AO Review: Essential Provisions – Sustain (Energy) & Meal (Ready-to-Eat)

0 Views

AO Review: Essential Provisions – Sustain (Energy) & Meal (Ready-to-Eat)

One of the primary reasons why so many of us hunt is because we can ensure that we know where our food is coming from. That it will be organic, fresh, nutrient dense, healthy, and absent of chemicals. You get all of that when you naturally harvest a turkey, whitetail deer, or whatever your favorite wild game species is to eat. When life gets busy though, and we have to rely on grab-and-go type meals and snacks, we still want to have nutrient dense food available to us. That is why we need to be so discerning in what we put into our bodies. So, in this AllOutdoor Review, we take a look at Essential Provisions Sustain (Energy Blend) in their Salted Almond Vanilla flavor and their Meal (Ready-to-Eat) in a Bison Chili flavor to see how they stack up as food for adventurous outdoorspeople. Let’s dive in!

Food Coverage on AllOutdoor

Nutrition Facts: Essential Provisions Sustain (Energy Blend) – Salted Almond Vanilla

The first product that we are going to take a look at is the Essential Provisions Sustain (Energy Blend) in their Salted Almond Vanilla flavor. These sell for $5.95 each, and are sold in 3-packs ($17.85), 6-packs ($35.70), and 12-packs ($71.40) directly on Essential Provisions’ website. The Sustain (Energy Blend) in all of their offered flavors is shelf stable for 18 months (roughly from your purchase date), and all of the nutrition facts listed below are for a single pouch (113g or 1 serving per pouch) with your percent daily value to follow each nutrient:

Calories: 380
Total Fat: 31g | 40%
Saturated Fat: 22g | 110%
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 210mg | 9%
Total Carbohydrate: 15g | 5%

Dietary Fiber: 3g | 11%
Total Sugars: 9g [Includes 1g Added Sugars | 2%]
Protein: 14g
Vitamin D: 0mcg
Calcium: 90mg | 6%
Iron: 3mg | 15%
Potassium: 420mg | 8%

For anyone who might be interested in trying these, there are discounts available for Military and First Responders that can be found on Essential Provisions’ website, and they are HSA and FSA eligible for purchase.

Filtered Water
Organic Coconut MCT Oil
Organic Almond Butter
100% Grass-Fed/Finished Hydrolyzed Beef Collagen
Organic Coconut Water Powder
Organic Coconut Milk Powder
Organic Chia Seeds
Organic Maple Syrup
Organic Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extract
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Organic Dried Coffee Berry

These 4 oz. Blends are built with the cleanest, highest-quality, nutrient-dense ingredients to provide energy and hydration for endurance sports, outdoor adventures, and post-workout recovery. Their rich taste and creamy consistency will make them a guilty pleasure without the guilt.

Our Salted Almond Vanilla High-Performance Energy Blends feature a creamy texture with vanilla and a hint of maple. With only 1g of added maple syrup, you get the SUSTAINED boost without the crash.

Nutrition Facts: Essential Provisions Meal (Ready-to-Eat) – Bison Chili

The next product from Essential Provisions we’re taking a look at is their Meal (Ready-to-Eat) in a Bison Chili flavor. These go for $11.95 each with offerings in a 2-pack ($23.90), 6-pack ($71.70), and 12-pack ($143.40). The Meal (Ready-to-Eat) has up to a 5-year shelf life when stored at ambient room temperatures (its shelf life lowers when kept in hotter environments). For this product, 1 pouch is considered a serving size (340g or 12 Oz) and your percent daily value follow each nutrient:

Calories: 560
Total Fat: 30g | 38%
Saturated Fat: 8g | 40%
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 110mg | 37%
Sodium: 1360mg | 59%
Total Carbohydrate: 18g | 7%

Dietary Fiber: 6g | 21%
Total Sugars: 6g [Includes 0g Added Sugars | 0%]
Protein: 60g
Vitamin D: 0mcg | 0%
Calcium: 100mg | 8%
Iron: 7.1mg | 40%
Potassium: 1100mg | 25%

Like all Essential Provisions’ products, there are discounts available for Military and First Responders that can be found on Essential Provisions’ website, and they are HSA and FSA eligible for purchase. Also, this Meal (Ready-to-Eat) in a Bison Chili flavor is free from Dairy, Gluten, and Preservatives, and while Essential Provisions products do NOT contain gluten, these products are made in a facility that does process gluten. Something to bear in mind when ordering this product.

100% Grass-Fed/Finished Bison
Filtered Water
Organic Tomato Paste
Organic Onions
Organic Tomatoes in Tomato Puree
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
100% Grass-Fed/Finished Hydrolyzed Beef Collagen

Organic Garlic
100% Grass-Fed/Finished Beef Bone Broth
Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
Organic Chili Powder (organic chili pepper, organic spices, salt, organic garlic, organic rice concentrate)
Organic Smoked Paprika
Organic Cumin
Organic Red Pepper
Organic Cinnamon

Bison Chili from Essential Provisions is more than just a hearty meal – it’s a powerhouse of nutrition with high protein and layered flavor that lets you tap into the robust energy of the ancestral bison. Crafted from a home-made recipe, but available in a convenient, shelf-stable package that’s ready to eat. Simply heat, serve, and savor.

With nutrient-dense ingredients carefully selected for food as medicine benefits, each serving of Bison Chili delivers 60g of high-quality protein and a wide spectrum of essential nutrients. Renowned for its lean protein content, our humanely harvested ground bison takes center stage backed by a rich tomato base. Full of nuanced flavor enhanced by a medley of aromatic herbs and spices, it delivers a satisfying spicy kick that will leave you wanting more.

Whether you’re refueling after a grueling workout, powering up for another couple miles on the trail, or seeking a fast easy meal at home that doesn’t taste like it came out of a can, our Bison Chili is the perfect choice to satisfy your cravings while nourishing your body for the challenges that lie ahead.

Field Use – Essential Provisions

So, how did these essential provisions actually taste and fuel me once I had eaten them?… The Sustain (Energy Blend) I had taken with me on a day when I was busy doing ranching chores on a cold day in Minnesota. With not a lot of free time in my day and not wanting to slow down because it was so cold out, the Sustain (Energy Blend) was a perfect companion for an on-the-go snack.

With a simple twist top like a child’s apple sauce pouch, I could take a gulp, save some for later, and keep working. It was nice packaging, intuitive, and easy to use.

The flavor I tried of Salted Almond Vanilla was pretty nutty (no pun intended) and the balance of the added salt and vanilla made it taste really good. It had a nice smooth consistency like a creamy peanut butter nearly, but there was also the obvious presence of some very finely chopped nuts, too. Overall, I liked it for its energy, taste, and convenience.

Next, we have the Meal (Ready-to-Eat) in a Bison Chili flavor. This reminded me of a military-style MRE, but thank goodness it didn’t taste like one. I ate this on a day that my wife wasn’t around and was busy. So, I had to fend for myself. This was something you can easily pour out of the pouch at work or at home, and just as easily heat up in a bowl on the stove or in the microwave.

I threw extra salt and some greens on mine while meal-prepping it – and I’m not making any commentary on the Meal (Ready-to-Eat) in a Bison Chili flavor like it is lacking flavor – rather, I simply like extra salt on foods for the taste and electrolytes. When this came out of the pouch, it was decently watery, but after warming it up a bit of that moisture evaporated off and it was a prefect consistency for chili.

I couldn’t honestly tell that it was bison versus beef, which was nice. It simply had good flavor, nice texture, and I gobbled it up.

Final Thoughts

So, what are my final thoughts on the Essential Provisions Sustain (Energy Blend) in their Salted Almond Vanilla flavor and the Meal (Ready-to-Eat) in a Bison Chili flavor?… Overall, I would rate both of them a 7 1/2 or an 8 out of 10. They both tasted good, were convenient, easy to use, and had a great nutrition profile. The only true knock of these products is the pricing for both of the products that we reviewed here today is admittedly expensive, but it is one of those situations where “you get what you pay for.” If you want a nutrition label with ingredients that are actually healthy and devoid of chemicals, you are going to pay for it. I look at it as an investment in your health – as should everyone.

In closing, I want to say thank you to Essential Provisions for allowing AllOutdoor and myself the opportunity to try out their Essential Provisions Sustain (Energy Blend) and Meal (Ready-to-Eat) products. That is greatly appreciated. Also, we would like to know what all of you guys and gals think? Do you believe that the Essential Provisions Sustain (Energy Blend) and Meal (Ready-to-Eat) products are something worth spending your money on? Would you take them with you on your next hunt? As always, let us know all of your thoughts in the Comments below! We always appreciate your feedback.

Essential Provisions Social Media Channels