most common survival food

Survival Food Most Common In Preppers Deep Pantry Storage

most common survival food

Which survival food choices are the most common?

If all preppers were able to peek into the deep pantry food storage of others, what survival food types would be the most commonly found?

What is Survival Food?

It’s any food that you have purposely acquired and set aside (or rotate through) for preparedness.

Typically a well thought out storage of survival food will include a variety of foods and food types. Not just a case of MRE’s and we call it good…

Someone might choose to purchase a professional ready made survival food kit for long term storage. They’re available in all sorts of sizes (e.g. month, 3 months, 1 year). Chances are though that this someone will also acquire additional survival food to diversify their preparedness (highly recommended).

Other short and long term food storage acquisitions can simply be made at your local grocery store!

Some food will have a relatively short shelf life (months, a year or two) while others if packed right will potentially store for years or a decade or more.

Most survival food can be grouped as follows:

– dry goods, bulk (e.g. rice, beans)
– professionally canned (grocery store)
– home canned (DIY)
– dehydrated (professional or DIY)
– freeze dried (professional or DIY)

Related:
Ordinary Canned Food For Preparedness
Food Storage Mistakes To Avoid
Dehydrated Food versus Freeze Dried Food

Then you can get into specific foods and food types. The choices are nearly endless.

It all depends on what you want, storage and shelf life considerations, and the span of time that you’re gearing up for.

Caloric content and nutritional diversity are important considerations too!

Some foods are very calorie dense, which is great for survival. However those particular high calorie foods may not be ideal for long term consumption.

Most preppers don’t just stock up on one type of food. We diversify. Better nutrition will also come from a wider variety of choices kept in your deep pantry.

 

Popular Survival Food

So let’s get into it.

I could go about it two ways. I could present a huge list of foods and POLL you on what you think the most popular would be. Or I could simply ask what you would find if you had a look at other prepper’s food storage.

Here’s what I’ll do:

In the comments below, list the Top 5 survival food items that you suspect you’d find in other prepper’s storage. List more than five if you’d like.

Once I have a good list of replies then I will tally them into an ordered list to append to this article. Should be interesting…

To make it easier for me, reply with a numbered list according to your opinion.

Be specific regarding the food most likely found. Otherwise it won’t be counted.

Augason Farms 30-Day Emergency Food Storage Supply
Augason Farms Lunch & Dinner

 

Popular Survival Food

The following list of deep pantry survival food is a result of my best general tally of the reader comments below.

There was some confusion among the responses whereby many simply listed the survival food that they had in their own pantry. That’s okay though. It all led to a list of foods that are probably most likely to exist in prepper pantry deep storage.

Of course there are lots more specifics than what is listed here which could also lead to lots of specific recommendations. However I just wanted to capture a general opinion.

Here are the results (Top 10)

1. Rice
2. Beans (dry)
3. Wheat berries
4. Canned Meat

5. Canned Veggies
5. Pasta
5. Honey / Sugar

6. Oats

7. Salt
7. Dry Milk

8. Flour

9. Coffee / Tea
9. Freeze Dried Meats
9. Freeze Dried Veggies

10. Yeast

 
Popular Survival Food

Rice and Beans, A Survival Combination

156 Comments

  1. Some things we don’t have on hand are the pre-prepared professional ready made survival food kits. They typically contain way to much oatmeal :) as well as sugary drink mixes and desserts at the expense of good protein and veggies . I do have a 72 hr MRE pack, just in case we gotta leave in a real big hurry.

    Long term 5:
    wheat berries
    dry milk
    rice
    beans
    honey

    short term 5 in rotation:
    corn (canned & dry for grinding)
    home canned/.freeze dried meats
    home canned/ freeze dried fruit
    home canned/freeze dried veggies
    coffee/tea

  2. 1.) Beans-Navy
    2.) Rice-white instant
    3.) Flour-ground packaged
    4.) Beef-canned
    5.) Chicken-canned

  3. 1. Wheat Berries
    2. Freeze Dried Vegetables
    3. Freeze Dried Meats
    4. Rice
    5. Dried Drinks (Tang, Gatorade, Milk, etc.)

    As a few more
    6. Oils
    7. Sugar
    8. Beans
    9. Salt
    10. Condiments (Spices)

    and my two favorites
    11. Gin
    12. freeze dried Water :-)

    1. NRP
      If you find freeze dried vermouth please let me know. I make my own vodka and going into SHTF without a good martini is unacceptable.

      1. Southernman
        To be totally honest I own a bottle of Vermouth (somewhere), I like an extremely dry Martini. So basically my drink of choice is; 6 Olives, 2 teaspoons of Olive Juice, Crushed Clear Ice filled to the rim, and Bombay Blue Sapphire, in a 1/2 pint round Mason Jelly Jar.
        So yes I own a bottle of Vermouth, have not seen it for 4-5 years AND I keep it a different room than my Gin, do NOT want cross contamination HAHAHAHA
        As far as Freeze Dried Gin, I’m working on that, but Gin, and Vodka, in-of-itself will keep almost as long as Freeze Dried Water :-)
        Now Vodka; my choice is Absolute, and have a supply for emergencies, just in case the Gin runs low :-)

        1. NRP,

          You are like an old Peruvian mining engineer I once knew. He claimed he only had 1/2″ of ‘Elixir’ a day………. in the bottom of a 5 gallon pail!

        2. NRP
          Have a recipe for home made gin but it involves sticks, twigs and dried berry and a lot of work. Make my vodka from LDS cannery potato buds. Bet they didn’t see that coming! As for vermouth we do in and out where you pour it in and swish it around and return to bottle. It would only take a few bottles of freeze dried vermouth to take us through the end of the world. Cheers!

  4. Deep pantry survival food is not something that you purchase. If another prepper would look into my pantry they would be surprised. Yes, there is purchased food for short time period useage but deep pantry is for real long time periods. Deep pantry food for me is defined as food that is replaceable when you can no longer buy food. Deep pantry food is food that you must know how to process yourself.
    In my pantry for meat you will find venison, feral hog, fish and wild rabbit. I have learned the skills necessary to process these foods for long term storage without refrigeration. In my pantry for vegetables I have wild asparagus, wild onion, garlic, wild sweet potato, wild white potato, peanuts and a few others. There are various nuts like pecan, walnut, and may haw, grapes, pears, wild plums and peaches.
    I mention honey because it demonstrates a food source that is self sustaining( real deep pantry item which grows out in the woods). Many of the above food items I have trained(planted) to grow self sustaining in the woods with very little human interact needed. For me this is fun, self sustaining and real prepping.

  5. I have moved sources of vitamin C up on my list. My best source and most flavorful is the raspberry – easy to grow and freeze dries well. Up here in the frozen north, we can not just go out and forage for this nutrient or grow the fruit/berry year round for this vitamin. Stocking up on vitamin pills are not my preferred long term storage items.

  6. Ken asked, ” list the Top 5 survival food items that you suspect you’d find in other prepper’s storage” — It looks to me that most people are listing their own top 5 items. Or maybe I’m confused…

    For me, to answer this question, I think there can be two different lists because there is such diversity among those who are involved with preparedness. Are we talking about someone who is serious about food storage or are we talking about a newbie ‘prepper’ who is going about food storage in a quick fashion?

    A serious prepper would have:
    Grains (rice, mostly wheat berries, oatmeal)
    Legumes (varieties of beans, split peas)
    Dairy (dry milk, powdered eggs)
    Meat (DH, FD, or canned)
    Veggies/Fruits (DH, FD, or canned)

    A newbie ‘prepper’ would probably have:
    Rice (plain white and Rice-A-Roni)
    Easy meals in cans (spaghettios, spam, chili, soups)
    Veggies/Fruits (canned)
    Cereals (boxed HFCS cereals, oatmeal)
    Condiments & Mixes (pickles, ketchup, mustard and cake mixes)

    1. Modern Throwback
      I believe that the “Serious Prepper” list would also contain all of the items in your “Newbie” list. Knowing how to ‘rotate’ foods through the Deep Pantry is a trait that any serious prepper should practice.
      Having a well-rounded Pantry and not just very long term (20+ year foods) is a must. I would revert back to the words “Store what you eat and eat what you store”. A years’ worth of food is easy, eating 20+ year food for a year, welllll maybe not so easy.
      Yes for the Newbie Prepper, starting with the easy stuff is a must, there is a TON of things for the new person to do and learn, just because they may not have 300 #10 cans of FD does not mean they are not serious, nor is the serious prepper not going to store that Rice-A-Roni.
      Is 600 rolls of TP really enough?
      Or maybe I’m wrong, good discussion topic.

      1. 600 rolls of TP for 1 person/one year. = enough.. a little tight for 3.
        Yep rotating all stocks is necessary…having those 20 year storage items, and home dehydrated items …..need to know they be rotated and used with other foods. prep challenges occur and one to know specifics..for each food..

      2. @NRP

        Please don’t misconstrue a serious prepper comparison with a newbie — that wasn’t my intention. A newbie can be a serious as can be, but just doesn’t have all of the knowledge or experience, or time benefits, that a more serious prepper would have. I wasn’t trying to demean newbies at all! But without having much knowledge on the subject, newbies will often store things that don’t hold up to the test of time — or maybe the taste buds.

        IMO, a more serious prepper is going to be very limited in processed foods because they won’t have a long shelf life. Sure Rice A Roni will last a year on a shelf, but will it be edible in 5 years — and in those little boxes with no added protection? The more serious prepper will store rice in a storage vessel and will store herbs/flavorings separately, providing a longer shelf life.

        Personally, I’m eliminating some of our stored foods for both simplicity and fear that some foods may not do well beyond their best-buy dates. For example, I have bought quantity of a multi-grain organic flake cereal that have a shelf life of about 18 months. I’ve decided to simplify the breakfast meals and eliminate foods that have such a short shelf-life. So, I’m eating those bags of cereal up and not replacing them.

        I’m also no longer buying any flip-top canned foods because I don’t trust those tops. I’ve read too many stories about them bursting, and so those cases are being replaced with my own home-canned foods. Almost all of them are fruits, so it’s not much of an issue — just a matter of using them up.

        One flip top meat I just bought to try, though, was a can of Spam. My husband thought I’d flipped my gourd when he saw the can come out of the grocery bag. I remember eating fried Spam as a kid and I liked it. Haven’t had it since then. (Weird, ain’t I?!) I figure, if it’s the national meat of Hawaii, it can’t be all that bad, eh? lol

        The only processed foods that we put on our shelves for intermediate storage now are home-canned foods, ie chili with beef, canned beans, meats, spaghetti sauce with ground beef/sausage, soup bases, and a few other meals. That way, we’ll have those foods on the shelves for 5 years or so before we need to think about eating them up. We just had a quart of chili I made back in 2012 — tasted fine! I’m not sure that store-canned chili would have that same fresh taste.

        TP…well, a world without TP is a 3rd world lifestyle — no thank you! We now have 600 rolls of TP stored. That doesn’t include the 2 bundles of rolls we keep in the bathrooms, either! In 2018, I hope to increase our TP holdings by 100 or so more rolls, as spare-$ allows.

        “Store what you eat and eat what you store”.
        That’s for sure. There’s quite an assortment of food-stuff out-there — and lots of it is heavy in the food additives and chemicals. If I ate the processed stuff that’s sold as ‘food’, I’d be chugging the Pepto Bismal and using up my TP stash, for sure!

        1. Modern Throwback
          I will admit I have a stash of “the national meat of Hawaii”, honestly it’s not so bad as long as you have 4 or 5 bottles of Jalapeno Sauce to smother it in HAHAHA Hence the request of old lady to ship her excess to the Four Corners.
          Interestingly enough I have not had a problem with the ‘Pull Top’ cans, but I keep most in a cooler place (averages 45-55 degrees) and make sure not to stack over 3 high in the cases they come in.
          I will agree 100% on the home canned stuff, seems like it never goes bad, have Green Beans that are well over 10 years old and are good as the day is long, but using up quickly. Need the Jars for this coming year.
          I have just recently gotten to canning more and more meat, chicken beef pork and wild game (freezers are full) and am quite pleased, I know a lot of people worry about canning meat, butttttt what do they think the Processers do? And I know exactly whats in the meat I can, can one say the same for a can of store bought Stew?
          I do like your saying “food-stuff” I agree with you, even more now I’m reading “End of Food”, amazing whats happened to the food we eat.
          I did have to laugh at this “Sure Rice A Roni will last a year on a shelf, but will it be edible in 5 years —“ are you kidding me???? With the chemicals in that stuff it’s good for a millennium or two HAHAHA

        2. I have fond memories of traipsing through the hills in back of Kaneohe on Ohau hunting the wild spammers. We would use dogs to worry them then slip in with a knife to finish him off if you were really good. If not quite as brave gut him with a spear. It was always sad when all the little spammies would run out after dad bought the farm but what the heck, the spammies tasted like bacon.

        3. Me,
          I laughed way too hard over your post!
          “Dad buying the farm and and all the little spammers running around…”LOL!
          Sounds like a scene out of the movie
          “SPAMBI…”

        4. I have had canned fruit and soups with flip top for a few years.
          So far, I haven’t had one unseal or turn bad.
          But, if I need to restock any of these, will not buy flip top lids.

    2. Hi MT,
      I read the question the same way you did: what I would find most often in the storage of other preppers, not my own. With the mix of answers here I don’t think we really gave Ken the info he was looking to compile.

      1. SoCalGal,
        we’re two peas in a pod…
        Freeze-dried, of course!
        :-)

    3. You are not confused Modern Prepper. I was going to say the same thing. People have a hard time with reading and comprehension.

  7. A bit off topic but I’ve seen on other lists wheat berries being one of the top 3 (besides beans/rice). If a major SHTF situation does happen then my food preps will help us through the short/do-or die adjustment period as we learn to adapt to our new surroundings. How we end up eating long term will look much different than how we eat now though. Our food preparation methods will change drastically and we’ll begin relying seasonal, locally grown foods/hunting/fishing etc. Having wheat berries just doesn’t fit with this. Yes, it would be nice to have a loaf of bread but it’s not a necessity by any means, has a poor calorie load and it would be a lot of work to produce, (as well as needing several ingredients that will be nearly impossible to find in a long term shtf situation).
    So what am I missing? Why do people think wheat berries are so important?

    Ok back on topic lol
    1. white rice
    2. dried and canned beans
    3. canned meat
    4. salt
    5. coffee

    1. My five items..most likely to be found in a prepper closet.

      #1 Rice, mostly white
      #2 Beans-pinto, mixed
      #3 pasta mixes..
      #4 sweeteners-sugar/honey/stevia according to diet required by family
      #5 coffee-tea-drink mix’s w/ vitamin c added.

      #6 Canned veggies #7 Canned meats, Panut butter #8 Salt +seasonings used most often by family #9 Chocolate/candy #10 cooking Oils….olive, coconut
      # 11.Hot cereals..,Oatmeal ,grits, cream of wheat #12 canned Jellies, Jams, and fruit.

      Svzee,…this is the hillbilly version of why i store some wheat… To answer your question… There are many types of bread that can be made with minimal ingredients… pan bread, tortillas, flat bread… and I am sure there are others. .
      Cream of Tartar and Baking soda store indefitely and are the active ingredients in Baking Powder..Corn starch , Rice flour OR Potato flour can be added to keep it dry, when mixing more than enough for one use. Oils are needed but coconut oil is available in bulk at reasonalbe rates and has a shelf life of 5 years./esp when stored in a cool place….and it will exchange with butter in recipes.(use less coconut oil and a little water, to be same volume as butter.) Wheat stores indefinitely.Bay leaves will keep bugs from invading.
      With a hand grinder one can grind wheat for cereal or soak overnight and have cooked wheat berries for using as bulk in a stir fry or as a cereal.. Wheat can be sprouted for feeding farm animals, and for salads. The sprouts can be dried,, ground and used to make bread. Sprouted wheat is Very high in B vitamins. and low in gluten, because it is used up in the sprouting process.
      I can’t cook complete meals without flour in some form. Wheat Flour is the basis for my back up favorite items.., biscuits/pan bread/gravy/green chili/soups are thickened with a rue.
      . I don’t have as much as I would like to have, but having some for various needs..as i learn and practice, will give me flexibility in the long term….As the stored flours become rancid and have to be fed to the animals, We can use the wheat for personal consumption.
      Even with no way to grow,(because of space), having something to use intermittently, like wheat, that breaks the boredom of other foods will be a blessing. as adjustments are made in all our lives.

      1. Just Sayin-thanks for the ideas, I’ll have to think more about storing some wheat berries :)

    2. @Svzee, Regarding your question of Wheat berries…

      They are commonly stored for ‘deep pantry’ long term storage because they can easily store for decades.

      There are nearly 50,000 calories in a 5 gallon bucket of wheat berries (approximately 32 pounds of wheat berries will fit in there).

      A 5 gallon bucket of wheat berries will make approximately 25 typical size loaves of bread, each containing nearly 2,000 calories just from the wheat alone.

      So it is a ‘calorie dense’ dry food that will store for decades.

      That’s why preppers store it ;)

      We have quite a number of these buckets filled with wheat berries. Mrs.J always has one open and in rotation for her own bread making. Good stuff!

    3. Svzee Wheat berries can be used to make a gruel or cereal like oatmeal by cooking them and also can be used to sprout to give you more vitamins in your food. they can also be used to thicken stews and soups which I thing will become a main meal if the balloon ever goes up.

      1. Ken and poorman-thanks for the responses! Poorman, your explanation makes the most sense to me- since we don’t eat a lot of bread it’s just a really low priority item for me, (I don’t eat it at all, usually, and my family goes through a couple loaves a month right now via grilled cheese sandwiches, which would not be a menu item in a shtf situation- because no cheese). I’ve never heard of wheat berries being used for non-bread applications so I’ll have to look into that more!

      2. Wheat grass and other grain grasses are a fresh veggie and very healthy. Cracked (coursely ground) grains can be used to ‘extend’ meats. Supper used to be bread and milk. Probably why they slept better than we do without expensive beds. We also have a variety of dry beans. I can quite a bit of meat and buy some canned at store. USA grown and processed only. Dry milk can be added to cooked dishes and I make cheese without rennet. Very easy and tasty.
        Don’t underestimate how much food you really eat. Cook and eat all meals and (3 per day) and snacks at home for 1 month. Keep a careful record of all foods and amounts. Multiply by 12. Add 50 percent for extra calorie needs for hard work.
        People are speechless when I buy a dozen cans of corn or whatever. Hubby loves corn and will easily eat a dozen cans in less than a month,

  8. 5 most likely in someone els’ pantry?
    1 freeze dried foods
    2 wheat berries
    3 rice
    4 beans
    5 canned meats

    Personally i really dont have much in the way of freeze dried anything, just too expensive, rather buy the freeze dryer but even that isnt happening.
    Our pantry is basic, canned stuff mostly as its easy to store, easy to use, and has a reasonably long shelf life, regardless of best by dates. I do like pasta and sauces in there too as are easy and delicious, theres also a fair amount of grains, actually, lots of grains,,,, primarily because there is no grain production here, so when theres no boats, theres no flour, so no bread! Canned meats are basic, spam and canned corned beef, tasty enough, good sources of fats and sodium, all stuff that we need especially if diet and activity spikes to different levels because of a SHTF event, even if it isnt in your area it can affect you, i am painfully aware of this, everything consumed here comes from elsewhere, not necessarily in our house but in the vast majority of homes here on the island, and by elsewhere i mean in big shipping containers usually refrigerated or full of cans or dry goods, nothing is really grown here, we have a garden but most dont,
    Personally im not a prepper snob, you know, the folks who turn their nose up at a can of spam or canned green beans, IMHO, they are in for a rude awakening, trying to get callories from veggies and “fresh” whatevers, ill be happily eating my rice canned corn and Totesh (canned corned beef mixed with egg and a little parsely or onion, squished into a fried patty) it will fill me up and fuel me for a full day, do it now so why would i do any different after SHTF?
    It will be interesting, and as much as people will say im a retard for wishing for it, i dont care,,,, we need a solid and prolonged reset, people have gone full retard and really do suck

    1. Nailbanger
      “people have gone full retard and really do suck”
      I sure hope you’re not looking for an argument on that from most here?????

      1. Nope, definitely not, i know the folks i respect have the same viewpoint on most stuff.
        Maybe not on wishing the collapse, but on almost all else. Anyone who doesnt see that society has taken a dive, either live in a bubble, live way the heck away from others and dont mingle, or are just plain blind. Cant fault the second one as i would honestly be fine living 200 miles from nowhere!

    2. Canned food last quite a bit longer than the date implies. I just freeze dried some Sam’s chicken chunks that were 7 years over and it tasted just like it did in 2010. I think temperature has a lot to do with it. Steady temps.

      1. The thing i like about canned stuff is i can easily get it locally and whenever i have a little extra cash i can buy a few extra cans or whatever, same on pasta,

    3. @Nailbanger
      You got coconuts?
      Breads can be made from tapioca flour, coconut flour, cassava flour, rice flour, cornmeal, etc.
      Lots of great ideas for alternate breads are in the ‘paleo’ recipes. Many are flat breads.

      1. Nope, no coconuts! Been trying to get amaranth to naturalize, goes real variable, only grows part of the year, had planted a mixture of stuff, it tends to rotate all on its own, sorta wierd, was a mix of nasturtiams, rye, daikon, clover, amaranth, kale, it all comes back one by one as the other dies off, only thing constant is the siberian kale,,, oddly it goes to seed too, somebody said it wouldnt without frost,, go figure

    4. My daughter sent me a funny sticky note today that read “Note to self – it is illegal to stab people just because they are stupid”!

  9. Just finished rearranging my food storage and getting rid of popped cans and things we will not eat any longer (like 50 jars of sliced jalapenos). I just passed out a list of foods that will never spoil and some surprised me. We all know rice, salt, honey, but I didn’t know if you keep it sealed Apple cider vinegar, bullion, soy sauce, dry milk and vanilla extract- the real stuff. If you make your own with vodka it can only get better over the years.
    My list that most preppers would have is
    1. wheat (not ground) (is that wheat berries)
    2. Honey
    3. salt
    4. rice (yuck)
    5. dry beans
    6. (sorry) oil

    My list involves cocoa powder and chocolate peanut butter powder as chocolate doesn’t keep and i can’t seem to keep enough to rotate. And of course spices and condiments to make the above palatable. And don’t forget the vodka for disinfectant and making vanilla?

    1. old lady
      “50 jars of sliced jalapenos”
      Just ship those little suckers right on up to the Four Corners… HAHAHAH

      1. they went fast. so if you come down here when the SHTF you have to bring you own. Although I did save some jars of roasted chilies and I grow them fresh!

  10. In my pantry:

    1. Wheat
    2. Dry Beans (Red/Pinto/Black)
    3. Rice (Mostly brown)
    4. Sugar
    5. Water

    After this comes all the canned goods that we use and rotate over a typical 2 year period, assorted noodles, spices, and milled flour.

  11. I know I’m not a hard core prepper. I’m just old fashioned and I try to be self sustaining.

    1. home canned veggies (from the garden)
    2. meat in the freezer (wild or whatever we find on sale)
    3. flour and corn meal
    4. cooking oil
    5. spices (from the garden and store)

  12. For Mobile Bug out all items stuffed into Army duffle bags 60,000 calories per duffle bag.
    1. Minute Rice (Properly Stored for Long Term Preservation Mylar bags with O2 absorbers)
    2. Dehydrated Beans (Properly Stored for Long Term Preservation Mylar bags with O2 absorbers)
    3. #10 Cans Freeze dried Meat ground & sausage, Potato,egg,vegetables
    4. Gatorade

    Home Supplies are pretty much the same as others posted here.
    One exception is that I do not store wheat. The smell of fresh baking bread in the air will surely bring sheeple/zombies to my front door. Better to have foods that just require hot boiling water poured over to prepare them like minute rice, regular rice/beans soaking in a thermos of hot water, canned meat/freeze dried can be warmed without having to cook it. Cooking meat would send the smell into the air. Think Gray man strategies for cooking your food in times when SHTF.

    1. WC
      I have not tested my theory – try cooking using a pressure cooker to reduce the fragrance of the food. This would also reduce the cooking time, thereby saving fuel. I have three of different sizes so that would be my go to cookware until things settle down.

      1. WC, I see why you are not storing large amounts of wheat. You have brought up some valid points…..but there are may other ways to use wheat besides bread..
        .Wheat can be sprouted for high vitamin B content and eaten raw. or fed to small animals for a lure/ or to add to our animals existing foods in winter…

      2. Yep, just sent my sibling a smaller pressure cooker for Christmas gift. The hubby got a machete.

  13. Most common items I suspect I would find in other prepper’s storage:
    1. White rice
    2. Beans (dried – variety)
    3. Pasta
    4. Canned chicken (home or commercially canned)
    5. Canned vegetables (may be home or commercially canned)

    Also:
    6. wheat berries
    7. Oats
    8. cooking oils
    9. honey
    10. Canned beef (or other meats)

    1. I posted without reading other posts first, now that I have I’ve seen a lot of posts list what someone has in their own storage (as MT mentioned) rather than what they think they would find in other’s storage. I also see a lot of explanations for choices, so here was my thinking:

      I tried to think about the comments I’ve read here frequently, such as: some people not storing wheat due to possible water or cooking challenges, a lot of people talking about keeping and rotating at least some canned goods (home canned or purchased) through storage, and some people with food intolerances. I could be wrong, but it seems a majority have mentioned storing rice, and there are frequent comments about beans, chicken, veggies and pasta. it seemed to me that whether people are long-time or newer preppers, that those 5 items are pretty common.

  14. I find it hard to surmise what others might have in their pantries. I would guess the average American would believe having 3-7 days of the foods/supplies they normally consume would make them “prepared”. After that it’s totally dependent on what level of preparedness is your goal and for what eventuality you are preparing for.

    For a wealthy family that might mean purchasing a 5yr supply of freeze dried extreme shelf life food, water, etc. stored in an underground bunker with redundant electrical sources and paid staff to care for and provide security for them. All done by contractors and their only personal effort being writing a check.

    For less well heeled, I believe the goal should be the same as my depression era, rural grandparents. The goal is have enough on hand to survive until the end of the next harvest season. They had no 20-30 yr shelf life foods. Most supplies were intended to last about a year. Of course home canned foods, dried beans etc, had longer shelf lives, but normally they were running low as the year was drawing to a close. If you had a good harvest, hopefully you could eventually work up to a two year supply.

    That’s my model, therefore my pantry looks like this:
    1. canned veggies/meats
    2. dry beans/peas/rice/pasta
    3. packaged and sealed flour/sugar
    4. canned sauces/spices
    5. saltine crackers/hard cookies/candies
    6. bottled water for short term disruption/ bulk storage for longer term
    7. tea/coffee/powdered drink mixes
    8. large amount of both table salt/coarser salt
    9. equipment and supplies to grow, nurture, harvest to replenish
    10. (maybe should be first) tools and skill necessary to protect these preps and my family from
    external threats

    Make no mistake, a list like this does not mean an easy, comfortable life. Just the possibility of a chance to make it in a new reality.

    1. I overlooked an obvious pantry item: cooking oils
      I keep both canned and bottled oils. Has anyone ever experienced canned solid vegetable shortenings such as Crisco going bad?

      1. I had some go rancid about 3 or 4 years beyond the expiration date. I routinely use many items well past there expiration date, including shortening. I only had the one can go bad. Maybe it had been subjected to extremes in temperature which caused it to go bad.

        1. Luckily they have roughly a two year expiration date. I no longer store quite as much of shortening.

        2. You can use it in an oil lamp no matter how old it is,,,,, dont really keep vegetable oil but do keep 5 gallons or so of olive oil, rotate through it havent really had any go rancid yet though, maybe i just didnt notice

      2. Yes, rancid is the word. But could be used for other things perhaps. Once in another life I was helping a spouse put a reconditioned 3 speed transmission in a 63 Chevy truck. We lying on the ground in the dirt when we noticed the needle bearings need grease. All I had was Crisco. Well the truck rolled along time with Crisco in the bearings.

      3. After having some go bad, we started splitting the new cans and putting them in the freezer. We just pull it out as we need it.

  15. in other people’s pantry,

    1. white rice
    2. dry beans
    3. grains
    4. homey
    5. salt

  16. The very first thing I stocked up on as a new prepper was sprouting seeds (broccoli, alfalfa, bean, etc.) After that I started loading up on flour, sugar, shortening, and canned milk.

    I guess I thought I could live a week or two on sprouts and biscuits.

  17. Carbs with protein of all kinds. Filling and sustaining. Meat and veggies. Mr. said what is with all of the mixed veggies. We need meat too. Now when I met Mr. he had about 15 #10 cans of Veg All. Whew I thought what the h— can you do with all that. Oh yes, write my own book 101 Ways to Cook With Veg All. Need some goodies to of course. Today I will start the dryer with my fave cooked brown rice (Texmati) and some older Chef Boy ar de Ravioli. I have found “the lifestyle” to be perpetual………………………………

  18. The 2 posters that I am in full agreement here were:

    Nailbanger – espousing the possibility about eating things that others will ignore such as spam and other plants that are edible but are considered “weeds” by homeowners. How many times have you heard the term: “Trash fish – Throw it back!” Many people are not willing to eat much less try a different meat or vegetable. The ones that are willing to do that tend to be travelers or people that have lived through lean times.

    Dennis – who pointed out the seasonal nature of the pantry and its relation to the harvesting of crops. ( when things are plentiful, the price generally drops.)

    I am the asian guy that grew tired of eating white sushi rice growing up so my pantry reflects my diverse tastes these days:

    White rice – basmati or jasmine for the flavor. My wife likes sushi rice so we have some of that too. Brown rice can germinate therefore it CAN go bad within a year but it just requires faster turnover from storage.

    Beans, legumes – mostly dried for soups and served with veggies I do not like such as kale.

    Pasta – stores well and is very inexpensive. I like keeping jars of pasta sauce around as well.

    Canned foods – to include meats such as spam, ham and soups which can be heated and poured over cooked rice.

    Spices and condiments to include: Salt, peppercorns, garlic powder, sugar and honey to replace sugar if things break down. Hot sauces from Mexican food aisle at the store because these seem to have a long shelf life outside the refrigerator, Soy sauce – same thing: stores well outside the fridge, Mustard, vinegar, olive oil and regular vegetable oil. ( rancid oil will still burn in lamps and can be used for biodiesel engines.)

    My stored food pantry is intended to supplement what I can find fresh from the store or the countryside. I am cutting back on my fried food and protein as I get older and I am trying to eat more vegetables these days.

    Lastly: luxuries that make life a bit more comfortable: Coffee and teas. Chocolate and all those wonderful imported foods that are not grown commercially within the Con US. If the trains and ships stopped running today, the only one drinking coffee 2 weeks later would be peppers and Nailbanger drinking the Kona brand from the islands.

    1. Poke grows wild around here. Most people consider it a weed but it is my favorite type of greens I like it better than spinach or any others. I always freeze some for the winter.

      1. If you like Poke, Have you tried sorrel? I prepare it same as Poke, exceot don’t ahve to wash, boil and drain so much.. I just look, wash cook, drain and put in hot skillet with a little bacon grease and a couple of eggs… I like it and do not plant other greens now, since the sorrel is wild in the yard…Only thing i plant is when I want turnips.. Sorrel is wild and is harvestable for much more of the year. first thing up in the spring and dies back in very hot weather but regrows in the fall. by keeping it picked can really extend the spring season…

    2. Yep, trash fish,,,
      One of my neighbors has a pond full of tilapia, been thinking about catching a bunch of them and sticking em in our pond, wont be for swimming anymore but will be great for raising tilapia and the water will be better for feeding our garden, most people turn their nose up at tilapia, but its good, just got to know how to clean and cook, hey, food is food!

      1. Nailbanger,
        Tilapia can live in a mud puddle. Will taste like it as well.
        The cleaner the water the better the taste.
        We eat tilapia all the time.
        Raising tilapia is on my short list to do now…

        1. All ya need to do is let them swim in a clean tub of water for a couple days, doesnt hurt to feed em corn meal eather, do that and they are good to go, they will eat anything, friend at a little lower elevation has some, he tosses kale, collards, carrot toos whatever in there and they gobble it up

        2. Nailbanger
          Same thing for snails-garden variety. Many years ago a friends mom was rummaging through her plants picking up snail and of course daughter asked her mom what she was doing. Her reply Hor d’oeuvres for Christmas dinner. She put them in a container fed them cornmeal for a few days to clean their systems out and they were served for an appetizer. ‘E’ always said she had eaten them growing up but did not realize where her mom was acquiring these special items. I never looked at escargot the same after E passed on that information to me. lol

  19. 1. Rice
    2. Beans
    3. Commercially canned Fruits/Vegetables
    4. Home canned Fruits/Vegetables
    5. Freeze Dried Meals

    In ours, it’s rice, commercially canned vegetables, dehydrated herbs/spices/vegetables, dried beans

  20. 5 things in my pantry:
    1. water, water, gatorade
    2.white rice, pasta
    3. beans (dry)
    4.canned goods; meat, fruit, sauces, veggies, chocolate (dry and solid)
    5. wheat berries,

  21. Top five items in my pantry:
    1: Water minimum 30 days along with filters, purification tablets, bleach
    2: First Strike Rations- 24 hour supply 3 meals in each pack, MREs
    3: Mountain House #10 cans- 30 days worth +
    4: Mountain House buckets and individual pouches- 3 days in each BOB, extras for daily bug in consumption additional 30 days +
    5: #10 cans assorted drink mixes, spices, and bags of coffee, sugar
    Additional pantry:
    Canned soup, pasta, rice mixes, canned ham, chicken, Spam, deviled ham, fruit, asst. vegetables, coffee, spices, cooking oil.
    Still a work in progress…..

  22. The five items I think we’d find in another prepper’s deep pantry (in order):

    Rice
    Sugar
    Coffee/Tea
    Salt
    Water

    Most people won’t put water at the top of their list because it’s always there (prepper or not). Rice is a versatile grain, sugar and coffee/tea the staff of life for many people. When people start prepping, they often think first of long term grains, then “what do we consistently use” (sugar and drinks). Then “what can’t we live without?” (water and salt).

    1. Lauren,
      Water may not always be there depending on the situation. If the power goes out, or EMP, the water stops flowing in the pipes and the nearest water source is miles away, water will and is number one on the list. Can’t reconstitute all the dehydrated and FD foods without it let alone cook those beans and rice everyone raves. So, storing water in my pantry is number 1 on the list! I realized I answered wrong as I put down what’s in my pantry! My bad!

      1. Broadwing & Lauren

        Your conversation is exactly why I store many cases of Dehydrated Water.

        Dehydrated Water

        Please keep preparing in any and every ways needed.

  23. Rice
    Beans and other legumes
    Dry milk
    Sugar and/or honey
    Oatmeal
    Water

    We don’t store freeze dried stuff, you have to reconstitute it…we store home canned meat and poultry, vegetables and fruit…also some purchased…that can be eaten without cooking if necessary, and has liquid too. Obviously, we will shelter in place if possible.
    We store as our parents and grandparents did, plus a large supply of shorter-term foodstuffs. We also have those skills needed to garden, hunt, fish by many methods, and to cook basic foods.

  24. 1. White rice, both long grain and Jasmine
    2. Dry Beans (variety, kidney, Pinto, etc.)
    3. Wheat Berries
    4. Oats
    5. Honey
    6. Salt, Pepper, Spices
    7. Oils – corn, olive, etc.

    KISS, right?

  25. A serious preppers pantry is chocked full of all kinds of essential stuff like grains/ beans/ salt/ sugar/canned goods. A newbie’s pantry probably contains the same stuff non-preppers have… nothing of substance and I would really rather not look in a non-preppers pantry.

    Has it ever occurred to anyone here that there is no such thing as a newbie prepper? Or, rather that a newbie prepper is just another name for a non-prepper. It must be my age or something. You either prep or you don’t. To me there is no in-between. You are either all in, or you are simply wasting your time therefore you are a non-prepper. You are either serious about it or you are not. If you are not serious about it then you are simply a non-prepper. I sometimes detect a bit of condescension from so called serious preppers on different prepping sites toward whatever their definition of a newbie is as though the serious preppers know or have certain things and that a newbie hasn’t figured out what prepping is all about but will hopefully come around. I’ve wondered about this for a while and have never found the answer and I’ve never discovered where the transition point is from newbie or non-prepper to serious other than a serious prepper should hit the deck running at which time they become a serious prepper… like an instant transition, there’s no in-between. I would not expect someone to do something if I had not already done it.

    You see… I grew up on a small farm and left home at 19 for greener pastures to work for Uncle Sam in 1967 when he sent me on a couple extended vacations to southeast Asia. Many years, miles and several jobs later, when I was finally in a position to engage in serious “prepping”, which was long before “prepping” even became the household word it is today, I literally hit the decks running and never looked back. The very first thing I did was lay in a big garden and concurrently stocked my pantry with wheat/rice /beans/salt/sugar and some canned goods. During this time I was in the process of building my home and the week we moved in we made our first bumper harvest. That was 25 years ago. I’ve got pictures of my 2 year old daughter on the back porch standing among a very large pile of cabbages/turnips/large white radishes/winter squash and greens. As I said, you are either serious or you are not. There’s no in-between.

    1. And yet, I think just about everyone will have a different idea of “hit the ground running.” In my personal opinion it’s the mindset more than anything else–I WILL vs I can’t. Someone who gets the bug and currently lives in an apartment might store the food and water they can while planning for other things. Doesn’t mean they’re not “a prepper,” just means they’re currently not in a situation where they can go all out.

      I’ve seen the “I can’ts” on this site–they usually last a few weeks to a month and then they’re gone. The “I will’s” stick around, learn, and plan for the future when they CAN.

      You said it above. “Many years, miles and several jobs later, when I was finally in a position to engage in serious “prepping”.” Doesn’t mean you weren’t a prepper before–you were just not in a position to do what had to be done. So when you could, you hit the ground running and from that time you consider yourself a prepper, but I think you were a prepper long before that moment.

      1. @ Lauren
        Your last comment made me think a little deeper and I think you may be right. I was a prepper at heart but just didn’t realize it. That’s probably why it was so easy to “hit the decks running”.

        1967 was an eye opening year for me after living with so much abundance during my early years. Growing up on a small farm in the 1950’s we never had a need for anything. We didn’t have a lot of money but my father made sure we had ample food to eat, and a safe place to sleep, and raising much of our own food was all part of it. There were a lot of poor people living around us but even they had food to eat, clothes on their back and a place to call home. Everyone around us grew gardens and many, if not most of them canned and took pride in caring for their family. That’s what people did back then, at least in our neighborhood… took care of their family. I took it all for granted until I left home in 1967. The poverty and hunger I witnessed overseas and even in other parts of the US was appalling to me. I’ve never understood how people can allow themselves to live that way and it has nagged at me ever since. I truly understand the source of this tragedy but cannot understand why an individual can enable it to happen to them and their family. Even before I got married, it nagged at me as to how so many apparent able body people could allow their family to go hungry. Being a serious prepper is all about taking care of family. I cannot imagine the mindset of anyone who is not serious about taking care of their family, although that seems to be where most of America is today. It’s appalling.

        1. You just described my philosophy for prepping. I want to be old fashioned and tend to my family. They are my reason for prepping.

    2. I think that you might be over-thinking it with regards to a definition of ‘newbie prepper’. Here’s what I mean…

      For you (a long time prepper), it really doesn’t matter. Right? You are doing your own thing. The thing (things) that work for you.

      Lots of people approach a common goal (preparedness for example) in similar, different, or even very different ways.

      For someone starting out (the newbie), that someone could be anywhere in a number of different initial modes of engagement.

      That ‘someone’ will also have their own perceived priorities as to what they should do and what they are currently doing. And that’s okay. To each their own. We all have our own unique perceptions, personalities, skills, needs, circumstances, etc.. which affects how we go about getting things done.

      I do believe that there is such a thing as a newbie prepper. And what I mean by that is someone who has stepped into it and is getting it going in their own way.

      That said, here on MSB whenever I refer to recommendations for ‘newbie’ preppers in any given article (or comment) I am simply offering my own advice given my own experiences. Take it or leave it kind of thing.

      It’s analogous to someone starting a new job. Are they instantly an expert? Probably not. People learn through experiences. And people learn through the shared experiences of others (if they’re open minded).

      1. Well, and its definitely better to do something rather than nothing!
        So many people dont do anything, i know families with kids, live in a condo, have money, some even have pretty good storage, and they dont have anything put aside for just in case, then i know single people who rent a room in someone els’ house, who have enough for them for 2 years! Quite the variation there,

      2. Ken,
        I agree, well said. I’m not a newbie nor am I an expert, and I learn by on the blog training (OBT!) I have goals I’m trying to reach for my self sufficiency but I also have to be realistic based on age, finances, location, and physical health what level I can reach. At this point, having 60 days water and food available as extra supplies is for me a good accomplishment towards my goals, along with necessary equipment for warmth, cooking, sanitation, and food production with seeds. I know I can’t farm, raise livestock, afford a freeze dryer for food or canning equipment at this time. I can have a plan and necessary supplies to survive longer than most citizens of our great land. Do I wish I had a self sufficient home location, ranch, farm, and enough food to last several years, sure, but how many on this site really have all that? There’s only a few who profess to be self sufficient and able to fully live off the grid. Many on this site seem like myself struggling to reach prepping goals, and learning daily from others on this site.

        1. Broadwing

          Well said, but please remember one little thing, you’re miles and MILES ahead of 95+% of the people in this country.
          FEAM says 3 days, LDS recommend 2 years, 99.99% of the people here are somewhere between.
          I for one have a very long ways to go before I’m completely satisfied, yet feel good where I am. BUT, I work towards that “goal” you mention, and as long as the progress is still forward all is good.
          I will also say preparing is NOT only gathering food/water/stuff, its gaining knowledge and knowing one’s limits. If your here on Ken’s BLOG reading and contributing than your one of the 3%-ers, a very good group to “hang with”.

        2. Be on look out for a home canner at yard sales, CL, Facebook, and such sites. sometimes are free from an old friend who inherited grandma’s…As long as top and bottom fit together properly all other things can be bought for them….reasonably. they can be refurbished and should have new guages every year or so, and new gaskets.. none of those parts are beyond planning for.
          Having the ability to can meats and vegetables(even if you need to buy them frozen) can multiply your survival time and healthy eating ability quickly.
          So can also, growing quick crops like lettuce, and radishes in a flower pot in a sunny window.. or sprouts (under the sink),
          The most important thing we all need to master, to securing what you can raise, gather or buy, so it does not ruin before you use it, and growing what you can…having seed…to grow things. Like you, I have not arrived at the place I think we need to be, but will be so much better off than many who have only a week or so of supplies..
          Don’t despair you are not the only one in process, we have all started and making headway on our individua goals as well.

        3. Just a quick note on older, inherited canners and pressure cookers… make sure they have a safety interlock that prevents the top from being opened while under pressure. About 25 years ago Mrs. McGyver had a brain pause while using an inherited pressure cooker, she opened the top while under pressure…. almost lost her head over it, literally. To this day, even with ultra-modern designs she is terrified of pressure cookers. Just the ‘pssst’ from a relief valve will make her scream.

        4. Broadwing,
          I am also between newbie and expert. I have learned SO much from the people here who are very experienced preppers and who share from their experiences (successes and set-backs).

          I agree that there are some people here who are at or near self-reliance, but the majority are not. I have a long, LONG way to go to be anywhere close to self-reliance, but – and it’s a big but – I am WAY ahead of where I was a couple of years ago. Part of it is about food and other supplies, and working on my skills, but I think the most important changes have come from a new mindset. Actually, that’s really putting it mildly.

          Over the past couple of years, I’ve had a complete shift in the way I view people, events and priorities. Some might find this a bad thing, as I am more skeptical and less trusting, more wary – more frustrated with slackers/takers/looters. But, I also have a new appreciation for each day, for accomplishments, for steps taken to protect against everything from financial downturns to a serious SHTF. It’s very different – but I think it is a good different, if that makes sense.

        5. So Cal Gal,
          Totally agree with the shift in mindset this past few years. I’ve seen a complete shift from people working hard to make ends meet to what seems like a majority of new settlers and certain folks wanting a free ride all the time. The takers appear to be growing with a mindset that they’re getting their freebies no matter what! “The Government owes me!” “I’m getting mine!” This is becoming generational.
          After Katrina and Tropical Storm Lee hit here, I started planning and acquiring supplies as I could see government was not to be relied upon any more for even basic help in some cases. Additionally I realized I needed to provide my own security and awareness of events around me that may impact my well being. I’m thankful for this site as it continues to help me plan and take measurable action.

    3. CrabbeNebulae-I have to respectfully disagree with you, I think there’s definitely such a thing as a newbie prepper and I’m one of them. I started down this road in September, after becoming more and more aware of the shenanigans of NK and what that could possibly mean for the country/my family. Several months into it and and I’m in no way ‘all in’, due to financial restrictions, space/resource availability, having a spouse that’s not totally on board etc, not to mention the HUGE learning curve that comes with all of this. Let’s be real-in a true, long term SHTF situation Ken, for example, is going to last a lot longer than I would because he’s been at this a lot longer than I h ave and he’s invested years into the process. One cannot do that in an instant/overnight/in a week/a month or even a year.

      But, I do now have enough food on hand to feed my family for at least two months without having to step foot into a store-which means I’m 2 months better prepared than 99% of those in my area, most likely. I also know basic water purification methods now and I continue to spend time each day learning and prepping in some way. I learned how to run our fireplace this past week-we now have heat in a shtf situation hooray! I’m definitely still a newbie though and I’m ok with that title :)

      1. Svzee
        No, No, No, do you have ANY idea how much more prepared you are than 99.99% of the world?
        You stated a few of the “stuff” you have collected such as food, water….
        You also have knowledge of many more things that you probably realize…
        SO please do not get it in your mind that your a “newbie or beginner”, along with the other thousands that read this BLOG and don’t comment. every one of you have made the HUGE first step, you realize the ‘need’, and THAT my friends is the most important thing you will ever do, even if you just purchased your first “extra” pound of Beans or now know how to flush a toilet worth a bucket of water.

      2. Hey Svzee,
        I’ll be the first one here (among many) who will point out that even if you are a newbie to preparedness, you are heads-above many in your mental abilities. You seem to have excellent common sense, but above that, you have determination and willpower to reach a goal. If that goal happens to be a true survival situation, you are going to come out ahead. Don’t discount that! You can’t buy motivation and the instincts you’ve got. You may be a newbie in ways, but you’re paces ahead of ‘the pack’ and I’d put you in my group any day…

      3. Svzee
        I can concur with NRP on the steps you have taken to be self sufficient as possible. You are ahead of my siblings(women)who think a pantry is for a few days. They have freezers that are filled with ‘pop in the micro wave foods’, or over half empty because they do not require all that extra food it will go to waste. Water storage, a couple of cases of bottles for company. Yes, I often wonder how many times my mom must have tried to drum her knowledge into their brains and it was on vacation.
        Never think you are behind on this process, you are so far ahead.

        1. Agree whole heartedly! Just because you have only fully awakened a few months ago, does not mean all you knew before was lost and un useable now…
          Just keep building. You are getting there.and are much further than when you started in Sept…. My DH was not on board when I first started either. When I showed him the price changes week to week and what we had saved(on required buys) by an earlier purchase, I converted him slowly.
          We have been on this journey several years, like you are economically challenged…and the high cost items are a stumbling block…I have found options for work around on deep well water procurement, Having needed articles on hand and prepared to use should they be required…and water to hold us over until we can install . You tube is a wonderful thing.
          Now we are trying to go with more long term things… like ancient grains, commercially prepared options for deepest pantry on items it is harder to keep long term with home methods… like eggs,peanut butter, buttermilk powder,yeast, milk,some dehydrated vegs we have trouble growing and require a lot of….

  26. Now that I think about it, consider the old western movies when the cowboy or gal would come into the store and order supplies from the shopkeeper: Seems like it was usually along the lines of beans, flour, sugar, coffee and whiskey! The more things change the more they stay the same!

    1. Bogan, I have the general store ledger from my great-grandfather’s store. It was in SW West Virginia and was right on the banks of the Ohio River. Trade occurred back and forth across the river into Ohio and my grandmother (the eldest) was often sent across by barge for a pickup or delivery.

      The store’s particular ledger was back in 1910 or so. People bought with cash or on store credit, and there was a fair amount of store trading going on. The most common items that were listed included flour, sugar, coffee, salt, and eggs. Eggs were a common item that was traded for store goods. Occasionally, there was an entry for sewing notions or a pair of shoes, even household or kitchen items. Most store business, though, was for those basic ingredients. Beans were not listed very often. I’m sure its because many grew their own to dry.

      1. Modern Throwback,

        You are right. We should be storing those things that might never be available in this part of the world again, such as chocolate, coffee, bananas (freeze dried), citrus (canned), etc. Also things I wouldn’t know where to obtain, such as sugar, soda, salt, antiseptics, antifungals, antivirals, antibiotics, and gunpowder. We can always grow beans, grain, and veggies, and can always find fish and meat.

        I don’t think most of us are giving Ken what he asked for. Maybe he is trying to find out what non-preppers will store — and what they will need that they forgot to store. That would give all of us some ideas about what to store for barter.

        1. DaisyK;

          Yeah right, I can see me storing a years worth of Chocolate, would need a Refrigerated Train Car… HAHAHAH

          Also, Ken knows us, we will do the List thing, and afterwards go on our ‘Rants’. Which is good also, because a lot of non-commenters read this stuff and maybe just maybe will understand that Preparing is NOT only about having that 600 rolls of TP, but the knowledge of doing ‘stuff’ and seeing the bigger picture of preparing. FYI, it’s not only storing food and water, it’s a mindset and a (my favorite word) ‘Lifestyle’

  27. If I were able to “peek” into the pantry of other preppers, I would expect to find:
    1. rice and pastas
    2. beans
    3. canned veggies, meats, fruit (grocery store and home canned)
    4. freeze dried veggies, meats, fruit (professionally or if you’re lucky enough to have a freeze-drier)
    5. wheat berries, corn (or flour and cornmeal)
    extras: lots of sugar, salt, pepper, spices, chocolate, sweets
    extra extras… alcohol of one’s choice

    I also store freeze-dried whole eggs, cheeses and canned ghee. I have lots of other goodies like capers, pimiento, pickles, canned chili, spices… on and on and on… gotta keep it interesting.

    I also have a bottle of vermouth for “waving” over that “triple extra dry” martini. You can also, just hold the martini over the bottle of vermouth if you’re worried about contamination! :D

    for fun: mint

    luv ya’ll, Beach’n

  28. Since this is about another PREPPERS pantry.
    Will use a friend’s pantry who taught me what we should have in storage long term.
    1) Wheat berries Soft white/Hard white/Red
    2) Oats whole and instant
    3) Salt- all varieties for preservation
    4) Yeast
    5)Beans(Navy-pinto-15 Bean)
    6) White Whole Rice/Wild Rice
    7) Whole milk/Buttermilk– powder vacuum sealed
    8)Oils

  29. In my earlier listing, I forgot to mention the lowly potatoe. Dehydrated potatoes and associated products are very inexpensive and readily available in my region of the country. (Pacific Northwest). and if the transport grid were to become limited to regional, potatoes are the largest carbohydrate crop in this region of the world.

    Where I live is 1 days drive away from one of the largest contiguous rice growing region at the north end of California’s Central Valley. I am also 1 days drive away from Idaho where their state motto is : “Famous Potatoes”.

    dehydrated potatoes and related food products are found everywhere up here from the Dollar store to fine dining establishments.

    1. CaliRefugee
      Interesting you mention Potatoes, here in the Four Corners there is a Navajo Farm called NAPA. Whereas you can buy potatoes for right around $10 for a 100 pound sack, along with many other products, problem is what the heck am I going to do with 100# of potatoes besides a LOT of French Fries?

      1. Wow, that’s one heck of a price. Makes you not want to garden them if you can buy them that cheap! (But I still do…)

        1. Ken
          Yeppers, I pay them a visit once a year after harvest time, them and the ‘Mills’ to the north for Wheat Berries and Beans further north.
          I do believe if one knows their area this Preparing ‘Thing’ can be a lot cheaper than some think.
          Example; I can get Hard Red Wheat Berries for around $13 for a 50 pound sack, Augason Farms is $39.99 for a 26 pound bucket, but you do get a $3 bucket. or Pinto Beans, local $27 for 100#, AF $99.99 for 41 pounds.
          So yes I have a bunch of Augason Farms stuff and it very VERY good, but do ones shopping well and your $$$ will do a lot more for you.

        2. Hi NRP,
          Can I get you to “spill the beans” about where you are getting those, er, beans? And berries too? I ask because I’m also here in the land of Entrapment.

        3. Lurking Burqueno

          Tje beans I get in Dove Creek CO. @ Adobe Mills, Wheat is Cortez Mills CO.
          I hit them about now, Adobe Mills has probably 15-20 differant beans, Cortez a LOT of differant wheats and corn, even Blue Corn

      2. You need to ask a couple of questions on those commercially raised potatoes.. #1what was raised in the land prior, and what chemicals are applied. With the potato being a root it absorbs all kinds of stuff from the soil and it can’t be washed off, like some of the fruit contaminations.
        Potaotes 100 lb sack. Can those babies! What you don’t can, properly season them and store a selection of selected ones , in a cool and dry location. place in layers with newspaper or straw to separate layers.
        The potatoes we get here, rural tn. are already turning GREEN… Have to peeel away at least 1/2″ all surfaces to get off the green… someone is long storing them much too long… in the early summer before they come in all of them are green, and we go to instant potatoes…now the are holding all of them too long! UUUGGGGHHH!.

        1. The green is caused by sun exposure–I’m not sure they’re holding them all too long, but they’re not curing them appropriately.

        2. But they expect us to buy them… and unless we can raise enough we will buy some.. We can easily use 40-60 lbs in a month… so that is quite a lot of potaotes. ..organic ones are NOT available within 50-60 miles, that I have found…so we will attempt once again to raise more of our own this year..

    2. CalifRefugee
      I know you & your dh work long hours so time is limited on what you can do at home in the way of everyday storage. Should the time come and you wish to do it your self here is what I have learned, especially for potatoes.
      If you find a great buy like NRP’s area you can do the following. Scrub or peel the potato slice evenly rinse in cold water, then dehydrate. If you want them partially cooked do that then rinse & dehydrate.
      Here is what will give this food longevity for long term storage. Place them in glass canning jars with a lid & vacuum seal. I take it a step farther, then place the jar inside a vacuum bag and seal again. It helps use up the smaller bags that will not store other food products and the bags get used again one last time. Should a jar break it is enclosed in a plastic container to reduce the glass from going all over.

      My jars that I reuse are from Costco’s peaches, no extra sealing required. Just place the lid on not tight but secure so that the air inside the jar can vacuumed out and your food is stored. Discover this when I was checking food stored before dh’s health change. Items stored in vacuum bags did not last, in fact they we so bad just tossed the entire contents after one trail test. When I found the jars I had processed the results we astounding. Edible potatoes, bit off a piece of potato right out of the jar, no nasty taste, nor rancid smell. Hope this learning experience helps you and others.

      1. CaliRefugee
        It was to read:
        I know you and your ”dw” work long hours…

  30. Economic Reality of growing non-food, vice related crops:

    Decades ago, anti tobacco groups tried to dissuade farmers in the Tobacco Belt to switch from growing tobacco to another food related crop. this experiment/attempt was short lived because the profit per acre of growing tobacco was $8 per acre versus $3 per acre for any comparable food crop. ( after factoring in the cost of equipment, labor, supplies etc. so the tobacco farmers told the strangers to pound sand while they continued to grow tobacco.

    The main carbohydrates mentioned: rice, potatoes, corn and wheat can be made into ethanol and ends up being a really good solution for crop surpluses. ( distilled grain alcohol stores well and retains it’s value. This was the basis for the Whiskey Rebellion back in the early days of this nation shortly after the War of Independence. ) wagons full of corn were being taxed but the farmers began turning the corn into whiskey because it was not taxed. More profit for your hard work and resources.

    Farmers do not work hard for fun.

  31. Non-prepared individuals’ pantry:
    1. Froot Loops 2. pop tarts 3. Pop 4. KD(kraft dinner) 5. Frozen pizza

    Prepared individuals’ pantry:
    1. Grains(flour,oats,pasta,wheat berries,rice,)
    2. Canned veggies,fruits(commercial and home)
    3. Canned meat,fish(commercial and home)
    4. Fats(oil,butter,lard,mayo,peanut butter)
    5. Sweeteners(sugars,honey)

    1. Wanted to make a comment on rancid oil. Even if it is rancid it is still okay to use for cooking. Food will taste bad but using rancid oil will not poison you. Especially for frying. It will be heated hot enough to kill anything in it. I recall reading somewhere that half of the third world cooks with rancid oil. According to wikipedia it does lose some nutritional value especially vitamins. I do stock several years worth of multivitamins with my preps.

  32. To NRP:

    I am afraid these hard lessons are lost on the learning institutions as I got in trouble teaching this to high schoolers years ago as a young graduate in Economics. ( California Public Schools.). I naively thought that you could not get in trouble teaching the truth and providing the correct answers to people’s questions back then.

    I learned of the Whiskey Rebellion through Economics classes. ( not in revisionist history classes.) In the process of turning fruit and grain into beer, wines and preserved foods, you are turning a perishable commodity into a durable good. ( to a limited degree.)

    In the last place where I lived, I did an economic feasibility study on building a grape processing facility as a Cooperative among the local grape growers. At 1.6 million dollars for a mix of used and new equipment within a new building, The cost would be recovered within 7 years that would have been used on repairing trucks and diesel fuel to ship our grapes elsewhere to be crushed and processed.

    This project also created around 50 seasonal jobs in the area as well. When public sector will not hire you, I will go to private sector with no hesitation these days.

  33. Dried and packed for long them storage-
    wheat berries, oat groats, beans, rice, pasta, potatoe flakes
    Sugar, Salt, and dehydrated Milk
    Peppercorns and Spices
    Home canned and store canned
    meats (chicken, turkey, pork, beef, and perhaps deer, along with fish)
    Soups, stews, pasta sauce and chili
    fruits, jams, and veggies
    Dehydrated and freeze dried fruits and veggies
    Olive oil and coconut oil and peanut butter

    Dont forget to add that tablespoon of olive oil to your soups and stews when cooking – it brings out the flavor, adds calories and your brain needs fat to function.

  34. 1. Vitamins
    2. Rice
    3. Beans
    4. Flour
    5. Yeast
    6. Salt
    7. Canned soup
    8. Cooking oil

  35. I wanted to reply to a couple of posts, but lost track of them as I kept reading. It’s all so fascinating reading what you all are doing. Got my .02 to add and hope someone can use the info. First as to what to do with wheat berries. There is a book called Passport to Survival written by Dickey, an LDS. It is an old book and Verrry comprehensive as far as what you can do with wheat. I’ve gotten two copies at thrift stores for a dollar each. And the other bit of info. Yes! Kool Aid is great stuff. Have a whole can of the packages because it can also flavor and color cakes, icings, cookies, sauces, etc. I’ve got some stored for over ten years – stocked up when it was still 10 cents each. Some of it is a little stuck together, but still good with the same flavor and color. Oh. and one more thing. Someone suggested that to use rancid oil for cooking was OK. I remember reading that is is loaded with free radicals when it is rancid and not fit to eat. Keep sharing your stories.

  36. Since I live in the southwest, I try to keep can goods with high liquid content such as soups, and try to keep stocked in foods that do not require water to prepare such as canned mac-n-cheese, Spaghetti-O’s, chili, stews, etc.; along with canned fruits and veggies in water. But with that being said, I try also keep light dried goods that will require water to prepare, such as rice, pasta, instant potatoes, oatmeal, etc. To help round things out I also have flour, salt, sugar, yeast, spices, hot sauce, etc.

    1. Ruckus, that’s a good list.
      Folks just need to store what they eat and eat what they store…
      No use storing a ton of wheat if you are not/can’t eat it. People make that mistake often.

  37. What a fascinating read! I expect to find on other pantries a manual grain grinder, dried corn, and home dried herbs and chilis, in addition to your basics above. Please don’t keep all this in 1 place, subject to one raiding party; have some secret stashed. Also, take advantage of all this freezing weather to set grains, flour, rice and packaged goods outside to freeze any bugs.

    1. Quote, “Also, take advantage of all this freezing weather to set grains, flour, rice and packaged goods outside to freeze any bugs.”

      That is an excellent bit of advice. Given the very cold weather and for those with buckets of grains, set them outside in a shady place for several days to freeze (just in case) ;)

      Thanks for the tip.

      I joked with Mrs.J the other day when it was 20 below zero… that it was colder outside than the temperature in our deep chest freezers!

      1. Ken;
        It’s sad when you use the Deep Freezer to thaw food… hehehehe
        FYI, played 9 holes yesterday in short sleeve shirt, was 53 and sunny….
        just though you should know :-) :-)
        Be careful out there everyone, frostbite and freezing is not a good thing. also take special care of the pets and livestock.

  38. most are common stuff.. we have much of these common items as well….and we have added sewing machines(non-elec) and thread and needles in vac pack jars…—there is an old adage that goes “one sewing machine and you are self sufficient…with two sewing machines you have a business”—and GREEN coffee beans and small bottles of booze… and I am looking to add several CHEAP ‘amazon’ windup pocket watches at about 4.00/ea and some other small items that we take for granted now…but later when the cell pn looses its last charg and the sun-gazing is a guess, as to time…your gonna neeed a watch…another itrem I find low on a lot of list is SALT and WHITE SUGAR.. and BLACK PEPPER CORNS ….”these will be better than gold” cheers

    1. d – Handcrank or treadle sewing machines, thread, & needles are excellent deep storage items. I have those too.

      CD in Oklahoma

    2. I have a small portable 45 watt solar system and an extra AC/DC inverter in my deep storage. It comes with 3 cig. plug in LED lights, I can charge my Kindle Reader (have 10K+ books down loaded on it on a 64 GB SD card. Have a “paper” library system of various survival, gardening, animal husbandry books as well as general reading and educational books for teaching the grandkids. Have totes full of Jeans and other clothes “just in case” Sewing supplies, Two Solar Ovens, Propane combo camping- oven set up to cook with and am in the process of making my own homemade Herk candle oven and a rocket stove as well. All the food in the world won’t help you if you can’t cook it and canned foods only last so long in a SHTF situation. Don’t forget medical and first aid supplies. OTC and extra prescription meds ( my Dr. is LDS so he knows I try and stay at least 2 months ahead on my scripts and rotate them). Working on a Faraday container for my “must have electronics ( Kindle Reader, portable nebulizer machine that has a battery pack, Laptop, ) Don’t forget manual grain and meat grinders… kinda hard to make flour with all the wheat and corn if ya can’t grind it into flour and meal . Canning equipment (water bath and pressure canner) a lot of extra lids, canning jars.. grow a big garden ya gotta have a way to process and use the excess that you’re not eating fresh. Extra dog and cat food.. Have a 9 month supply for my three ankle biters and am working on at least a 6 month supply for my 3 cats… I Hate mice… I live in the 4 corner’s area of Arizona and we have Hanta Virus and Plage here from fleas carried by mice and other rodent like critters. Arrows and Ammo ( self explainitory). I know this is off topic for deep food storage but these are must haves in a SHTF situation and for survival.

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