It’s always a good idea to stock up on food that doesn’t go stale for a long time.
If you’re a serious prepper, you should have a stash of non-perishable food so that if disaster strikes and you can’t get food, you won’t have to leave your home.
How long should your food supply last?
You should aim for a two-week supply of food that you have available in your home at all times, for every member of your family.
If you want to stock up on more, it’s even more important to choose the right kind of survival food – basically foods that will remain fresh for years.
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10 Of The Best Long-Lasting Foods
Powdered Milk
You need a boost of calcium and protein, but what if you can’t get fresh milk from your local store?
Stocking up on powdered milk is a good idea because it can last for up to 10 years after it’s reached its best-before date! It’s an amazing food to stash for future emergencies.
The reason for its long lifespan is because powdered milk has had its water removed. To ensure that it remains in excellent condition, you should store it in an airtight container.
Dried Beans
You want the food you stash for emergencies to be filled with nutrients, so make sure you stock up on dried beans.
Research (via Brigham Young University) has found that pinto beans that were 32 years old still had their taste and protein content intact! Dried beans contain a variety of nutrients, such as potassium, iron, and folate.
Hard Grains
Hard grains, such as buckwheat, millet, and spelt, can last for 12 years as long as they’re kept in airtight containers.
They have hard shells that prevent their seeds from releasing oils that can become stale, and this is what makes them have such a long lifespan.
White Rice
Ever noticed how people stock up on white rice during emergencies?
There’s a good reason for that: white rice can last for 30 years! As long as it’s kept in an airtight container that’s placed in a cupboard where the temperature doesn’t rise higher than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it will remain the perfect survival food.
However, make sure you give brown rice a miss as it can only last for about six months. This is as a result of its bran layers’ oils.
Pemmican
Pemmican is a type of meaty snack that’s made with dried meat that’s ground into a powder and then mixed with berries and fat. It’s versatile because it can be consumed raw, fried, or even stewed.
It can remain fresh for many years –five years when kept at room temperature but decades when stored in a cool cellar.
Peanut Butter
If you need a punch of protein and deliciousness, stock up on peanut butter.
It can stay fresh for up to five years because of its fat content that actually prevents oxidation (via Insider).
Canned Fruits, Vegetables, And Soups
All of these should be part of your emergency food stash because they can last for many years. Cans that contain fruits and tomatoes, which are high in acidity, can be kept for a year to a year and a half.
However, low-acid food that’s canned, such as vegetables and meat products, can remain fresh for between two and five years (via USDA).
Dark Chocolate
If you need a sweet treat during a SHTF event, opt for stocking up on dark chocolate because it has the longest lifespan out of all chocolate types.
It can last for up to two years, but you need to ensure you store it at room temperature in its original packaging.
Maple Syrup
If you don’t open the maple syrup bottle, you can keep it forever.
Once it’s opened, it can last for up to a year. Make sure you keep opened bottles in the refrigerator, and keep unopened bottles in the cupboard.
Canned Tuna
An excellent source of fatty acids, tuna can last for up to five years.
Just make sure you keep it in a cupboard. If you have sealed packets of tuna, these can last for up to three years (via Taste Of Home).
How To Buy And Store Your Emergency Food
Once you have stocked up on all the emergency food you need, you need to ensure you store it properly.
We’ve mentioned some storage advice throughout this article, but there other important tips to follow when storing emergency food. Here are also some tips when it comes to purchasing your food.
Buy food slowly over time
It’s better to purchase food in smaller batches as this will be kinder to your budget. It also prevents you from purchasing emergency food that will become stale around the same time.
If you want to buy large batches of food, make sure you focus on foodstuff that will last for decades. You can mix this up with smaller quantities of food that will expire faster, like within a few years.
Organize your stash
Make sure you place goods that expire faster in front of the ones that will last for decades.
This will help you to use the food before it expires.
Store food off the floor
Never store your food on the floor.
This makes it susceptible to being ruined if there’s a flood, and it will cause rodents and insects to get into the food.
Don’t forget about water!
While you’re stocking up on food, make sure you purchase gallons of bottled water.
Don’t just think of the water you need to drink but also what else you need to use the water for, such as for washing clothing and showering.
Related Questions
Should you purchase emergency food kits?
Emergency food kits are powdered food packets which just require water in order to be consumed.
These kits can usually last for decades, so they’re worth purchasing. You can also find ones that contain clean ingredients.
Should you store your food in the freezer?
While it helps to keep some extra food in the freezer, you should never keep too much because if there’s a power failure this will cause your food to spoil really quickly.
Conclusion
You never know when you’ll need food and not be able to get it, which is why you need to ensure you stock up on the best long lasting food.
In this article we’ve provided 10 of the best long lasting foods, along with storage tips to ensure they remain fresh.
