Survival Pantry

The average adult needs to consume 2,000 calories per day to maintain good health and stay relatively active. If you drop the temperature or increase the workload you may need to consume thousands more calories a day. Humans survive on a diverse assortment of foods and calories are best when consumed from a balance of these diverse food. When living off grid or in a survival scenario storing your fruits, vegetables, grains, proteins and healthy fats in the right manner to keep them edible as long as possible becomes a survival must.

Five Enemies of Food Storage:

 

Heat

Light

Moisture

Pest

Oxygen

 

To maximize the life of your food supply, store your food in a cool, dry, dark pantry and frequently check your food to make sure it stays dry and bug-free.

 

Shopping Criteria:

Survival Food Should Be Easy To Prepare

Think about how involved. How much cooking? How much fuel will this take? How much water will you need to prepare it? What if you don’t have access to a modern kitchen? Can you cook and prepare your foods using alternative methods, like a wood burning cookstove, solar oven, or campfire? This is one reason why canned foods are such all stars–open and eat!

 

It Needs To Have a Long Shelf Life

If your food doesn’t last long enough to be of value when you actually need it, what’s the point? While it’s important to remember your food storage enough to be rotating it, for it to truly be “survival food”, it should be something that can give you years–decades if possible.

 

It Should Be Affordable

Food storage isn’t supposed to be gourmet, and neither should it be expensive. Food storage is supposed to keep you and your family alive during lean times when you might otherwise starve. It should be affordable enough that you can build up a decent quantity over time without breaking the bank. In the list above, some items are more “critical” than others (like the “Snacks and Luxuries” section for instance). Be mindful of this as you stock up.

 

Long Term Food Storage Should Be As Nutritionally Dense As Possible

Architects often talk about the “function” vs. “form” of a building. With food, nutrition is the “function”, and taste is the “form.” While usually there is some middle ground, it’s particularly important to prioritize nutrition for food that you may be eating in a survival situation. As much as possible, the goal is to stock up foods that will actual give you fuel and keep you going.

 

Think About The Overall “Storability” of Your Food Storage

Although it’s low on the list, it’s an important consideration nonetheless. Storability has to do with the size, weight, and shape of certain foods.

Shopping List:

 

Grains: 6-12 yrs

Grains should be one of the “anchors” of your prepper pantry. They’re versatile, nutritious, and store well.

Rice: long grain, short grain (sushi), and basmati (Indian)

Wheat berries (white, hard preferred)

Dried corn

Popcorn

Rolled oats

Cornmeal

All purpose flour

Cake flour

Pasta

Quinoa

Instant grits

Instant mashed potatoes / potato flakes

 

Beans and legumes : 8-10 yrs

Another anchor in your pantry. Beans and legumes are packed with much-needed protein and fiber, plus they’re versatile and store well.

 

Pinto beans

Black beans

Navy beans

Kidney beans

Chickpeas/Garbanzo beans

Lima beans

Black-eyed peas

Lentils

 

Fats And Lards

Fats are essential for cooking, nutrition, and feeling full — don’t just assume “fat equals bad.” Whether saturated or unsaturated, most of these fats last at least 1-2 years on the shelf.

 

Peanut butter (also a decent source of protein)

Shortening

Vegetable oil

Olive oil

Coconut oil

Coconut milk (good for Indian and Thai dishes)

 

Meats and other proteins

Canned salmon

Sardines

Canned tuna

Spam

Canned chicken

Vienna sausages

Textured Vegetable Protein

Imitation bacon bits

Country ham

Dry-cured bacon

Spices 2-5yrs

Spices will help make your bland anchor foods taste better, which improves morale. Salt is especially important to store because it’s essential for bodily functions and can be used for food preservation. Vinegar, especially white vinegar, is useful for cleaning in addition to flavoring and preservation.

 

Salt

Granulated sugar

Honey (soak it in warm water if it crystalizes)

White vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

Rice wine vinegar

Soy sauce

Black peppercorns (requires a pepper mill)

Cinnamon sticks

Chicken bouillon

Garlic powder

Italian seasoning

Garam masala

Chili powder

Paprika

Cumin

Cayenne pepper

Curry bars

Ginger: powdered and crystalized

Coriander

Baking

Powdered milk

Baking soda

Baking powder

Cocoa

Corn starch

Yeast

Pure vanilla extract

Powdered sugar

Jell-O mix

Fruits and Vegetables : 2-5yrs

Besides general canned fruits and vegetables, also take a look at raisins and other dried fruit that might not be in a can.