They’re lightweight, good vitamins, tons of calories. Package can survive most mayhem (most things they wouldn’t survive, you wouldn’t either). But I heard a rumor about them when I was considering buying a couple cases, so I bought an extra 3600 pack to test it.

The rumor was that if you eat too many at once, they’ll make you sick. Turns out it’s true. I’d recommend buying an extra pack and doing a taste test, to find out where your tolerance for the things is. In my own test, the first tasted like a slightly too crunchy lemon shortbread cookie. The second was almost as good as the first. The third, I noticed an odd, not unpleasant, but hard to define after taste. The fourth the after taste got stronger. And halfway through the fifth, it suddenly turned into the most revolting thing I had ever had in my mouth, and it was all I could do not to spit it out on the floor.

The exact point varies from one individual to another. Some people never get sick from them, others (as described in their own reviews) hit that point on the first or second bite. So it’s good, in my opinion, to try them out, so you know where your limit is, before you find yourself relying on them for survival (being unable to swallow the first bite of your 6+ months of food during a major disaster would not be good).

I read some of the reviews of this product before writing my own. First of all I’d like to say that these bars aren’t meant to be a nutritionally balanced, filling, enjoyable snack. They’re designed to give someone in extreme conditions much needed calories so they can wait to be rescued or walk out of whatever emergency they are facing. Our own 72-hour bags contains Mainstay Emergency Food Bars, some mylar packets of drinking water, a small jar of peanut butter, some mylar packets of tuna, some beef jerky, a personal water purifier and other items. Since we may have to carry those packs on our backs for a long distance, how much it all weighs is important. Mainstay bars are the most calories you can pack into a little packet.

The bars themselves aren’t bad. They taste like a dense lemon shortcake breakfast type bar. They’re a little pasty, but totally edible. And if I’m hungry enough, they’ll taste great. They don’t leave you feeling thirsty, which is also good in an emergency when water might be rationed. Each person’s backpack should have one packet to see them through to their next hot meal. Because they’re sealed in heavy mylar packaging, they will last for several years without spoiling, which adds to my peace of mind.

Each 400 calorie portion (there are 9 in each packet) contains 400 calories, 3 grams of fiber, 46 grams of carbs, 69 grams of fat, vitamins A (16%), C (30%), D (16%), calcium (16%), and lesser amounts of niacin, iron, folic acid, magnesium and thiamine.

If you really don’t like these bars, try Datrex Emergency Food bars. They are coconut flavored, and have similar packaging and calories.

Finally an emergency bar that actually tastes fairly good! They taste slightly sweet, slightly lemon and a little shortbread. My tiny human who is currently in the “I would rather go hungry than eat anything remotely questionable texture or taste wise” stage of development, approves of these. As in two separate sample bites, within a few moments of each other. I almost took a picture to commemorate the moment.

Truthfully, I have purchased several brands to find some that were palatable to myself and my tiny human. These are the ones you should buy if you want to concentrate more on survival and less on fighting with your tiny humans to “just take a bite!!!” (Read in frustrated, end of rope tone of voice.)