Top Ten list, for long term food storage for the Prepper Pantry

Food security is a crucial aspect of prepping and off-grid living. Whether you are a prepper preparing for uncertain times or a homesteading family seeking self-sufficiency, having a well-stocked pantry is essential.

Chuck

9/25/20247 min read

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Food security is a crucial aspect of prepping and off-grid living. Whether you are a prepper preparing for uncertain times or a homesteadimg family seeking self-sufficiency, having a well-stocked pantry is essential. In this article, we will explore the top 10 ish pantry items that can help ensure food security for preppers and those living off the grid. 10, 11 12 whatever it takes. I can’t count! And these are in no real order.

Rice and Beans

Rice is a staple food that provides a good source of carbohydrates and energy. It has a long shelf life and is versatile, making it an excellent choice for pantry storage. Consider storing both white and brown rice to add variety to your meals. Beans are an excellent source of protein and fiber. They are affordable, easy to store, and have a long shelf life. Stock up on a variety of beans such as black beans, kidney beans, and chickpeas to diversify your protein sources. But also, to increase shelf life get 02 absorbers and moisture absorbers. Your beans will thank youur text here...

Canned Goods

Canned goods are a convenient way to store food for an extended period. Items like canned vegetables, fruits, and meats can provide essential nutrients and variety to your diet. Don’t forget to add canned fruits to the list. I'm not going to do the health kick and say stay away from those that have heavy syrup vs light syrup or plain water. The way I look at it, sugar is energy. And a sweet dessert is a nice treat during hard times. We know. Be sure to rotate your stock regularly to ensure freshness. And remember canned goods don’t just come from the store. Do your own canning. It’s a resource that is very valuable

Pasta

Pasta is a versatile and filling pantry item that can be stored for a long time. It is easy to cook and pairs well with various sauces and ingredients. Consider stocking up on different types of pasta, such as spaghetti, macaroni, and penne, to add variety to your meals. We store our pasta in vacuum seal bags or heavy plastic contained with moisture absorbers to extend the shelf life once opened. And to free up pantry space, since pasta is very light but very bulky. Make your own pasta, This is the model we use, while ours is older, it's basically the same.

Wheat Berries for Flour. And other assorted grains.

I could not believe that in researching this list, quite a few of the published lists from the big names had wheat berries or flour OMITTED. Look, I know that there are people with sensitivities to wheat and wheat flour. And I am not calling BS to the people who do. Some of my dearest friends have issues, and just about every one of them resolved to one point or another by quitting using store bought breads and cheap carbs. A small deviation from the list to make a point. A dear friend of mine spent the last 2-3 years living in the Mediterranean part of the world and in deep Mexico. She SAYS she has a weight problem. I think she is full of crap. Well while she was living here, she was doing Keto and other diets and was up and down. Now while she was living overseas, she ate the local foods. Including the local fresh baked breads, fresh meats and vegetables. To quote her “I ate like a hog” But she lost weight. Like a lot. Why? Quality of the food and the ingredients is our theory. If she had eaten like that here she would have been, well, very unhappy with herself. Sorry back to the work at hand, Wheat berries have a much longer shelf life than ground flour. And you get a true all bran flour. (We do some sifting of it then it's more wheat than a bran and wheat flour.) Store the wheat in plastic 5-gallon buckets with O ring lids. We store ours mylar bags and those inside 5-gallon buckets. We can push most of the Oxygen out of the bag, seal it with a regular iron and then stuff it in the bucket. Sounds like a lot of work, but your wheat stays fresher longer. Another technique I’ve seen done but have never done it myself. Take a chunk of dry ice. About the size of a pool ball.. Place it in the bottom of the bucket and fill the bucket with wheat. Once full, put a small candle on a saucer on top of the wheat. When the candle goes out the bucket is full of CO2 and the oxygen is pushed out. Remove the candle, seal the bucket and Presto! Your wheat is in a reduced oxygen atmosphere. We marked 2 buckets one with his method and one with mine. Left them untouched for 2 years and then checked them. The CO2 sealed buckets wheat did look a little better and was a small bit firmer than ours with mylar O2 absorbers in a bucket. Something to consider. To turn wheat into flour, you need a mill. There are dozens, if not hundreds. Don’t cheap out on something that MAY have to last a lifetime. (Or 2) And since we do not know what the world is going to do, I suggest we stick with a manual mill. We have 2 A very old Corona mill that I do malt with And once in a while corn flour. . Another that it only does beer and whiskey grains. And a very very old Lehmans Grain mill. My grandma bought it in the early 70s. The paint is faded and some parts replaced. It has stood the test of time. This is the best, relatively inexpensive durable mill.

Dried Fruits and Nuts

Dried fruits and nuts are a great addition to your pantry for snacking or as ingredients in recipes. They provide essential vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. If possible harvest your own and dry your own. Doing it yourself means YOU control what goes in. A lot of dried fruits have added sugars, HFC chemicals etc. Also doing it yourself builds life long skills to pass down, and builds self esteem in yourself.

Cooking Oil

Cooking oil is a vital ingredient in many recipes and can be stored for an extended period. As long as the RIGHT oils are chosen. For everyday use we have a few gallons of plain old vegetable oil and corn oil. Not a drop of canola is in our home! We have lard both in the pantry and the freezer. But our long-term storage oil is a multi faceted team oil’s. Lard of course. We can it ourselves and have tested jars @ 2 years and still tasted and smelled like lard should. Criso shortening. Sealed, the label says 2 years and 1 year opened. And Coconut oil. The jar says 2 years, but we have had Lou Ann brand coconut oil in the pantry going on 4 years and cracked one open and it was as fresh as the day we put it away and forgot it. The big takeaway from this is the solid at room temperature oils last a lot longer than oil that is liquid at room temperature. One oil/fat I forgot to mention is butter. But Chuck, you CAN’T preserve butter!” Umm yes you can. Get it CAN! Home canning of butter causes a stir in the canning community, but it can be done. And canned butter is readily available to buy. Please do not store those margarines and others like it. This is my opinion, they waste space and waste energy in digesting, since they have little nutritional gains.

Spices and Seasonings

Spices and seasonings can add flavor and variety to your meals, making them an essential part of your pantry. Stock up on a variety of spices like salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and paprika to enhance the taste of your dishes. We’ve found over the years by the ones in glass containers for daily use. and vacuum seal the bulk spices in mylar bags. We started doing that with our medical herbs and tripled the useful potency of them.

Honey

Honey is a natural sweetener. It can be used as a substitute for sugar in various recipes and has medicinal properties. Consider buying local honey for added benefits. And honey, literally lasts forever. Honey has been found sealed in clay pots from the time of the pharaohs and even before. And was still edible. Take THAT Splenda!! Honey is my go to for topical antibiotics even over Neosporin. Buy lots of it and keep buying it.

Water

While not technically a pantry item, water is the most critical resource for survival. Ensure you have an adequate supply of clean drinking water stored in containers that are designed for long-term storage. Consider investing in a water filtration system for additional security. Be it a Big Berky or one of the knock offs. But get a GOOD water filtration system. The Berky name has been tarnished by people for years. But take it from this prepper. Properly maintained and CLEANED they work as advertised. The Berkey brand is PRICY. Then there is the USFW Gravity water system. Half the price of the Big Berky but a good system. But talking with people that have them the Glacier Fresh Gravity fed system works as well as the Berkey, but it's 75% of the cost. And half the cost of the USFW Take a look at it here.