Best suppliers for TVP?
 

I'm wanting to order a bit of TVP to add texture and protein to my food storage but wanted to get everyone's opinions on the best and most economical places to buy TVP from.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

I thought soy was found to be health-threatening...

What makes TVP any different?

"The Chinese did not eat unfermented soybeans as they did other legumes such as lentils because the soybean contains large quantities of natural toxins or "antinutrients". First among them are potent enzyme inhibitors that block the action of trypsin and other enzymes needed for protein digestion. These inhibitors are large, tightly folded proteins that are not completely deactivated during ordinary cooking. They can produce serious gastric distress, reduced protein digestion and chronic deficiencies in amino acid uptake. In test animals, diets high in trypsin inhibitors cause enlargement and pathological conditions of the pancreas, including cancer."

http://www.healingcrow.com/soy/soy.html

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

just watch out for the hydrogenated oils in a lot of them (like Honeyville)

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

I could care less about the 'health' benifits because I don't plan to live to be 90, I am looking for a low cost protien meat substitute..

TVP would be it, does anyone have experience with the different brands that could make a recommendation based on taste, texture,, quality..cost?

When the neighbors are starving I won't be giving them cans of meat and if we get to that point there is no health benifit to starvation.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

i think sam's club has a good price.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

I got some TVP from this place (about 2/3 down the page):
http://www.bulkfoods.com/cooking.asp

I don't know what else to say, but it is pretty bland and is about the size of Grape Nuts.

If you like rice crackers, I recommend their "Oriental Rice Crackers" here:
http://www.bulkfoods.com/cooking.asp
They seem to keep very well. And they taste a LOT better than TVP!

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

Well I suppose if you are looking at it from the cost angle and plan on maybe giving some away you could justify it but I think I would prefer quality protein sources.

I plan to live over 90 apocalypse or not.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

The stuff keeps forever, can be flavored in just about any way you like, and it'll get you through the year after your "Survival Garden In A Can" crop fails to germinate.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

90? I'm not sure I'm going to make 40 at this rate...

I actually really worry about making 90, and having nothing but regrets, then falling off the perch...

If you can handle it, fish is an excellent source of protein. You just have to find one you like, and can face eating 2-3 times a week. Personally I don't mind shark (flake) or Hoki in batter (Fish and Chips), but best to use Canola oil to fry it with.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

But the concern of the OP was for storage, which pretty much defaults to canned salmon, tuna, and mackerel. And that is canned, maybe 5 years worth.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

Canned salmon... I got a few cans to find out what I can do with it. First, I tried baking it like the nice semi-fresh salmon (sold flat on the foam tray). It did not even come close. It tasted like it was cooked in a steel can. (Maybe because it WAS cooked in a steel can.) It was certainly edible, but just not enjoyable. I have tried making "salmon-fish" sandwiches with mayonaise, relish, olives, and hot pepperoncini. That was not too bad, and not far from tuna fish sandwiches. But it wasn't exactly good either.

I found canned mackerel to work out about the same as the canned salmon. It's cheaper, so I guess if someone is not expecting to enjoy the fish, might as well save a little money.

My semi-local cheapo store sells sardines in oil, mustard, and tomato sauce for sixty cents a can. I don't really "enjoy" sardines, but if I were hungry I am sure my attitude would change.

Now, I really DO like smoked herring. Compared with sardines, it is somewhat of a luxury item at one dollar for a 3.5 ounce can. Even so, I have been buying them faster than I eat them (I have them sometimes for breakfast.) They are always tasty, even if a bit salty. The can I am looking at says it is "best by March 2012", for what it's worth.

Re: Best suppliers for TVP?
 

There are recipes out there for canned fish, but it will never be as good as even the farm-raised fresh salmon you get at the supermarket (which is nowhere even close to fresh wild-caught salmon). It is one ingredient for a meal made with other stored foods, and provides protein, vitamins, and essential fatty acids.

One premise we need to get away from is the modern idea of a "complete meal in one can". Certainly complete stews were canned in glass, but most were components of a larger meal. Canned corn, carrots, and peas, mixed with canned beef, with winter squash and root-cellared potatoes, with bread and biscuits...mmmmmm!

I do like the tinned sardines, herring, and anchovies, especially in mustard sauce. Mixed with steamed grains like rice and wheat and they're a filling meal.