Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Product Review - Augason Farms Potato Soup


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Years ago, we used to buy Bear Creek Potato Soup (dehydrated) in #10 tins at Costco.  We loved it.  We would try stock up on it occasionally, but we used it as fast as we could buy it.  It was convenient, simple and tasty.

As much as we like the Bear Creek Soup, the price rose to the point that we could no longer afford it.  And then, horror of horrors, the #10 tins devolved into smaller, plastic tubs before it disappeared from Costco altogether.  Every once in a while, we would indulge in a packet of Bear Creek soup from the grocery store, but it was really too expensive to be a practical stock up item.

This year for Christmas my parents presented us with a gift of Augason Farms Potato Soup (it is so cool having preppers for parents!).  The Augason Farms soups come in #10  tins (plastic is not an oxygen barrier).  It costs about $15.00 dollars a can (give or take) and is available both on-line and in numerous retail outlets, such as Walmart and Rosaurs.

We were anxious to give it a try and see if it measured up to our expectations.  It did and we're hooked.  It tastes every bit as good as the Bear Creek soup and is much more cost effective.  It is highly seasoned (to the point that we didn't need to add salt or pepper) and in fact, I think it could be greatly thinned-out.  The proportions given to mix the soup up produces an almost chowder-like consistency.  Because the soup is so flavorful, I think you could easily (nearly) double the water and still have a great soup.

Because the soup is dehydrated and packaged in #10 tins, the shelf life is practically indefinite.  It is rodent proof, earth quake proof and EMP proof (O.K., so all food is EMP proof, but I was grasping here).



Really, it is more cost effective to buy wheat, oats, beans and other long-term storage foods, but for a convenience food, Augason Farms Potato soup can't be beat.  And, I can see a time when the daily stress of living in a post-TEOTWAWKI world would be greatly alleviated by an occasional taste of pre-TEOTWAWKI "fast food".

Our post-collapse diet will continue to rely heavily on our stored whole foods, however, we will definitely put in a supply of the potato soup.  It is fast, filling and tastes oh-so good.

It is always exciting to find yet another worthy product to add to our stored food reserves.  This is most assuredly worth its 4 star rating.

*(I'm sure there are more nutritionally power packed foods than this dehydrated soup, hence the 4 star rating).

18 comments:

  1. Thanks for the review of this. A prepper friend recently serve some of the Bear Creek stuff she found at a discount store and I was surprised at how good it tasted. It's so hard to commit money to stuff you haven't even seen or tasted!

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  2. We love Augason Farms! In fact we just placed an order on Tuesday evening. Everything we have tried has been really good! We even use the Morning Moo. It is the closest thing to real milk I have found. Their pricing is pretty good although they did just recently make a small increase. Still a good deal. We have only purchases the #10 cans and a bag of Pinto beans which we vacuum sealed in mylar, etc.

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  3. I just placed an order at Auguson Farms for the Creamy Potato Soup Mix and passed along your good recommendation to them!
    Thank you very much!
    -K in OK <><

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  4. Thanks for giving this a review. It really looks good and, like you say, would serve as a great convenience food.

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  5. In our experience, Bear Creek while tasting good has alot of salt in it. We use a potatoe soup recipy given by my grandmother (uses fresh potatoes but can use dried/boxed if necessary. Always good to have a backup.

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  6. LOL @ EMP proof!

    Remember to ground the can for extra protection.

    Terry T
    Florida

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  7. comfort food for when you reallly need some comfort...i agree, it really could be thinned quite a bit..we use milk for thinning rather than water, but then sometimes we use water too. even thinned out some, it is tasty and very filling.

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  8. Our local grocery store carries some of the #10 cans of Auguson Farms products (and we LOVE them!) but the selection is limited. It never occurred to me to look for Auguson Farms foods online. Now I can't wait to try some of their soups!
    Thanks for the heads-up!!
    Elizabeth

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  9. Enola!

    GUESS WHAT????

    Today I bought a Pioneer Maid wood cook stove off of Craigslist!!!! I am so excited I just had to tell you! (My "normal" friends just kinda look at me with that blank look.) But I knew you would shout for joy with me!

    I know I'm in trouble with my low carb diet because I've GOT to try your rolls, and biscuits and german pancakes and . . .

    I teased my husband that if he didn't hurry up and get it installed, I might build a fire in it on the trailer that it's sitting on and bake some bread right now!!! (I'm only half teasing!)

    Anyway, sorry this comment isn't about soup but I had to shout from the roof tops about my new stove or I would bust!

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  10. Diane in TX, I'm so happy for you!! I completely understand about friends not getting it. But come here, here we will understand and we will rejoice with you. I have lurked here for almost a year now and have thought of adding my two cents often but haven't. I write now b/c I can feel your excitement from your part of Texas to mine. Let us know how it goes with that bread baking. I've been saving up for a dehydrator. Everyone I know gives me a blank look, well, except the hunters.

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  11. Diane in TX;
    Wow, wow, wow! I am sooo excited for you! The exact same thoughts ran through my head when we brought our stove home. I can't wait for you to start turning out the most delectable goodies. A wood cookstove is a life-changer. I am thrilled for you! Keep me posted.
    Enola

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  12. Anonymous Jan 5 - 11:05 pm

    Are you in TX also? We're north of DFW.

    About that dehydrator. Did you know you can use your CAR! Google that. Also, turn your oven on LOW and dry some foods that way. Works great! In fact, it's about time to make some more jerky.

    Thank you for de-lurking! It's nice to "visit" with friends!

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  13. Thanks for the tip! I love, love, love, your blog.
    I have such a long way to go..but I learned to can this summer!

    Sam's club carries this, unlike Costco where it is only part of a box set.
    2/$22.63

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  14. Diane, very exciting! I would love to have a wood cookstove, I know I will eventually! Anonymous, hope you get to dehydrating soon, my DH says mine is always going, and well, it pretty much is!
    MaryB in HS

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  15. Sorry Enola, I got caught up in the moment of Diane's woodstove! The soup sounds great and I have ordered from Augason Farms before, am about to go on their website and look up the potato soup!!
    MaryB in GA

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  16. Sorry, too, Enola. Diane's woodstove acquisition was quite encouraging. I, too, plan on adding some of that soup to my pantry. Diane, I am in central Texas.

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  17. After reading your posting about Bear Creak Creamy Potato Soup, I thought hmmm... sounds like something to check out further. Well, when I went grocery shopping, I actually found Bear Creak Soup in several varieties. I picked up the creamy potato soup to try. The cost at the Crest grocery store was #3.42 for a 11 oz packet which makes 1/2 gallon. I'm hoping when we try it, we like it. It is truly economical and easy to pack when camping or bugging out.

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  18. I too love this soup and have added several cans to my storage. But I don't view this just as a comfort/convenience food. Along with some other soup mixes, I consider it a necessary part of my post-TEOTWAWKI emergency "Dr. Mom" kit to feed sick or injured people. And if no one gets that sick, then we will all enjoy it.

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