193 Shelf Stable Foods to Stockpile for Emergencies

The 193 shelf-stable foods listed below are what you want to store in case of emergencies like natural disasters. I have a full-blown emergency pantry so I’m light on shelf-stable canned food but these are the foods most people should store for emergencies. So what are shelf-stable foods?

Shelf-stable foods for an emergency don’t need to be cooked or refrigerated and they don’t require water for preparation. These characteristics are ideal for food needed during emergencies where water and electricity might be unavailable.

Let’s examine the list of shelf-stable foods to stockpile for emergencies.

Shelf Stable Proteins

When stockpiling shelf-stable protein for emergencies I suggest storing some full meals such as hardy canned soups, stews, and pasta meals in addition to individual ingredients like canned tuna and beans. You won’t feel like making mealtime a big production in an emergency, so keep it simple. Let’s look at the list of 52 shelf-stable proteins.

52 shelf-stable proteins for emergencies

1. Canned Tuna
2. Tuna in a retort pouch
3. Canned Salmon
4. Salmon in a retort pouch
5. Hormel Compleats
6. Canned Chicken
7. Canned Ham
8. Canned Beef
9. Canned Pasta With Meat
10. Beefaroni
11. Spaghettios with meatballs
12. Beef Ravioli
13. Canned or Jarred Pasta Sauce with meat
14. Vienna Sausages
15. Canned Spam
16. Spam in a retort pouch
17. Pickled Eggs
18. Pickled Hamhocks
19. Fermented Bean Curd
20. Sardines
21. Shrimp
22. Smoked Oysters
23. Anchovies
24. Canned Crab Meat
25. Kippered Herring
26. Canned Bacon
27. Pate
28. Potted Meat
29. Corned Beef
30. Shelf-stable summer sausage and pepperoni
31. Canned Lentils
32. Canned Pinto Beans
33. Canned Garbanzo Beans
34. Canned Kidney Beans
35. Pork and Beans
36. Baked Beans
37. Dozen Cousins Retort Pouch Beans
38. Sealed Peanuts
39. Sealed Walnuts
40. Sealed Almonds
41. Sealed Cashews
42. Sealed Pecans
43. Sealed Pistachios
44. Sealed Macadamia Nuts
45. Mixed Nuts
46. Sunflower Seeds
47. Canned refried beans
48. Packaged Meat Jerky
49. Peanut Butter
50. Almond Butter
51. Nut Butters
52. Coconut oil
53. Olives

Once you get your short-term-emergency food together, start working on stockpiling for the long term. Check out the comprehensive Read Squirrel article, “How Much Food To Stockpile Per Person.”

Up next, shelf stable vegetables.

Shelf Stable Vegetables

In my household, we use a lot of canned tomatoes. But these are usually used to make homemade pasta sauce and Sauce. For short-term emergencies, store shelf-stable canned vegetables or focus on getting soups and stews with vegetables as an ingredient.

12 Shelf stable Vegetables for emergencies

1. Canned Green Beans
2. Canned Corn
3. Canned Carrots
4. Canned Peas
5. Canned Asparagus
6. Canned Vegetable Mix
7. Canned Tomatoes
8. Canned Beets
9. Canned Sauerkraut
10. Kimchi
11. Retort Pouch Vegetable Curries
12. Kitchen of India Vegan Retort Pouch Meals

Let’s take a look at shelf-stable drinks.

Shelf-stable Drinks

Your primary shelf-stable liquid will be good old water, but you might want to shake it up with some sweet juices for a hit of vitamin C.

22 Shelf Stable Drinks for emergencies

1. Water (Lots of water)
2. Baby Formula
3. Tomato Juice
4. Soda
5. Shelf-stable protein drinks
6. Flavored Water
7. Sports Drinks
8. Nutritional Supplement Drinks (Boost & Ensure)
9. Carbonated and uncarbonated water
10. Apple Juice
11. Grape Juice
12. Grapefruit Juice
13. Mango Juice
14. pineapple juice
15. orange juice
16. lemon juice
17. papaya juice
18. juice boxes
19. juice in a plastic bottle
20. cranberry and mixed cranberry juice
21. canned beef, vegetable, and chicken stock
22. Vegetable and meat bouillon cubes (require boiled water)

Food That Will Last 30 Years

Next, pickled foods.

Shelf-stable Pickled Foods

You either love pickled foods, or you hate them. I eat pickled jalapenos and Spanish olives just about every day of the week, and I consider pickled foods to be comfort food. Pickled foods are excellent shelf-stable food for short-term emergencies if you like to eat them.

8 shelf-stable pickled foods for emergencies

1. Pickles
2. Olives
3. Jalapenos
4. Salsa
5. Salad Dressing
6. Pickled Artichokes
7. Pickled Garlic
8. Giardiniera (Italian relish in olive oil)

Next, let’s take a look at condiments.

Shelf Stable Condiments

Condiments are an excellent way to make emergency food a little more interesting. I’m a fan of soy sauce because it lasts indefinitely, and I also like and use Tabasco regularly.

10 shelf-stable condiments

1. Soy Sauce
2. Ketchup
3. Mustard
4. Tabasco (Vinegar Based Hot Sauces)
5. Vinegar
6. Oyster Sauce
7. Fish Sauce
8. Olive oil
9. Vegetable oil
10. Refined Coconut oil

Next up, sweets.

Shelf Stable Sweets

At the very least, I would have table sugar stored for emergencies because it lasts forever. I’m also a fan of honey, and I use it in my coffee and tea.

7 Shelf stable sweets

1. Real Maple Syrup
2. Molasses
3. Sugar (White Table)
4. Corn Syrup
5. Real Pure Honey
6. Hard Candy: Worthers, Jolly Ranchers
7. Licorice

Next, let’s examine shelf-stable grains.

Shelf-stable Grains

This section could also be called snack foods. Super handy quick foods like granola and power bars should be at the top of your emergency food list.

19 Shelf-stable grains

1. cereal
2. Power bars
3. Cliff bars
4. whole grain crackers
5. wheat thins
6. Ritz crackers
7. potato chips
8. corn chips
9. Wheat thins
10. Saltines
11. toasted cheese and crackers (the type you use in lunch boxes)
12. toasted peanut butter and crackers
13. granola
14. granola bars
15. rolled oats (cold soak and requires water)
16. Gummy fruit snacks
17. Poptarts
18. Cookies
19. Trail Mix

Next, shelf-stable fruits.

Shelf-stable Fruits

For the short term, consider dried fruit like raisins, dried cranberries, or mango for ease of use in an emergency. However, a can of sweet peaches hits the spot.

19 shelf-stable fruits

1. Dried mango
2. Dried apple slices
3. Dried banana chips
4. Dried plums
5. Dried cranberries
6. Dried apricots
7. Raisins
8. Dried blueberries
9. Canned pears
10. Canned peaches
11. Canned pineapple
12. Canned fruit medley
13. Canned cherries
14. Canned cranberry Sauce
15. Applesauce
16. Fruit Snacks (gummies)
17. Fruit Roll-ups
18. Fruit Preserves and Jellies
19. Freeze-dried fruit (can be eaten without reconstituting with water, freeze dried strawberries are awesome)

Let’s take a look at shelf-stable dairy foods.

Shelf-stable Dairy

Shelf-stable dairy is dairy you store in a cool dark cupboard or pantry. There aren’t many options for shelf-stable dairy; powdered milk or Nestle Nido is the most helpful dairy product. If you have an infant, don’t forget to store baby formula and enough water to make it.

12 Shelf-stable dairy foods

1. Low-fat powdered milk (requires water)
2. Nestle Nido (Many preppers prefer the taste of Nido to low-fat powdered milk)
3. Milk in a drink box (strawberry and chocolate)
4. Shelf Stable Milk
5. Oat milk
6. Pasteurized nut milk
7. Cheese in a can
8. Evaporated Milk
9. Sweetened Condensed Milk
10. Velveeta cheese
11. Cheese Wiz
12. Ghee (Clarified shelf-stable butter)

Let’s examine shelf-stable herbs.

Shelf-stable herbs, seasonings, and spices

If I’m prepping for short-term emergencies, I will store salt and pepper, and that’s about it. If I planned to cook meat from my freezer, I’d stock up on seasoning to cook meat.

Herbs and seasonings are for long-term survival, used to season nonperishable foods like dried beans and rice.

Most of the shelf-stable foods you eat will already be loaded with salt, sugar, and flavorings.

17 Shelf stable herbs and seasonings

1. Bay Leaves
2. Cajun Spice Mix
3. Paprika
4. Black Pepper
5. Chili Powder
6. Cinnamon
7. Cayenne Red Pepper
8. Powdered Garlic
9. Cummin
10. Ginger
11. Dried Onion Powder
12. Oregano or Italian Mix
13. Mustard Powder
14. Rosemary
15. Thyme
16. Tumeric
17. Salt

Up next, feel-good foods.

Shelf Stable Foods That Make You Feel Good (Morale Boosters)

The most critical aspect of survival is a survivor’s mindset—plan to store some foods that fit your version of “guilty pleasure” to boost morale.

21 shelf-stable feel-good foods

1. Alcohol
2. Dark Chocolate
3. Licorice
4. Hard Candy
5. Tea bags
6. instant tea
7. instant coffee
8. loose leaf tea
9. Hostess Cakes
10. Twinkies
11. Moon Pies
12. Oreo Cookies
13. M&Ms
14. Trailmix
15. Individual powdered drink mixes for bottled water
16. Coke
17. Pepsi
18. Canned Cheese and Crackers
19. Pepperoni stick or summer sausage
20. Potato chips and canned sour cream and onion dip
21. Corn Chips & canned bean or cheese dip

Next, let’s examine Meals Ready to Eat.

Shelf-stable MREs (Meals Ready To Eat)

MREs are one of the best shelf-stable emergency meals you can store for a short-term emergency. They are a self-contained meal that requires very little to prepare. MREs are survival-type food because they have everything you need to eat when emergency circumstances don’t allow cooking or food preparation.

What is an MRE?

An MRE (Meal Ready To Eat) is the U.S. Military’s current combat ration, a shelf-stable, self-contained, pre-cooked meal with accessories that do not require refrigeration. MREs are used to feed forward-deployed troops if cooked food is unavailable. Each MRE contains approximately 1,250 calories.

Avoid using Military MREs for survival food because they are purchased second-hand, and you cannot know how they’ve been stored. Instead, purchase Civilian Versions of MREs.

6 Companies that sell civilian MREs

1. Sopakco
2. MRE-Star
3. Meal Kit Supply
4. Eversafe
5. Apack
6. XMRE

What is in an MRE (Meal Ready to Eat)?

Items	Content Of Military MREs
1 Entree (24 Menus)	Asian Style Beef Strips, Beef Patty, Beef Ravioli, Beef, and BBQ Sauce, Beef Stew, Beef Taco, Brisket, Cheese Tortellini, Chicken Egg Noodles, Chicken Burrito Bowl, Chicken Chunks, Chili Macaroni, Chili With Beans, Spinach Fettuccine, Chicken Pesto Pasta, Meatballs in Marinara Sauce, Mexican Style Chicken Stew, Pork Sausage Patty, Southwest Style Beef, Spaghetti with Beef Sauce, Hashbrown Potatoes With Bacon, Vegetables With Pasta, Macaroni in Tomato Sauce, or Tuna
Side Dish	Corn, Fruit, Mashed Potatoes, or Rice
Cracker or Bread	Bread, crackers, tortillas, toasted corn kernels, Pretzels, or Nuts
Spread	Cheese spread, Peanut Butter or Jelly
Candy	M&Ms, Skittles, or Tootsie Rolls
Beverage Mix	Sports Drink Powder, Cocoa, Dairy Shakes, Cappuccino, Coffee, or Tea
Accessory Packet	Matches, Creamer, Sugar, Salt, Chewing Gum, and Toilet Paper
Dessert	Cookie, Pound Cake, Brownie, Cobbler, Fruit, Granola With Milk And Blueberries, Muffin Top, Pudding, First Strike Energy Bar, or Toaster Pastries
Hot Sauce	Hot Sauce in some meals
Condiments	Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Mustard, and Chipotle
1 Spoon	Eating Utensil
FRH (Flameless Ration Heater)	Chemical heater (heats entree when a small amount of water is added)
Paperboard Sleeve	Heat sleeve used to heat entree with the FRH and water
Paperboard Insert Card	Contains Food Product Information

Shelf Stable Water

The Federal Emergency Management Agency suggests storing a bare minimum of 1 gallon of water per day per person for a three-day supply.

If you plan on cooking dry soups and food packets, include enough clean water in your stores to cook them. The 1-gallon per day per person is a bare necessity, and I’d consider storing 5 gallons of water per day. The water is used for hydration, sanitation, hygiene, and food preparation.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates the bottled water industry, does not require a shelf life for bottled water. Bottled water can be used indefinitely if stored properly, but we recommend no more than two years for non-carbonated water, and one year for sparkling water.

Nestle Watersna.com

Shelf-Stable Foods For Emergency Supply

The following are my top-shelf-stable foods for emergencies. They provide the most nutritional bang for your buck and don’t require any preparation.

Top 17 Foods for Emergency Supply

1. Canned Soup
2. Canned Chili
3. Canned Stew
4. Canned Tuna
5. Instant Coffee
6. Tea Bags
7. Honey
8. Table Sugar
9. Spam (loaded with fat and calories)
10. Dried Fruits (my favorites are dried mango and dried cranberries)
11. Canned Fruits
12. Hard Candy
13. Granola and Power Bars
14. Crackers (Act like bread in emergencies)
15. Water (you can’t have too much water)
16. Favorite Drinks: soda, powdered drink mixes, fruit juice
17. Multi-vitamins

10 Signs Shelf-stable Cans are Bad

Take a look at the list below so you know the signs that cans and boxes of shelf-stable food have gone wrong.

If you are storing Shelf-stable foods as part of your emergency food storage rotate them into your regular diet using FIFO or first in first out to ensure you always have a healthy supply of emergency food. Many preppers use the “best buy date” to keep track of food stores. A best buy date isn’t a safe to eat date but it works to keep bad food out of your pantry.

Scott, Ready Squirrel

When shelf-stable foods show any of the following signs, throw them in the bin. It’s not worth taking the chance of getting food poisoning like botulism.

10 Reasons to throw canned food in the trash

1. Leaking or stained
2. Swollen can
3. Rusty
4. Badly dented, crimped or pinched
5. Container is cracked
6. Foul odor
7. Safety seals are broken or missing
8. Lids are loose or missing
9. Foods exhibit changed color or odor — never taste test questionable food
10. When in doubt, throw it out.

How to Store Shelf-stable Foods

Store cans and boxes up off the floor, on a shelf, and 18 inches away from the wall for air circulation

Store in a clean, dry, and cool area (below 75⁰F).

Don’t store shelf-stable foods in scorching temperatures (over 100⁰F) or cold temperatures (below 30⁰F). Both environments can damage cans & shorten shelf life.

Rotate your foods by using older products before newer ones. (FIFO First In First Out)

Sources

Federal Emergency Management Agency: Ready.gov, Build a Kit. “After an emergency, you may need to survive for several days. Being prepared means having your food, water, and other supplies to last for several days.”