In this article that I titled “What Is The Best Prepper Food You Absolutely Need – NO JOKE” I aim to give you an insight into what is important to store for when the SHTF!
I will also try to give the reasoning behind this so that you understand why I consider them important.
My Top 10 Choices
1.) White Rice.
2.) Dried Beans.
3.) Nuts – Peanut Butter.
4.) Rolled Oats
5.) Pasta
6.) Pocket Soup
7.) Coffee / Instant Coffee.
8.) Sea vegetables / Powdered Super Greens.
9.) POWDERED MILK
10) PEMICAN
1. White Rice
White rice has a longer shelf life than brown rice or the other “Flavoured Rice” products available in the supermarkets. Brown rice has more natural oil and will not last as long as white rice.
Why is rice at the top of my list? Well, it is the staple diet of millions of people in the east and people have survived on just rice for extended periods.
Remember to soak the rice and then rinse it. Rice contains arsenic in very small quantities so it is best to rinse it to remove as much of it as is possible, and soaking and rinsing do just that.
2. Dried Beans
Now I am not a huge bean eater, although we do eat them quite often, they are an extremely important source of protein that should not be forgotten.
3. Nuts – Peanut Butter
Nuts are another great food for preppers. In general, nuts are good sources of fat, fibre and protein. The great thing is that most of the fat in nuts is monounsaturated fat. They are also a source of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fat. However, they do contain some saturated fat. Nuts also contain a number of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium and vitamin E.
Peanut butter is also a fair substitute and kids love it but beware, it contains sugar as well.
4. Rolled Oats
Oats Are Incredibly Nutritious
Rolled oats have a great nutrient composition that is well-balanced. They are a good source of carbs and fibre, including the powerful fibre beta-glucan. Oats also contain more protein and fat than most other grains
Half a cup of dry oats (78 grams) contains:
- Manganese: 191% of the RDI
- Phosphorus: 41% of the RDI
- Magnesium: 34% of the RDI
- Copper: 24% of the RDI
- Iron: 20% of the RDI
- Zinc: 20% of the RDI
- Folate: 11% of the RDI
- Vitamin B1 (thiamin): 39% of the RDI
- Vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid): 10% of the RDI
- Smaller amounts of calcium, potassium, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin B3 (niacin)
78 grams of oats only contain:
- 51 grams of carbs,
- 13 grams of protein,
- 5 grams of fat and
- 8 grams of fiber,
- but only 303 calories.
This makes oats among the most nutrient-dense foods you can eat.
5. Pasta
Pasta is a great foundation for a healthy, nutritious and tasty meal.
Why? To start6 with, pasta is a great partner for so many other foods, including:
- fibre rich vegetables,
- Protein rich beans,
- heart healthy fish,
- tomato sauce, rich in antioxidants,
- protein packed cheeses, poultry and lean meats.
Carbohydrates like pasta provide glucose, the crucial fuel for your brain and muscles, helping to provide sustained energy.
Because pasta (unlike all those refined and processed varieties), is such a great source of complex carbohydrates that provides you energy at a slow sustained rate, you won’t get those energy spikes, as you do with simple sugars.
6. Pocket Soup
“What the heck is Pocket soup” I hear you ask. Well, it is an old-world way of having “stock” in your pocket, much lick beef cubes. If you are in South Africa you will probably remember the old “OXO Cubes”. Pocket soup is a form of stock that was made in days gone by to take with you on your travels for “instant soup” and to add to your pot.
Pocket soup is dry and takes up less space and will not get as easily damaged as boxes of modern Stock cubes.
If you do not have the inclination or time to make your own pocket soup you can order it or simply use modern stock cubes.
7. Tea/Coffee Beans/ Instant Coffee/Cocoa/Milo
Coffee itself offers no or very nutritional value, that comes from the milk and sugar you add but….boy, what a way to lift your spirits! Oh yes! it lasts soooooo long.
Milo, Does it expire? Most use-by dates are arbitrarily assigned. and IMO if the product is not ‘fresh’, then the Use By date is not significant.
Does it look like Milo? Is it still ‘loose’?
If it is not a rock hard lump… I would use it 🙂
These items are lightweight and the way they tend to lift everyone’s spirits, they are worth hoarding.
8. Sea vegetables / Powdered Super Greens.
Sea What? Yes, it’s seaweed. I was just trying to be “refined”.
7 Surprising Health Benefits of Eating Seaweed
- Contains Iodine and Tyrosine, Which Support Thyroid Function. …
- Good Source of Vitamins and Minerals. …
- Contains a Variety of Protective Antioxidants. …
- Provides Fiber and Polysaccharides That Can Support Your Gut Health. …
- May Help You Lose Weight by Delaying Hunger and Reducing Weight. …
- May Reduce Heart Disease Risk…
- May Help Reduce Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes by Improving Blood Sugar Control…
And Super Greens?
Those most often referring to the benefits of super greens are most often referring to spirulina, chlorella, wheatgrass, and barley grass. If you can, store the seed as well so that you can sprout them when your powdered stock runs out. This will give you a long term supply.
9. POWDERED MILK
Don’t write off this item because of the expiry dates! If you vacuum-pack it or keep it in its original packaging, it can last for 2 to 10 years. Just test it when you open it. It is such a versatile item that you can use in your food;
- bake, make cheese and more.
- Cream (Or Something Like It) Whisk equal parts of powdered milk to cold water, and you’ll end up with something creamier than milk. …
- Instant Hot Chocolate. …
- Whipped Topping. …
- Homemade Yogurt. …
- Curds, or Cottage Cheese, or Ricotta. …
10. PEMICAN
Another one of those ” what the hell is it…” items. It is a tried and test meat product that allows you to store meat for up to 10 years without refrigerating.
It was made but the American Indians to store the buffalo meat that they harvested once a year at the Buffalo hunt. It was later used on ships and by hunters and miners who often lived on pemmican alone for years.
Pemmican is easy to make though it is a bit time-consuming. It is definitely worth the effort to have a supply of meat to be used as is, in stews and soups etc. so it is well worth the effort to learn to make it.
Other suitable foods for hoarding
I never include tinned foods in my lists for a reason, and it is no because they are bad. If you have to travel, they are extremely heavy. This is why I always prep with dried foods. If you are planning to “bug in” I would rather pickle and bottle my own foods and tins would be my last resort, but that is just me.
If you have to bug out eventually, carting the tins and bottles could become a problem. Dried food that has been vacuum packed is my suggestion. I repack and vacuum almost everything. Don’t forget the oxygen tabs.
Here are a few more items for you to consider:
- Wheat (not flour) wheat lasts much longer and you can grind it as you need it
- Dog Biscuits – tried and tested. Make your own but follow the recipe. There are lots on the internet but stick to flour, salt and water. Nothing else.
- Smash – instant potatoe
- Honey – heavy but worth it if you have space. Has natural antibiotic properties
- Molasses – Molasses is a great substitute to have on hand. It’ is sweeter than normal sugar so you’ll need less of it. Molasses can be used in place of honey, brown sugar, and maple syrup. In also provides a number of trace minerals that we need to function.
- Spices like Salt Pepper, garlic salt, mixed spices like chicken spice etc. Don’t overlook these.
- Yeast – this is a have option for making a quick loaf of bread, but long term I would rather take the option of Milk Kefir. This has the benefit of being a natural probiotic and will help with your gut health. Milk Kefir can also be used to make cottage cheese, a type of yoghurt, Sour Dough Starter for baking and lots more.
- Alcohol – not for drinking and it is very difficult to powder this one, but it does have its very important uses.
- Meal replacement shakes. This to me is a must. I consider it so important that I wanted to place it in the top ten list. People have lived on certain shakes for 6 weeks while recovering from stomach operations. They are light come in single meal sachet and bulk packs.
- Tomato paste sashes.
- Twinkies true, they are sugar and fat-packed, but if you’re after a little sweetness in your life, to add to the prepper’s store, Twinkies are the one option that have been proven to outlast a nuclear fallout. In 2012, a science teacher carried out an experiment to see how long they would last. He consumes some Twinkies that were 30 years old and, aside from the Twinkies tasting a little stale, they were completely fine and did him no harm.
Food Storage
Storage is often not taken as seriously as it should be. The method used to pack and store your supplies is so important. It can extend the life of your food or destroy it, so take it seriously.
Here are some tips for storing your food:
1. Use Mylar Bags and Oxygen Absorbers
This is the better way to package most foods for long term storage. It is not the cheapest but you want your food edible when you need it. I suggest that you add oxygen absorbers in each bag and them place them in food-grade BPA-free plastic 5-gallon buckets.
Dried beans, rice, pasta and whole grains could last you 10+ years if you use this method.
Some Exceptions To The Rule: sugar and salt don’t need O2 absorbers. Salt is a preservative and sugar will solidify. They will both last a long time as long as they are sealed and stored properly.
2. Keep Everything in A Cool, Dry, Dark Place
Your attic or a warm sunny room do not make for suitable storage areas. High Summer Temperatures can harm your stash.
Ideally, you should keep your food in a well ventilated, cool room though you may want to think of multiple locations so you never keep all your eggs in one basket. If you have a bug out location you should take some (NOT ALL) of your food there.
3. Medicine in the Bathroom is a NO, NO!
The Humidity could decrease the shelf life so keep it with your food (don’t forget to split it to other locations as well).
4. Avoid Foods in Your Store That Are High In Fat
Fat is that it goes rancid pretty quickly and that could become a problem. rather, stockpile foods that are high in protein and carbs (powdered eggs, dried beans, lentils and honey etc.)
Certain high-fat foods can last up to a year if properly stored. This is more than enough when you rotate your stock every 6 months. Peanut butter and dry dog food are such examples, though you may want to add oxygen absorbers to the latter.
5. Keep Your Storage areas well Ventilated
Reducing moisture is a must to inhibit mould and mildew. If your storage areas have windows, great. If not, you need to install fans and a vent, possibly a dehumidifier if moister is a problem.
6. Store Food In Your Freezer
I recommend putting your packed stores in a freezer for 2 to 3 weeks to eliminate some unwanted guests. Make sure that they have been vacuum packed first. If you do it later, you simply invite the guests back in.
7. Keep Pests Out
Moths can also be a problem, particularly since they’re more discrete so they can easily go unnoticed. If you see webbing around your food or even on the walls of your basement or pantry, you know you’ve got a problem.
8. Rotate Your Stockpile
I already mentioned this but rotating your food is one of the best ways to “extend” the life of your stockpile. It does not make food last longer, it just ensures that you have fresh supplies in your stockpile. The most effective would be to do it every 6 months.
You can do this by incorporating your survival food into your day-to-day meals. It’s a great way to find out what you like and what you don’t and you can rotate your food out of your grocery budget as you use them on a monthly basis. You and your family already eat some of these things like beans, rice, honey, canned food and peanut butter on a regular basis. Just ensure you use the FIFO system of First In, First Out
10. Use a Desiccant When Storing Seeds
Desiccants remove the moisture from the containers in which they are placed. Add one to each jar where you store seeds for the long term to remove moisture after you seal it.
Silica gel is the most popularly used desiccant. You might also try dry milk, rice wrapped in a paper towel or a layer of powdered charcoal as an alternative. Your seeds should not come into contact with the charcoal, though.
11. Freeze Your Seeds
Pretty much all seeds can be frozen but they need to be dried first. Keeping seeds in the fridge works too, but freezing them is definitely better.
12. Use Mineral Oil to Preserve Eggs
Yes, you can preserve your eggs for up to a year. You can read more about it here but, in short, coating the entire egg with mineral oil (that you can find in any supermarket) will increase shelf life. I don’t subscribe to this as you need to turn your eggs upside down every week.
13. Make Sure Your Water Stockpile Doesn’t Develop Algae or Bacteria
People argue that tap water is already treated with chlorine but what if you’re storing borehole water or rainwater you collected yourself? That’s what chlorine is for.
- Treat water by adding liquid household bleach, such as Clorox or Purex.
- Household bleach is typically between 5.25 percent and 8.25 percent chlorine. Read the label.
- Avoid using bleaches that contain perfumes, dyes and other additives. Be sure to read the label.
- Cloudy water should be filtered before adding bleach.
- Place the water in a clean container. Add the amount of bleach according to the table below.
- Mix thoroughly and let stand for at least 60 minutes before drinking.
Treating water with household bleach containing 5.25-8.25 percent chlorine
The volume of Water to be Treated – Bleach Solution to Add
1 quart/1 litre 5 drops
1/2 gallon/2 quarts/2 litres 10 drops
1 gallon/4 litre 1/4 teaspoon
5 gallons/20 litres 1 teaspoon
10 gallons/40 litres 2 teaspoons
14. Store Raw Ingredients instead of Cooked Foods
This is self-explanatory. Cooked food limits options and does not last, so why go through all the trouble?
Last Thoughts
The last thing anyone would want is to open their supplies when the SHTF only to find that it is not usable. It has cost you a lot of money and it would leave you in a serious predicament.
It is surely more beneficial to spend that bit more or take that extra effort to ensure that your supplies are intact and usable?
I trust that you have found this article useful and if you have any suggestions,
I will also gladly answer any questions that you leave here
“It is better to have prepared and never to need it than to be unprepared and be in desperate need of it”.
Be Aware. Be Safe. Be Prepared!