Which Long-Term Survival Food Do You Have The Most Of?

food-storage-pantry

Here’s a question for you (a sort of poll) which may be interesting to share with others, “Of your ‘deep pantry’, which foods do you have the most of?”

Over the weekend Mrs.J and I looked through our own food storage inventory in order to discover if we had enough of ‘this’ or ‘that’ with regards to our preparedness (food staples, etc..), and it occurred to me that it would be fun to share with each other the food preps that we tend to have the most of.

If you respond with a list, prioritize it by listing ‘the most’ first, etc..


 
The objective here is to inspire thought for you and others, especially for newbies, while discovering what we all have the ‘most’ of with regards to food storage.

 
While developing my own ‘deep pantry’, I have considered a number of factors while choosing what to get, and how much.

-Calories, caloric content
-How many people to feed
-Shelf Life longevity
-Storage space requirements
-Variety and Diversification
-Food Rotation within our current eating habits
-The requirements (pros & cons) of food preparation from one type to another

Having just checked a few days ago, the foods that I personally have the most of:
1. Wheat berries
2. Rice
3. Dry Beans

 
Okay, lets get it started… lets see if you can list the top-5 (or whatever you choose) of which foods that you have the most of.

Later I will update with a list of the most common food storage items based on your comments of what you have the most of…

An interesting product:
Non-Skid 3-Tier Cabinet Organizer

177 Comments

    1. Rice and Beans…Pastas, canned and dehydrated vegies and fruits. Canned meats, nuts and nut butters for proteins.

  1. I have what you have the wheat, beans, and rice. I also store a lot of things I can’t grow, like sugar, salt, baking soda, cream of tarter. The last two are used to make baking powder. Of course I store many other things but these are my priority besides lots and lots of dried potatoes.

  2. Lentils (Beans)
    Red Wheat Berries
    Home/Store Canned Vegetables
    Rice
    Canned Meats

    Beyond the top 5
    Large amounts of mixed FD and Dehydrated foods
    Sugars, Salts, Spices
    Cooking Oils
    Peanut Butters, Jellies
    Alcohol

  3. wheat berries
    rice
    potato flakes
    pinto beans/bean powder
    home grown heirloom corn seed (for flour & re-planting)

    1. Do you have any good methods/recipes for using your potato flakes? We have dehydrated potatoes from some excess and I am just unsure how to use them again.

  4. White rice followed real close by other grains.

    My main storage revolves around stuff that is not grown locally. We have 0 grain production here in the islands, can raise or grow almost anything because of the mild climate, but rice is out and its tough to grow wheat or oats, can be done but not easily.

    The rice is one that I have been looking into, I guess there is a new variety of dry production rice, but so far have been unsuccessful at getting the seed, going to keep trying on that, the option is attempting to grow what they call wild rice, but that needs water too, so think I may be screwed for long term and viable production.

    IMHO, IF we have a collapse that lasts long enough for my rice to run out we are beyond screwed anyway and I doubt I will be the one using up the last of my rice….

    1. @ Nailbanger

      Just looked around some, and that dry land rice is generally called Upland Rice. There is an Upland rice variety called “Blue Bonnet” and is found at a company in MO. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, many of you may know/know of them. I’ve bought from them many a time, very happy.

      There may be others sold else where. Give it a look maybe.
      Dennis

      1. Found another variety – Duborskian Rice it’s of Russian origin, sold by
        Sherck Seeds and based in Indiana, and FEDCO sells it too. Then there is Wild Folk Farm they have Yukihikari Seed, Azolla and Duborskian Rice. Good Luck.

        1. Thank you for the info, am going to look into it, honestly it had been a while since I had been looking, maybe time of year and market conditions cause changes in availability. It’s something I definitely need to try as a test plot at the very least. When growing the grains I had problems with mildew, real pain in the rump, if the weather had stayed dry no problem but right before the crowns started turning dry we got a bunch of rain.

  5. I may not have an unlimited water supply, so canned goods are my biggest food supply item by far.

    1. Canned Goods (Meats, veggies, fruit, soups/stews/chili)
    2. Beans
    3. Rice
    4. Salt
    5. Oats

    Followed by pasta, flour, corn meal, cooking oil, instant potatoes, sugar and a variety of FD & dehydrated foods.

  6. 1. Varieties of canned beans (especially black)
    2. Canned diced tomatoes
    3. Canned potatoes
    4. Canned soups
    5. Varieties of boxed pastas

  7. Things under the Grain Category are the big items I store:

    Wheat berries
    Rice
    Oat Groats
    Pasta

    Also have a significant amount of:

    Beans
    Sugar
    Salt
    Green Coffee Beans
    Home-canned veggies, fruit, and meat
    Freeze-dried stuff I can’t easily grow

  8. Although I have propane, sterno, charcoal, denatured alcohol, etc. I still worry most about cooking fuel. I don’t have a garage so everything is stored in my house or basement. I worry about fire. Some things take a LOT of fuel, especially for one person, especially if there is no refrigeration for the leftovers. So what I have the most of is:

    freeze dried meals, some in pouches, some in #10 cans,
    separately packaged freeze dried milk, cheese, meat, veggies, and fruit,
    instant rice and instant potato flakes,
    canned goods, especially fruit, soup, meat

    Foods like beans, regular rice, pasta, and wheat berries take a lot of fuel so I have very little of those types of food, and I would probably donate most of what I have to the town so that they could set up a soup kitchen, keeping me safer longer.

    Most of my stored beans are “instant” refried beans, which still take 20 minutes. I have “Quick Cook” pasta which takes 3 minutes. Some of these things could be prepared by using my Kelly Kettle, which takes any fuel, even paper or dried leaves.

    Another reason to store foods that require little cooking is that the neighbors would smell your cooking and come with bowls and containers for “their share.”

      1. FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! someone mentions coffee, although I’m not sure instant coffee qualifies as “real” coffee :-)

        1. @ Poorman

          If we’re a year into a SHTF, I’ll be happy with that bottle of Mad-Dog 2020 (FYI right at $4.00 a gallon…) HAHAHA

          NRP

        2. While certainly not freshly roasted or freshly ground, I think Starbucks Via and Nescafe Classico are both fine. They’re actually better tasting than a lot of those KCups so many are fond of. Really good, strong, small batch, organic $$$ coffee is one if my favorite splurges as a treat, but if prepping for one, the packets or smaller jars are easier to keep fresh once opened.

        3. Bonus: the Nescafe Classico glass jars are great for storing smaller amounts if dry goods, and instead of Tupperware for leftovers in the fridge.

        4. Poorman,

          I would be happy with instant coffee the minute I lose my electricity (& my electric coffeepot.)

        5. You mean you don’t have a non-electric percolator? I am aghast Daisy. As well prepared as you are. I got a bunch of Maxwell house in some of those vacuum sealed bags along with some nuts and candy and other comfort snacks sealed the same way in buckets.

        6. Glenn,

          I have been looking at old fashioned coffee pots, and they are not expensive, but I am on Social Security and every month something happens to use up my extra money. At this time, I have 3 large cans of ground coffee and in a pinch, you can simmer it in a pot and strain out the grounds. We used to do that when camping.

          I do use quite a bit of instant coffee. I live alone and lots of times I just want one cup, so then I use the instant.

        7. 9 cup aluminum camp coffee pot/amazon 12.99. the vintage one I use is a 130$ one,(accd to them) but I have a alum one for back up.

        8. Daisy, make yourself a non-electric “drip” coffee-maker. If you are able to boil (or near-boil) water without using electricity, you are nearly there…

          Be sure to have coffee filters on hand for this: Use a quart glass Mason jar and the screw top ring. Secure a coffee filter onto the to of the glass jar by screwing down the Mason ring. Then add a few scoops/spoons of your ground coffee. Pour the hot water over the coffee — go slowly because it will flood until the coffee starts to drain below.

          Being on a tight budget doesn’t mean you have to do without — it means you have to get crafty and improvise when you are able to.

        9. @Modern Throwback, I think this is brilliant! I’m going to try just for fun :) Beach’n

        10. Modern Throwback & Just Say’n

          Both of those are good ideas. I will check with Amazon; I had been looking at mountaineering stores.

          But Modern Throwback I like the idea of “Make your own drip coffee maker.”

        11. Hm. Maybe get one of those glass jugs with a spout at the base? Maybe one that fits a mason jar sized ring. Then you can empty the water from the base and pour it over your beans again.

          Would also work for a first-stage water filter.

        12. At my last job, there was a fellow who would make killer iced coffee for us. As best as I can remember:
          He dumped coffee & water into a larger tupperware container (shallow, kinda like 13×9). Put it in the fridge for a day or two.

          Ran it through a coffee filter.
          Add a mix of condensed milk & evaporated milk for sweetener…to die for!
          Better than Starbucks!

          Might try just having it sit out…if you’re more after coffee flavor than hot drink, this might do the trick.

        13. Modern Throwback
          Try reversing your procedure. Pour the coffee and hot water in the jar and then screw on the ring and filter. Then turn it all upside down on top of your cup. Doesn’t flood out. Sorta like French Press.

        14. You need to get a way to make coffee without electricity. A french press is the easiest way and actually makes a great cup of coffee. The concept will work the same though if you simply boil water and add coffee then strain through a filter. Those wet and snowy days when I lose power are the best days for just sitting by the wood stove with a book and a good cup of coffee. Big pot of beans on the fire just makes it better too.

        15. @ Poorman.

          I agree, you need a non-electric way to make coffee, but I have yet to find a French press that I like. I just may resort to an old fashioned percolator if I can’t find one this week.

          We went camping one time many, many moons ago when kids were still little. I was responsible for bringing the food etc. Brought the coffee, filters, cream, and sugar without realizing there is no outlets out in the middle of the forest to actually make the coffee. So desperate were we for coffee that we boiled the coffee with the water in a pot, then filtered it through the coffee filter. I blame it on baby brain at the time as our youngest was not even 6 months old. I just was not myself.

        16. Peanut Gallery

          Wonder if this would work….

          Put the ground coffee in coffee filter, tie shut with cotton string…drop into pot and pour boiling water over…

        17. The last time my power went out I heated water on the camp stove and then poured it over the grounds in the coffee maker. Don’t know why the coffee wouldn’t perk on the camp stove but it just boiled the water away.

        18. aka

          Wonder…what fuel was used for the camp stove..

          I read somewhere that some fuels get hotter than others (I think propane burns hotter than natural gas, example). Not sure, but wonder if it did not burn hot enough to do the job?

        19. @anon

          I was using a Glacier’s Edge propane camp stove. It never got hot enough to make it ‘perk’. The box says up to 10,000 btu’s.

        20. Ah, just like a giant tea bag. That might work. I will have to give it a try the next power failure.

        21. Peanut Gallery

          Yes, was thinking “tea bag”. Some day I will try it.

        22. I do a fair but of canoe camping and have been making coffe bombs for a long time- just put your grounds in a large filter and close with fishing line then put in a put of boiling water and tadah you just made a gallon of fresh grit free drank! It works great to make the “bombs” ahead of time and just store them in an old coffee can in the freezer and grab em out as you need them

        23. Steve
          I buy green coffee by the case at Costco. They have regular and organic. It will last a very long time in the can. It is very easy to roast over any kind of fire ( in a frying pan). You can roast it to your liking. Grinding it with no electricity can be challenging, but when you need coffee, that problem will solve itself.

        24. I’ve been lurking for quite awhile but all this talk of coffee reminds me of a women’s adventure trip I took several years ago where the guides made “Cowboy Coffee.” – straining it using water and a filter. Also, reminds me of the movie, City Slickers, when Billy Crystal starts up the battery-run coffee grinder and causes a stampede. Anyway, I enjoy all these posts and have learned a lot. Can’t use wheat because my son is gluten free, but I have lots of rice, beans, spices, and lots of canned soups, etc.

        25. I love Cowboy coffee when we go camping. Except I do not use a filter and I believe that’s the way it’s suppose to be. You put a hand full of coffee grounds in a coffee pot of boiling water. Take the pot off the fire and let it sit. Pour just a little cold water on top to separate the floating grinds. Most will fall to the bottom. When you pour the coffee, always try to pour off the top and the same when drinking from your cup.

          We started doing this one camping trip when we forgot the filters and now do it every time. Look forward to it.

      2. I have regular coffee, but I never thought of freeze dried. Great idea, no idea how I missed that one.

  9. Soft wheat berries
    hard red wheat berries
    rice whole white
    navy beans
    pinto beans
    red beans
    barley
    lentils
    sugar
    salt-sea/table/canning
    gravy mixes
    coffee
    tea
    honey
    Special foods for DH diet I try to stock pile at least 2 months or more. I like 4 months but I am running out of SPACE.

  10. Don’t think that I have the “most” of anyone thing. Partly because a lot of the long term food stuffs are things that I don’t tend to eat a lot of. All things considered though I have:

    variety of beans- red, black, lima, lentils etc
    rice
    oatmeal
    wheat berries
    canned goods -large variety
    FD stuff
    baking stuff

  11. 1. Wheat berries (several varieties)
    2. Rice
    3. Dry Beans (many varieties)
    4, Grains (other than wheat berries)
    5. #10 cans of FD/DH w/ high nutrient value: Spinach, bananas (many other kinds of #10 cans but we have more of those 2 foods than anything else.)

      1. Lots of stores carry whole grains, but in small quantities. Wheat is the one item the LDS storehouses are still carrying in bulk (50# bags last time I checked). You can get rice and beans there but it’s all in cans. If you want spelt or whole grain oats etc you may want to try feed stores.

        I found that Winco in our area carries some in their bulk section, and surprisingly Bosch had a section of whole grains in the back of the store.

      2. I have found good quality well packed long term storage products- Augason Farms on the Walmart website.
        Over $50 is free shipping which is great b/c those buckets are heavy.
        They also have sales now and then.
        Augason Farms on the Walmart site has lots of freeze dried foods in 10# cans and buckets. Also buckets (5 gallon) rice, wheat berries, oats(meal), corn products, and more.
        We’ve been very pleased with Augason Farms.
        The Walmart online beats Amazon Augason Farms prices from what I’ve seen.

        Costco online has emergency preparedness food products too.

        Best Blessings to you Mrs. USMCBG :)

        1. @ Shepherdess

          Agreed on the Wally World and Augason Farms. I have one or two cans from them, and shipped to anywhere.

          NRP

  12. 1. White Rice
    2. Flour
    3. Oatmeal
    4. Dehydrated Potatoes
    5. Honey
    6. Coffee

    Had to list the coffee as we have just as much of coffee as we have honey. Can’t live without either.

    1. Peanut Gallery

      Coffee might not be high in calories(lol), but still is a prepping food group all unto itself.

      1. @ Antique Collector,

        I agree coffee is a must. If you will have people on guard duty, this will be needed to keep people from nodding off. Also good for the frame of mind.

  13. Wheat
    Beans
    Sugar
    Pasta
    Rice

    If you include canned and bottled as a category rather than single items it’s right up there with wheat.

    Other than the wheat (which we use for bread, but not regularly) and the sugar these are the base of our diet. The rest of the food storage is centered around those three primary items. We also have a lot of dried and freeze-dried stuff, ditto. Canned and bottled, ditto. If the numbers are by percentages of use rather than quantity (i.e., how much do we have in comparison to how much we would need), probably salt, sugar, pasta, rice, beans. And yes, the sugar is high on the list but we need it for canning.

    1. Yes, my intent is to include ‘anything’ that you may have in your food storage, and what is it (them) that comprise the most… (‘most’ meaning your own estimation of quantity/weight/calories).

      So, for example if you had 30 cans of canned food and 30 buckets of rice, I would say that you have way more rice than canned foods (hopefully that helps to explain what I meant by ‘most’).

      1. Yeah, I got that. I just decided to mix it up and provide another possible measurement.

      2. Enough spam and rice to have spam musubi breakfast lunch and dinner for a year!

        1. You bet! Nothing like wandering down into the coop and grabbing some fresh eggs, scrambling them up after frying some thinly sliced spam and eating it with a steaming mound of rice!

    1. I’ve been getting Nescafe freeze dried coffee from Costco. Pretty decent, did an experiment and just left an already opened bottle in my pantry, at 3 years it still tastes decent. I’m guessing an opened and used in a reasonable time frame after opening it will keep most of its flavor, and its not bad.

      1. Even after instant coffee gets hard, it holds flavor. Can be broken off in smaller pcs. and made into concentrate..but then it needs to be refrigerated.

        1. Just Sayin’

          Instant coffee gets hard? Never seen it.

          Do you mean after you open a jar, and maybe some moisture gets in?

        2. Yep, high humidity and dim one left top loose for a while… still was still able to use. If closed tightly does well, opened for more than 7 years…beyond that?

  14. Jasmine rice
    Pasta (penne, spaghetti, noodles)
    Soups (canned and instant, different varieties and brands)
    Canned ratatouille (which I mix with couscous to make tabbouleh)
    Canned sausages
    Coffee (instant, espresso, beans)

  15. Dried Beans and Rice
    variety of canned fruits, veggies, tomatoes
    variety of FD fruits and veggies
    Honey
    Coffee, Tea
    oatmeal

    1. Where can you purchase dried beans at a retail store? I’m here in SoCal
      I have been buying canned beans but would like to add dry beans.

      1. JF

        Look up Cash & Carry or referred to as United Grocers. Look at their website for what they carry in the store, price check it against the local grocery stores/Costco/Walmart.

        I can tell you the Cash & Carry has beans in the 25 & 50 lb bags and variety depends on what you are look for. They only take cash or credit cards…NO debit cards are accepted.

        I have purchased their bulk beef & cut it up myself. Currently I receive their sales flier via email for the every other week specials.

      2. Can actually get them on Amazon sometimes. I got 4/20# bags of white beans with free shipping with prime, did all my wheat like that too.

      3. JF,
        Give Smart N Final stores a try, also Costco has them as well.

      4. Walmart has dried anything, all the grocery stores in city I live in also has dried anything.
        hope this helps

      5. JF,
        On the beans, about 25 lbs will fit into a 5 gallon bucket. If you don’t have any, bulk bags will get you a supply quickly. I try to get several kinds to put in one bucket. Dry beans come in many types, and having a variety can help break up food fatigue. I have some 2- 2 and half, gal.buckets.They hold about 16#. I like to pack some seasonings and things necessary for cooking them in the bucket with the beans…baking soda, salt, onion and garlic powder.I put each item in origional container in ziplock with air expressed.near the top.and put loose beans around all of it and shake to settle.
        If your family has a single favorite, get them in big bags, but don’t neglect the ones that are not as easy to find, or more expensive than the plain ole’ but standby pinto…. like cranberry beans, mayocoba peruvian beans, lentils, yellow peas,butterbeans, red beans, navy, black turtle…and more.
        Keep in mind that as you store these, those that are stored after being frozen, with bay leaves..(and no oxygen absorbers)can be used for seed, some will produce half runner beans that an be eaten green as string beans, and mature for the bean(pinto)

  16. For the DH:
    Lentils
    variety of beans
    rice/pasta
    fruit/prods – home canned
    meaty soup base – home canned

    For Me:
    meat -home canned
    veggies – home canned, dehyrated, freeze dried
    what I need for special cooking

    Then: salt, spices, vinegars, canning additives/ingredients

  17. White Rice 100#, red beans 100#, red wheat berries 50#, instant potatoes in vacuum sealed servings for (4), 3/5gal, sugar, salt, pasta in (2) 5 gal buckets w/mylar bags, canned meats and vacuum sealed tuna, cases of canned red pasta sauce. 75% of total well hidden.

    A pallet waist high of canning jars and canning supplies and canning utensils.

  18. Well, since I was unemployed for so long, I have to restart my pantry. Having gone thru these times, it gave us a unique outlook on what to eat when you really don’t even have a quarter in your pocket.

    So, with that said, I will absolutely not have any fat free, cholesterol free and anything else which says “free” in the food. High caloric and nutrient dense foods are a must. Calculations are for the three of us plus additions to come (significant others of the kids and perhaps their own kids).

    Here it goes:

    1. Canned butter, calculated at one can of unsalted butter per week-enough for ten years at least.
    2. Sugar, white, fine granulated
    3. Sugar, raw
    4. Wheat berries and something called in German “gries”, then some Dinkel
    5. Ancient grains
    6. Salt about 200 pounds of sea salt
    7. Honey
    8. Dehydrated eggs (I like Ovaeasy)
    9. Full fat whole powdered milk (not non-fat, need that fat even for the future little ones)
    10.Baking powder/baking soda
    11.Rice, white, two types – Arborio and regular like the Uncle B’s
    12. Ajvar (yes, that is a must)
    13. Lutenica (Balkan hotsauce/chutney anyone) :)
    14. Slatko (fruit preserved sweet, but it is not jam)
    15. Canned Cheese (Bega brand comes to mind-but will also have real feta cheese)
    16. Canned liverwurst, bratwurst (yep)
    17. Gulash (I will probably have a 2 kilo jar of it for every other week)
    18. Canned meat meals (Some of the brands are Maggi, Knorr, Sonnen Basermann, Escofier etc-they come in single serve size of about 350 grams or the kilo size)
    19. Marmalades
    20. Ketchup, homemade
    21. Mustard, vinegar, spices. About vinegar, yes apple cider but also regular white one.
    22. Wine, sweet and dry
    23. Booze, lots of rakija
    24. Yeast for breadmaking and beer and wine
    25. Coffee ( I have to have this otherwise my natural low blood pressure will bottom out to the Mariana trench )
    26. Tea
    27. Fruit syrups, homemade, to be diluted with water for drinking
    28. of course, smoked, air cured, dry meats like homemade sausages and hams, venison, boar, beef, pork, trout, sardines, pheasants.
    29. Chocolate ( for everyone who can’t get their happy pills )
    30. Cocoa powder
    And least but not last-seeds for everything, fruits and veggies, triple sealed in mylar, lots of seeds to factor in bad crop years and enough to produce for 50 to a 100 people.

    That my friends will be my shopping list…the fact that I am starting to work, I will not have time to do much of the food prepping, so, it will be purchased COTS or delegated to the family at home to make it.
    I am sure I have more to add, but this will be the bulk. Calcs are for 10 years worth of supplies.

    1. Hi Texas-

      Great list!
      Question- what is the shelf life on canned butter? Where did you get it?
      If it could last for 10 years, that would solve the problem we have with bottled oils going bad after only 18 months or so…

      1. Hi Cat6,

        I have used ghee before and love it, it does not have to be stored in the fridge once opened, I still did just because it can get here at triple digits.
        As for the canned butter, it’s Red Feather. My daughter has a friend in the outbacks and that is all they can use in the Australian desert. From what I have been told, it can last 3-5 years in very warm conditions, in a cellar more then ten years.

        I will be starting my house to be built and will have a basement and a cellar but about ten feet below ground with about 55 degrees steady temperatures. I put my faith into the canned butter to last that long.

        If you ask why purchase and not make it myself, it is the consistent industrial preparation, the sterile environment and it is a trade-off for me. I have used this brand before and was very very pleased.

        1. I use almost as much ghee as I do butter. Great flavor and many people that have a problem with dairy do just fine with ghee.

        2. Ditto here, lactose in not a good thing for me…the one thing though is that I very much like the ones made here at home in the US. I tried the others and it was too much perceptible of the nutty flavor.

      2. Forgot about the red feather one, Safecastle dot com has the best price for the case.
        Sorry Ken, did not mean to advertise on your site :)

  19. My top items would be:

    1)Wheat berries
    2)Rice
    3)Rolled Oats
    4)Dehydrated Potatoes (shreds, slices and diced)
    5)Cornmeal
    6)Dehydrated mixed veggies
    7)Dry milk

  20. Here at college, ramen and canned corn. Back at home, rice far surpasses the rest.

  21. After going through a similar effort a few weeks ago, I came up with the majority of items listed here, but probably not in near the same quantities of a lot of responses, yet. What I did do was ask myself what items won’t be available or those things I cannot produce after your buddy and mine, el POTUS, puts the screws to the country before he bails out. A few of the items on my list:

    -Sugar – Too much of a pain to make ‘at home’. Beet sugar is very labor intensive.

    – Molasses – Not enough Maple trees here.

    -Chocolate – doesn’t grow here very well. Closest place is Mexico and Colombia. Might find a cartel that has a little to spare. For a price.

    -Cinnamon – Basically, Asia.

    -Coffee – Central America, South America.

    -Salt – I am too far inland to make my own.

    -Tea – Well, there is Dandelion tea, but I likes ‘real’ tea.

    So, my ‘most acquired’ list lately is starting to top out with these items. My DW is thinking I have made a long journey on a short pier. But, without any of the above guess who goes bezerk?

    Maybe this subject could be in a later article: What things WON’T be around after TSHTF. Or, what will it take to make these things? What will you do when the chocolate is gone?

    1. “What will you do when the chocolate is gone?”

      Would life be worth living? :)

      1. grandee
        I would go to my sisters house & share her stock of chocolate..rolwl

  22. Longer term stuff, pretty much what others have posted. I do have a lot of spices and other seasonings. Some are from job lots style sales, others are higher end. Giant vat of turmeric, anyone?

    1. @ awka

      Eight Pounds of Turmeric in Mylar bags…. :-)
      Gata take care of those knees

      NRP

      1. Applause! Yup. And lots of peppercorns, in case the combination really does help. Tastes great, any rate. :)

      2. You aren’t kidding about the knees~

        I do a bunch of healthy stuff each day for which I am so thankful…
        Anyway, did not do my “golden milk” recipe in the morning for about 5 or 6 days and my knee flared up again…

        Took it this morning and knee is GOOD!

        Yep, got the mylar bags of organic turmeric powder here too. Check it out on Amazon.

        Look up golden milk recipe online you can use any milk substitute (I use rice milk.) Actually homemade rice milk is an easy drink to know how to make too-
        I do my own version of it.

        Warm up rice milk 8 oz.
        add in scant 1/4 tsp turmeric
        1/4 tsp ginger
        1/4 sugar

        Stir and drink while nicely warm.

        The three things that aid in the goodies from turmeric to be absorbed in the body are:
        heat
        fat (or if you eat a meal with fat)
        black pepper (the peperine from peppercorn)

        Healthy Blessings to all :)

        1. Oops! that is 1/4 tsp sugar, just add to suit your taste.
          It is amazing how the turmeric ginger and sugar balance so nicely.
          Some folks rather put in raw honey.

          Blessings to you grandee! :)

  23. Purely in terms of quantity, we always have 2+ years of peanut butter. Kid friendly, can be eaten without heating, fat, protein, and easily rotated here. Also plenty of jam, protein bars, raisins, crackers, and brown bread in a can. After some rotation failures, these are items I’ve learned we will always use before they go truly bad/rancid. And if a crisis was financial, we wouldn’t starve. I do look for quality and vitamins in the preserves, but some if the peanut butter is the cheapest brands. Worst case, the dog loves it. :)

  24. I remember several years ago having friendly umm debates(?) on having something ready made -v- having the ingredients. I like to be able to do a little of both.
    Also prepping for one will be different than for a family and was also part of the debate. Doesn’t always make sense to start from scratch but recently I was looking at cream of mushroom soup. Most of it is just a chemical cocktail and a single can of the organic was about $3.00. Got out the cookbook and refreshed my mind on how easy and cheap it is to make from scratch!

    Most of my pasta is Tinkyada brand GF made from rice.

    1. While I have canned soup as part of my storage I agree with you completely. Making and canning your own is so much healthier there is nothing to talk about. I can different soups of my own with meat, veggies and broth then can add pasta or rice etc. to them when they are opened and heated. It’s cheap and also a way to use up small amounts of leftovers.

    2. I keep a bunch of MRE meals just in case and a bunch of freeze dried Mountain House camping meals too, having options may be a big bonus.

    3. I can’t eat any canned creamed products, but found similar end results can be obtained with basic ingredients for mushroom soup… mushrooms, dehydrated and powdered, and water w/rice flour, or potato starch to thicken. Can use corn starch but it is GMO. There is no waste in cooking for one, when done this way.

      My top 6 bulk foods are rice, wheat, beans, instant potatoes, and about the same amts. of cereals(cooked and dry) and Pastas.

  25. One thing I keep meaning to buy, but forget, is a pile of hard candies. We don’t normally eat them, but peppermint rounds, butterscotch discs, etc would be cheap and easy to stash in a sealed pail.

    1. Yep and vitamin C lollipops like Yummy Organics have two year best by dates -store in original bag you can reseal it, cool, dark, dry (lollipops get gummy in humid conditions)

      Good for kids and for those who are a kid at heart, a little treat, a little happiness

      :)

      1. O funny….my comment about lollipops is under the title what do you store the most as if… sure! We have 50- 5 gallon buckets of lollipops!

        I guess that would come in handy if we ever faced the lolli-pop-calypse.

        I’m done….really ;)

        1. The lolli-pop-calypse is funny!

          We keep some on hand, but have not cornered the market as you have :)

        2. @ Shepherdess

          And you give me a hard time about TP? And here you sit with 100 pails of lollipops?????

          Ohhhhh K… HAHAHA

          NRP

        3. Shepherdess

          Here I thought I was the only one with lolli pops put away :-}.

  26. wheat,
    Rice,
    Beans/Lentils/Split peas
    Maple syrup (Tap our own Prairie maples)
    Powdered milk
    2 freezers of veg. & fruit
    Jam
    Pickles
    Canned veg & fruit
    Coffee/tea

  27. I keep a record of all my food. However, rather than think of quantities, I work on daily meal plans. Most of it is freeze dried.

    Breakfast: oatmeal with fruit or omelette, and bread
    Lunch: soup or stew. This is easy to prepare and anyone can do it at their own time.
    Dinner: meat, potatoes, rice, or macaroni, and vegetables

    These foods are the main thrust of my deep pantry. Extras are added when there is a sale or I want to try something new.

  28. Mostly rice and beans but we decided years ago to maintain a variety of food not only to eat but to trade and barter if needed. We have whole rice, beans of different kinds, MREs, pressure cooked and canned food, dehydrated food, frozen veggies, of course, and we try to keep 50 to 75 pounds of frozen meat in storage with a re-cycling plan. We have also purchased freeze-dried foods from different vendors over the years.

  29. Rice
    Wheat berries
    Home can/ store bought soups
    Home can store bought veggies, salsas
    Home canned meats
    Dry milk
    Baking supplies
    Dried beans

    1. Blackjack, I totally agree with you on tmi and opsec….but my shopping will happen across the pond sourced from all the family…very little store bought stuff :)

    2. blackjack22
      What I listed is in my 4ft by 5ft pantry..that is all. If someone one wishes D special food they are in for a really BIG surprise. It is baby food, as he has a peg tube for food consumption.

    3. Blackjack22

      As far as opsec goes you can look at it 2 ways, either you are safe on the site or you are not. If you’re not then what you say doesn’t really matter as you are already being watched. If you are, then it doesn’t matter either as you are not being watched. Either way talking about having some food stored is not a matter of national security. Now I would agree talking out of school in a public place where people know you would be a different story.

  30. As a newbie I would like to thank y’all for this list!

    It helps seeing what experienced preppers think of as important! I have mre’s, rice and dried beans to start. Started stocking water too.

    I see wheat berries listed a lot; are those used to make flour, or to grow wheat? I guess I could Google it, but everyone here has been so kind I don’t mind showing my ignorance.

    1. Tex N
      This answer will pop under the Saturday “what did you do to prep” column so that is does not get us in trouble with the big guy. Check the discussion form to find the answer.

    2. Tex N
      You can use the wheat berries either way and can also eat them like rice etc. Use the search engine on the site you will learn probably more than you want about wheat berries LOL

      1. Poorman,

        One of my favorite deserts is spelt, cooked, drained, in a bowl with some cold milk and forest honey…..yum….a bit of Christmas spices works wonders too.

    3. @Tex N,

      Wheat berries can be milled (ground) to make wheat flour for breads, etc… Wheat berries will store for decades while flour (after it’s milled) will not last that long. So this is why wheat berries are popular long term storage… but you have to be able to mill it yourself (electric or hand mill) and know how to make bread from scratch (it’s easy).

      Related: Choosing a Hand Grain Mill (and reference to an electric mill)

      1. Thank you all so much for your answers!
        I have a LOT to learn!

        Once again Thanks!

  31. Our home grown fruit, juice, meat and veggies canned in glass canning jars.

  32. Top of my list would have to be #10 cans of freeze dried followed by mylar pack complete freeze dried meals. Then rice, beans, wheat berries, white and red, flour, salt, sugar, canned goods, and a couple freezers full of meat most of which is wild game. I am actually trying to add to the wild game right now as I am sitting in a blind along a river with my crossbow hoping to add another deer.

  33. Our food storage looks like this.

    beans (many varieties)
    white rice
    wheat berries
    home canned fruit,veggies and meat
    store canned veggies and meat (salmon, tuna,sardines,corned beef and the magic mystery meat (spam)

    also coffee and pasta

  34. Hmmm top 5 would be in order:

    Rice
    Beans
    Wheat Berries (about the same amount as beans)
    Pasta
    Oats.
    After that would be freeze dried, canned, spices, salt, sugar and home canned meat. Most of the freeze dried is veggies and meat to add to and spice up the beans and rice. Add a hand full of dried meat and another of some different veggies and you just changed rice from a side to a main dish.

  35. 12 buckets of rice
    12 buckets of wheat
    8 buckets mixed beans and lentils
    Enough freeze dried for 2 people for 2 years.

    Regular stuff for almost a year.

  36. Stock up enough Vodka, and you can bargain for ANYTHING you need!

    Rum, Whiskey, Bourbon, etc., etc.

    Liquor is the best bargaining chip you can have.

    1. I seriously hope you also have lots of bullets, because once it becomes known that you have alcohol every addict will descend with the intent to get it.

  37. In order, by weight:
    Rice
    Lentils
    Soft Wheat
    Coffee
    Dry Milk
    Lots of other stuff, canned fish, sugar, canola and olive oil, . . . .
    Most of the wheat is sprouted with lentils before cooking. I have a hand mill and also grow it.

  38. Canned soups and canned goods.
    Rice and Beans.
    Ketchup and grape jelly!
    Off topic (sorry) but really important — search on “veritas bird-dogging” for an undercover investigation into DNC dirty tricks. Caution adult language.

  39. A zillion cans of Goya black beans with the pop off top. No can opener needed. I could live on them !

  40. Easy for me to tell, since I’m just getting started :)

    1. Dried beans
    2. Canned seafoods – tuna, salmon, clams
    3. Pasta, various shapes

    Milled flour probably next; I know it doesn’t hold up like wheat berries, but I bake bread 3-4 times a week, so I stock up on flours whenever I can get a good deal.

  41. Rice #1 answer
    Beans # 2 answer dried and canned
    Pasta
    Sugar
    Salt
    Honey
    Spam & other canned meat
    Coffee/tea

  42. Rice
    Beans- many varieties, dry and canned
    SALT up the wazooo, some for barter, in Mylar bags in five gal buckets
    PEPPER up the wazoo as well, see above, remember parents talking about Depression and WWII when pepper was not available
    Wheat
    Flour
    Cooking oil, not canola, will go rancid after 12-18 months no matter the temp
    Brownie mix
    Dried eggs
    Butter powder
    Milk, shelf stable as well as powdered
    Mini-Hershey bars for barter-not a chocolate fan

    1. Oh, and IF using individual salt/pepper packets long term, DO NOT STORE THEM TOGETHER!

  43. Wow, late to this.
    Beans, variety . 400 dried, 50 can, 30 canned
    Rice, 200 pounds. Variety white.
    Powdered Milk 100 lbs
    Powdered butter 50 lbs
    Meat
    F/d 150
    Frozen 100
    Jerky 20 lbs
    Canned 20 quarts
    Next would be vegetables.
    F/d I would have to go thru and count.
    Canned 100 quarts
    Can 50
    The list is quite long. But that’s the top 5
    We are getting ready to rotate and cull some out.
    And top off. We try to keep the pantry thinned out.
    Using the old

  44. Top 5
    1. FD veggies
    2. Beans
    3. Noodles
    4. Meats, FD and canned
    5. Dairy products FD

    How much, about a years worth, 1000 calories a day I once figured, but it does not include the other food like sugar, rice, fruit in storage. If I ate 1000 calories a day I would gain weight, my metabolism is very slow and normally eat 800 a day.

    Does an 80 acre and a 50 acres lake stocked with fish include food storage? They are there, just have to get them further away from my door.

    1. Stardust
      The fish in the lake are calories to be counted in my book. They are in their own fresh water storage, can not get any better than that..beside listed below.
      (Filleted, flour/cornmeal dipped, deep fried with coleslaw & corn bread)

  45. I’m so jelous of all of yours pantries … I live in a small NYC apartment and don’t have space to do any of this ;( … I can probably survive with my family of 4 for a month with what I have in my place but there is no way I can squeze any more since I already have food in living room, kids rooms, under bed and wherever else I can fit some more… I’m dreaming about some buckets of grains but there is no way to store them here… that being said, most of my food storage is rice,beans, flour, instant yeast, pasta, barley, millet, oil, sugar & salt, peanut butter, dry milk and canned lunchmeat and veggies… My goal is to have enough so in case of the short term emergency like a hurricane or snowstorm I don’t have to drag the kids to the supermarket and fight with some lady over the last gallon of milk from the fridge…

    1. @ Joanna

      I have to say, you have a months of food stored, that’s a He11-of-a good place to be, please remember that FEMA recommends 3 days, and 95% “may” have that or less. So to be honest, you’re doing very well.

      NRP

  46. How can I subscribe to your magazine? I’m on PD and I need to be prepared but have no idea where to start.

    1. @ Melissa Thompson

      You have already started, keep reading this Blog and learn as you go. 99% of have done the same thing over the years.

      Ken has a fantastic array of info here, use the search engine he has to find more info on where to get started and how to precede.

      NRP

      PS; don’t think Ken has a magazine…

  47. #1 – Varity of Beans both canned and dried
    #2 – Varity of rice (mostly white) we eat more brown rice so usually always have about our typical 6 month supply of brown rice as well
    #3 – Varity of pasta
    #4 – Home canned fruits, sauces and Jam (not really one specific thing but we have a ton of it, Apples, plums, berries, peaches all canned a varity of ways)
    #5 – Probably an equal mix of everything else

    Things we don’t have or don’t have nearly enough of are: Honey, sugar, salt, oils (coconut oil) and the such…

  48. 1.Pinto Beans: 800 lbs
    2. Rice: 500 lbs
    3. Sugar and Salt: 200 lbs
    4. Augason Lunch & Dinner and Breakfast Pails: 35 pails
    5. Spices, Teas, Coffee, Dried Milk, misc stuff: 20 buckets

  49. Dent corn for cornmeal, pasta and sauce, and instant mashed potato in addition to many of the items listed above. Split peas and some DAK canned ham to add to the split pea soup, and fry up to eat with ova-easy eggs. #10 cans of pancake mix and lots of syrup. Many cans of sardines! Pilot crackers in a #10 can.

  50. Just been doing this for about 4 months so have purchased as much as I can for awhile. Ideas for some of the people above; I purchased a sun oven as I read that it can fry, boil, bake and even has some dehydrator shelves. Just got it. Also small pocket stove. How about water enhancer.Crystal Light, Mio, etc.?
    I read that coconut oil doesn’t turn rancid as quickly.
    Pasta, diced tomatoes,spaghetti sauce
    variety of beans canned & otherwise
    canned chicken & tuna from Costco..does anyone know of any good canned beef?
    a few large freeze dried cans of beef (expensive for me)
    canned fruit & vegetables, some freeze dried
    rice, oatmeal
    cans of Stagg chili,a variety
    freeze dried/powdered milk, eggs, butter, cheese
    small cans of gravy, some broth, bullion.
    Large jars of many spices

    1. Hi NP,

      My Costco does not carry Kirkland canned beef, but I’ve heard it’s not bad if your Costco carries it. I do buy Hereford brand when on sale at the market (I recently caught a sale for $3 a can when it is usually about $6 in my area). I’ve also ordered canned meats from Werling’s and been happy with everything except the turkey, which I did not like at all.

      My canned foods list looks a lot like yours. I am stocking a wide variety of canned goods as well, including Hormel Roast Beef Hash because it has a lot of calories per serving. I also stock B&M canned brown bread… not great but I may not be able to bake in an emergency, so it gives me a pre-made option.

  51. Dry Beans then rice.
    Computer crashed other day
    that’s why I haven’t been on here
    If anyone noticed

      1. Am overwhelmed with the packing for my move.
        freaked out when computer crashed, & I’m no computer geek,
        so called Hewlett Packer for help, they said it would cost me $100.00
        I told him I couldn’t afford that.
        so next day I found something on computer to restore it back to a certain
        day & that helped for now.
        Had to go buy some bubble wrap for my breakables.
        didn’t realize how expensive that stuff was.
        Am able to get free boxes from grocery store & walmart.
        I was excited when I found paper with phone & address with company that
        buys furniture.
        working on selling most of my furniture.
        did go to walmart today & bought more potted meat, & canned chicken, sugar,
        toilet paper, toothpaste, & canned drinks.
        Need to wait until get more $$ to buy more supplies.
        food has dwindled since been eating my preps–due to no job/income coming
        in now & garden veggies slowly stopped producing.

        1. Sandismom,

          Just to let you know I am praying for you
          that you know the Peace in the midst of your days right now
          Asking the Good Shepherd to give you
          Peace, Strength, and Provision for each need
          Helpers both seen and unseen
          that you know times of rest and calm
          in the midst of everything
          Jesus bless you dear one….

          ((((hugs of encouragement for you))) :)

          Shepherdess

        2. Thank you for your prayers. very deeply appreciated.
          I try to read devotionals every day and started back reading my Bible
          everyday too. Peace is very much needed & also a clear mind.
          I’ve been getting confused a lot on how to do this move.
          I’ve been praying for God’s Wisdom & Guidance also.

        3. Sandismom,
          Skip spending on bubble wrap. Use newspaper and your tablecloths/napkins/linens. No need to spend on something you’ll pitch later!
          If you have stores nearby, check their recycling dumpsters for clean boxes and packing materials. Liquor stores have nice small boxes with the partitions for bottles…useful for all kinds of things.

          Good luck with your move! Might hold off on stocking up on canned stuff before the move…it’s HEAVY! Unless things are much more expensive where you’re going…I put one layer of cans on the bottom of a box, then filled rest of box with light stuff to keep weight down.

          You could also buy online and have them shipped to new place…someone else gets to lift it! (spoken by someone who moved 2 weeks ago…took 4 men + 6 peeps 8 hours to move all my caca 4 streets over)

          dude

        4. thanks.
          just got back on computer. been having problems w it.
          did buy small roll of bubble wrap before seeing your reply.
          I was able to get small boxes from walmart & grocery store.
          Didn’t think of using towels for wrapping the breakables.
          Haven’t closed with realty on home yet. Hoping that what I get from
          this home will cover the one I’m going to buy.
          That’s my game plan to use money from sell of my home& items in it
          to pay total on my new home.

          Question: How do you find discussions on here from month back on subjects
          you chatted about???

        5. @ sandismon

          Best way to find a very old Discussion is to do a “search” on the subject, I know of no wat to find a specific “discussion or post”.

          NRP

  52. Mostly canned goods
    Pasta
    White rice
    Beans
    Sugar
    Definitely Coffee and I have 2 percolators and a tea pot.
    Thank you everyone. I have a great list to work on now. Had a better food store but we went through 2 hard times in 2 years or actually never recovered from the first one. I’m getting it back up in the last year but hope to really start amping up.

  53. Mostly rice, beans and pasta in addition to healthy supply of canned goods and Toilet Paper (here’s to you NRP!)

    The rice and pasta are primarily belly fillers with the beans providing lots of good partial proteins and fiber in addition to other nutrients. I mix my beans and rice in soups where i add fresh kale and other greens I dislike eating by themselves. (seasoned with chicken broth and spicy sausage.)

  54. Not sure I saw canned bacon on here – I have bought it from Lehmans. Can’t live without bacon!

    1. @ LoveLoons

      I agree on the Bacon part, life is worthless without a pound of bacon beside 2 eggs over easy

      BUT, @ $19 a can Lehman’s is very expensive, I can my own from Safeway, Bacon is about $3.50 a pound, a Pint Jar is around $0.70 and some time….

      NRP

      1. But the can has 54 slices – that’s quite a lot. (Besides I wouldn’t trust myself to can meat.)

        1. @ LoveLoons

          Canning meats is just as easy as canning anything else, it just takes longer to Pressure Can, usually 75 minutes for Pints and 90 minutes for Quarts at 15 pounds at my altitude.

          In a pint jar I get just slightly under a pound each, I believe the Lehman’s is a 9-OZ can @ around $20 per can… But I guess I’m just a cheep old fart… hehehehe

          But I can respect you’re not wanting to can meats; a lot of folks don’t like the idea.

          NRP

  55. we have:
    White wheat, 7 varieties of dried beans, 3 freezers of moose, salmon and chicken, and lots of canned vegetables, relish, pickles and jam.

    We have a garden every year, working on a better way to store our potatoes, carrots and cabbage longer, which can be tough without root cellar here in Alaska. We also have a good amount of Augason Farms emergency food and spices to round out meals so they will be tasty and not too boring after awhile.

    1. @Fishinggirl, That’s nice having 3 freezers of meat! Thanks for commenting on the blog from Alaska. Regarding the potatoes, I’m doing an experiment this winter with some of my own potato harvest regarding shelf life – we shall see… I will report on it later ;)

      If there were not so many rocks, boulders, and Granite here in northern NH, I would dig a root cellar. One day I might try anyway – but might require some dynamite (whoops – that word just flagged the NSA ;) )

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