What makes THRIVE different from other food storage brands?
How does it compare?
I get this question a lot.
The short answer is that THRIVE is not food storage.
The long answer is that THRIVE is a line of healthy, convenient foods that last a long time (so they could be used as food storage). But for those of you that like details, I'll share with you some of the research I have done. Much of my research and many of the ideas for this post came from the THRIVE Life website and my trainer's website, as well as the sites of other companies. (Thanks Misty!) There are many great options out there for food storage. But these are the categories where I feel THRIVE is superior to other companies.
How does it compare?
I get this question a lot.
The short answer is that THRIVE is not food storage.
The long answer is that THRIVE is a line of healthy, convenient foods that last a long time (so they could be used as food storage). But for those of you that like details, I'll share with you some of the research I have done. Much of my research and many of the ideas for this post came from the THRIVE Life website and my trainer's website, as well as the sites of other companies. (Thanks Misty!) There are many great options out there for food storage. But these are the categories where I feel THRIVE is superior to other companies.
QUALITY & TASTE
THRIVE foods are delicious. They are also extremely healthy: nearly all THRIVE foods are non-GMO, MSG free, have no added colors or dyes, no artificial sweeteners, and no added hormones. (You can find more detail on each item here.) They are harvested when they are fully ripe, so they contain their full nutritional value. THRIVE Life goes to great lengths to test multiple sources to find the best foods available. Each batch is individually tested, sampled, and approved by an on-site quality assurance team (including a USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service inspector and one of the owners of the THRIVE Life company...he tastes every batch). They take great care in every step of the process to ensure you are eating only the best. They simply will not sell an inferior product. THRIVE Life also has a line of certified organic items. Over 100 THRIVE products are also certified gluten free, meaning that their facilities, testing records, and cleaning procedures are inspected and certified by the Gluten Intolerance Group.
Other companies:
While I cannot personally attest to the quality and taste of other companies, I know that most of them combine various ingredients from other companies into ready-to-eat entrees. This limits their ability to control the quality of their food. Plus, while they do provide foods that are naturally gluten free, their products have not been certified gluten free. And none that I know of offer an organic line.
USE
With over 120 individual food items (grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, meats & beans, and basics), THRIVE has the widest variety of foods available. This makes them easy to use in your everyday recipes. Plus, THRIVE employs a professional chef to cook with THRIVE and develop new recipes. He has a cooking show each month and there are many recipes available in the THRIVE cookbook and online in the THRIVE Kitchen.
Other companies:
Most other food storage companies sell pre-made "just-add-water" entrees. This option does not allow for customization. I may not want bacon in my scrambled eggs. And I'm currently on a non-dairy diet, so I have to use non-dairy substitutes in all of my cooking. With pre-made meals I don't have that option. Plus, most of these "just add water meals" are very high in sodium in order to maintain a shelf life. The FDA says that the Percent Daily Value (%DV) of one serving of food (many of us eat more than one serving!!) tells you whether a food contributes a little or a lot to your total daily diet.
- 5%DV (120 mg) or less of sodium per serving is low
- 20%DV (480 mg) or more of sodium per serving is high
Most pre-made entrees have 25% or more of sodium per serving.
PERSONALIZATION
Because THRIVE Life sells individual ingredients and YOU create your own Q, it is so so easy to personalize your shipments. There are so many great resources on the THRIVE Life website to help you build your home store. The THRIVE Planner helps you create a food storage plan based on how many people are in your family, what their caloric needs are, and how long you want your supply to last. The computer generates a list, but you can manually add items you love and subtract those you don't. You can use this as a guideline when creating your Q. In the Q you can add individual items, search based on recipes, or pick some pre-made packages. With every Q shipment, you can manually adjust what gets sent to you every month. Plus, the Q now has a Home Inventory, which helps you keep track of which items you have in your home store and how close you are to your goals. They show it to you on a colorful, easy to read graph!
Other Companies:
Most other companies sell their ready-to-eat entrees in packages. These packages are usually based on the amount of time you want your supply to last: 90 days, 6 months, 1 year, etc. The problem with most of these packages is that the supply is only designed to provide each person with 900-1600 calories per day. This is not enough to sustain an average adult. Men typically need around 2500 calories per day and women around 2000.
ROTATION
Because you are building a home store, you are using THRIVE foods everyday and rotating through them. THRIVE also has their amazing Food Rotation Systems, which allow you to use up the oldest cans first, so you never have to worry about foods expiring. Because you are using the foods in your everyday recipes, your family will like eating them and you will have experience cooking with them. This can be a huge benefit in an emergency situation when stress levels are probably very high.
Other Companies:
Other companies claim that you can buy their packages, store them in your basement or under your bed, and never have to look at them again. Because they have such a long shelf life, you do not need to rotate them. But what happens in 20 years when the foods DO expire? They go to waste. Plus, if you are not rotating through your food and using it in your everyday storage, you are not practiced in cooking with it and it will be very hard to try to figure that out in an emergency situation when stress levels are already high! And how do you know that your family will like the foods unless you are feeding it to them in their everyday meals? I have heard some people say, "If they're hungry enough, they will eat it." In an emergency situation when your family may already be stressed and/or scared, you don't want them to get to that point. I believe that one of the few ways I will be able to comfort my family in an emergency is with foods that are familiar and that taste good.
PACKAGING
THRIVE foods can be purchased in a variety of sizes: #10 can, Pantry Can, Pouch, or Bucket. This allows for more personalization in building your home store. I have a small pantry, so I like that I can get #10 cans of the foods that we use frequently and smaller pantry cans of other foods. Plus, THRIVE cans are double-lined to prevent rust and a "tin-like" taste in the food. And foods that come in the buckets are kept fresh with large mylar bags and a gamma lid! THRIVE foods have an unopened shelf life of about 25 years, and once they have been opened they retain their full nutritional value for 1 to 2 years.
Other Companies:
Most other companies sell their products either in #10 cans or small mylar pouches. Their cans are not double-lined. While the unopened shelf life is very long (about 25 years), most other companies warn that once they have been opened, the pre-made entrees must be eaten within one week.
CUSTOMER SERVICE/SUPPORT
THRIVE:
Aside from the amazing tools available on their website, THRIVE Life offers individual, personalized service through independent consultants. I am here to help you build your own plan, answer your questions, and help you use and enjoy THRIVE products as you build your home store. If I don't know the answer, I have teammates who do and I can search it out for you. THRIVE Life also has an incredibly helpful and friendly customer service department (an 800#).
Other Companies:
I only know of one other long term food storage company who sells their products through independent consultants. If you have questions about most company's products, you are left to calling an 800# or "Googling" it.
COST
THRIVE:
When comparing foods per 1/4 cup serving, THRIVE prices are very competitive! They are not significantly lower or higher than other brands. And the Q makes it really easy to stay within a reasonable budget. Plus, the best part about THRIVE is that you can get it for FREE! By simply sharing it with your friends and family, you can earn free and half-off product. You can also sell THRIVE and earn income!
Other Companies:
The packages that you buy from other companies are basically one bulk purchase, averaging around $1000-$2000. Some offer payment plans, but nothing quite as simple or easy as staying within a set monthly budget of your choosing with the Q. And they don't give their food away for free...
Based on the above research, I truly believe that THRIVE is the best option available. That is why I became a consultant. I want to share this great product with everyone! I'd love to help you discover how you can save time and money while building your home store with foods that are healthy and delicious. Contact me!
Much of my research and many of the ideas for this post came from my trainer, Misty Marsh. You can find more insights on this and many other topics on her website, www.yourownhomestore.com
