Posted on 06/26/2021 4:45:18 PM PDT by Roman_War_Criminal
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 it doesn’t have to be vaccum packed, but it will last longer that way and taste better.
Things that I just stick in a bag and put in the freezer begin to taste off if they aren’t used right away or get lost at the bottom.
I found some packages of corn that I vacuum packed in 2014(IIRC) and I thought sure they needed to be pitched. However it was a good year for corn - so I decided to test one. It was as good tasting as the year it was grown.
That sold me on vacuum packing anything that I want to last a year or longer.
I just got it at the grocery store.
It was Wegmans, on the bottom shelf.
I never vacuum seal butter. I just freeze it as is.
I found wrapping things in foil also works well. I do it after wrapping it in plastic wrap.
I usually do it with corn on the cob and zucchini bread, which I find works way better when made in a small loaf pan.
To make the loaf less oil sodden, I take the amount of oil and cut it in half, and replace half of it with applesauce. So for a recipe that calls for one cup of oil, I use 1/2 C oil and 1/2 C applesauce (homemade of course).
Oh, and I add mini-morsels to the batter.
Nobody wants the non-mini-morsel zucchini bread any more.
I’ve done various other things too - but I don’t often use tin foil.
I think because I like to take stuff out and put it in the microwave for about 30 sec. before I take it out of the package.
But sounds like a good thing especially for zuke bread.
It almost hermetically seals it. I’m never had freezer burn that way.
I just unwrap it and let it thaw naturally.
Thank you! I looked on my LOCAL site and all they had was by the CASE prices.
Greeneyes: See Post 191.
$31.88 for 12 (B&M canned brown bread) through Amazon Prime w/free deliver.
$2.65/each :)
Of course, a lot of us are shunning Amazon - but as I posted earlier, getting what you need for the very least money should also be a Prepper Goal. ;)
BFL
If you hard boil and pickle eggs, they last a very long time.
“Butter lasts almost indefinitely in the freezer. I hear it’s possible to can it but had never done so myself.”
I didn’t know it lasted long in the freezer. I have a bunch in there that has already expired so I put it in vacuum bags hoping to make it last longer.
I did try canning butter last year! All the little Lids are still firmly planted. I used regular metal Lids instead of tattlers since the way they seal is just by Cooling. The Red Feather canned butter last 10 years so I suppose mine might last five.?
All great ideas, thank you.
“I’m not even Asian but I’m a rice snob.”
It’s amazing how many varieties of rice there are. I started storing some of my favorite ones in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. I figure they should last just as long as the other white rice. Arborio and carnaroli really are my favorite, to make risotto. I think I stored some Jasmine also cuz it smells so good.
What kind of rice do you buy that ends up being sticky, like for Chinese food? I used to find a short grain rice at WinCo that was great, but since we moved I need a new source. But I’m not sure what name to look for.
How do you store your salt? I had put some in a mason jar with an oxygen absorber, as well as did the same thing with sugar. Both turned hard as rock! Of course they would still be useful but you’d have to scrape them out.
I didn’t like that method so I just bought some of those round cardboard boxes I guess they are, and some kosher salt and regular boxes and put them in a plastic bag. Just to keep the critters out. And then stuck them in a box.
So much for those on low carb.
I ‘ve never had problems with the butter I freeze.
Whenever I get some out of the freezer, it thaws out just like it was when I bought it. Looks as fresh as can be.
I would still rotate the stock.
I use old spaghetti sauce jars for salt. If the salt corrodes the lid, it’s not such a loss as a canning jar lid.
I just do sugar in jars.
I never did anything but pour it in and close it up.
I don’t think sugar or salt go bad and the occasional time it’s caked some, it was easy to break up.
Perhaps packaging it on a very dry, low humidity day helps.
Great idea on the reusing the jars. I’m in a quandary with things that will last forever, I know they still need to be protected from bugs and stuff and dirt,.
What’s the longest you have kept butter?
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