What does your food storage list look like?
If you ask 100 different people which food items you should store for an emergency, you’ll get 100 different answers. There is no one official list – although you will find many of the same items on just about everyone’s list – because it depends at least partly on the types of food you and your family enjoy.
But if you wanted to compile a basic list that just about anyone would benefit from storing, I think you’d find most of the following items on that list. These are some ideas from SurvivalLife.com:
- Rice
- Dried beans
- Canned vegetables (corn, peas, green beans, etc.)
- Canned fruit (peaches, pears, pineapples, etc.)
- Canned meat (chicken, tuna, shrimp, etc.)
- Oats
- Peanut butter
- Powdered drinks
- Powdered milk
- Salt
- Pancake mix
- Honey and jam
- Pasta
- Spaghetti sauce
- Soup or broth
- Oil
- Spices and condiments
- Coffee and tea
I know people who have heard how important it is to store food and water for an emergency hundreds of times and yet have never done it. They know it’s the right thing to do, but they just never get around to it. Now is the time to do it.
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Put in freezer for 2 days then set out on counter to air dry any moisture and then vacuum seal in jars. Pasta will poke holes in mylar or ziploc bags.
I’m needing guidance on where to purchase a less expensive dehydrator or sealing type products for my food storage.
Marsa, look at garage sales or craigslist type websites. I found my dehydrator (nothing fancy) for $5.
The list of recommended foods for storage is actually very smart – there are many high-calorie foods in there and when there’s emergency that’s exactly what you need! Thank you so much for sharing them!
All you people planning for the SHF. I”M not saying there’s anything wrong with that. I too have planned for it but, my list is not as big as some of the lists i have seen here. I have enough food for 6 months. I feel when the time comes, the government will come around in thier trucks along with police and raid everybodys house for everything, especially gold, silver, weapons, and anybody opposing this will be shot on the spot. The people that go along with them are going to be relocated to a holding area kinda like a big camp. You will not be allowed to leave. You will have a number to identify who you are, and where you’re from. you will be feed from what ever they get off the streets. You will be clothed in special color uniforms to identify you from a distance. You will not have any real rights ,other than what they want to give you. In essence you will be in a make shift prison. If you try to escape you will be shot dead. Look at all the bills that passed against preppers. all land becomes property of the government. All preppers will be deamed as terrorists. The military, Police will be cared for and thier familys. Thats how they will control the military and police people. If someone turns on them the family and the trator will suffer the concequences. The only way to stay alive is to be on the move. away from the city, the mountains will be okay for some time, but the use of the drones for reconnaissans will spot you if you’re not carefull. You need to travel light and only that wich you really need. I believe The government is setting up for 25 year collaps, If it ever does happen. So martial law will be in effect for 25 years. That’s of course if some other country doesent try to take advantage of the situation, where now we have to watch out for our government, and the other invading country. Who knows who they are???? I could only say you need to be very concise on what you’re going to have and be ready to move on a moments notice. God bless, even if you don’t beleive in God.
So where do you stand? For or against? Here is an article that maybe you should read
http://canadafreepress.com/article/76029?utm_source=CFP+Mailout&utm_campaign=d00bca6493-5_20_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_d8f503f036-d00bca6493-297698645
It will probably be better to stand and fight than lay down, roll over and die. As in the article above, more people has been murdered by their governments over the last 100 years. So if you go willing into the camps, you will die there. So is it better to die fighting or die in some stinking camp? you are going to die regardless!
I have learned so much in this short time thanks to all…
I have not seen anyone suggest storing Lard. It keeps a long time without going bad. I buy it, then can it, it will keep for years. You need a certain amount of fat in your diet.
I did not think items with much fat content stored very well/long. Do you simply pack it ik n jars and vacuum seal those or do you pressure can them?
Vacumn pack many foods with a good Food Saver. You can vacumn pack items in jars, such as dried products. For fun, when I first got my machine, i vacumn packed potato chips and 3 years later they were still fresh. Not that I would do that for storing foods. I have long term 25 year food storage, from Patriot, I still like to have dried products in jars. I have also packed vitamins and etc. , don’t know how long they will last but I did it anyways, can’t hurt.
Just wondering how you vacuum seal food in jars?? Actually, I need to know how to get started. What sealer do you recommend?
Thanks
I didn’t put the comment on, but can help you. There is a hose with a white plastic lid that fits over mason jars. It attaches to a port on your food saver. You can get one for around $10 at Amazon.
I have a ZipLock hand pump sealder for my jars. Works great and is cheap. Get it on Amazon.
Paper plates, plastic cups as water will be better used for drinking/ cooking than cleaning dishes.
I have enough food put back for 35 people 3x a day for 1 year. Portion control is going to piss off a lot of my family but I don’t care. 1500 to 1600 calories a day. After that will rely on planted crops, dairy goats, chickens, rabbits and hunting.
Nice work! What advice would you offer to folks who are not so well prepared as you? Did you learn anything that you wish you had known earlier?
I live on ranch acreage in northern AZ. I use a sealer and since mice are a fact of life out here I buy the 3 kinds of popcorn tins every fall. I can usually find them at Walmart. The tins are mouse proof and have nice fitting lids. They are great for storing things like pasta, rice, pre-packaged foods, flour, beans and most any food that won’t need refrigeration. The tins can be opened and closed as needed or they can be sealed with tape around the lid. We find this a very effective way to store food safely.
Way to go. I still look for council on what to save and how much. but I am trying.
It sounds like you have a great plan!! Stay strong!! God Bless you and yours!!
My Grandma use to say, “Its best to be prudent and save today for that rainy day tomorrow.” She referred to not only saving your money, but; food and supplies as well. My Grandma came from the Depression Era. She knew what it was like to go without. She saved everything and she was a genius for repurposing items too. She had enough store preserves to feed her entire family – she even told me so.
I learned from Grandma and Grandpa some of their values and concerns. They have shown me that old pioneer spirit that every American should have. However, in todays day and age, it seems the Government and various companies want you to believe that you can not live with out them. They are anxious to keep you believing that only they can provide you and your family survival needs and services, which you can not live without. Yet the Government has already determined what you can live without. According to the Government, people only need food and water, heat, and shelter. That is it. Anything else is considered a luxury.
If a disaster strikes do you think the Government will airdrop food and supplies to you? I don’t think so either. You must fend for yourself and for your family in order . You need to start saving and storing your own food, supplies, and money. If you don’t, then who, the Government?
The above list is a good start. You can definitely add to it to suit you and your family’s needs. Like any list you can add to it and change it as you see fit. I would like to suggest that you look into one thing as you make your list. This is one thing that every person has over looked during an emergency.
During an emergency you may have food, water and supplies for 3 to 7 days. But what happens when your emergency last longer than 7 days. Will you still be prepared? With all the food you have stored and save have you considered portion control? How much food do you and your family really need during an emergency? You can’t have a banquet every night now can you. One item that is truly missing from the list above that I have found useful; is individual prepared food packets. These are portioned to feed you and your family.
If you look for these survival foods packets, you will find them in hunting and sporting stores, on-line like EBay or Amazon. However, you will be hit upside the wallet with sticker shock. You will be looking at the quality, the quantity, and the shelf life of this survival food to stay good and fresh. The fact of the matter is this, what you find will not be of good quality, the quantity will be lacking and the shelf life is somewhat short. If you do eat this stuff, you will find that it is hard on your digestion tract, I know I have eaten them and wished to GOD that I’d hadn’t.
I have one thing that I would add to the list above. It should be on the list above and it is provided by Franks Bates. Check out this web site: http://secure.food4patriots.com Frank Bates has taken the time to come up with a product that you should have on hand if you ever find yourself in a disaster situation. These are individual survival food packets. The food is delicious, there is a nice variety to choose from, and it has a long shelf life. They are packaged in Mylar packets to maintain freshness and to prevent any outside contamination.
If you take the time and check out this web site: http://secure.food4patriots.com you will find that Frank has added some extra fine bonuses that will help you out before a disaster strikes. Do you and your family a favor and check it out, you won’t be sorry if you do.
Add to your supplies with Food4Patroits and have peace of mind that you will always have something to eat, its the prudent thing to do.
You can also make your own food packets from food you have dehydrated yourself.. That way you can know and control what goes into them and it’s much less expensive..
How can you keep pasta without bugs getting into it??
Put in freezer for 2 days then set out on counter to air dry any moisture and then vacuum seal in jars. Pasta will poke holes in mylar or ziploc bags.
Storage containers – I bought additional 6 weeks of dyhydrated food that was shipped in cardboard boxes. I transferred the mylar packs into 9″x11″x10″ paintball buckets. You can obtain these empty plastic buckets (at the end of the day) at paintball ranges.
You can also pick up buckets at the suppliers of swimming pool chemicals and at restaurants that get their food in large white buckets (like ready-made frosting). They throw them away, otherwise and they come with lids. The chemical buckets have screw-on lids we especially like.
I would not use any buckets for food that had pool chemicals in them as the chemical smell is so strong I am afraid it would get into the food.
all these foods can be stored, hopefully can do it right. With my garden will have seed stored also fertilizer too. My tomatoes will need spraying with baking soda, 1 tablespoon per gallon water, so will be adding more baking soda. Pure peanut oil can be used for cooking and to stop my hand arthritis, so wll need a little more stored
Tell me more about the arthritis cure!
I’m seriously considering buying a oil press soon. I recently saw one in a Lehman’s Non-Electric catalog. I can harvest yeast from the air for baking bread, but without oil I’d be up a creek. Most cooking oils goes bad within a year and if I’m making everything from scratch I’ll be using more than I do now. I can make butter, but I don’t own the cows that I get my milk from, so not sure that I can ensure their safety or continued milk/cream production. Oil will also be a precious bargaining commodity in a prolonged scenario as it will be good not only for cooking, salad dressings but also as lamp fuel (you can easily make oil lamps from mason jars)
What a great idea!
I haven’t research yet, but does anyone know – my neighbor (SE TX) has 3 olive trees about 20′ tall that produce a lot of olives. They say they are not edible. Would these likely make OK olive oil? Do I need more than my fruit (wine) press? How is the oil separated from any juice squeezed out, let it settle or distill?
No olives are edible raw – they all have to be cured. There’s plenty of information online, though, about ways to cure olives or press/extract for oil.
and don’t forget to cycle through your storage, using what you have and replacing things that could go bad. Canned tomatoes and canned cherries, in tin cans, tend to explode once they are a few years old and they’ll make a royal mess of everything nearby if it happens!
I have flour, sugar and cornmeal, in addition to the above list, a water purifier in case of a need for it. Yes, you need matches, paper goods, (toilet paper if nothing else!), and how about first aid supplies and over the counter medicines? Vinegar, soap, Clorox, etc, are also good to have. There are a lot of lists, all over the place, and you have to adapt to your own needs, really.
I’ve had really good luck making meat, fowl, & fish jerky in my convection/microwave oven – 5 lbs. of marinated (in whatever you know or like) meat yields 2 lbs of dried meat. For packaging, I’ve had equally good luck RE-using the plastic bags inside cereal boxes, cracker boxes, & even oven bags. Most will seal well with plastic bag sealers. AND for a desiccant, it’s tuff to beat white rice or soda crackers encapsulated in paper towels or t-shirts, even. You might want to consider flushing the bags with Nitrogen gas just previous to sealing, to reduce spoilage (check with your local welder’s supply or tire company for Nitrogen gas). Also, with canning (to beat the BPA dilemma) I’ve had good luck with wax sealing. AND, procure several (under $100.) water filter/purifiers, UV lites, ozonaters, evaporator/distillers. AND, by connecting window glass at the corners with dado-ed wood, & then supporting the glass with an exo-skeleton, you can have a water storage system, virtually free of contaminants.
careful with the wax sealing, Steve, not only can you not check your seal, but that method is known to have a high failure rate. Get you some Tattler canning lids; they’re BPA-free and reusable.
I have taken some of my frozen veggies out of the freezer and processed them in glass jars. You can also process meats the same way and fruits.
Jean,
Can you please share your process on canning the frozen vegetables? Thanks!
I saw on face book the other day huge convoys of 18 wheelers heading towards DC– MAYBE SOMETHING IS GOING ON HERE- Better safe than sorry
If you lack jars, space, etcetera you can dehydrate frozen and canned food and store it in space-saving vacuum bags..
Beef rocks also store well and last a year or more if kept dry and cool. Crumble good quality beef and simmer until all grease is cooked out. Drain. Put meat on a flat pan and bake at about 350 until meat is completely dry. Let it cool and store it in an airtight container someplace cool. This is like dried fruits or veggies; once the fat and water are gone, the meat dries and can be preserved. Have also preserved most of the garden. I buy strawberries, apples, onions, grapes, whatever is on sale, and have my trusty food dehydrator on for days each early Fall. Everything stores at least for the winter, and it’s great to be able to take a bag of raisins I made in October and use them for raisin bread for Easter morning! A real “rebirth”!
How long will the beef last if it’s vacuum sealed?
Re CANNED FOOD–CAN openers
Re Gluten: Here where I live in a semi rural area the stores have gluten free departments including pasta made from rice, corn, buckwheat etc. Remember that gluten is added to many items such as salad dressings which if you make yourself from oil and vinagar should have no gluten at all.
About supplies in general, such items as organic cocao powder are now available as cheaply as lesser grades. With water and milk powder you have your cocoa and it has no strange chemicals. Can also be used for baking.
Have dry yeast and baking powder and baking soda if you plan to bake anything. Baking soda works well as body cleaner, surface cleaner, toothpaste, etc. Are you guys taking paper items like paper towels? Or cotton/linen tea towels? How do you plan to wash clothing etc? And are you planning to hang out wet wash if you are hiding or there is a nuclear winter?
Items as matches are needed and not something you should make on your own. Can we assume the internet will disappear? Internet providers and mobile phone networks will also go poof? Bedding, pillows, favorite toys for small children.
I think the wind-up flashlights, wind-up radios, anything that works without store bought batteries are wise to have. LED lights that use much less energy are also worth having in some standardized sizes. Frankly I find the discussion of TSHF for millions and billions of people without some sort of structure including contact a real concern. If we are back in WWII days there were people in trouble and people in other places not in trouble so there were peopel to do a sort of rescue. If we are faced with a nuclear winter or a continent without electricity there needs to be some sort of structure to allow people to be able to interact. A bunch of Daniel Boons rushing off into the Blue Ridge not knowing that their personal favorite spot in nature is also the favorite spot for another 2750 patriots can be a problem.
I live under sea level right now and so a bomb in the right place puts be 27 feet underwater. I was out in the country with a high barn but now in town in a one story building with no basement. The reality is that with massive snow storms you can hold up with your stash until the pipes defrost and the streets are cleared but humans need people they can trust and interact with.
Thank uou for bringing the human factor to this game plan. Without some kind of organization between people, the survival rate will plummet. It’s who to know and trust that will make or break a good plan. This needs to be discussed between family and extended family units or between friends and neighbors wishing the same goals. Remember, everyone will be scared, confused and feeling vulnerable…trust will need to happen to help everyone suceed…but who to trust, who to lead, and why? Humanity will be tested.
The ones to beware of are those who have nothing and covert your supplies. People will say anything when they are starving or have starving children – wouldn’t you? We will need “open hearts” to help the needy, but a discerning brain to know who needs the help and who is planning to steal everything for themselves. It will be a time of using your head before making an action for the benefit of all. You must know the difference between criminals and unfortunates.
You will learn to trust the one survival instinct God gave the human race — your gut feelings. If a situation doesn’t “feel” right, remove yourself and loved ones. Learn to hone those instincts. They will be your best ally to thwart dangerous situations. And pray for God’s guidance and protection because we will all need it. Remember too, Smiles can change a desperate situation to an acceptable one and they bridge that gap between strangers in need. God bless America!
This is the best list I have seen in a while, with a few exceptions.
I would pass on the powdered drinks and coffee, because I don’t like them and they have no nutritional value. I am old-school, bake-from-scratch, and so would replace the pancake mix with ingredients to make my own (flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, powdered eggs and milk, etc.) Those can be used to make many more things than pancakes, for variety. Also, baking soda is good for cleaning and freshening things.
In addition to rice, there are dozens of other grains and seeds. They can be cooked as is, sprouted for improved nutrition and digestibility, or ground as needed for a hot cereal, or to make a coarse flour. One thing to note though is that brown rice and some other grains can become rancid if stored for too long without refrigeration.
I would also include dehydrated fruits and vegetables. I haven’t been brave enough to try meat yet, for fear of food poisoning. I prefer home canned goods to store bought, because they can be pre-sweetened and seasoned to taste, and glass will not leach chemicals into the food.
For gluten free foods check out Bob’s Red Mill.
Even though I purchased different foods from different sources, it occurred to me that before I had to live with these decisions, we should test out our plans… a week long test… no TV etc… like it was real… testing the foods and resources we had stashed…. Okay..5 days no TV… (he needs books )
What a surprise!! My solar oven was not useful because it was rainy and overcast. some of my MRE had fizzled before their due date others were past their due date and I had purchased them in the last year. Other foods took a long time to cook/prepare, using precious resources. Some foods were over spiced or had ingredients that one of us is sensitive to. We found the holes in time to make corrections and additions . ..like getting back up cooking systems, precooking long cooking foods and then dehydrating them was one of the corrections.
When I offered over the good but over spiced foods to a neighbor they admitted they had to reach into their reserves when they had a medical crisis.
We now have an open dialog of the things we each have learned along the way. We have teamed up and that is what we all will need to be safe and stay safe.
( last month I ordered a more stash. We should never let good neighbors starve.)
You have a good point, giving the plan a test run. I have been looking at solar ovens, but I’m not sure which would be best. When I finally get one, I’ll need to learn how to use it. Test run again. Any hints?
Our food list looks a lot like that, but we have one thing not listed there: dehydrated food. We have a dehydrator and have found that many foods can be dehydrated and stored for much longer than store bought canned foods. Not to mention I can make excellent jerky! We also have the commercial Mountain House food and Wise Food on hand, but have not had it long and don’t intend to tap into it right away. The other thing I notice that is lacking from the above list of foods is water and/or some way to get clean water. The powdered items are useless if you don’t have good water to go with them.
what type of beef do you use for jerky? I never know what to buy and would like to make jerky too. Thanks!
To Steve and everyone else: Today the chemical BPA (bisphelol A) is in the news a lot concerning plastic containers and the negative effects the chemical may have on people but what a lot of people don’t know is that most of the cans that contain food today are lined with BPA. It is used to keep the cans from rusting and therefore extend the shelf life of food. That may be the reason your canned goods from the 1980’s rusted after awhile. I would suggest doing some research on the effects of BPA and make a judgement for yourself (I got my information from mayoclinic.com). And rotate out the food you store!! That’s why it doesn’t make a lot of sense to buy expensive foods that will just sit on the shelf until a disaster.
Today I was looking over my canned goods and took a lot of older cans of tomatoes and t. paste off the shelf. I am going to make a big pot of spaghetti sauce and pressure can the rest in glass jars. I recently learned that the canning lids are also coated with BPA. Which may be a good thing for long term storage. At least the lids are not touching the food. (Canning lids are now available BPA free. They are labeled.)
In light of the overwhelming conditions — and clear Bible prophecy — it seems prudent to GET OUT OF DODGE, locating yourself immediately on more rural, secluded property where we can plant non-GMO seeds and actually practice survival methods away from city threats such as food riots, lack of medical and emergency assistance.
I appreciate your sentiment but can we keep the bible out of our discussions. I search these sites for FACTS, and being an atheist what the bible has to say has no meaning to me. Thanks. Let’s keep this secular please.
I believe you have the right to be an Atheist. Others have the right to believe in a religious entity. I respect your right and do not say you should not post you are an atheist. Just leave the others who wish to state their belief alone.
I agree with Susan if your an Atheist and don’t believe in God and His word the bible then ignore it. If He doesn’t exist it doesn’t matter if it is Mickey Mouses book someone is talking about. I don’t believe in Mickey Mouse but if someone metions the name of Mickey Mouse I don’t react I just ignore it. You have the freedom to do the same. Exercise that right and ignore those comments. besides when we die we will all find out if God exists or not.
You have listed powdered milk. I would suggest NIDO made by Nestle because it is whole milk and really tastes good. Also sugar for that coffee, tea and oatmeal. Add a camp stove and fuel for it plus matches and or lighters.Be sure that the rice is brown rice for added fiber and nutrition. A box of coco would be nice. Inexpensive food grade buckets can be had from most grocery stores that have a bakery. I think mine were free but might have been one dollar. Then get the tops that have a screw in opening to hold foods that insects might get into. By all means, add vinegar. Remember that the food in your freezer does not have to ruin. Be prepared to freeze it with jars and lids on hand.
I think I’ve found a GREAT solution to my basic food storage program. I’ve started buying the Food4Patriots food to supplement what other foods I’ve purchased over the years. In the mid 80’s I bought a years supply for canned food, of course the meats were soy based. This was supposed to last almost forever but I ended up throwing the entire package (33 boxes) away years ago. The cans had rusted in their sealed boxes even though I tried very hard to protect them in cool dry controlled temp storage areas. I really like the idea of just opening a single packet and adding boiling water and 15 min later have a meal. I’ve lived on MRE’s for months at a time while in the Army and they were ok but they are expensive and do have a shelf life even though you can use them longer than stated just examine them first.
The Food4Patriots food can be eaten any time even before a disaster which is a problem in itself so I guess I just need to buy more. When I’m through this food will probably be 1/4th of my total food storage maybe more and it’s better and cheaper than Mountain House foods.
Thank you, Steve. I’m so glad that you are loving your Food4Patriots foods. I feel just as you do.
I think you should remove the upc codes as they can probably locate your food stash from that. Also I think if it is stored in metal they will find it with metal detectors.
I would like a phone number to call to find out more info on your food boxes 386 299 7014
1-800-728-0008
To julie,There is a book called the gluten free diet that might help. Yes invest in gold and you may wish to contact myself on this subject..
what about a flashlight,batteries,a ems,system,designation areas,maps,candles matches,(preferably stick) blankets,tents,cots,survival kits,lanterns,candals ect.Make you dates on cans are not outdated,Water is vital. Good article. Yes seeds are also important unless,the ground is contaminated. I like buldings that are underground. When i was very young,i had a dream of myself helping people underground. I had on a grey dress without the fallout symbol on my right arm area. There were sirens going off everywhere and lots of smoke. I was assisting children to come into a shelter.I have powerful feelings of this even today,and i am telling the truth here. Now i would like this dream interpeted … I think these are the saddest times and the young people of today are the lost tribe and we have damaged our earth. I think we have exactly what the bible states as the last days,and i am so pleased to know who my maker is.
Julie, obviously if you have dietary restrictions, you should buy and store food that meets with your needs. Buy gluten-free pastas, etc.
Or make your own gluten free pasta. I have a grain mill and have had great success making pasta. I use 1/3 brown rice, 1/3 amaranth and 1/3 quinoa. Mix those flours together along w/ 1 Tbsp. of Xanthum gum. Then follow your favorite pasta recipe.
While I know it is not altogether good for you, I would add to your list Dried Fruits, wrapped Hard Candy, then also good old-fashioned Popcorn (these two especially if you have kids) and then also Powdered Chocolate and also Powdered Milk. Assuming one has pets when TSHTF, items like Canned Dog Food might also be on the list to keep FIDO alive, healthy and alert. I would also add Virgin Olive Oil…it has a considerable number of uses, if you use ingenuity, in addition for cooking purposes. Just for one instance among many, it does amazing things for you should you eat one too many MREs in the short course of two or three days in a row. :)
Also, a real multi-purpose non-food is also a proven good idea, especially if you don’t have laundry soap or deodorant with you: Vodka in a spray bottle can deodorize your skin, clothing and bedding in a pinch. You can also use it for both medical and even barter purposes as well other than simply drinking it or using it for mouth wash.
And. lest I forget, if you have little more than a “bug out bag” in mind and intend to run and hide somewhere, remember that while you cannot eat them…or at least you shouldn’t, a few rolls of pre-1965 US-minted 90% silver content Mercury or Roosevelt dimes or Franklin half dollars either in your bug out bag or in your glove box, or both, will serve to make life a bit easier in the earliest event when the local, regional or national power grid goes down and you need to barter with things other than your food cache.
If anyone out there has a really expansive (note I said expansive, not expensive) list of survival foodstuffs, other than pork products, if they will share theirs I will share mine…maybe we can combine our lists where we otherwise differ?
Unless it violates policy here, you may contact me at [email protected] if you wish to work on a (ever expanding?) list of foodstuffs plus other items that we survivalists have on our lists started back in 2008.
What about us gluten free people? What are the ingredients in these packages?
Thanks,