Times are crazy. It’s pretty smart to learn about foods to hoard. Having a stockpile of foods and even non-food items can help in times like these.
With rumors of war, famines, & pestilence many people are starting to worry that we really are in a Biblical end-times scenario. Whether you believe in Jesus or not, you can’t deny that these times sure sound a lot like what’s described in the Bible.
I believe that God is ultimately in control and it helps me to pray “I lay these worries at your feet, Jesus, please wash your peace over me, so I can remember that it is you who is in control”.
Foods To Hoard List
I want to be clear…I don’t support going into a store and buying all the rice, toilet paper, etc…Other people need supplies too. Hoarding food is best done over a long period of time. However, if you aren’t prepared yet and are feeling the stress, I understand and I have some tips!
If you’re just starting out… and don’t have any long-term food storage, I suggest you buy a 50 lb. bag of rice. I buy them at Costco for about $17 and some change. You can also buy quinoa, dry black beans, flour, and sugar from Costco in bulk. Buying in bulk is a great way to get a quick food supply without making the store run out of food. Plus, their prices are pretty fair for most products.
If you can’t buy from Costco, you can buy on Amazon. Some of the items will be more expensive though. It’s important that you store your long term foods properly. I’ve been doing this for years, so I have some more information about storage at the bottom of this post.
Suggested shelf life varies with products, brands, packaging and more. I’ve linked to a couple of resources, at the bottom of this post, that have varying suggestions.
I’ve written down some possible shelf life estimates with most of these items, but you should make your own conclusion for the health and safety of you and your family.
Foods That Naturally Have A Long Shelf Life
Keep in mind that shelf life decreases when you open a product.
Long Shelf Life Foods
Some of these food items can last indefinitely when stored properly and others will last maybe 20-30 years. At the end of this post, you will find more information on how to properly store food long term.
Raw Honey - 1 Gallon Jug - 12 Lbs.
Properly stored honey could possibly last decades and maybe even centuries according to some.
Granulated Sugar - 25lbs.
If you can store it properly and keep the moisture down, it may last forever according to some sources, but many sources say that it will last about 2 years.
Blackstrap Molasses - 128 oz
Molasses is chock full of vitamins.
When properly stored some say it could last 10 years, some say indefinitely.
Augason Farms Iodized Salt
Salt is an important staple that makes food tastier, and it’s also a great preservative.
Properly stored salt should last indefinitely.
Member's Mark Long Grain White Rice 25 lb. A1
Can last for up to 30 years when stored properly. Just watch out for those weevils!
If you have weevils in a SHTF situation, it’s good to know that weevils are actually edible. Throwing out any affected foods from weevils or pantry moths is a good idea to help cut down on the spreading though.
Black Beans
You can buy all kinds of dried beans and they typically have a good shelf life. I'm going to add 3 to this to show you a couple of options but there are many more that I store. Like beans for chili? Mm, yes! Here's a list of beans you should think of storing: Kidney beans, navy beans, northern beans, split peas, black-eyed peas, butter beans, lima beans, and garbanzo (hummus!).
Beans are said to last for about 25 years if stored properly. However, Augason says their product can last up to 30 years.
Lentils
Lentils are legumes and are tasty if you know how to work with them. Get some good recipes and know how to cook them.
The description of this product says it should last up to about 30 years.
Pinto Beans
Pinto beans tend to be more expensive because they are more popular. So keep that in mind.
Shelf life is said to be up to 30 years.
Instant Potato Flakes 40lb
There is varying information on how long these will last. Some people say 5 years and some say 15 to 20 years.
The preservatives that are used may also play a role in how long this product will last.
Spaghetti Pasta - 8 pack
The quality of pasta will start to deteriorate after a while just like everything else.
Pasta may last for up to 20 or 30 years when stored properly.
Distilled White Vinegar
You can use vinegar on salad greens, but you can also use it in cleaning. It's definitely something that needs to be stockpiled!
It is said to last indefinitely.
Foods To Make Yourself
- Pemmican (check out the Field and Stream recipe)
- Hardtack (See the American Table’s Recipe)
- Dehydrated Foods – Like Jerky, dried fruit, dried veggies, herbs, and more!
- Home Canned Foods
Dry Goods List Of Foods To Hoard
There are many food items that we eat often that are actually dried, which helps keep them preserved. Items such as rice, beans, etc…
Dry Goods: Foods To Hoard
Dry goods are foods that are mostly dried, dehydrated, powdered, freeze-dried, etc. These foods typically have fair shelf lives and are great for storing long term.
Ramen Noodles - 50pk
Not extremely nutritional, especially when they have MSG, but these will stay good for about a year.
Ramen Noodle Cup - 24pk
I personally like the cups better, they are a little more expensive though.
Instant Coffee
One reason we put instant coffee on the list is that the shelf life can be up to 20 years.
Whole beans are good for about 1 year. After that, the beans start losing freshness and the caffeine concentration decreases.
Baking Soda
Baking soda is good for cleaning, cooking, It has many uses
The USDA states that an unopened container should last for about 18 months, opened for about 6 months. Many other sources say up to 3 years and that it should have an expiration date on the container to help you to determine how long it should last.
Also to note, I don't believe that baking soda goes "bad" I think it just becomes less potent or not potent. However, when we use baking soda as a cleaner (to help scrub a-dub-dub) I imagine in this function it will not lose its power for a very long time. So keep that in mind.
Chicken Flavor Bouillon - No. 10 Can
Whether you are making soup or just a cup of hot broth for a sickly person, this is great to have.
Up to a 10-year shelf life
Beef Bone Broth Powder
Bone broth is full of nutrients, this stuff is great in soups, stews, sauces, and more.
I have no clue how long this can last, but it's a powder so take a guess!
Beef Bouillon
I couldn't find beef bouillon in the Augason Farm's brand.
Steel Cut Oats - 50lbs.
Typically oats are stored for about 18 months, however, a 28-year study was conducted and found “storage of all samples were considered acceptable for use in an emergency situation by at least 3/4 of consumer panelists.”
That means 28-year-old oats were "good enough" to eat...So?! They are maybe good to eat for maybe up to 30 years.
Instant Potato Flakes - 40lbs.
There is varying information on how long these will last. Some people say 5 years and some say 15 to 20 years.
The preservatives that are used may also play a role in how long this product will last.
Flour - 20lbs.
It's a good idea to keep a good variety of flours. Whole wheat, all-purpose, and even pancake mixes. You can supposedly help extend the shelf life by freezing flour for 48 hours.
This can help kill any weevil eggs that may develop. It's important to know, that those weevils are edible. So if you do get them in your flour it's not a total loss!! Weevils may even add nutrition to your flour. I know it's gross but in emergencies, we will get over it or pick them out right?
Quinoa - 10lbs.
It's a seed, packed full of nutrients and is said to last about 2 to 3 years! Quinoa cooks up just like rice.
Nonfat Dry Milk
This is a pretty large container of dry milk. Dry milk can be used in many different ways. You can drink it like you would milk, use it in baking, soups, and more.
May last up to 20 years if properly stored.
Quick Rolled Oats - 10lbs.
This 10 lb. pail is fairly priced most of the time. I think I bought one for about $20. Prices fluctuate though, so watch for price changes.
Up to 30-year shelf life!
Stone Ground White Grits - 5lb
You may be able to find a better price in a grocery store, but all in all, this is not a bad price for 5 whole pounds of stone-ground grits.
Stone-ground grits may last up to a year after the best buy date. Quick grits should last for about 2-5 years. So it's also good to buy quick grits too!
Corn Starch
Cornstarch can be used to thicken soups & sauces.
It is said that it should last indefinitely.
Amazing Grass Green Superfood:
Make sure you are getting plenty of vitamins and nutrients during SHTF. This superfood powder is my favorite. It contains all kinds of green foods, but it tastes delicious. It's really good in smoothies but you can add it to water too.
Vegetable Stew Blend - No. 10 Can
I actually have a recipe that uses this. I made a stovetop recipe and a camp recipe for "Chicken Quinoa Soup" that would also be good for survival situations.
Naked Whey Protein Powder - 5lb
You can use protein powder in many different ways in a survival situation.
Bread Crumbs - 6 pk
Mix in with veggies or use to bread veggies or meat.
Whole Yellow Corn 5 Pounds
Could be shelf-stable for 8-10 years. Rehydrate by boiling for about an hour. You could also throw it in a soup, or grind it to make cornmeal or masa flour.
You can also just buy cornmeal instead but it is good for about 12 months.
Powdered Peanut Butter
A longer-lasting alternative to the real stuff. Some brands claim it will last up to 10 years unopened.
Butter Powder - No. 10 Can
These are fairly inexpensive and although I haven't tried butter powder the reviews are mixed from good to bad. I think it's worth a try, but I love butter. So I know I'll miss it when SHTF.
Up to a 10-year shelf life
Cheese Blend Powder
This is another thing I'll miss, cheese! This can be added to soups, vegetables, popcorn. You name it...
Up to a 10-year shelf life.
Cocoa Powder - 2 Pound
You can make hot chocolate, bake, and more with cocoa. This isn't necessary but it's really nice to have when morale is low!
Up to 3-year shelf life.
Baking Powder
Baking powder has up to an 18-month shelf life. A leavening agent that causes the expansion of doughs.
Pickled Foods To Hoard
Many pickle products can last 1-2 years opened or unopened! However, once opened they should be eaten or placed in the fridge.
There may be a couple of fermented foods that you can store for up to a year. Most fermented foods have limited shelf lives. I keep fermented garlic for up to a year. Sauerkraut and kimchi may last for 6 months to a year.
Liquid Foods To Hoard…
Liquids are quite often overlooked when it comes to storing emergency food supplies. However, there are many items that you may be surprised that keep for long periods of time, especially when unopened.
Liquids: Storing Food For Survival - Foods To Hoard
There are some liquids that you may want to stock up on believe it or not. Some items may help you flavor bland food and some will keep your hydrated.
Spring Water 24 Pack
Water - is obviously a really important source of liquids. Read Backup Water Supply for how to store water properly. Also, think about having a manual pump for your well.
Kikkoman Soy Sauce
Soy sauce is good on rice, and well we will probably be eating a lot of rice, so stock up!
They also sell powdered soy sauce, I haven't tried it, but I'm kinda curious!
Soy sauce has an indefinite shelf life if left unopened, however once opened it will last 2-3 years.
French's Worcestershire Sauce
I use Worcestershire sauce in some of my marinaras and other recipes. You can also buy powdered Worcestershire sauce.
Worcestershire sauce has an indefinite shelf life if left unopened, however once opened it will last 3-4 years.
Organic Maple Syrup
If you plan on stocking up on flour or pancake mix, you may want some maple syrup. Although, after opening maple syrup is supposed to be refrigerated. So keep that in mind.
Buy maple syrup or learn how to tap trees and make your own.
Maple syrup may last indefinitely in the fridge.
Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce
Hot sauce - You can buy 1-gallon jugs of hot sauce. Hot sauce keeps pretty well. They say it will keep for about three years, but I suspect that most of them will keep a little longer than that. Grab some of my favorite brands in bulk.
Texas Pete, Louisiana Hot Sauce, Frank's Hot Sauce, Tabasco Hot Sauce, Sriracha, Crystals Hot Sauce
Best by 2 years unopened - Should last 3-6 months in the pantry when opened or 2 years in the fridge
Tahitian Vanilla Extract
You can buy vanilla beans, and make your own Instant Pot Vanilla Extract.
Organic Almond Extract
You can also make your own almond extract.
Distilled White Vinegar
White vinegar should last indefinitely. It can be used in cooking, cleaning and much, much more.
Alcohol
Alcohol (21+ONLY Drink Responsibly!) - Beer and wine don't have much shelf life and don't provide other positive benefits like other alcohols do. Liquor or spirits like vodka, gin, brandy, whiskey, and tequila last indefinitely and may provide first aid for wounds (although some science disputes this).
Liqueurs are sweetened alcoholic beverages such as triple sec, Amari, Chartreuse, and their shelf life and alcohol percentage varies. You can also use liquor for cleaning around the home.
Coconut Oil & Other Oils
Coconut oil and other oils – Coconut oil should last at least a year. Maybe more. Oils aren’t some of the best Foods to Hoard, they tend to go rancid. Ghee or powdered butter will last much longer.
Solid/Semi-Solid Foods To Hoard
There are some products such as whole coffee beans, peanut butter, popcorn, etc…That falls into the category of solid food or semi-solid. Many of these items aren’t going to have a long shelf life. Such as whole coffee beans have about a 1-year shelf-life. I’m still working on adding to this list of solids.
- Peanut butter – will last for about a year unopened, however, opened it should last about 3-4 months.
- Whole coffee beans – can last (stay fresh) up to a year unopened
- Ghee – is clarified butter. It may last up to a year in the fridge but can differ per manufacturer. Check the expiration date.
- Cereal – Think about getting some plain cereals like rice or shredded wheat, Cheerios cereal. These may last for 6-8 months.
- Popcorn kernels – Can last for years if stored properly. Kernels need to retain the moisture that is inside the kernels, so keep that in mind when storing. They should be stored in an airtight container and kept away from sunlight.
- Hard Candy – should outlast most other sweets.
Canned Foods To Hoard
Canned foods are great non-perishable foods that should be in every pantry! However, they don’t come without concerns
Botulism is nearly invisible. You can’t see it, smell it, or taste it, and just a sip of it can be deadly! Home-canned food items and low acidic canned items are most likely to contain botulism.
Here are my tips: Don’t buy dented, leaking, or bulging cans. Home Canning: Use a pressure canner, NOT a water bath canner to can low acidic foods. Check out what The CDC has to say for more info on botulism!
Canned Food List
When you're shopping for canned foods to include in your long term food supply, I want you to buy only foods that you and your family will actually eat.
Buy favorite foods, like soup, beans, veggies, and even fruit that can help you make delicious meals, like mushroom soup or cheese soup...
Canned Soups
Below you will find a few canned soups to stock up on. This list is basically just an idea list of things you could buy. Obviously, there are probably 100's of soups and brands to choose from. So I can only include so many.
Chicken with Rice Soup - 12pk
Chicken and rice soup is a popular food to have on hand.
Tomato Soup - 12pk
Don't forget to stock up on saltine crackers too!
Chicken Vegetable Soup - 12pk
I've never heard of this flavor and I've never tried it. I found it on Amazon. Sounds good though. I mean I like fresh soup way more than canned, but I'll eat canned soup sometimes.
Vegetarian Vegetable Soup -12pk
Vegetarian vegetable soup is really good and perfect for those who don't eat much meat.
Vegetable Beef Soup -12pk
This is another popular soup people like to keep stocked.
Noodle Soup
Obviously, this isn't canned, however, I wanted to include it in the soup section. This is a favorite soup to eat when we are sick.
Cream of Mushroom Soup - 12pk
Mushroom soup can be used to make casseroles or other meals. It's a good idea to stock up on these in case we don't have fresh mushrooms or milk.
Fiesta Nacho Cheese Soup
This could be good on crackers, chips, or even veggies. They also have a regular cheese soup but this one is more fun.
Canned Vegetables & Fruit
I like to keep a healthy amount of canned vegetables. There are so many to choose from, try to choose only the vegetables that you'll actually eat! I'm also including a couple of fruits to stock up on.
Canned Tomatoes
I consider canned tomatoes one of the more important canned food items, because you can make so many things with a delicious red sauce, am I right?
I urge you to not only buy diced tomatoes, but tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste.
Also! Buy some tomato powder! You can make sauces with it, and it has a 25-year shelf life!
Extra Long Asparagus Spears - 12pk
I'm not a fan, but if you love asparagus you should get a case of them!
Canned Kimchi - 4pk
Keep your flora healthy and add some fermented foods to your food hoard.
Green Beans - 12pk
I really like green beans they are very versatile.
Canned Sweet Peas - 12pk
Peas go good in meals. They will go well with instant mash too.
Dole Pineapple Chunks
Don't forget to add a few fruits to your food hoard!
Mixed Tropical Fruit - 12pk
Mixed fruit will make a good breakfast item along with oatmeal.
Canned Meat
Having canned meat is a good idea. There may come a time when we can't hunt or aren't victorious on a hunt...
Canned Chicken
If you have a big family, these large cans are nice to have. I've tried this brand and it was pretty good for canned meat.
Taco Meat - 6pk
I don't know about you but I would love to have tacos when SHTF!
Corned Beef Hash - 8pk
One of my favorite canned meats! So good, and it will go well with instant mash and a veggie of your choice.
Spam - 12pk
We love spam, although it has gotten very expensive for a canned meat!
Chicken Breast - 6pk
Sometimes Costco will have sale on their canned chicken and I try to buy when it's on sale!
Beef Chili with Beans -12pk
Don't forget the chili! You can pair chili with saltine crackers.
Roast Beef - 4pk
I haven't tried canned roast beef. It's a bit expensive if you ask me.
Vienna Sausage - 6pk
My kids love these stupid things.
Canned Beef
Here's more of these Keystone meats. I believe they make a ground beef can too, but I always have trouble finding it. It must be popular.
Ground Beef
I found it! However, this one can is super expensive! You won't believe how expensive it really is! That's way out of my price range.
Canned Turkey
You could add this to meals, soups, or stews.
Canned Seafood
Keeping fish in your diet is important. If you don't live near a waterway, you may want to buy some canned seafood.
Tuna in Water - 48pk
Add a few spices and your good to eat with some saltines!
Wild Alaskan Pink Salmon - 12pk
Yum! We love making salmon patties! That would be a delicacy in SHTF times.
Natural Smoked Baby Clams - 12pk
I don't eat these but I know a couple of people who do, so I'm including it.
Wild Sardines - 12pk
Again I don't like them but I know some do. Don't buy them if you don't like them...
Random Canned Food Items
Stuff like canned bread, cheese, and butter don't really fall into a category.
Brown Bread - 12pk
Mm, bread!
Canned Butter - 24pk
- Real butter from new Zealand-100%
- No artificial colors or flavors
Bega Cheese - 36pk
- A Real Canned Cheese From Australia
- 100% Pure
- No Artificial Colors or Flavors
Canned Gouda Cheese - 3pk
I'm also including this Gouda canned cheese because there aren't many canned cheese to choose from.
Emergency ration army survival
Don’t Forget To Store Water!
It’s not a food item, but it is extremely important for survival. Check out my post about keeping a Backup Water Supply.
MRE’s & Freeze-Dried Food
Emergency Food Rations - MRE's - Freeze Dried Food
In this list, you will find whole meals, emergency rations, etc... These usually come in individual packs and are pretty expensive if you're trying to buy for an entire family
MRE Meals Ready to Eat
Mre's are complete meals that are typically used in the military. They have a little heater in them that will even heat the food.
There are many types of dinners, desserts, and sides to choose from.
Also, if you plan to buy these pay attention to the issue date (not the inspection date) because these have a shelf life up to 5 years.
There are many sellers on Amazon trying to sell old MRE's or even their own version of MRE's. Only get military issued MRE's.
Mountain House Classic Bucket
These buckets contain 12 pouches with 24 servings. There is an assortment of meals
Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef - #10 Can
You can also buy #10 cans of different meals, like this chili mac. There are plenty to choose from and all you have to do is add hot water!
It takes the guessing out of what to eat in a SHTF situation. That is if you can afford it!
Survival Tabs 60-Day
These reportedly have a 25-year shelf life.
- Contain 100% of 15 Essential Vitamins & Minerals
- Made with the highest quality protein.
- GLUTEN FREE and NON-GMO.
Emergency Food Bar
- Case of 20 these food bars have a great flavor.
- 3600 + Calories Per Package. Emergency food.
- 5-year shelf life. Coconut flavor.
- US Coast Guard approved for 5-year shelf life under all climatic conditions.
- Designed to sustain life until rescue or additional food is available
Freeze Dried Meat
There are a few brands that have freeze-dried meat products.
Mountain House has this diced beef, ground beef, and diced chicken.
Augason Farms has vegetarian beef, vegetarian chicken, chicken, beef, and vegetarian taco meat.
How To Package Foods To Hoard
- Use mylar bags to store loose items such as rice, pasta, cornmeal etc…
- Add desiccant packs to the mylar bags to help keep moisture down.
- Use a heat press bag sealer to seal mylar bags, and try to squeeze most of the air out of the bag before sealing!
- Use food grade 5 gallon buckets. Store the mylar bags in the buckets, and add more desiccant bags to the buckets.
Tips For Storing Food Long Term
- Temperature – Whenever possible try to store most foods around 75ºF or below.
- Light – Light can remove nutrients in food, and decrease their shelf-stable properties. Keep most food items away from light if possible.
- Moisture – Yet another enemy. Moisture from the air can completely ruin some foods. Storing them in an airtight container is great. Even better if you add desiccant packs and vacuum pack them in mylar bags.
- Pest Issues – Rodents and insects can be a huge problem when storing food. Keep your food storage area, neat and clean. Check your stash often for moths, weevils, holes, etc… Throw out any exposed foods.
FIFO Or First In First Out
Fifo or First in First Out is very important when it comes to hoarding foods. The oldest food must get eaten first. This will help avoid having expired foods in your stockpile.
When you add more to your stockpile make sure the newest items go to the back of the shelf or the bottom of the bucket. That way it’s not right on top and easiest to grab and eat before the older food items.
I’d love To Know what you think!… Leave me a comment!
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Resources:
- [1] Albrecht, J. (n.d.). Food Storage. [online] Extensionpublications.unl.edu. Available at: http://extensionpublications.unl.edu/assets/pdf/ec446.pdf [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].
- [2] In.gov. (n.d.). Cupboard Storage Chart. [online] Available at: https://www.in.gov/fssa/files/CupboardStorageChart.pdf [Accessed 4 Mar. 2019].
- [3] Fisher, L. and Medeiros, L. (n.d.). Pantry Food Storage. [online] Ohioline.osu.edu. Available at: https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-5401 [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].
- [4] Anon, (n.d.). Food Storage Chart – Food Storage Guidelines – eXtension. [online] Available at: https://articles.extension.org/sites/default/files/w/8/8e/Food_Storage_Chart.pdf [Accessed 2019].
- [5] Bjcp.org. (n.d.). Shelf Life and Stability of Honey. [online] Available at: https://www.bjcp.org/mead/shelf.pdf [Accessed 5 Mar. 2019].
- [6] Dulles South Food Pantry. (n.d.). Shelf Life Food Safety Guidelines – Dulles South Food …. [online] Available at: https://dsfp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Food-Safety-Guidelines.pdf [Accessed 2019].
- (7)https://extension.usu.edu/foodstorage/howdoi/white_rice
- (8) http://www.eatbydate.com/other/baking/how-long-does-cornstarch-last-shelf-life/
- (9) https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/foodkeeper-app
- (10) https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/facpub/39/
- (11) https://ohioline.osu.edu/factsheet/HYG-5401
- https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-the-shelf-life-of-baking-soda
- https://www.doesitgobad.com/does-hot-sauce-go-bad/
AMAZING! Thank you so much. This is by far the best list ever. 😊
You’re very welcome and thanks so much!
This is a great list, packed full of great ideas of food to keep in long term storage! thank you!
You’re welcome!