food storage guide

This food storage guide focuses on creating a “Do It Yourself” stockpile of staple foods, and the principles necessary to store them for the long term. I came up with this information when researching my family’s long-term food storage. I hope this information helps as you build your emergency food supply.

Let’s do it.

If you would rather listen than read, check out the Ready Squirrel videocast.

The following are 32 principles to think about as you plan your long-term food storage. Use these principles as a springboard for more extensive research and planning.

Number of people

Consider your most likely emergency scenario such as a natural catastrophe or life event and plan your emergency food storage for your specific situation.

Determine:

How many people you are storing food for
How long do you want your food stores to last? Start small with the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s suggested three-day food supply and build from there.
Plan for special diets or medical issues

Tip: To get an idea of the types of food you may want to store, think about the kinds of foods you or your family already eat. If your family loves food that can be packaged for a long shelf life like rice or pasta, it’s a food you should consider storing.

Calorie Count and Nutrition

Planning daily calorie counts and choosing foods that give you well-rounded nutrition are the most challenging aspects of long-term food storage.

FDA Daily Calorie Count

1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for women
2000 to 3,000 calories per day for men

Daily Nutritional Requirements

Carbohydrates: 50% to 60% of your daily calorie intake
Proteins: 12% to 20% of your daily diet
Fats: 30% of your daily diet

Information provided by KaiserPermanente.org

Malnutrition: 5 Side-effects

Loss of Energy
Reduced Ability to Focus and perform normal tasks
Reduced Physical Performance makes it less likely you will complete the tasks necessary in a survival situation
Altered Moods such as depression may lead to giving up or group instability
Inability To Concentrate which may lead to making the wrong decisions or no decisions.

For an in-depth discussion of malnutrition, read The World Trade Organization Fact Sheet, click here.

Check out the comprehensive YouTube video: How Much Food to Store for Each Person to get more detailed information on the daily calorie count and nutritional requirements provided by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

Stock Foods That You Eat

A common mistake new preppers make is storing foods that they haven’t tried. You don’t want to find out on the back end that you bought a 50 lb bag of untested food that nobody in the family will eat.

Purchase Foods You Eat on Sale and In Bulk: It reduces your overall cost.
Stock Foods You Eat to Minimize Wasting Storage Space: I bought a massive bag of Quinoa, and nobody, including me, would eat it.
Stock Foods You Eat, or You’re Wasting Money
Purchase Small Quantities of Untested Food to see if it works in your pantry.

Dry Staple Foods

Staple foods make up a significant portion of your standard prepper diet. They provide a majority of your calories and nutrition. When planning your long-term preps, store staples like:

Rice
Wheat
Pasta
Dried Beans
Pulses

Think of staples as the bedrock of food prepping.

I started my long-term food storage with white rice and dry beans because they are readily available and cheap. You wouldn’t want to survive on just beans and rice, but you could do it for quite some time.

Interesting Fact: “Rice is the staple food of more than half of the world’s population – more than 3.5 billion people depend on rice for more than 20% of their daily calories.” ricepedia.org

29 Must Have Foods Foods (food storage guide)

This list is not comprehensive, but it contains foods commonly found in long-term food pantries.

#1 Long-grain White Rice

White rice is king when it comes to long-term food storage and it is the first food I would stockpile for a 30-year shelf-life.

White rice is the cheapest survival food pound for pound and it is proven to sustain people during famine and food shortages. I suggest storing dry beans to complement white rice because together they provide a full protein. On the other hand, Brown rice is not suitable for long-term storage because it contains oils that lead to quick oxidation.

Up next, wheat.

#2 Wheat

Wheat is outstanding for storage it will last 30 years if properly stored and it can be cooked whole like a porridge or used in daily baking. In comparison, pre-milled wheat (flour) will not store as long as the whole wheat kernel. To complement wheat storage I suggest learning to make Levain which is a sourdough yeast you can make at home with just flour and water.

Up next corn.

#3 Corn (Dry Field Corn)

Field corn is excellent for long-term storage if you can get it. Purchase freeze-dried corn in #10 cans with a 25-year shelf life, store cornmeal or store Dent Corn/Field Corn to make masa, the flour used to make tortillas.

#4 Sugar-White granulated

Sugar is a flavoring agent, high in calories, and most importantly it is a preservative. It will keep indefinitely in a sealed plastic bucket with no oxygen absorbers and it is outstanding for barter, fruit preservation, and fermentation of alcoholic beverages (another barter item).

#5 Salt

Roman soldiers were paid with salt and ancient wars were fought over it, pure Salt will keep 30 years in a food-grade plastic bucket and it is excellent for food preservation, flavoring, and barter.

#6 Instant Potatoe Flakes

Instant potato flakes are not something I would build my stockpile around but they are good to have for a shot of carbohydrates, to thicken soups and stews, and to alleviate palate fatigue. Properly stored they will keep on the shelf for 30 years.

#7 Dehydrated Carrots

Dehydrated carrots have a shelf life of 10 to 15 years in #10 cans and most of us will have to buy them prepackaged to get that shelf life because home dehydration won’t remove enough moisture to capture max shelf life.

#8 Hard grains

Hard grains include wheat, triticale, buckwheat, dent corn, Kamut, Millet, Spelt, Hard red and white wheat, and Durham wheat. Store hard grains for up to 30 years.

Up next, soft grains.

#9 Soft Grains

Properly processed and stored, most soft grains will last 8+ years. The soft grains include, Rye berries, soft white wheat, soft red winter wheat, Barley, Pearled Oats, Hulled Oats, Groats, Quinoa, and rolled oats. The best soft grain for long-term food storage is rolled oats.

#10 Rolled Oats

Rolled oats are one of the few soft grains that have a proven 30 years shelf life. They are an outstanding addition to long-term food storage and are a proven famine food

#11 Baking Soda

Baking soda is good for lightly leavened baked goods such as cookies, pancakes, and cakes. Finally, baking soda has no expiration date.

#12 Baking Powder

Baking powder is a light leaving agent used in caked, cookies, and griddle cakes. Also, Baking Soda has no expiration date. Get baking powder as a food storage ingredient to complement baking with wheat flour from milled wheat berries or pre-milled flour.

Up Next, Vinegar.

#13 White Vinegar

Store vinegar in your food pantry for meat and vegetable marinades, as a flavoring agent. Also, Vinegar mixed in a 1:1 ratio with water has many uses as a cleaning agent and it lasts forever.

Next, let’s talk about dry pasta

#14 Dry Pasta

Dry pasta is an excellent staple food that is prepared cooking in boiling water for 9 to 11 minutes. Use pasta to stretch meat vegetables and sauces to provide a hardy meal. Finally, uncooked pasta has a 30-plus-year shelf life if stored properly.

Next up, a superstar food for long-term storage.

#15 Dried Beans

Store dried beans and long-grain white rice in your emergency food storage. Both are relatively inexpensive, provide a long shelf life, and combined provide full protein and excellent nutrition. The backbone of my emergency food storage is filled with pinto beans, black beans, and long-grain white rice because they are a really good foundation for other foods, and if you have nothing else to eat they will keep you from starving.

Let’s talk about lentils, the super pulse.

#16 Lentils

I consider dry lentils as being a bean because you use them the same way but they are actually a pulse. Lentils cook quicker than beans and they are high protein and low cost. Also, if packaged for long-term storage, lentils will store for 30 years

#17 Non-fat Dried Milk

Non-fat dry milk is excellent for baking and is a primary food in most LDS pantries. Augason Farms Instant Non-fat dry milk has a 20-year shelf-life.

#18 Raw Honey

Real honey is an excellent sweetener, said to have medicinal qualities and it has an indefinite shelf life. As a side note, purchase real local honey because around 90% of the world’s honey supplies are adulterated with corn syrup.

Up next, black gold.

#19 Soy Sauce

Use soy sauce on rice, meat vegetables, salad dressings, and marinades or to improve the flavor of stir fry. Soy Sauce has an indefinite shelf-life (it lasts forever).

Up next, store herbs and spices so the food tastes good.

#20 Dried Herbs and Spices

Herbs and spices will lose some potency over time which means you will have to use more to get the same flavor. Some of my favorite spices are black pepper, red pepper, cummin, Italian mix, Cinnamon, and Creole mix to name a few. Herbs and spices store indefinitely but may lose potency.

#21 Freeze-dried Coffee

Coffee is good for morale so I suggest stockpiling to drink or for barter. Also, companies like Augason Farms have a coffee and creamer in the same kit that has a 30-year shelf life.

Up next, canned foods.

#22 Non-perishable Canned Foods

if appropriately stored, canned foods are good past the best-buy date. These dates vary depending on the type of food.

#23 Canned Meats

are a good source of protein and fats.

#24 Canned Fruits

focus on low-acidity fruits because they have a longer shelf life

#25 Canned Vegetables

#26 Protein Powder

add water, and you have a ready source of protein and nutrients.

#27 Peanut Butter

Peanut butter doesn’t have a great shelf life but it it a powerhouse of protein and fat. I suggest always having it on hand and plan to rotate is out of stock. Eat is out of the jar with a spoon, mix it with eatmeal, spread it on crackers or bread.

#28 Lard

Lard is just solidified oiIf you plan on frying food, it’s necessary.

#29 Leaven

Learn to make youreast for baking.

*Shelf life is based on hermetically sealed packaging such as #10 cans, Mylar Bags, Food-grade buckets, and the use of Oxygen Absorbers. Store-bought packaging will not give you maximum shelf-life.

Tip: Purchase large quantities of grains, dehydrated and freeze-dried foods professionally packaged in #10 cans or food-grade buckets. Or learn to use mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and 5-gallon Food-grade buckets to store your bulk food. Many preppers will shake it up and do some of both.

Rotate Emergency Foods With F.I.F.O. (food storage guide)

F.I.F.O is defined as first in, first out. Eat the oldest food(s) first. Following this rule is more important for canned foods and foods with a shorter shelf-life. By rotating foods into your regular diet, you can reduce foods lost by time.

How to Implement F.I.F.O. For Food Storage

Mark Your food with the date you stored it.
Store similar foods in the same area of your pantry.
Keep an inventory of what you use so you can replace it.
Put heavy food (s) towards the bottom of your storage.
New food (s) go in the back of your storage.
Eat the oldest food first.
Replace foods as you use them.
Purchase what you eat, or you’ll take up space and won’t rotate.
Keep your storage area clean.
Don’t use damaged cans or cans that are bulging.
Don’t eat any foods that have an off or foul odor.
Don’t eat any foods that don’t look or smell right.

Store Survival Food In A Controlled Environment (food storage guide)

Do the best you can to store food in an optimum environment. Avoid hot garages, sheds, or any space with uncontrolled temperature. The environment described below is ideal for food storage but may not be attainable.

Ideal Long-term Food Storage Environment

The storage area is clean and dry, with adequate ventilation to prevent high humidity. A dry storage climate will keep mold and bacteria from growing.
50°F is the optimum temperature for dry food storage. 70 °F will work. Anything higher than this may reduce shelf life.
Put a thermometer on the wall near your food storage so you can keep an eye on the temperature.
Protect food from heat and light, which increases oxidation and decreases shelf-life. (Don’t store supplies next to hot appliances or the furnace.)
Keep your food up off the floor and away from the wall, for good air circulation.
Do not store food or water close to any chemicals to reduce the possibility of cross-contamination.
Keep an eye out for pests and infestations and use control measures if necessary. (Keep pantry area clean to reduce the possibility of infestation.)

Where Should I Store My Emergency Food Supply?

You may not have an ideal location for food storage. Most of us don’t. Pick the best site (s) you have available. You may have to get creative, but it’s worth it.

11 Storage Locations (food storage guide)

In the basement on heavy-duty shelving. Build shelves from dimensional lumber or purchase prefab shelving.
Closets-Consolidate what you have stored and get rid of stuff you don’t use like old clothing.
Under beds, inside plastic totes
Wall shelving anywhere you have extra wall space
Cabinets and Pantries
Root Cellar-For most of us this isn’t an option but it’s a pretty good one if you have the resources to build
Bury Storage in the ground. Use a water-proof container like an old refrigerator or freezer and leave the door above ground. Hide it by covering with a board or burlap.
Foot-stools and Couches with Storage Compartments
Luggage or backpacks
Nooks and crannies like under stairs, in crawl spaces, in an old camper or trailer, or an outbuilding
Survival Tools and equipment don’t need to stay cool, dry, and dark, so they can be stored in a garage, shed, or detached storage units that aren’t climate-controlled

Oxygen is The Enemy of Food Storage

Oxidation is a term used to describe the reaction between oxygen and a food product. When oxygen is present in a food container, it supports the growth of microorganisms and causes changes in color, off-odors, and flavors in packaged foods. It is one type of spoilage or food degradation.

2 Main Goals When it Comes to Oxygen and Food Storage

Remove Oxygen From the Storage Container: My preferred method of achieving this is by using the correct number of Oxygen Absorbers in a Food-grade container (s) like Mylar bags and food-grade buckets used together.
Keep Oxygen Out of a Food Container: This is achieved by using a quality food-grade container that keeps a seal and isn’t easily damaged. Mylar bags by themselves are easily damaged but pair them with a lidded food-grade bucket, and you’ve got a solid oxygen barrier that isn’t easily damaged.

Oxygen Absorbers & Long-term Food Storage

Properly used, Oxygen absorbers absorb oxygen and effectively reduce the aerobic environment in a container to 0%. Packaging and the container seal are critical for oxygen absorbers to work.

5 Things Oxygen Absorber(s) Do in a Food Container

An O2 -free environment kills bugs, bug eggs, pupae, and full-grown bugs within two weeks.
Oxygen Absorber (s) protect the quality of dry-food and eliminate oxidation.
An oxygen-free storage environment drastically reduces the rate at which foods go bad. Think in terms of decades of added shelf-life.
Aerobic bacteria and fungi can’t grow.
Food is not crushed like it is with vacuum packing

Fact: A food package leak makes an oxygen absorber useless. The contents inside the package will have a reduced shelf-life and will be more susceptible to bugs like beetles and weevils.

Tip: A quality food storage container like Mylar bags, in conjunction with food-grade buckets or pails, is suggested to ensure the food container is not physically damaged or breached by oxygen.

How Many Oxygen Absorbers Do I Need For Food Storage?

The number and size of Oxygen absorbers you need in a food storage container are determined by the volume of air inside the container after it is filled with food. There are charts down below that tell you how many absorbers you need for the common food containers.

Determine How Many Oxygen Absorbers You Need

The Volume of Oxygen In Your Container when it is full of dry-goods
The size of the absorber determines how many Cubic Centimeters of Oxygen is removed from the container. Oxygen Absorbers are rated in CC for their capacity to remove Oxygen.

Tip: If your container has 300 ccs of Oxygen, you will need an absorber that has, at least, a 300 cc capacity to remove the Oxygen. Using too many absorbers will not hurt the food. I err on the side of safety and usually do overkill with absorbers.

Information Provided by Sorbent Systems: Impak Corporation

Number Of Oxygen Absorbers By Food Container Type (food storage guide)

Chart #1 6 Gallon Storage Bucket

6 Gallon Storage Bucket	Wheat/Flour/Grains/ Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	20	25-30
500 cc O2 Absorber	4	5-6
1000 cc O2 Absorber	2	3
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	2

Chart #2 5-gallon Bucket

5 Gallon Storage Bucket	Wheat/Flour/Grains/ Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	20	25-30
500 cc O2 Absorber	4	5-6
1000 cc O2 Absorber	2	3
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	2

#10 Aluminum Can	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	3-4	4-5
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #3 Balls Jars

Ball Jars	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
1/2 Pint (237 mil)	1-50 cc	1-50 cc
Pint (473 mil)	1-100cc	1-100cc
Quart (946 mil)	1-300cc	1-300cc
Gallon (3.8 liter)	1-500cc*	1-500cc*
5 Gallons (18.9 Liter)	1-2500cc*	1-2500cc*

*Containers Must Be Full: Information Compliments of PackFreshUSA

Chart #4 Mylar Bag 20″x30″

Mylar Food Bag 20″x 30″ (4.25, 5 and 6 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	20	25-30
500 cc O2 Absorber	4	5-6
1000 cc O2 Absorber	2	3
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	2

Chart #5 Mylar Food Bag 18″ x 26″

Mylar Food Bag 18″x 28″ (4.25, 5 and 6 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	20	25-30
500 cc O2 Absorber	4	5-6
1000 cc O2 Absorber	2	3
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	2

Chart #6 Mylare Bag 14″ x 20″

Mylar Food Bag 14″x 20″ (2 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	10	15-20
500 cc O2 Absorber	2	3-4
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	2
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #7 14″ x 18″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 14″x 18″ (2 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	10	15-20
500 cc O2 Absorber	2	3-4
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	2
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #8 12″ x 18″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 12″x 18″ (1.5 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	5-8	10-12
500 cc O2 Absorber	1-2	2-3
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1-2
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #9 12″ x 16″ x 6″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 12″x 16 x 6″ (1.5 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	5-8	10-12
500 cc O2 Absorber	1-2	2-3
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1-2
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #10 10″ x 14″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 10″x 14″ (1 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	3-4	4
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #11 10″ x 14″ x 4″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 10″x 14 x 4″ (1 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	3-4	4
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #12 8″ x 12″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 8″x 12″ (1/2 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	1-2	2-4
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #13 8″ x 12″ x 4″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 8″x 12 x 4″ (1/2 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	1-2	2-4
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #14 6″ x 20″ Mylar Bag

Mylar Food Bag 6″x 10″ (1/4 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	1	1-2
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Chart #14 6″ x 8″ x 2″

Mylar Food Bag 6″x 8″ x 2″ (1/4 gallon)	Wheat/Flour/Grains/Rice (More Dense/Less Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)	Pasta/Beans (Less Dense/More Air) # of O2 Absorber (s)
100 cc O2 Absorber	1	1-2
500 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
1000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1
2000 cc O2 Absorber	1	1

Information Compliments of USASupply.com

Information Compliments of USASupply.com

*Note, these are average amounts at sea level. You may need more or less depending on individual conditions and the remaining residual volume of air. There is no danger in adding too many oxygen absorbers, as this does not affect the food.

Oxygen represents 21% of the total volume of air, and the number in cc’s above represents the amount of oxygen that would be absorbed.

If you are into math, head over to PackFresh and learn how to calculate Oxygen Absorber requirements based on container volume. click here

Heat is the Enemy of Long-term Food Storage (food storage guide)

Heat plays a significant role in degrading both food and food packaging. Avoid storing food in outdoor sheds, hot garages, or next to utilities or appliances that put off heat. Avoiding heat will add years to the shelf-life of your food.

Here is an interesting example of how heat can affect the storage life of food packaged for storage.

Armed Forces Pest Management Board Storage Temperature & Shelf Life of Meals Ready to Eat (MREs)

Storage Temperature	60°F	70°F	80°F	90°F	110°F
Approx. MRE Storage-Life	7 Years	5 Years	4 Years	30 Months	5 Months

To learn more about MREs click here

Light Causes the Oxidation of Food

If food is stored in sunlight or UV light, shelf-life is reduced. It also hastens the deterioration of some food packaging. Light oxidation is mainly an issue if you are storing food in clear packaging like ball jars or recycled PETE bottles.

If you are using clear packaging for food, store it in a dark location or cover it.

FACT: With sunlight usually comes heat so keep that in mind.

Moisture and Food Storage (food storage guide)

Dry Goods should have a moisture content of less than 10% before they are packaged. Most long-term preppers store grain whole and grind it as they use it.
1. Leaving grain whole isn’t just for shelf life; it is also for food safety. Food’s like flour are susceptible to Botulism if they are stored with high moisture content.
The storage environment itself should have no more than 55% humidity.

Warning: Dry goods packaged with a moisture content greater than 10% can lead to Botulism poisoning. Poisoning is rare but deadly.

Foods High in Oil and Lipids Have a Short Shelf-life

Foods that have a high oil content oxidize much quicker than those that
- Consider this, Long-grain white rice will store 30 plus years in a #10 can because it has a low oil content.
- Brown rice, on the other hand, has a high-oil content because the husk is still on the rice grain. It has a maximum shelf-life, even if stored in #10 cans, of 18 months.

8 Foods That Are Not Ideal for Long-term Storage

This list is just a primer. There are a lot of foods that aren’t the best choice for long-term storage.

Barley
Any grain that is pre-milled other than rolled oats
Granola
Beef Jerky
Nuts
Brown Rice (brown rice has a husk that contains oils, causing it to oxidize quickly)
Brown Sugar
Dehydrated Fruits and Vegetables unless they are sufficiently dried to snap when bent. (Freeze-dried may be a better option)

Protect Your Food Against Bugs and Rodents

Most grains have bug eggs when purchased but this is a problem you can solve. Kill bugs by removing oxygen, kill them with heat or freeze them.

Oxygen absorbers create an oxygen-free environment that kills bugs at all stages of life. Make sure food containers are sealed and protected from physical damage.
Dry Ice: The solid form of Carbon Dioxide. Carbon dioxide is effective in killing weevils and beetles.
Freezing: freezing is suitable for small batches or if you have freezer space. Depending on what you read, freeze grains anywhere from three days to two weeks.
Baking Bake grain in the oven at 120° for one hour to kill weevil eggs and mature weevils.

5 Ways To Keep Rodents Out of Your Food Storage

Rodents are pretty nasty. The source of the Black Plague in the 14th century was rat droppings. Keep rodents from showing up or eliminate them.

Keep your pantry clean
Set traps
Get barn cats on patrol
Use #10 Cans to store food
Use Mylar bags in conjunction with sealed food-grade buckets

Fact: A female mouse can have 5 to 10 litters per year, averaging 6 to 8 babies. That’s 30 to 80 new mice per year from one female.

I was on a camping trip in the Boundary Water Canoe Area, and I had a mouse chew through the bottom of my tent and through a military-grade canvas bag to get to my food. It did this in one night. Mice will chew through just about anything if they are hungry enough. Stay vigilant so you can control an infestation.

Protect Long-term Food Storage From Flooding

The last thing you want to happen is to have a flood or hurricane surge taking out your entire food store. There is no perfect scenario here but do your best to get food up off the ground.

At a bare minimum, store emergency food and water on a pallet.

If you are in an area where you think you are safe from groundwater or storm surges, consider that something as simple as a leaking freezer line or a leaking window can put down 6″ of water quickly.

Food Container Size For Long-term Food Storage

If you are storing food for the long haul, avoid using grocery store packaging for things like pasta and rice because you won’t get a maximum shelf-life. Also, consider the size and weight of the container when it’s full. A 55-gallon drum of water weighs 458 pounds and a 5-gallon pail of rice weighs 36 lbs.

Long-term Food Storage Containers

Smaller containers are more convenient and light-weight, so they are easier to move around and store
Small containers reduce the amount of food exposed to the environment when opened.
Containers that fit together or stack will minimize the amount of space used for storage. I.e., square buckets instead of round buckets
Large containers like five or 6-gallon pails are going to expose a lot of food when opened.
- To remedy this: Package large quantities of dry food in small 1/4 to 1-gallon Mylar bags and place them in a food-grade bucket. As you open one bag, the remaining packs will still be sealed and protected by the pail

Mylar Bags, Food-grade Buckets, And Oxygen Absorbers

Probably the best option for most preppers. The equipment is pretty inexpensive compared to #10 cans, it is easy to do it yourself, and the materials necessary are readily available on-line.

6 Reasons to use Mylar Bags, a Bucket, And Oxygen Absorbers Together

Removes all Oxygen from the container
Kills bugs at all stages of life, including eggs and pupa
Allows you flexibility in the size of Mylar bags you use
Protect Mylar bags from physical damage.
Protection from light
Allows you to choose the shape of your bucket to maximize space

5 Reasons to Choose #10 Cans for Long-term Food Storage

They are tough
They take an excellent seal
They create a quality oxygen barrier
They keep out light
They store a manageable amount of food
They are mouse and rate proof

#10 cans are expensive, but they are excellent for food storage.

You can find cans from multiple survival food companies, and you can buy pre-packaged food (s) from LDS (Latter Day Saint canneries.) I am not LDS, but they are outstanding when it comes to long-term food storage.

Another #10 Can Option: Gering & Son out of Idaho offers a canning unit you can purchase to dry- pack your grains in #10 cans. Click Here (I am not affiliated with this company in any way. It is the only dry canning unit I could find)

Other Food Storage Options

Ball Jars
PETE (Polyethylene Terephthalate) sterilized, reclaimed soda bottles
Vacuum Packing
Food-grade buckets with lids
Mylar Bags

Don’t store food in containers that are not marked as food-grade. You may get chemical leaching, and certain plastics do not create a quality air barrier.

Check out Ready Squirrel’s Comprehensive Article, “Food Grade Plastic For Food Storage” click here

Plan to Prepare and Cook Food In A Power Out Scenario

In an SHTF scenario, you are probably going to be without power. Try to have a plan to prep and cook without the power grid. The most challenging food preparation scenario is blizzard-like conditions, especially if you don’t have a way to heat your home because you won’t want to go outside and let cold air inside the house. Here are some no-power cooking options for inside and outside.

7 Outdoor Cooking Methods: Power Out

Small Backpacker Style Stove
Coleman Style Camp Stoves
Wood Fire and Cast Iron
Indoor fireplace
Outdoor Propane Grill
Outdoor Charcoal Grill
Solar Oven

5 Indoor Cooking Methods: Power Out

Alcohol Stove
Sterno (jellied denatured alcohol)
Portable Butane Stove
Candles
MRE Flameless Heater

Portable stoves create carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide. Please do not use them indoors or in an enclosed space. Please be aware that the use of open flame indoors is a fire hazard. Read the safety instructions on any stove you use.

Tools That Don’t Require Power

Consider collecting tools that will help you function when the power is out. You will need methods to process food, distribute water, and carry out daily tasks like sanitation.

Check out Ready Squirrel’s comprehensive article, 44 Tools And Gadgets That Don’t Require Power click here

Don’t Forget Water In Your Emergency Pantry

Ok, I’m going to say it. You can last two weeks without food but three maybe four days without water. Water should be your first consideration when it comes to survival.

8 Things to Consider: Emergency Water Storage

Store water for post or pre-treatment in 55-gallon Blue Barrels or other large food-grade containers.
1. You don’t want to depend on filtration or purification of water after it is contaminated because most methods of cleaning water will not remove chemicals.
2. Groundwater, municipal water, and well water are often contaminated during flooding or groundwater surges from tropical storms and hurricanes.
Water Catchment and Storage For Rainwater: Purify with chemicals, filter, or boil.
Store-Bought Water or Bottled Water: Bottled water is suitable for hydration in a short-term emergency but not for long-term survival.
Water Filtration: I’m a firm believer in having a method to filter water. Store as many backpack filters and bulk-water-gravity filters as you can afford. This way, you can filter water from natural sources if necessary.
Boiling water kills biological and viral contamination if the water is boiled for 3 minutes.
1. Boiling does not remove chemicals but increases the concentration of chemicals in the remaining volume of water.
Iodine: Kills biological and viral contaminants but does not remove chemicals
Ultraviolet radiation: will effectively remove biological agents and waterborne viruses but not chemicals
Purify water with Bleach or Pool Shock: kills biological and viral agents but does not remove chemicals

*Fact: Most methods of cleaning water do not remove chemicals. If you are in a situation where you have contaminated municipal water, groundwater, or well water, bulk water storage is a lifesaver.

Two ways to Remove Chemicals From Emergency Drinking Water

Reverse Osmosis Systems: ROS doesn’t require electricity, but it does need water pressure, so if the municipal water system is down, you are out of luck. Not all ROS systems will remove all chemicals.
Distillation: A method of boiling water and collecting the evaporated water for drinking. Boiling water doesn’t remove chemicals.

For everything, Emergency Water Storage, read Ready Squirrels Comprehensive Article: How Long Will Emergency Water Last click here

Commercially Packaged Survival Foods

You can supplement your emergency food store or create your entire pantry from commercial foods packaged for long-term food storage.
When purchasing survival food, please do some research, so you are familiar with what you are getting. Try to understand the portions and the calorie count you are purchasing.
- Some package deals may sell a food supply for X amount of time or X amount of calories or days, but this may be deceiving. Do your research.
I suggest purchasing samples of any food you plan on incorporating into your pantry including commercial food purchased in bulk.

Types of Commercial Survival Food

Freeze-dried foods

Freeze-dried food is an excellent way to supplement for certain situations like bugging out on foot.
Freeze-dried food retains over 90% of its nutritional value, and it is super lightweight.
Professionally packaged freeze-dried meals from companies like Mountain House have a shelf-life of 30 years.
Freeze-dried meals require boiled water to reconstitute, so consider water and fuel supplies in your prepping.
The downside to freeze-dried food is the expense.
You can freeze-dry your food with units like Harvest Right. The units are expensive, but the prices are going down, so keep your eyes peeled.

If you are in this for the long haul, then a freeze-dry unit is worth looking into, especially if you use it regularly. The amount of meat and other foods you could buy in bulk and on sale would pay for the unit in a relatively short time frame.

To Learn More about Freeze-dried food, read Ready Squirrel’s article, “What is Freeze-dried Food?” click here

MREs Meals Ready to Eat

Originally designed as a military food ration, MREs are now made for civilians.
You may find a use for these in your pantry, especially for bugging out in a vehicle, as an emergency catch, or stored at an off-grid location.
MREs are bulky, so not the best option for a bug-out bag.

To learn more about MREs read Ready Squirrel’s comprehensive article, “What is an MRE,” click here

Dehydrated Food