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Food Storage

20 Items To Kick-Start Your Food Storage Plan

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Featured | Housewife writing in notepad with jars of homemade fruits jam and pickled vegetables | Items to Kick-Start Your Food Storage Plan

Get started with your food storage plan in an easy, step-by-step, and cost-effective manner!

RELATED: Wise Food Storage For Long-Term Survival

Food Storage Plan | What to Prepare for a Disaster Scenario

Emergency Food Storage

No matter how many times I write about food, there is always something new to consider or a new way to present the same old information. With that in mind, today I would like to share a method for getting started with your food storage program in an easy, step by step, and cost-effective manner.

My goal with this article is I want to help you know how to get started with a food storage planner the easy way. No frills, no fluff – just a common sense list of food items to get you started.

Let me say this: this is not a list of items intended for deep storage. Nor is it a list of items with 25-year expiration dates.

I am also not going to list items that might be difficult to find or too costly to fit neatly into your weekly shopping budget.

These 20 items can easily be purchased at your local grocery store, warehouse club, and Amazon. Consider getting each of the items on the list over time so that you are more than prepared when disaster strikes.

1. 20 Pounds of Rice

Rice grains | Items to Kick-Start Your Food Storage Plan
As boring as it may sound, rice is one of the backbones of every food storage plan. It is filling, nutritious, and with the use of varied seasonings and condiments, highly palatable in a variety of tasty meals.

The choice of white, brown or a combination of the two is up to you. White rice has a longer shelf life, but brown rice has more nutritional benefits.

Personally, I like to combine the two along with Jasmine, Basmati, and Calrose sticky rice.

2. 20 Pounds of Pinto Beans

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Like rice, beans are the backbone of every food storage plan. You may substitute white, kidney or other types of dried beans, but honestly, pintos are some of the least expensive dried beans, and in my opinion, the tastiest.

Need help cooking beans? Be sure to read Survival Woman Learns to Cook Dried Beans and  Respect for the Lowly Pinto Bean.

3. 20 Cans of Vegetables


Green beans, peas, corn, and canned tomatoes are good choices. Let your taste and budget guide you.

Buy only what you currently eat and enjoy.

4. 20 Cans of Fruit


Peaches, pears, pineapple, fruit cocktail – again, this is your choice. Fruits add a subtle sweetness to life, and when you are in a survival situation, can boost morale.

5. 20 Cans of Meat


Chicken, tuna, shrimp, salmon, Vienna sausages, beef stew and yes, even the ubiquitous Spam will satisfy this requirement. Again, let your taste and budget guide you – there are lots to choose from.

6. 4 Pounds Oats

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A bowl of oatmeal topped with canned fruit can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

7. 2 Large Jars of Peanut Butter


Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, with plenty of calories for energy and sustenance. Besides, who can resist the taste of a gooey spoonful of luscious peanut butter?

8. 2 Large Jars of Tang or Another Powdered Drink Mix


The only requirement here is to get something you like and something fortified with Vitamin C. I am not going to preach and tell you to avoid artificial sweeteners.

If Crystal Lite works for you in normal times, go for it.

9. 5 Pounds of Powdered Milk

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Milk is a great source of protein and other nutrients. Also, it is filling and can be used to top your oatmeal cereal or stirred into your coffee as a flavor enhancer.

10. 5 Pounds of Salt

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It goes without saying that salt is essential for survival, plus it has a lot of uses other than as an enhancement for food. That said, our bodies need salt to survive.

RELATED: Emergency Food Storage In Small Spaces

11. 10 Pounds of Pancake Mix

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An all-in-one pancake mix (such as Krusteaz) only requires the addition of water to make up a batch of batter. As with oatmeal, a big plate of pancakes, perhaps with some honey or jam, will make a satisfying meal that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

12. 2 Pounds of Honey and 2 Large Jars of Jam


We all need some sweetness in our life. I choose honey and jam over sugar, but at the end of the day, you can make a substitution or simply mix and match.

13. 10 Pounds of Pasta

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Pasta is familiar and easy to fix. Pasta is a dense form of wheat, but so much easier to deal with when you are first starting out.

Besides, it is fabulous comfort food.

14. 10 Cans or Jars of Spaghetti Sauce

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Cheap yet satisfying, canned sauce on a bed of pasta creates a satisfying meal that can be put together in minutes.

Editor’s Note: You’re Survival Food Stockpile Is Missing THIS!

15. 20 Cans of Soup or Broth


The beauty of canned soups and canned broth is they are budget friendly. Soups are an all-in-one meal solution.

All you need is a can opener and a spoon, and you have a meal ready to go.

For an extra satisfying meal, try using a can of soup as part of the cooking water for your rice. Yummy!

16. One Large Jug of Oil


Choose olive oil, coconut oil or some other cooking oil, but be sure you get some. Oil is essential for good health, fueling our energy stores and providing support for fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients as they work their way through our system.

Not only that, but a bit of fat in your diet adds flavor and makes you feel satisfied when you are done eating.

17. Spices and Condiments

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Adding some spices and condiments to your food storage pantry will allow you to vary the taste of your storage foods, thus mitigating some of the boredom that is likely to occur over time.

The exact mix of spices and condiments is up to you, but some suggestions include garlic, chili, Tabasco (hot sauce), salsa, oregano, thyme, and black pepper.

18. 5 Pounds of Coffee or 100 Tea Bags


There are those who will say that life without coffee is no life at all. Whole bean (assuming you have a hand grinder), ground or instant – your choice. Or substitute tea.

Green tea and many herbal teas are quite therapeutic, so if you like tea, this may be a good way to go.

19. 2 Large Bags of Hard Candies

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Hard candy can go a long way toward making an unpleasant situation bearable. Butterscotch drops, peppermints, and even lemon drops are good.

Have fun with this and pick up a couple of bags of your favorites!

20. Mini LED Flashlight and Extra Batteries

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Okay, this is a cheat item. It is not food but it is incredibly important, and it will not hurt to stash a miniature flashlight or two along with the edibles in your food storage pantry.

But What About the Wheat and Flour?

So you noticed!

There are no wheat berries or other whole grains (other than oats/oatmeal) on this list, and there is also no flour.  While there is a place for these items in a long term food storage plan, I consider them part of the second phase of food storage.

The truth is many preppers would not have a clue as to what to do with wheat, so why push the envelope?

The same goes for flour. To make flour usable, you would need yeast and baking powder plus the skill and knowledge to bake.

Not only that, you most likely will need an outdoor oven of sorts – especially if the grid is down post-disaster.

That, and more will come later, but for now, while covering the basics, it is much simpler and far more practical to stick with easy-to-cook foods that can be combined into interesting meals without the need for much experience other than opening a can or a package.

Parting Words

As you read through this list, I hope you can visualize the meals that can be made by mixing and matching the items listed in the kick-start plan.

How about some rice, salsa, and canned chicken cooked into a casserole in your cast iron skillet? Or pancakes topped with canned peaches and honey?

Then there are pinto beans, combined with rice and corn and topped with a bit of Tabasco for a fiesta-style meal.

Is this a complete list of everything you will need to be fully prepared food-wise?  Not in the least!

Check out this video by Kane Maguire about prepper food storage tips:

Truthfully, you will need to prepare quite a bit of food, as well as appropriate packaging methods (Mylar bags or buckets plus oxygen absorbers) to ensure your food will remain viable and pest free for years to come.

But for now, we are more focused on just getting started on rounding out our basic survival pantry. For that, these 20 items will do just fine.

Have you started preparing your own survival pantry yet? Let us know in the comments section below!

UP NEXT:

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on June 24, 2013, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.

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61 Comments

61 Comments

  1. Schneewitchen

    June 24, 2013 at 7:17 AM

    One suggestion under the heading of “Pasta”, is to buy Tortellini or Tortelloni. They are a meal in itself, add sauce and they are really good. The dry cheese in the middle adds to flavor and protein!

    • Bella

      June 26, 2013 at 10:30 AM

      I wouldn’t store a lot food that requires water , like beans, to make because any water I have us for drinking because this could go on for s long time and if it doesn’t rain or if the sir is contaminated we will need all water or juices from canned veg or fruit we can live longer with liquid and little to eat but we can hunt animals to eat but if atmosphere us contamited then we can’t catch rain or dew so we need water u can store lots in even empty jars store under sinks in bath cabinets. Plus buy water but don’t store lots if stuff that takes water to cook!

      • RLF

        September 22, 2013 at 1:36 AM

        If the water from the atmosphere is contaminated you can’t hunt either based on the premise that the animals drink what falls from the sky therefore they are contaminated too! Basically the rule is: if 1 is bad they both are in this situation.

        Lets hope we never have to worry about such a thing here at home!

      • Dee

        November 11, 2014 at 6:45 AM

        I would like to share my method of storing water which I started to do more than ten years ago. I save water in liter bottles or any food safe bottle by rinsing them well, filling them with water from my softened, hot water faucet, (because we have a lot of rust), right to the very top, then capping it leaving no airspace. I don’t add anything to it. Last winter we had a four day power outage and we used our stored water, which was clear and tasty! I was surprised to see how much we used in that four days! You just can’t save too much! It is amazing to see how many places you can store these bottles, such as the back of bathroom sink cabinets, the top shelf of my pantry where I ordinarily cannot reach, the basement, closets, etc. They were were not used to flush the toilet, we used pond water for that. I know many will question that I don’t add anything to the water, but this method has certainly worked for us!

  2. gena

    June 24, 2013 at 7:51 AM

    For people who live in the southwest, a good choice if you prefer breakfast tacos to pancakes, is to buy a few bags of tortilla mix that only requires the addition of water, pat it down, cook it on a tortilla pan or even a skillet, and add some of those beans, preferably refried or a variety of other breakfast taco fillers. Also tortillas make a good alternative, easy to make bread replacement. You can just mix and cook up what you want when you want it. I had never tried it, although dated guys in my youth whose mothers fixed them, and bought a tortilla pan at the local grocery store for $2 and found the mix also at the local grocery stores, I think it is called Masa Harina, and it is cheap, has everything in it already but the water.
    Also did not see canned chili in your list of meats, I love chili, mother used to tell me I liked Mexican food so much that we must have some Mexican heritage in the family tree she was unaware of.
    I would advise if you buy canned fruit, get it in natural juices rather than high fructose corn syrup, that stuff is really bad for you and made from GMO corn, a double whammy to your health.
    As for flashlights, I have bought a couple moderately priced rechargeable lanterns, and a small Goal Zero solar charger to recharge them should the grid go down. That way I don’t have to worry so much about when the batteries run out. And by having two or more of those, one can be recharging while you use the other.
    I think I already have everything on the list other than enough canned fruit, which I hate, and enough canned veggies. I have a moderate sized garden, and a huge number of tomatoes and just bought a pressure cooker and if I don’t blow the house away doing so, plan to can some of the excess tomatoes and peppers. Also have a large herb garden and am planning on drying and preserving as much of the herbs as I can.
    One thing missing from your list is to stock up on pet food if you have pets unless you plan to feed them from the foods you are buying for the family.
    One more point, you can buy ready-to-eat tuna salad real cheap, that comes with crackers and a spoon for dishing out onto the crackers. One can is just right for a small sandwich if you have any bread on hand, but does just great on the crackers. If keeps for well over a year, has everything in it, you do not have to have mayo on hand to add. I also recently found a road side stand operated by a young Christian couple that sells pickled eggs the wife makes herself. they are great and have a pretty good storage life. But once opened you have to eat them pretty quick, so small jars would be better than large jars of them if you anticipate being without power. She uses quail eggs, which don’t taste that different from chicken eggs. I have tried them and they are GOOD. I also read that if one does buy flour for home storage a good thing to do when you get home is throw the flour in your freezer for at least 48 hours and you will eliminate the chance that any weevil eggs that are inside will hatch in the future. Then you can move it into a more permanent storage method.
    Also, if you buy #10 cans and don’t want to gobble all of it at once, if you have a food saver, and you can buy small battery operated ones, you can reseal the rest if you add a new oxygen absorber in the new package or buy the smaller 2.5 cans if you are feeding a smaller number of people. Costs more for the same total weight purchased, but less waste.

    • Lisa

      August 12, 2018 at 1:05 PM

      Now I’ll add the value of canning. A pressure cooker is good, cooks really fast, but watch the sales (goodwill?) get a pressure canner. Now go to the road side stand, the U Pick places, and can the fruits n vegetables. Meat is cannable, Yes, it takes 3-4 hours in a waterbath canner, is only 75-90 min in a pressure canner. Freezers are good, but everything will go bad without power. I own electric canners right now, will invest is an All American Canner. It doesn’t have a rubber gasket, and can be used on an outside fire with a simple grate. About water, empty mason jars will hold water. Use the jar until you need it for food. Oh yes, Canned water, is sterile, can be used for wounds, etc. My current issue is no basement. Only item this “farm” house didn’t have.

  3. gena

    June 24, 2013 at 7:54 AM

    Another good pleasure food is to buy popcorn as long as you also buy a popcorn popper which can be used with a fireplace or external fire source. They are cheap also if you check the right places. A little cooking oil, popcorn and a fire and you can enjoy some popcorn which beats hard candy as far as I’m concerned, although I already have several bags of hard candies – both the butterscotch and peppermint hard candies you spoke of.

  4. gena

    June 24, 2013 at 7:57 AM

    I think it is Jiffy Brand, not totally sure off hand, makes both regular peanut butter and chocolate peanut butter cups in single serving size, nice to throw a few in a go-bag and you can either eat it on crackers, a sandwich, or dip things into them. Around here, at the dollar stores, you can buy a box of three cups for around a dollar.

  5. gena

    June 24, 2013 at 8:00 AM

    If you have a dehydrator you can dehydrate fruit or veggies ahead of time to make your own trail mix or to hydrate when you want them or just buy bags of dehydrated fruit or veggies to rehydrate when wanted. Plus don’t forget raisins or prunes or cranberries. Lasts a long time, and often beats canned fruits unless you like things really syrupy sweet.

  6. Del

    June 24, 2013 at 8:19 AM

    If you start with ready-to-eat soup and add a can of water, once you bring it to a boil you add a can of quick (or Minute) rice and you have a tasty, filling meal that can feed one very hungry or two hungry people. If you start with condensed soup you need to add an additional can of water beyond what the instructions for the soup itself call for. If you use regular rice you have to add water in the correct ratio for however much rice you want to add.

  7. JJM

    June 24, 2013 at 8:27 AM

    Do you really want “2 large jars of Jam” that need to be refrigerated after opening?? Though larger jars work better in my ‘everyday’ diet for rotation, I prefer the variety of many small jars OR restaurant single servings packets.

    • Lisa

      August 12, 2018 at 1:12 PM

      Jam doesn’t always need to be refrigerated after opening. The older days, home made jam was sealed with wax. If there is fuzz on it, take that off with a spoon when continue using it. BTW, jam is the easiest beginner canning project. A deep tamale pot can be used as a waterbath container. The only expense are the jars. As a rebel, take the flat off very carefully (no damage) and reuse it.

  8. TPLadany

    June 24, 2013 at 10:01 AM

    I am a diabetic–most of these recommended foods are not for me-what foods do you suggest that I store.

    • Ruth

      June 25, 2013 at 9:54 PM

      So am I.(60 years) Rice and pasta are good for the family, but I like to stay away from it. Tuna in water. Peanut butter (Protein) Beans (especially Lima/Butter beans) dehydrated veggies (green beans, beets, tomatoes, eggplant, sweet potato, squash, etc.) and plenty of bullion cubes…chicken, beef AND tomato. Honey is good to have on hand if sugar gets too low, PLUS it’s an anti-biotic and stomach//pretty much everything soother. Mix w/a little apple cider vinegar and warm water. Good medicine. Do you need insulin? If so, you may want to check out “FRIO” bags that you soak in water to keep insulin at the right temp to keep it good. By the way, Insulin is good up to 5 yrs after date posted…JUST KEEP IT COOL!!!!!!! Hope this helps.

    • Trevor

      June 26, 2013 at 1:59 PM

      I have a type one daughter and a grid down situation is a nightmare when considering her. You really want to figure out a way to have extra insulin and a means to keep it as cold as you can (basement, root celler, etc). Even a diabetic is going to need some carb food but you might want to do some extra nuts, jerky, and canned meats so that you can stretch your insulin by doing higher protein and less carbs. You might want to look for some “gluten free” options which will be lower in carbs and some high fiber products since that lowers your amount of insulin. You will also want to have extra liquids (water,etc) that don’t add to your blood sugar and the liquid (body hydration) helps keep your blood sugars lower.I have found you can mix egg powder and protein powders into the pancake mixes and the taste and consitency are not altered too much but you lower the carb content considerably. Diabetics are going to have a rough go in a grid down situation. Good luck.

      • Charles Helm

        August 12, 2018 at 12:58 PM

        As a Insulin Dependent Type 2 (after 20 plus years, but here I am now!), odds are rather iffy for me in any long term @grid down”?situation…obviously I need a Very Good Generator, that with other electronics are stored in a Farady Cage mock up…ie a basement or bunker…low with hopefully 10-30 feet of earth between the electronics and the surface!
        You can use a simple metal cage area if you follow basic plans (all over Internet!) to rig up a version of a Faraday Cage!
        We need Solar Power absolutely, at least 50 gallons of gasoline also and if a wind mill is viable get that set up and ready to go… so you have a basic refer set and freezer set up you have many more options!
        Water supply? Any way to tap into a safe secure well is is ideal, but a filter system is manditory!!
        Anyway, I am more cynical and being in LA leaves us at severe EOTWAWKI
        Do the 20 item menu is a great start but it’s not going to work for my family if 4 it SHTF!!! So praying hard!

    • Lisa

      August 12, 2018 at 1:15 PM

      I have issues too, Figure what you can eat, and start canning. I make my own jam, will also start making my own no sugar added juice. It is doable.

  9. val

    June 24, 2013 at 10:41 AM

    If you know how to bake outdoors using a dutch oven (or even just a covered roasting pan might work), all-purpose baking mix (think Bisquick or a generic brand) could help fill in for bread, as can crackers (saltines taste great with any filling you can think of). I agree with dehydrating what you can, just be sure you have plenty of water for rehydrating on top of the water for simply drinking. Don’t forget some kind of water filtration (ie. ceramic, gravity fed, etc) for water (it will still need to be boiled after if there are worries about bacteria) and locate sources of water near you for filtering (or get a hand-crank for your well water, get a rain barrel, etc).

    Also consider some cheap solar lights for around your house. You can mount them up high to help illuminate your house in the dark. It won’t completely deter a thief, but they would rather hit your neighbor’s house that doesn’t have light than yours that does. Consider a few extra bags of dog food to offer to your neighbors. Keeping them and their dogs on your side could definitely help in a crisis.

    Extra bags of coffee for barter or just “sweetening” up the neighbors also helps keep your neighborhood working a bit more together than against one another. Community would be very important in a crisis.

    Consider a few “comfort food” items like containers of Pringles chips, pop tars (which can be eaten without heating up and store a pretty long time), Twinkies (they’re making them again! They store for years, and have no nutritional value but your kids will love you for it), also some baby formula as another milk source. It doesn’t taste fantastic, but has lots of nutrients in it and can be poured over cereal, oatmeal, or into soups to thicken them, used to moisten pancake mix, etc. Jars of baby food (most adult thieves would pass that by, not realizing the source of food and nutrition within).

    • Rosa

      June 24, 2013 at 4:46 PM

      There is also a dry bread/cracker called Pilot Bread. We in Alaska use a lot of it as it is a forever item. Fishermen especially like this because when out on the waters, the Pilot Bread does not spoil. Even makes good little individual pizzas for the kids. Spread some tomato sauce or soup, maybe some baloney, salami, and cheese on top and heat in portable oven, camp stove, or however you can heat to melt cheese, and you have pizza.

  10. glenbo

    June 24, 2013 at 12:45 PM

    JJM is correct about large jars of jam, and same goes for peanut butter. It can go rancid fast, so why not buy several small jars? They’re easier to pack and move if that need arises, too.

    • Hipockets

      June 25, 2013 at 3:00 AM

      I buy Large jars of Jif,have for many years,and never put them in the refrig,in the cupboard so it spreads easy. It does’nt say on the
      jar to regrigerate,so I never have’ I’ve survived doing this for over 20 yrs’But everyone to their own thing’

      • Kris

        July 1, 2013 at 5:31 PM

        I agree. I have all my adult life kept peanut butter in the cupboard and unless it was one of the ‘organic’ kinds, it never even separates, let alone goes bad. When my grand kids left 3 yrs ago I had a partial jar of Skippy. It took the whole 3 yrs for us to finish it off, and it was still fine!

        • Valerie

          August 14, 2014 at 4:16 AM

          I agree Ive never put peanut butter in the fridge nor jam/jelly as that is already preserved in sugar and wont go off. Just make sure they your knife is clean of bread crumbs when dipping in 😀

  11. Karen

    June 24, 2013 at 1:04 PM

    Those of us who know how to cook over a fire store flour, baking powder, corn meal – I can make either biscuits or corn bread in an iron skillet over a fire. Powdered milk, if you don’t have access to fresh milk; powdered eggs, if you don’t have chickens… I saw someone mention diabetics…beans and brown rice, together, make a complete protein (diabetics should not eat white rice).
    No matter what, you need good water. Buy a GOOD water filtration system, even if you have a well with good water, or use a public water source, just in case! We have one that even takes out bacteria and will filter any water other than salt water. That way, you can even use creek water if you have to. People who use public water sources can also store water in case of emergency as public water sources often become contaminated after bad storms, earthquakes, etc. Even though we have a generator, a well, and a filtration system that works anywhere, I keep some water on hand just for brief power outages, etc. You need to be able to flush the toilet, no matter what!!
    And you can pop corn in any pan that has a lid. Just shake it over the fire. You don’t need a popcorn popper!

    • Valerie

      August 14, 2014 at 4:18 AM

      I agree.. My daughter makes some lovely drop biscuits with just flour water and fries it. She puts dried fruit in sometimes when she wants something sweet. There are many recipes that you can make with flour and not have a oven. So that advice about flour isnt really correct.

      • Sue

        May 6, 2018 at 5:22 AM

        Making bread with just SR flour n water ( in Australia my people Aboriginal people) always use this. Putting 3 cups of flour for small family to six cups.ADD WATER to make a firm dough. Knead n knead till its soft n a little damp. Place flour on board n place mixture on flour. Continue to knead it till firm n flatten down to about 3 inches even down 2 inches. With no power make a hot small fire n when ashes are there cover with foil n place in ashes for about 10min each side. It will be ready when you tap it n its hollow.
        PS If no foil move ashes to one side leaving a few small hot coals. Lay mixture day n place hot ashes.
        This wau ash gets on bread now but just brush it off. Split n place marg.
        Great for soup or making a meal spreading jams honey ect.
        Only got plain flour add some add a little yeast. To make sweeter can add poder milk and sugar

        We call it damper or make tjem in smaller pieces flatten n cook. Then they are johnny cakes.

  12. Baxter Byerly

    June 24, 2013 at 6:10 PM

    Lt of good ideas– just need to exicute

  13. william

    June 24, 2013 at 9:28 PM

    Instead of table salt, you should get sea salt. Morton’s sea salt is only about 3x the cost and 100x the nutrition.
    Peanut butter should be the non-hydrogenated oil type.
    Jelly should be the natural sugar type, not high fructose corn syrup.
    If you have a propane grill, buy a couple of extra cans of gas. Store safely.

  14. Rick

    June 24, 2013 at 9:47 PM

    Ramen noodles can be experimented with. I like with a can of ham or chicken, any veggy you want, and a little soy sauce. Bullion cubes are good also.

    Powdered potatoes,like Idahoan, with a can or two of roast beef and gravy, is a good meal for two.

    I make these regularly, but keep trying other recipies. Try things out before you buy quantities for storage. And don’t forget to rotate your stock.

  15. D Bro

    June 24, 2013 at 10:21 PM

    I wanted to make a number by number comment but what is more important is the day you break into your long term food, better be the day you start replacing it with the start of a garden or the green house your didn’t build yet. Start eating lambs quarter or any local wild vegetable that you will need some getting use to, or raising a goat, rabbits, chickens for meat. Wow! I have all this food but how can I replace it if the system breaks down? A country boy will survive-Hank Williams Jr..

    • Rhonda Ann Cody-Brown

      August 12, 2018 at 7:23 AM

      While they’re in season, I dehydrate lambs quarters, beet greens, turnip greens, summer squash, mushrooms, beets,etc. And store them in canning jars for use thruout the winter. I can add them to anything I wish for extra nutrition and flavor and they are much better than omersially canned. I have a seed bank from one year to the next that includes seeds from lambs quarters and wild lettuce…..just in case.

      • Lisa

        August 12, 2018 at 1:32 PM

        My future plans include a weed garden, lambs quarters, purslane, and dandilions. Get a book on identification, many have toxic lookalikes..

  16. Patti

    June 24, 2013 at 11:49 PM

    So I am a newbie and for me this is a fantastic article. I am printing it out and saving it for my next grocery run. I also found the comments to be helpful. Just one problem with the list, just a personal problem. I HATE powdered drink mixes. Never drank koolade as a child, can’t do gatorade, they all make me nauseous. Unsweetened tea for me!
    I would like to know where I can find canned roast beef. I grew up on a farm and my folks canned many quarts of beef. It was a family favorite. Maybe an Amish store? Thanks, Patti

    • Hipockets

      June 25, 2013 at 3:05 AM

      Use to get canned Beef as Commodities,but no more. I have seen it mainly in surplus groceries stores. Very rare at local or big box stores’If
      you hunt,you can, can your own Deer,Elk etc. Becomming a lost art,but better for you then Beef’

    • Carol

      June 25, 2013 at 11:50 AM

      You can buy a package of 6 12-oz cans of roast beef at Costco. It is their Kirkland brand.

      • Practical Parsimony

        July 12, 2013 at 2:41 AM

        Walmart or any store has canned roast beef near the tuna and salmon. Hormel’s is great.

    • Trevor

      June 26, 2013 at 2:05 PM

      Costco has a canned roast beef that is a decent price and tasty.

      • Laurie

        August 12, 2018 at 4:16 PM

        My Costco doesn’t have the canned roast beef in the store any more. I have to buy it from their website.

    • lee

      June 26, 2013 at 7:41 PM

      you can buy canned roast beef at the Dollar General Store, $3.99 a can. Used it for years, with noodles. I used to buy it at the grocery, but they don’t carry it anymore.

    • Kris

      July 1, 2013 at 5:37 PM

      If you’re game, can your own. I do. I can beef, chicken, pork, fish, shrimp, hamburger. Just watch for sales, buy it as cheap as you can, and unless you will be feeding a big family, can in it pints. One pint jar = 1 lb of meat. its AWESOME to cook with, and it smells and tastes so good! Just watch what you buy. I only get grass fed beef and pork, free range chicken, etc. don’t get any farm raised fish ever! You can buy this stuff canned up, I see it at Sams all the time, but it is SOOOO expensive!! The work you put into canning your own is so worth it.

      • Lisa

        March 9, 2018 at 4:02 PM

        While we are talking canning, Get an AA canner. No rubber gaskets, usable on an open fire. Learn to can meat, start with the on sale cheap cuts.They are not tough and very tasty after canning. Can water until you need the jar for something else. That is extra also sterile for wounds. Happy prepping.

    • Judy Taylor

      March 10, 2018 at 1:34 PM

      Try Walmart for canned meats. They have canned tuna, salmon, trout filets, chicken, smoked ham, smoked salmon, roast beef, sausage, whole chickens, BBQ pork, meatballs, and even hams that are enough to feed a family of 4-6. Try getting Propel straws for flavored drinks. They are kind of like koolade, but more of adult flavors. Did you know that there is shelf stable milk? 1% and 2%. Don’t forget to get some cocoa mix for either cold chocolate milk or for hot chocolate. The list is endless of items that you can get to make your survival meals very appealing and nutritious.

    • Rhonda Ann Cody-Brown

      August 12, 2018 at 7:25 AM

      Wal-Mart carries canned roast beef, ground beef, pork and chicken….right by the tuna and spam

  17. chris g.

    June 25, 2013 at 6:40 PM

    In our humidity we store powdered products only in small sizes…once opened it starts to moisten then solidify. We store condensed (store bought) milk and home canned goats milk…looks iffy but works well in cooking. You possible to “Oven can” dry powdered products into smaller jars, for easier use.

    • Kris

      July 1, 2013 at 5:40 PM

      Or, if you have or can get a food saver, they have an attachment on them to seal stuff in jars. put your dried stuff, powdered stuff, etc, in jars, and the attachment pulls all the air out. I have half gallon jars full of all sorts of dried/powdered stuff, and then use smaller jars, pints or half pints, for what I use on a reg basis.

  18. da

    June 25, 2013 at 7:17 PM

    I tend to disagree with placing flour on the “second tier.” True, baking most stuff is complicated. However, few things are easier than making drop biscuits. Flour, water, baking powder, shortening, salt, milk can make a helluva lot of biscuits. They are filling and can be used in place of bread.

    Also — beans do not have that long of a storage life. They still need to be “alive” inside when they are cooked.

    • Ruth

      June 25, 2013 at 10:05 PM

      I had some pinto beans that I had in a jar for 20 years…they sprouted! Have to cook and soak them a lot longer though…

  19. Donna Elliott

    June 25, 2013 at 9:56 PM

    My husband has kidney failure & is on dialysis. He cannot eat any beans,(except green beans) ham, brown rice, whole grains of any kind except oatmeal. Many canned fruits and vegetables are off limits as well. No potatoes or tomatoes allowed. Any ideas for us? Or for him especially? No chocolate anything allowed either. He also must limit his fluid intake and cannot have many dairy products at all. We are in a very humid climate and do have some power outages as well as hurricanes periodically.

    • Tamara

      July 27, 2013 at 7:30 PM

      Potatoes are ok once a day when soaked and cooked properly. And canned vegetables and fruits are not ideal, but thoroughly rinsed veggies and drained fruits that are on the dialysis food list are acceptable in an emergency. Store unsalted crackers and proteins like chicken or roast beef. Again, draining and rinsing are key. A dialysis diet is boring at best, anyhow, so store lots of the allowed foods! Good luck!

    • Rhonda Ann Cody-Brown

      August 12, 2018 at 7:44 AM

      Examine his normal diet, what can you dehydrate? Invest in a foodsaver vacuum sealer. I think I spent $30 on mine. Premake meals, dehydrate them ( in oven if no dehydrator) and package up his own MREs. YouTube can show you how. God bless, Rhonda

  20. Judith

    June 27, 2013 at 11:58 AM

    Vinegar is cheap and can be used for medical and cleaning as well as food prep.

  21. Ruth

    July 27, 2013 at 12:14 AM

    My stash includes a large container of dehydrated onions (from Sam’s)
    and a four pound container of parmasean(also from Sam’s). These two can make anything edible and nourishing as well. Plus,I prefer canned tomatoes over canned spaghetti sauce..works well with pasta or rice.

    Also, don’t care for pinto beans..prefer baby limas. So, it’s important to try the different beans to find out which ones you like.

    I haven’t tried it yet but plan to get some Stevia seeds and grow my own so I can have something sweet once the sugar is gone. And I plan to use my dehydrator to dry some green pepper this summer..something else that goes a long way toward making things taste better.

    I have an apple tree and use my dehydrator to dry my apples. I eat them in the dried state..not necessary to add water. These dried apples will last a number of years just packaged in plastic bags(as long as rodents can’t get to them)

    I don’t like to use prepackaged foods because they always make me feel bad..the chemicals in them I guess. So, my stash includes flour and cornmeal and, of course, baking powder.

    Something that is easy is corn meal dumplings cooked with greens. I just mix corn meal, a little powdered milk, baking powder and enough hot water to make a mixture that will hold it’s shape. After the greens have cooked down but before they are done, add large spoonfuls of the corn meal mixture on top (above the water line) and cover. Let the greens continue cooking and, when done, you will have little corn pones to eat with your greens.

    When you get ready to fry your fish, you’ll be glad to have corn meal on hand. Corn meal can also be cooked in a little oil as flat patties like pancakes.

    And, to the person who was going to use her pressure canner to can her tomatoes, that isn’t necessary. Tomatoes have enough acid that they don’t require pressure. They can be canned with a water bath. Just to be on the safe side, add a tsp of salt and two tsps of lemon juice to each pint. They only have to boil about 10 minutes and can then be removed from the hot water bath. Quick and easy. Anything that is acid can be canned in the hot water bath instead of using pressure.

  22. Tamara

    July 27, 2013 at 7:34 PM

    I also store a lot of dried soup mix in #10 cans. Soup goes a long way in feeding your family or your hungry neighbors who didn’t plan as well!

  23. Leah

    September 24, 2013 at 11:27 AM

    20 years ago, I invested in a dehydrator because my cupboard space was limited and we had frequent power outages which made freezing a questionable venture. I dehydrate nearly everything, including frozen corn (which can be ground for meal if needed) canned spaghetti sauce (poured onto a cookie sheet, comes out like a fruit leather and can be stored easily) and home-made “jam” (pureed fruit with sugar to taste.) I buy potatoes on sale and make my own potato casseroles like you’d find on store shelves. I dry cooked chicken, turkey, beef, and pork for later use in casseroles. (A little extra care is required in drying meats for long-term storage) I make sure I have plenty of water on hand, and have back-up sources available. And, if SHTF, a simple dehydrator can be built using 1×2’s and window screening/hardware cloth, whatever you have on hand.

  24. katlupe

    October 25, 2013 at 9:30 AM

    We only eat low carbs here and that is what we store. I would not have a bit of energy if I was eating beans and rice in an emergency. We can our own vegetables, dry some to take in a back pack, can meats and main dish meals. Your list is good for someone who eats that type of food. I guess the best advice is the famous saying, “store what you eat.”

    Good post!

    • Valerie

      August 14, 2014 at 4:28 AM

      I only eat low carb ( high fat ) as well, No list seems OK to me. but I do store things for my family should they ever go short.

      I can butter,lard, preserve eggs and will be pressure canning meat and veg soon. so hopefully have a good stock of the foods I can eat.

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  29. Rhonda Ann Cody-Brown

    August 12, 2018 at 7:50 AM

    Examine his normal diet, what can you dehydrate? Invest in a foodsaver vacuum sealer. I think I spent $30 on mine. Premake meals, dehydrate them ( in oven if no dehydrator) and package up his own MREs. YouTube can show you how. God bless, Rhonda

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