Food supply 101: Top 12 cheapest foods to stockpile

An emergency stockpile can greatly increase your chance of survival if SHTF. But creating a stockpile can easily drain your grocery budget if you’re not careful.

Luckily, some of the best foods for stockpiling are extremely cheap, so you can buy them in quantities enough to last you several months. Here are some examples of cheap foods to stockpile:

Rice – Rice is a staple food worldwide. It is also a versatile ingredient as it can be paired with various foods or cooked with various ingredients. When stored in an airtight container, rice keeps for six months. Rice is also cheap when bought in bulk.

Pinto beans – Pinto beans can be cooked in bulk and used in soups and salads. Pinto beans are a cheap way to keep bellies full, too, since they are rich in carbohydrates, fiber and protein. Like rice, they will also keep for several months if stored in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry. Buy pinto beans in bulk to save money.

Lentils – Lentils are another legume that should be part of your emergency stockpile. They give you lots of calories, carbohydrates, protein and dietary fiber. Lentils are typically used in soups. But they also make great additions in potato salads, roasted vegetable salads, curries, and other savory dishes.

Oil – Don’t forget to stock up on oil since you’ll need it to cook. Having oil on hand will also give you more variety since you can use it to make marinades, sauces and salad dressings. Choose healthy oils, such as coconut, sesame and olive oils.

Flour – Bread is a staple in various diets worldwide. But bread can quickly go bad and moldy. So instead of buying ready-made bread, stock up on bags of flour. Flour is the single most important baking ingredient. If you have flour, you can make whatever bread or pastry you want.

Cornmeal – Cornmeal is the main ingredient in cornbread, a staple in Native American diets. Cornbread will sustain you in a pinch. You can also use cornmeal to bread fish and chicken. (Related: Have a taste of frontier survival cooking with cornmeal pancakes.)

Chickpeas – Chickpeas or garbanzo beans are a staple in the Mediterranean diet. Like other beans, chickpeas are also high in protein and dietary fiber. Buy chickpeas in bulk and store them in airtight containers for long-term storage.

Pasta – Pasta is a good source of carbohydrates. Pasta also makes a great vehicle for hearty sauces, meat and dehydrated vegetables, among other ingredients. Because pasta is dried, it can keep up to two years past the expiration date printed on the packaging. Opened dry pasta will keep for one year.

Oats – Old-fashioned rolled oats are a pantry staple. You can buy them in large bags and store them in a cool, dry place for long-term storage. Oats are also a versatile ingredient. You can use them to make overnight oats, no-bake granola bars and muffins, to name a few.

Powdered milk – Forget about stocking up on cow’s milk, which will inevitably go bad even when unopened. Stock up on powdered milk instead. You can use powdered milk to make all sorts of ingredients, such as evaporated milk, coffee creamer, yogurt, hot chocolate and cottage cheese.

Meat – Meat can still be part of an emergency stockpile. For long-term storage, you can either cure meat with salt or portion it into airtight containers and place them in the freezer. You can also dry meat to make your own jerky. Check with your local grocery store or butcher for money-saving deals and promos.

Dried foods – Don’t forget to add dried fruits, vegetables and herbs to your emergency stockpile. These foods ensure you still get to eat healthy foods when SHTF. The best part is, you can dehydrate foods yourself. Stalky and starchy foods, such as potatoes, carrots and unripe bananas, are great for dehydrating. Follow this guide to dehydrate your own foods. Learn more about building a stockpile at Preparedness.news.

No, Salt is important, but sugar is more. During starvation times, One can last without salt for a while. Pound of salt goes long way. There are also natural salt sources like salt water. The most important starvation food is water and calorically rich food like sugar!

Where do you find salt in the middle of the country?

Maybe it's not an issue along the coasts, but outside of Syracuse, where there used to be salt water, I don't know where one finds salt supplies.

Then there's the need to go get it and haul it back.

I've lived without sugar in my diet for years now but could not survive without salt.

Other carbs can be broken down into sugar and there's always fruit as a source, and honey and maple syrup, but salt does not grow on trees.

Look up what salt deficiency does to a person and how long you can survive on a salt free diet.

So during societal or supply chain breakdown, just where do you propose to get salt when you measly pound runs out?

Canned goods come with their own juices and moisture, thus require less water, be aware of sodium content (dietary restrictions)

Yup; Don't drain those canned green beans when the shtf. That's where half or more of the nutrients end up, plus water which might be scarce. Alternatively, you could drain the water/juice but use it for another purpose. Same with any other canned item veggies or meats. Low sodium versions of many things are available these days and might be best for canned goods for storage for sthf.

Given the recent rise of inflation, I wish someone would do a cost/benefit nutritional analysis of necessary foodstuffs, given their size.

I've actually thought of doing that just for our regular food budget. Anything you can grow yourself as seeds are cheap. Then if you get heritage seeds, you can save seeds and they become free then. If you can grow kale, there's nothing that beats it in nutrition as far as veggies go.

A green that's real easy to grow is Komatsuna aka Mustard Spinach. In fact I've let some self seed for several years now so it could be considered a perennial as long as you let some of it go to seed. It's also easier to chew than kale.

Along side Kale for a comparison

Komatsuna actually does better on calcium and vitamin A but lacks some things kale has, especially vitamin K. I ran across an article a couple of days ago about getting enough Vitamin C when the shtf and they showed patio sized citrus and other fruit sources. No mention of greens but some greens are all you need. Build a small high tunnel(unheated green house -- hoop house) and you could grow greens year round in some places.

Doing a cost/benefit nutritional analysis would be tricky since some things have plenty of this or that nutrient. I'd say the above greens would win hands down for vitamin C. Eggs might win overall. Beef beats greens and eggs for iron.

The bean & rice combo plus some home grown greens is cheap and something you could just about live on and the former two store well. There is such a thing as appetite fatigue. Eat the same thing every day for every meal and pretty soon, you'll get burnt out on it. Store what you eat, eat what you store and fifo aka first in first out aka rotate stock.

Salt is cheap and lasts forever, plus it has other uses like preserving/curing, infections. Get enough to fill a 5 gallon bucket, snap a lid on and be done with it. It might get hard as a rock without moisture remover packets but can still be scraped, chipped and mashed up into powder again.

60+ uses for salt, https://permasteader.com/AZ_Granny/stor41.html

Soak stained hankies in salt water before washing.

Sprinkle salt on your shelves to keep ants away.

Soak fish in salt water before descaling; the scales will come off easier.

Put a few grains of rice in your salt shaker for easier pouring.

Add salt to green salads to prevent wilting.

Test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water; fresh eggs sink; bad ones float.

Add a little salt to your boiling water when cooking eggs; a cracked egg will stay in its shell this way.

A tiny pinch of salt with egg whites makes them beat up fluffier.

Soak wrinkled apples in a mildly salted water solution to perk them up.

Rub salt on your pancake griddle and your flapjacks won't stick.

Soak toothbrushes in salt water before you first use them; they will last longer.

Use salt to clean your discolored coffee pot.

Mix salt with turpentine to whiten you bathtub and toilet bowl.

Soak your nuts in salt brine overnight and they will crack out of their shells whole. Just tap the end of the shell with a hammer to break it open easily.

Boil clothespins in salt water before using them and they will last longer.

Clean brass, copper and pewter with paste made of salt and vinegar, thickened with flour

Add a little salt to the water your cut flowers will stand in for a longer life.

Pour a mound of salt on an ink spot on your carpet; let the salt soak up the stain.

Clean your iron by rubbing some salt on the damp cloth on the ironing surface.

Adding a little salt to the water when cooking foods in a double boiler will make the food cook faster.

Use a mixture of salt and lemon juice to clean piano keys.

To fill plaster holes in your walls, use equal parts of salt and starch, with just enough water to make a stiff putty.

Rinse a sore eye with a little salt water.

Mildly salted water makes an effective mouthwash. Use it hot for a sore throat gargle.

Dry salt sprinkled on your toothbrush makes a good tooth polisher.

Use salt for killing weeds in your lawn.

Eliminate excess suds with a sprinkle of salt.

A dash of salt in warm milk makes a more relaxing beverage.

Before using new glasses, soak them in warm salty water for awhile.

A dash of salt enhances the taste of tea.

Salt improves the taste of cooking apples.

Soak your clothes line in salt water to prevent your clothes from freezing to the line; likewise, use salt in your final rinse to prevent the clothes from freezing.

Rub any wicker furniture you may have with salt water to prevent yellowing.

Freshen sponges by soaking them in salt water.

Add raw potatoes to stews and soups that are too salty.

Soak enamel pans in salt water overnight and boil salt water in them next day to remove burned-on stains.

Clean your greens in salt water for easier removal of dirt.

Gelatin sets more quickly when a dash of salt is added.

Fruits put in mildly salted water after peeling will not discolor.

Fabric colors hold fast in salty water wash.

Milk stays fresh longer when a little salt is added.

Use equal parts of salt and soda for brushing your teeth.

Sprinkle salt in your oven before scrubbing clean.

Soaked discolored glass in a salt and vinegar solution to remove stains.

Clean greasy pans with a paper towel and salt.

Salty water boils faster when cooking eggs.

Add a pinch of salt to whipping cream to make it whip more quickly.

Sprinkle salt in milk-scorched pans to remove odour.

A dash of salt improves the taste of coffee.

Boil mismatched hose in salty water and they will come out matched.

Salt and soda will sweeten the odor of your refrigerator.

Cover wine-stained fabric with salt; rinse in cool water later.

Remove offensive odors from stove with salt and cinnamon.

A pinch of salt improves the flavor of cocoa.

To remove grease stains in clothing, mix one part salt to four parts alcohol.

Salt and lemon juice removes mildew.

Sprinkle salt between sidewalk bricks where you don't want grass growing.

Polish your old kerosene lamp with salt for a brighter look.

Remove odors from sink drainpipes with a strong, hot solution of salt water.

If a pie bubbles over in your oven, put a handful of salt on top of the spilled juice. The mess won't smell and will bake into a dry, light crust which will wipe off easily when the oven has cooled.

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