The Crimson Cross and FEMA now suggest having at the least a 2-week provide of meals and water at residence. They suggest non-perishable meals with lengthy shelf lives.
This long-term meals storage checklist of meals with lengthy shelf lives — most of which might be discovered at your native grocery store — is a wonderful place to get began.
See additionally: Foods which don’t require refrigeration.
Meals Storage Checklist of Lengthy Shelf Life Meals
1. Commercially Canned Meals
Canned meals are the easiest way to go for individuals simply getting began with emergency preparedness. You will get them within the grocery store, they gained’t break like glass jars, and there are numerous choices.
Canned items do have a “use by” date on them. Nevertheless, research have proven that canned meals are good for many years and probably ceaselessly. They may have some nutrient breakdown or get mushy, however they may nonetheless be suitable for eating. Learn more about canned food shelf life here.
Canned meals aren’t good for emergency preparedness, although. They’re often loaded with sodium or sugars. And loads of canned meals style gross. So, attempt to embody different meals in your stockpile as effectively.
2. Sugar, Honey, and Different Sugars
Archaeologists have discovered honey in Egyptian pyramids which can be 3,000 years outdated and nonetheless edible. Likewise, refined sugar can final ceaselessly. It’d turn out to be rock-hard or lumpy however will nonetheless be edible.
Learn:
Right here’s what you’ll be able to count on of shelf life from sugars:
- Maple syrup: About two years in an unopened glass jar.
- Corn syrup: Ceaselessly shelf life, although the colour may change.
- Molasses: Final 10 years in a sealed, unopened jar within the pantry. As soon as opened, it’s going to final 1-5 years within the pantry.
- Powdered sugar: Ceaselessly shelf life
- Stevia: About 4 years
3. Freeze Dried Meals
Freeze drying is when the moisture is faraway from meals whereas leaving the nutrient contents intact. The ensuing meals are scrumptious and crisp. You may eat them as-is or soak them in water to rehydrate.
All kinds of meals might be freeze-dried. These embody meat, cheese, dairy, fruits, veggies, and even total meals.
Nearly all of the “emergency meals” you see offered is freeze-dried. When packaged correctly (that means in an hermetic bundle with oxygen absorbers), freeze-dried meals can final for 25+ years.
Wish to get freeze-dried meals? Learn:
4. Dehydrated Fruits and Veggies
Dehydrating makes use of warmth to take away roughly 75-95% of moisture from meals. With out moisture, the speed of spoilage decreases drastically. Dehydrated fruits can final an extremely very long time as a result of their sugars act as a pure preservative.
With none particular packaging (equivalent to storing dried fruits or veggies in Tupperware), they may possible final 6 months to 1 12 months. When you take the additional step of packaging them in Mylar baggage with oxygen absorbers, dried meals can final 5-15 years. That is how emergency meals manufacturers bundle their dehydrated meals.
For extra, learn the Expert-Level Guide to Dehydrating Every Type of Food
5. Jerky
Jerky can also be made with a dehydrator. Nevertheless, dehydrating at house is trickier as a result of you must get the temperature excessive sufficient to kill any micro organism.
The jerky you purchase within the grocery store can final 1-2 years unopened in your pantry.
With do-it-yourself jerky, the shelf life is far shorter: anyplace from 1 week to 4 months. The variation in shelf life is determined by how a lot fats is within the meat, storage circumstances, and the quantity of moisture remaining within the jerky.
Learn: How to store beef jerky long term
6. Dried Beans
USAID says that dry beans have a shelf lifetime of at the least 1 12 months when saved in a cool, dry place however can final indefinitely. Beans will begin to lose nutritional vitamins at round 2-3 years. However, as long as they keep dry and don’t start to develop mould, they may nonetheless be tremendous to eat.
Simply keep in mind that dry beans take a very long time to prepare dinner. When you plan on consuming them throughout an emergency, be sure to have a method to prepare dinner them.
Learn how to store beans for the long run.
7. Jarred Meals (Commercially-Made)
The meals you purchase in jars within the grocery store is preserved by canning. It’s the identical methodology that preserves meals in cans.
Typically, meals in cans will last more than in jars. The jars usually tend to have points with their seals, breakage, or deterioration from mild. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless count on jarred meals to final at the least 5 years.
Keep in mind that the “Finest By” or “Finest Earlier than” date isn’t a security date. It’s the producer’s estimate of how lengthy the meals will stay at peak high quality.
Listed below are just a few jarred meals to contemplate on your emergency stockpile:
- Jams
- Applesauce
- Pickles
- Peppers
- Pasta sauce
- Child meals
8. House Canned Meals
Canning is a method to protect meals at residence, and it’s fairly easy with a good pressure canner. House-canned meals gained’t final so long as commercially-canned ones, however you’ll be able to nonetheless count on them to final 2-5 years.
9. Pasta
Pasta usually has a “greatest by” date of 1-2 years. It should simply final 2 years previous this date in your pantry with none particular storage. The pasta will final 20 to 30 years in Mylar baggage with oxygen absorbers!
Learn extra about how to store dry pasta.
10. White Rice
White rice can final ceaselessly if saved in a cool, dry place. This isn’t the case with brown rice, although.
In contrast to white rice, brown rice hasn’t had its bran eliminated. The bran is comparatively excessive in oils, which go rancid pretty rapidly. That’s why brown rice will solely last as long as 1 12 months in your pantry.
Learn how to store rice for the long run.
11. Entire Grains
Entire grains nonetheless have their outer shell (hull) intact. This acts as a pure preservative, maintaining out air and light-weight that will trigger degradation. The grains with more durable hulls (onerous grains) will last more than these with gentle hulls (gentle grains).
Like nearly each meals on this lengthy shelf life checklist, it is best to retailer entire grains in Mylar baggage with oxygen absorbers. They are going to nonetheless final a very long time in a sealed container in your pantry, although.
Anticipated shelf life in a cool, dry pantry:
- Wheat: 2 years
- Barley: 2 years
- Kamut: 2 years
- Millet: 2 years
- Rolled oats: 2 years
- Rye: 2 years
- Spelt: 2 years
- Alfalfa: 4 years
- Buckwheat: 2 years
- Quinoa: 3 years – see how to store quinoa long term
Shelf life when saved in Mylar baggage with oxygen absorbers:
- Tender grains (equivalent to barley, quinoa, and rye): 8 years
- Arduous grains (equivalent to wheat and buckwheat): 10 to 12 years
Identical to dry beans, entire grains can take a really very long time to prepare dinner. Bear in mind to plan a way to cook without electricity for utilizing them.
12. Seeds
Seeds are a superb supply of vitamins. They’re loaded with protein, iron, magnesium, wholesome fat, and many nutritional vitamins. They’re additionally one of many meals with the longest shelf life with out you having to do a lot of something.
You may count on most seeds to final 2-5 years in a cool, dry pantry. Keep in mind that temperature issues for seed shelf life as a result of they’ve pure oils that go rancid from warmth. The USDA states, “Every 5.6oC. (10.08oF) drop in temperature doubles the storage lifetime of the seeds”.
13. Nuts
Like seeds, nuts are loaded with vitamins and naturally have an extended shelf life (particularly if they’re saved of their shells).
The distinction is that nuts often have a a lot larger fats content material than seeds. This fats will finally go rancid, particularly in sizzling, humid circumstances. Fattier nuts like pistachios will go unhealthy in a short time.
As a result of nuts are so costly, I wouldn’t attempt to retailer them for years as a part of a long-term meals storage plan. Nevertheless, for those who maintain them cool and bear in mind to rotate them, they’re a terrific emergency meals.
Notes:
- Nuts of their shell will final 25-50% longer than shelled nuts.
- Entire nuts final roughly 50% longer than nut items.
- Some roasted nuts could solely have ¼ of the shelf lifetime of uncooked nuts.
- The shelf life of peanut butter is determined by whether or not it’s “pure” or has preservatives.
See learn how to store nuts long term
Shelf lifetime of nuts in months
In pantry at 50F | In pantry at 68F | |
---|---|---|
Almond, shelled | 8 | 4 |
Almond, in shell | 16 | 6 |
Macadamia, shelled | 12 | 5 |
Peanut, shelled | 9 | 4 |
Peanut, in shell | 9 | 6 |
Pistachio, shelled | 3 | 1 |
14. Powdered Milk
Powdered milk is made by freeze-drying milk. It’s then saved in sealed packaging, which doesn’t enable air or moisture to cross by way of.
When you maintain the powdered milk in its packaging, it’s a ceaselessly shelf-life meals. Even after it has been opened, it’s going to most likely final 2-10 years, as long as you retain it away from humidity and warmth.
Learn learn how to store dried milk for the long run and how to make powdered milk.
15. Salt and Bouillon
Salt is a preservative for meals, so it’s no shock that it lasts ceaselessly. As a substitute of simply stockpiling salt, you may additionally need to stockpile bouillon in your emergency provides. It additionally has a ceaselessly shelf life however has extra taste than salt alone – which might do wonders for spicing up bland emergency meals.
16. On the spot Mashed Potatoes
On the spot mashed potatoes are certainly one of my favourite backpacking meals and are additionally nice for emergency prep. The flakes come sealed in packages, often with 2-4 servings per bundle. This makes them very simple to ration.
I additionally love that prompt potatoes might be made with straight-up water – no heating required. When you don’t have an emergency stove or can’t use it for no matter cause (or it’s raining whereas tenting, and also you don’t really feel like cooking), add water to the flakes and stir.
In sealed packaging, prompt potatoes have a shelf lifetime of 5-15 years (regardless of what the “Use by” date says). As soon as opened, you’ll be able to count on them to final 6-12 months in a cool, dry place.
Learn extra about storing potato flakes long-term.
17. Cocoa and Cacao Powder
Unsweetened cocoa powder can final 6 years previous its expiration date, although it’s going to lose a few of its style over time. Simply don’t eat it if it has a moldy, disagreeable odor.
Learn: How to store cocoa powder long term
Cacao is a less-processed model of cocoa. It gained’t final as lengthy, however you’ll be able to count on a shelf lifetime of 2-3 years if saved in a cool, dry place.
18. Flour
Flour is constructed from ground-up grains. As a result of the hulls have been eliminated or destroyed, flours gained’t final so long as entire grains. Nevertheless, you’ll be able to nonetheless get a really lengthy shelf life.
For white flour in a cool, dry pantry, you’ll be able to count on a shelf life of roughly 1 to 2 years. Entire wheat flour has extra oils, so it’s going to solely final a couple of months.
In a Mylar bag with oxygen absorbers, white and entire wheat flour will final round 10 years.
Learn how to store flour for the long run.
19. Cooking Oils
Most cooking oils will last at least 2 years and possibly lots longer in a cool place.
Warmth is the largest enemy of oils. Some oils – like coconut and olive oil – will go unhealthy in a short time in sizzling temperatures. You’ll discover a nasty odor. For emergency preparedness, it’s higher to stay with sunflower, soy, and canola oils.
20. Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices are usually dehydrated. With out a lot moisture in them, most will final 2-5 years with none particular storage. These are nice to incorporate in your emergency meals storage so as to add taste to dull survival meals.
Learn extra about storing spices long term
21. Crackers
Many grocery store crackers will simply final 6-9 months within the pantry with out particular storage. Some varieties of crackers have even longer shelf lives. For instance, Hardtack biscuits have a ceaselessly shelf life and had been a main meals for sailors over the centuries. Learn how to store crackers long term.
22. Jell-O Combine
In its unopened bundle, Jell-O combine can probably final ceaselessly. When you open the bundle, although, you’ll want to make use of the powder inside 3 months.
23. Vinegar
The acidity in vinegar acts as a pure preservative, giving it a ceaselessly shelf life. You don’t even must refrigerate vinegar to get this lengthy shelf life. Make sure you keep away from vinegar with herbs, as these herbs may finally go unhealthy. Additionally, see does vinegar go bad?
24. Some Condiments
Soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce will final ceaselessly in your pantry. Ketchup additionally has an extended shelf life and can final round 2 years previous the expiration date. So take a stroll down the condiments aisle and have a look at the shelf lives. You’ll discover plenty of good choices on your emergency meals storage.
25. Baking Soda, Powder, and Yeast
There’s not a lot level in stockpiling flour for those who don’t have a method to make issues out of it. So bear in mind to incorporate some baking soda, baking powder, and yeast in your emergency meals stockpile.
These are all long-shelf life meals, even with out particular storage strategies. You’ll additionally need to lookup some recipes for solar ovens for making bread loaves or discover ways to make flatbread in a skillet.
26. On the spot Espresso
Espresso isn’t a meals, however it’s one thing many people wouldn’t need to stay with out. The excellent news is that prompt espresso (made with freeze-drying) has a ceaselessly shelf life.
Learn how to store coffee long-term.
Earlier than You Start Stockpiling these Meals
All of those meals can final a really very long time. Some even have shelf lives of “ceaselessly.” Nevertheless, that doesn’t essentially imply they may final by way of a catastrophe. Nor does it imply you’ll be capable to eat them throughout a catastrophe.
For instance:
- Honey lasts forever. However it is going to be ineffective for those who retailer it in a glass jar that’s smashed throughout a hurricane.
- Pasta can final 5+ years however is ineffective for those who don’t have water and an emergency range for cooking it.
- Dehydrated meals don’t require cooking however can be ineffective if rodents or pests get at them
Making an emergency meals stockpile requires cautious planning. You’ll want to contemplate issues like:
- The place will you retain your emergency meals
- How will you bundle them
- Dietary worth
- Methods to prepare dinner meals with out energy
- Water required for cooking meals
We talk about this stuff in our mini eBook information, How to Build Your 30-Day Emergency Food Supply.