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Non-food supplies to store for food shortages and emergencies

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Following is a list of non-food supplies to stockpile for food shortages and emergency situations like natural catastrophes, and civil unrest. If food shortages get bad enough, they can lead to societal collapse where electricity is out, and grocery store shelves are bare.

Next, let’s examine some of the non-food supplies to start storing for food shortages.

#1 Toiletries

Stockpile toiletries to stay clean in any survival situation, but also to save money by purchasing items in bulk. Store extras of the following items.

  1. bar soap
  2. shampoo
  3. toothpaste
  4. deodorant
  5. dental floss
  6. toothbrushes

#2 Sanitation

Good sanitation keeps living areas clean which includes the following areas, kitchen, bathroom, sleeping quarters, kitchen, clothing and waste facilities. Let’s take a look at thirteen sanitation supplies to stockpile.

14 Sanitation Supplies (non-food supplies)

  1. Bleach
  2. Spray bottle
  3. Hand sanitizer
  4. Lysol Spray
  5. Laundry Soap
  6. Dish Soap
  7. Contractor Grade Trash Bags
  8. Hand towels
  9. Sponges
  10. Laundry Bucket
  11. Dish Buckets
  12. Stockpot to boil water
  13. Clean Water
  14. Trash bags.

#2 Bottled Water

Stockpile a minimum of two weeks’ worth of water for emergencies or 14 gallons of water per person per day. As a side note, I suggest storing more water than the three-day supply suggested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

FEMA suggests stockpiling a three-day water supply for each person in your survival group which is a minimum of 1 gallon of water per day for each person. The water is used to stay clean and to drink.

For my short-term emergency water supply I have four cases of 16 oz. bottles in the garage, but I also store six, 5-gallon water jugs that I use on a water cooler in my kitchen.

Scott, Ready Squirrel

#3 Non-Perishable Food

I know this a list of non-food supplies, but this is a friendly reminder to store non-perishable foods for shortages. I suggest stockpiling bulk staples and canned goods. They are non-perishable (they don’t require refrigeration) and have the most extended shelf life.

  1. canned meat
  2. canned fruit
  3. canned vegetables
  4. beans
  5. rice
  6. pasta
  7. wheat
  8. rolled oats
  9. hard grains
  10. soft grains
  11. powdered milk
  12. salt
  13. sugar
  14. freeze dried food

To learn more about food for shortages, check out the Ready Squirrel article, 15 Foods to Store for Shortages.

#4 Handyman Tools (non-food supplies)

Store tools you might need during an emergency to make basic repairs and to turn off utilities like water and electric. Following, is a list of tools to have on hand for emergencies.

  1. crescent wrenches
  2. pliers
  3. channel locks
  4. screw drivers
  5. hammer
  6. nails
  7. wood screws
  8. sheets of plywood
  9. measuring tape
  10. duct tape
  11. handsaw
  12. utility knife
  13. zip ties

#5 Back-Up Parts (non-food supplies)

Whatever equipment you depend on to survive, choose a list of the most common parts that fail and have a toolset and replacement parts to complete the repairs. Systems that may need spare parts include heating, cooling, cooking, transportation, and communication equipment.

#6 Batteries

Stockpile backup batteries for flashlights, headlamps, radios and other electronic equipment.

#7 Portable Power Station

Portable power stations are excellent for a survival situation when you need a dependable power source to charge radios, phones, and small electronic equipment.

There are many different models of power stations to choose from, but I want a Jackery. These units get high ratings, and they look cool. When combined with solar, they are very handy in a survival situation.

Scott, Ready Squirrel

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#7 Communication

If we have a survival event where power is lost, the internet, T.V., and smartphones will be unusable, so having backup communication is essential. You will need an alternate way to get news and most preppers suggest shortwave or Ham radios so you can communicate and still get information.

Communication Supplies for Food Shortages and Emergencies

  1. AM/FM Radio
  2. Hand crank Emergency Radio
  3. Shortwave Radio
  4. Multiband Police Scanner
  5. CB Radio
  6. GMRS Radios
  7. FRS Radios

#8 Self Defense

If we have major food shortages expect crime to skyrocket. Put yourself in the position to protect you and yours by storing the items you need for emergency defense. In my household this means guns and ammo. Following, a list of home defense weapons to store for emergencies.

Suggested Home Defense

  1. Shotgun
  2. AR-15
  3. AK-47
  4. Pistol
  5. Wheel gun
  6. Carbine (small rifle that shoots pistol rounds)
  7. .22 rifle for hunting small game

My self-defense supplies include knives of various sizes including a kukri, and my firearms comprise a 9mm pistol for concealed carry, 9mm full frame pistols, an AR-15, a 12 Gauge pump action shotgun and a .22-wheel gun and rifle. Also, I store a sufficient amount of ammo. Finally, if you have guns, practice with them or they are worthless.

Scott, Ready Squirrel

#9 Emergency lighting

Emergency lighting is an important aspect of nonfood survival supplies. Star hoarding flashlights, headlamps and lanterns. They might be your only means of light when the sun goes down. I suggest stockpiling the following emergency lighting.

  1. Flashlights
  2. Lamps
  3. Headlamps
  4. Solar lighting
  5. Gas lanterns
  6. Oil lamps
  7. Candles
  8. Matches
  9. Fires tarting Kit

#10 Emergency Power

Emergency Power can come in many forms. For whole-house power, a generator is the best choice and solar is excellent to maintain a small amount of usable electricity for a long-term power outage. Finally, a power station is excellent for short-term emergencies. Following is a list of emergency power equipment to consider.

  1. solar panels
  2. chargeable power station
  3. wind turbine
  4. gas powered generator
  5. wood or coal stove

#11 First Aid Supplies

First Aid non-food supplies is a big subject that includes everything from aspirin to IFAC kits to treat battlefield injuries. Store emergency first aid supplies and learn how to use them for shortages. Here is a list of the minimum first aid supplies to keep for food and supply shortages

Personal Protection

  1. Hand Sanitizer
  2. Latex Gloves
  3. CPR shield

Instruments

  1. Tweezers
  2. EMT Shears
  3. Thermometer
  4. Razor Blades

Bandages

  1. 1″ cloth Band-Aids
  2. Kling Gauze
  3. Medical Tape
  4. 4″ Square Gauze Bandages
  5. Triangular Bandage
  6. Ace Elastic Bandage
  7. Steri-strips
  8. Tincture of Iodine
  9. Crush Cold Packs

Medication

  1. Antibiotic Ointment
  2. Benadryl Tablets
  3. Ibuprofen Tablets
  4. Imodium tablets
  5. Aspirin

Pack supplies specific to the needs of infants or older adults if they are part of the survival group. Following is a simple list of age-related non-food supplies to store for emergencies.

  1. Diapers
  2. Rash Cream
  3. Baby Wipes
  4. Formula
  5. Baby Bottle
  6. Prescription Medications

#13 Fuel

Fuel is one of the most important non-food supplies after food and water so start stockpiling whatever fuel that fits your particular situation. Following is a list of fuels to consider storing for food shortages.

  1. Batteries
  2. Solar Panels
  3. Wood
  4. Coal
  5. Wind Turbines
  6. Generator
  7. Power Supply Station
  8. Propane
  9. Butane

#14 Kitchen Supplies

Try to get kitchen supplies that you can use indoors or outdoors. For example, a lidded Dutch-oven will cook anything you need, and it can be used on a campfire, on a camp stove or in an electric oven. Next up, a list of non-food kitchen supplies to store for emergencies.

  1. Knives
  2. Pots
  3. Pans
  4. Stove
  5. Stove Fuel
  6. Spatulas
  7. Stirring Spoons
  8. Spoons
  9. Forks
  10. Plastic or paper plates
  11. Manual can opener
  12. Mixing Bowl
  13. Grain Mill
  14. Manual Can Opener
  15. A Sponge –
  16. Dish soap
  17. Pot scrubber
  18. Dishtowel
  19. Drying rack

#15 Outdoor Cooking

In an off-grid or power-out scenario that lasts long term, you will cook outside because most alternate fuel methods create carbon monoxide and can’t be used indoors. Following is a list of non-food cooking tools to have on hand in the event your electric oven isn’t working.

  1. Camp stove
  2. Propane
  3. Butane
  4. Cast iron pans
  5. Dutch oven
  6. Cleaning buckets
  7. Dish soap
  8. Spatula
  9. Stirring spoons

#16 Pet Supplies

If you have pets plan to stockpile some supplies to keep them healthy and happy. Following is a short list of food and non-food supplies to stockpile.

  1. Dog Food
  2. Leash
  3. Line or rope for long runner leash
  4. Prescription medications

#17 Gardening Supplies (Manual Tools)

If we have food shortages, there is no telling how long they will last so store non-food gardening supplies to ensure you can still grow some fresh food. For a survival situation, avoid depending on gardening equipment that requires fuel.

  1. seeds
  2. seed starting trays
  3. plastic sheeting
  4. rakes
  5. shovels
  6. hori hori
  7. 5-gallon buckets
  8. wheelbarrow
  9. wagon
  10. water catchment
  11. compost pile
  12. books on gardening

To learn more about tools to store for food shortages and economic collapse, check out the Ready Squirrel article, 44 Off-grid tools for Emergency Survival.

#18 Clothing

Another non-food supply that is important, especially if you are in an area with winter weather, is warm clothing. Stockpile cold weather clothing that will get you through inclement weather. The U.S. Army survival manual states that clothing should be considered shelter in a survival situation, so it is pretty important. When storing clothes for all types of weather, try to use quick-drying clothing that is worn in the 3-layer system.

  1. winter coat
  2. gloves
  3. mittens
  4. base layer
  5. mid layer
  6. shell layer
  7. flannel underwear
  8. insulated boots
  9. stocking cap
  10. wool socks
  11. long sleeve shirt
  12. balaclava
  13. scarf
  14. sunglasses

Learn more about the survival clothing system, check the Ready Squirrel article, Survival Clothing Guide: Layering for Survival

Up next, camping gear

#19 Camping Gear

You probably already have most of the non-food supplies for camping, but if not, I’ve included a list down below because if things are bad enough food shortages. you will want to have this gear.

  1. Tent
  2. Camping Tarp
  3. Backpacking Stove & Fuel
  4. Sleeping Bag
  5. Ground Pad
  6. Water Filtration
  7. Survival Bars
  8. Freeze Dried Backpacker Meals like Mountain House
  9. Bick lighter
  10. Fire starting kit
  11. Survival knife
  12. Folding camp Saw
  13. Headlamp and extra batteries
  14. Sawyer Mini water filter
  15. Water bottle
  16. Crushable Waterbag
  17. Paracord
  18. Small first aid kit

A go-bag, survival bag, or bug-out bag is only supposed to weigh 20% of your body weight. If you go crazy on survival gear, you’ll need to bug out in a vehicle versus on foot. Always have supply contingencies in place if you walk to your destination.

Scott, Ready Squirrel

Thanks for hanging out. If you think of any non-food supplies, I missed let me know and I may update the list.

Keep on prepping!

Best Regards, Scott

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