off of my order sheet from 3/11/11

I usually buy my mylar and absorbers from online sources. The savings aren't worth the drive out to the LDS

[Diesel]

Do they have materials for packaging 5-6 gallon buckets like large bags and buckets?

or is all geared towards canning in #10 cans? What do they suggest you do with your bulk 25lb buys, is that just meant to be canned vs bucketed?

[slowz1k]

I don't have an answer on that one. I'm pretty sure they don't supply buckets, and the mylar that "I've seen" there are smaller (2 gallon) sized bags.
I'll ask my LDS friend tomorrow.

[TerryLane]

We make use of our LDS cannery once a month. We are not members but our local cannery doesn't require it, but you'll need to check with your local cannery, some do, some don't. We spend about 2 hours canning ours (and anyone else who is scheduled) stuff then help clean up, pay for our stuff and leave. This is for about 15 cases of 6 cans each of whatever dry goods we choose and is in stock at the time, and the price on the price list includes product, can, O2 absorber and boxed by volunteers. We've been following this schedule for almost a year. The stuff from LDS cannery is lots cheaper than we can get it at Sam's or Costco.

[Diesel]

Thanks Terry! You must have a ton stored

[Echo2]

I've bought from EE many times and am very happy with their product.

I know on some items you can get it done for yourself....much cheaper...rice is one of those things....we just "bagged and bucketed" up 1200lbs of rice in January.

The biggest reason for me using EE....is the "fire and forget" aspect. If you have ever bagged powdered milk....you'll understand....When your order arrives from them....you put it away....done.

We try to do as much as we can ourselves....but when you can push a button and walk away....that has its place too...:)

[TerryLane]

Thanks Diesel, we've got a little. ;) I might add that our LDS cannery also has a canner for #10 cans and a pouch (mylar bag) sealer that you can check out for a week at no charge for home use. That's what we do when we have a large batch of our own home dehydrated stuff or anything else the cannery doesn't offer.

[herbalpagan]

The LDS prices are very good IF you can get to one! I can't, though occasionally a friend near them does. The thing to remember when comparing prices is the cost of the packaging...big bucket size mylar bags are about $2 -$2.50 and the o2 absorbers can be pricey too (though certainly not bad in my opinion). Then there is the cost of the bucket; if you are lucky you can find them free, I can't, so I got ones from Home Depot at a cost of about $4 for the bucket and lid. For 50# of most items, you need 2 buckets (sugar and salt it's one, I can fit 35# of wheat in one). And then there is the convenience factor...with something like Emergency Essentials, you are taking a finished product and just putting it on your shelf...it comes right to your door and takes 5 minutes.
putting up 250# of wheat by myself is an all day ordeal (since I can't lift the bags to pour and have to scoop). Also, as mentioned above, some items like powdered milk is awful to pack yourself! I just did 100#'s and I swear:never again! lol I'm certainly not saying it's a better (or even good) deal, just that those things should be taken into consideration.

[Brother Bill]

My time is limited so I end up just paying for the already packed cans from several suppliers. Another thing we have done is order from wisefoods.com I am not affiliated with them in any way. The kids just like the food better then other dehydrate companys. The big thing to remember when stocking food is to use foods that you eat normally. If SHTF you don't need to add more stress to your body by eating things you don't normally eat or don't like. Food is for your body and for your mental health as well. We all get some satisfaction in eating a good meal. And having that comfort will go a long way if SHTF.

[Jason_Tx]

Amazing --- I'm an idiot ---

I have heard about the LDS stuff for years now and always figured they were probably all up north or something -- I just looked it up -- There is one about 10-15 minutes away.. ... ..

Yes, ... Yes... you can all say " GJ MORON!!" lol