15 Shelf Stable Foods To Stock Up On Now

By Sara Tipton

As winter approaches, finishing touches should be made to our winter preps. Many of these food types were covered extensively in The Prepper’s Cookbook, but it’s important to have the basics on hand and ready. To help make sure we have what we may need in the event of a major power outage, snowstorm, or another emergency, store some shelf-stable foods to make sure you have enough to eat.

1. Oils

Cooking is difficult without some fats, so stock up on coconut oil, ghee, or olive oils to cook with. Olive oil can go rancid after two years so make sure you use it up as you purchase more. Coconut oil is very heat stable, and because it’s low to oxidize, it means that it won’t go rancid as quickly as other oils. It can last up to two years as well, and it provides fast energy. You can add some to tea or coffee for a boost of quick nutrition and calories as well.

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2. Canned Vegetables

Store canned vegetables that you actually like. If you hate peas, don’t buy them You won’t eat them and there are other available to purchase. Corn is a great option. Corn is both a grain and a vegetable: the only difference is that as a grain it’s dried before harvesting. Buy organic corn in cans to help ensure it’s not genetically modified as most corn is GMO. 86% of the world’s corn is GMO, so to avoid that, look for organic.

3. Oats and Oatmeal

Oatmeal is a prepper food that’s low in saturated fat, and it’s also a good source of fiber, which is especially important during survival times.  A tip for preparing is to soak the oatmeal overnight so that it takes just 9-12 minutes to boil instead of half an hour.

4. Vinegar

Vinegar is great for canning and cleaning. It’s versatile and will last almost forever!

5 (More) Foods That Last Forever

5. Canned Meats

Canned meat can be tossed into a soup with your canned vegetables, or seasoned and eaten alone. These have a long shelf life and will be a great source of protein.

6. Bread Crumbs/Stuffing

Bread crumbs can be a satisfying addition to soups and casseroles. They also will absorb the seasonings you put in your food.

7. Potato Flakes

If you like mashed potatoes, these will definitely come in handy for your prepper supply! They will last at least a year and aren’t the best when compared to real mashed potatoes, but a decent alternative.

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8. White Rice

This is a virtually flavorless and versatile food that will take any flavoring or seasoning added to it. . White rice is one of those staples that will last almost forever, so stock up.

9. Dried Pasta

This will last a long time and like white rice, can be used with stored tomato sauces or vegetables.

10. Dried Fruit (raisins, etc.)

Just a handful of raisins will provide a full serving of fruit. Raisins have protein, fiber, iron, and Vitamin C.  Raisins are loaded with antioxidants and potassium, too. That makes them a great addition to your prepper pantry.

11. Canned Fruit

Like canned vegetables, canned fruit will be a good addition to your food storage. A can of fruit can be eaten as a dessert or alone as a quick snack.

12. Nut Butters

While these can go rancid fast, they will also last unopened for several years. We stock peanut butter just because the kids like it the best, but sunflower butter and almond butter are also great options, especially if there’s a run on the grocery stores and you cannot get peanut butter.

13. Honey

Honey can be added to coffee or tea but it lasts forever and can add a boost of calories and flavor things like oatmeal.

14. Iodized Salt

We also need salt to preserve food. Salt inhibits the growth of germs in a process of osmosis where the salt pushes the water out of the microbial cells. Best of all, salt lasts forever.

15. Spices

You definitely want to make sure your boring rice and beans have flavor!  Storing dried herbs and spices is a way to do that.  You can buy several in bulk. We like Lowry’s seasoned salt, but store what you like!

We like to store at least enough food to let us through one winter and the following spring before our garden starts producing. Consider your personal situation, though.  In recent years, we have expanded our food storage to accommodate our family for just over a year. If you anticipate having to help elderly relatives or neighbors in the event of an emergency, you may want to store adequate food for that.  The point is to consider your own situation and plan accordingly. All of our situations are different.

This article was originally published at Ready Nutrition™ on October 9th, 2020

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