Basic food storage. What to buy and not to buy.

[Brittany1]

I am definitely buying and storing more food. I don't have a lot of money to waste so I am looking for longer shelf life. I did a few research for canning food for longevity, which I will try perhaps later. Im a ****** cook so the idea still intimidates me. I know not to buy acidic food thus, they spoil faster.

These are on my list.

1. rice- bag, individual package
2. SPAM!!
3. Jerky
4. Ramen noodles
5. Oil. for cooking
6. Salt (iodize), some spices.
7. powdered milk or eggs. ***Still undecided about this***
8. Pasta, a few boxes or so
9. flour, sugar, baking powder.
10. energy bars (cliff, naked, nature valley)

Couldn't thing anything else. Please let me know if there are things I need to add or subtract. Anything is appreciated.

Also, not sure if it is worth signing up for Costco to buy in greater bulk.

My place has a small kitchen cabinets. not ideal for stocking up long term. But, I found this second hand shelf from a close out deal. Not the prettiest, but its durable and fits in my apartment. I think it's good place for storing hygiene products, water and my other camping stuff .


Thanks for all the help!!

 

[Dani]

Add in unionized salt if you are planning to start preserving your own food by canning. Add in Brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, yeast. I would go ahead with powdered milk to use in recipes. Add in some oats, nuts and maybe some dried fruits and you can leave off those pricey Cliff bars.

 

[Dani]

Canned goods of veggie and fruits maybe even some meats.

 

[GaRp58]

These are on my list.

1. rice- bag, individual package
2. SPAM!!
3. Jerky
4. Ramen noodles
5. Oil. for cooking
6. Salt (iodize), some spices.
7. powdered milk or eggs. ***Still undecided about this***
8. Pasta, a few boxes or so
9. flour, sugar, baking powder.
10. energy bars (cliff, naked, nature valley)

Brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, yeast

Starting good Brittany. Rice in different types are excellent. SPAM is great but heavy like all canned goods, ok or bugging IN, not for bugging OUT. Jerky is good, just too expensive, needs lots of water to eat since it is DRIED meat. (learn to make your own! smoked or dried in the oven) Noodles super, cook fast. Oil ok, lard better, it does not run out everywhere. Salt, spices---Boullion cubes or powdered boullion in all flavors. Powdered eggs and milk--also great, needs lots of water...Pasta, excellent, lots of energy, easy to mix with anything, needs lots of water...Flour, sugar, baking powder, excellent--can you bake? Get some easy recipes and start trying, even if it does not work out, you have bait for birds, little animals and fish...energy bars--good for a BOB, easy, eat on the run and the packages are light. Brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, yeast---Sugar is sugar, color is just a personal desire. Baking soda and yeast are both dry and good, need water. Read up on the 60 different uses of baking soda!! Get enriched flour or self-rising... Beans, lintels, cheapest, most energy, least spoilage, easy storage, easy to mix with other spices, needs lots of water...Coffee and tea---personal choices, learn to make your own in the wild too! Aluminum foil for camping and cooking. Zip-lock bags for storage of half-opened packages of anything...BIC butane lighters for starting fires...Candles for light and heat...a small gas stove and lantern for camping. A small but expensive flashlight and spare batteries...dark chocolate bars for cheap energy...reusable and stabile plastic cups and plates for camping. A good folding knife and a good sheath knife for all reasons...extra light pans and pots for camping- or a camping pot kit...folding or collapsible water container for at least 5 gallons. Go online and read other peoples lists, make you adaptions for yourself, your allergies, your preferences, you family/sibling situation and storage space. Remember to stack things up in shelves, in boxes under the bed, behind your sofa, on the fridge, some in your car trunk, under the seats, in boxes at your families houses marked as your stuff, in a storage rental garage...
REMEMBER!!! Always buy the things from the back of the shelves in stores; not from the front, they will have a longer storage life. Always pack the things in a box with the same storage dates. Mix the box contents together so each box is a week or 2 of everything and mark them with contents and final storage date ((think of a CARE package you would like to give away OR GET FROM SOMEONE...)) Make each box the size you can carry yourself...Gary
Rotate

 

[GaRp58]

Last note: as you read the whole list through, you will notice the need for LOTS of water...you need to carry or store a gallon/a day/per person...without hygiene needs, just to live and eat/drink...if you have canned goods like peas, corn, beans, carrots and such; drink the water in the can, cook directly in the can or cook them using the water in the cans. Canned goods can get a small hole, laid under the hood of you car near the motor and pre-heated while driving. There is a "Catalytic Converter Cookbook" somewhere. You can wrap a steak, fish or stuff in aluminum foil, hook them under your exhaust pipe or catalytic converter and the will cook while you are driving. I read how one lady cooked her food in the back window of her car with a pot, painted flat black and a piece of cardboard to keep the heat in the window area. Go into the You-tube and watch the crazy videos of such things by just writing stuff in the search box and start looking for such things on survival, camping and wild cooking. Have fun, GP

 

[Brittany1]

Add in unionized salt if you are planning to start preserving your own food by canning. Add in Brown sugar, powdered sugar, baking soda, yeast. I would go ahead with powdered milk to use in recipes. Add in some oats, nuts and maybe some dried fruits and you can leave off those pricey Cliff bars.

For oats? How long do you think this last. I get conflicting answers, some say 5 yr and some longer.

 

[Brittany1]

Canned goods of veggie and fruits maybe even some meats.

Do you know how long I can store them even pass the Best Buy date?

 

[Brittany1]

Last note: as you read the whole list through, you will notice the need for LOTS of water...you need to carry or store a gallon/a day/per person...without hygiene needs, just to live and eat/drink...if you have canned goods like peas, corn, beans, carrots and such; drink the water in the can, cook directly in the can or cook them using the water in the cans. Canned goods can get a small hole, laid under the hood of you car near the motor and pre-heated while driving. There is a "Catalytic Converter Cookbook" somewhere. You can wrap a steak, fish or stuff in aluminum foil, hook them under your exhaust pipe or catalytic converter and the will cook while you are driving. I read how one lady cooked her food in the back window of her car with a pot, painted flat black and a piece of cardboard to keep the heat in the window area. Go into the You-tube and watch the crazy videos of such things by just writing stuff in the search box and start looking for such things on survival, camping and wild cooking. Have fun, GP

This is great idea. I will look into it!

 

[Jayson]

The jury is still out on this food....

 

[lonewolf]

Store what you eat, eat what you store, and, rotate,rotate,rotate(first in first out).

 

[BillMasen]

BULK BUYING AND STORING FOOD

Ok just remember when you start bulk buying food such as tins or dried goods try to not buy all from the same batch or stock number or even the same shop, If the batch is tainted you could lose a huge amount of your cache in one go.

NEVER buy all from the same production date. Do try and buy stuff with the longest shelf life.

Avoid paying on a credit or debit card, use cash only if at all possible. Always buy a few items at a time from different shops, this stops the authorities from data harvesting for future confiscation under emergency power laws the large amounts of food you are buying. Try and buy little and often from various sources.

Ignore the labels on the containers and mark what is in the tin / packet / tub and the necessary dates with a permanent marker pen. Labels can fall off or fade.

Don’t buy tins that are dented, scratched or look like they are overfilled (Over inflated) the contents could be off.

Try and store stuff completely out of daylight, with low humidity, and preferably some place cool.

Rotate your stock on a regular basis, IE eat the oldest stuff first and put your replacement purchases at the back of the shelf after moving the older stuff forward.

If you are buying dry stuff like Rice, Flour, Pasta, wheat etc and it comes in packets then you really need to put the packets in sealable plastic containers to stop vermin and bugs, moisture and light ruining your food. If you can get at the food easily so can most bugs and vermin.

I believe that putting flour; rice etc in a freezer for 5 or so days kills off any weevil eggs that are found in nearly all grains etc. So buy it freeze it, then box it, but ensure that anything you do store or cache after freezing is moisture free first.

Cans should be flipped or rolled regularly if stored for any long periods to keep contents from settling out, Many people now store tins on their sides on sloping shelves so that when a can is taken for use the remaining cans roll forward and keep the contents mixed, added bonus of you end up using the older stuff first.

Don’t rely on food caches in freezers unless you have your own backup power supplies, Usually the first thing to go in a crisis or disaster is the electricity which means loads of rotting defrosted and thawed food to deal with.

In a crisis or disaster eat the fresh, chilled and frozen foods first before they go off, a skilled prepper may be able to convert joints of meats into Pemmican or Jerky, or even salt preserved pork type preserves.

The problem for many people when it comes to storing lots of tin cans is the mainstream brands of kitchen floor standing cupboard, (MAGNET, B & Q, Homebase etc) don’t have sufficient strength in the shelf supports for the amount of tins we wish to store.

On my own cupboards I have supplemented the plastic studs on the ends with 4 two inch angle brackets, screwed to both the carcass and the shelf. PLUS two more, 1 in the centre rear screwed to the backboard, and the other at the front on the centre support.(essential on 1000 mm units)

Also on a couple of my wall units I have added extra wall mounting supports underneath the unit to help the two wall unit hanger brackets carry the load.

Designs are available on the internet for inserts that allow you to store tins on their sides on sloping shelves that allow the tins to roll forward as used, thus ensuring the oldest tins are consumed first.

FOOD stuffs that have a long shelf life or can be reconstituted easily are required and it must be food you like. It does not put much of a strain upon your financial resources to spend an extra £ 2 a week on food to lay away for emergencies (unless you are a British pensioner).

Don't forget to rotate your cached food through your everyday supplies so you always have the freshest stuff in reserve. In many cases rural folk and those who are affected by restricted access to the shops keep a lot more tinned and dry goods than would normally be found in the average families town house.

I tend to buy tinned goods like baked beans, soups, vegetables, fruit, corned beef, tinned hams, peas, carrots, potatoes, tinned milk etc by the dozen, tins if looked after have a good shelf life and fairly easy to store. Do write on the end of the tin with a marker pen what the contents are and its expiry date, just in case the label falls off during storage.




DAIRYFOOD STOCKPILE LIST

____ Eggs dried

____ Butter tinned

____ Spreads

____ Yoghurt

____ Cheese tinned




MEAT, FISH & POULTRY Dried, tinned, preserved




____ Bacon

____ Sausage

____ Hot Dogs

____ Chicken

____ Turkey

____ Beef

____ Pork

____ Ham

____ Fish




FRUIT/dried/tinned

____ Apples

____ Bananas

____ Berries

____ Grapes

____ Mixed fruit

____ Oranges

____ Pears




BEVERAGES

____ Instant Tea

____ Coffee

____ Tea Bags

____ Fruit Juice

____ Soft Drinks

___ Water Filter elements

____ Spirits

____ Wine

___ Coffee Whitener




VEGETABLES tinned

____ Carrots

____ Baked Beans

____ Mushrooms

____ Peppers

____ Potatoes

____ Radishes

____ Spinach

____ Tomatoes

____ Peas




BREADS

____ Flour/yeast

___ Pasta Flour

___ Bread Mix




DRY GOODS

____ Cereal

____ Oatmeal

____ Biscuits

____ Crackers

____ Pasta/Noodles

____ Beans/Lentils/Peas

____ Rice

____ Sugar

____ Cake Mix

____ Pancake Mix

____ Gelatine




CANNED GOODS

____ Sausages + pasta

____ Macaroni Cheese

____ Tip Top

____ Fruit

____ Custard

____ Pasta Sauces

____ Soups

____ Spag Bog Sauce

____ Stewed Tomatoes

____ Potatoes

____ Corned Beef

____ Tuna /salmon

____ Vegatables




BAKING GOODS

____ Baking Soda

____ Baking Powder

____ Corn Starch

____ Salt

____ Pepper

____ Chocolate Chips

____ Nuts

____ Raisins

____ Vanilla

____ Dried Herbs

CONDIMENTS

____ Oil

____ Vinegar

____ Ketchup

____ Mayonnaise

____ Mustard

____ Salad Dressing

____ Shortening

____ Soy Sauce

____ Jelly/Jam

 

[Brent S]

Most canned goods can easily go two years past expiration but they tend to get mushy and bland tasting. I usually rotate the older stuff out to the food bank so never really waste anything. Lots of new preppers make the mistake of buying the huge cans of green beans and stuff. That’s fine if you have a huge family but if you’re single you will get really tired of the stuff before you eat through it all after opening it. Stick to normal sizes. Paul’s advice was right on, mostly buy what you allready eat. It is good to have some bulk stuff like beans and rice but if you don’t cook they aren’t the best for you. Canned chicken, tuna and spam are all easy to mix in with other things to make a good meal or can just be eaten alone.

 

[DrHenley]

Lots of new preppers make the mistake of buying the huge cans of green beans and stuff. That’s fine if you have a huge family but if you’re single you will get really tired of the stuff before you eat through it all after opening it.

Some of my long term freeze dried preps are in HUGE cans with a shelf life of 25 years. Did I say "HUGE" cans? Sorry, I meant HUGE cans. LOL

Very annoying, especially now that it's just me and my wife at home. I guess if things get really bad the kids might come home though. Smaller packages of freeze dried food I can eat every once in a while, but the huge cans, once you open them, you are committed, LOL. I guess I could vacuum pack in portions once I open it, but these are basically LAST DITCH food supplies, and they are well hidden.

 

[Brent S]

Some of my long term freeze dried preps are in HUGE cans with a shelf life of 25 years. Did I say "HUGE" cans? Sorry, I meant HUGE cans. LOL

Very annoying, especially now that it's just me and my wife at home. I guess if things get really bad the kids might come home though. Smaller packages of freeze dried food I can eat every once in a while, but the huge cans, once you open them, you are committed, LOL. I guess I could vacuum pack in portions once I open it, but these are basically LAST DITCH food supplies, and they are well hidden.

Yeah, I have a bunch of the #10cans of freeze dried stuff too. I haven’t opened any of them yet. That was kind of my thinking as well with if I get to the point where I have to open them there will likely be more people living in the house then too. I’m hoping to never have to test them out in my lifetime but figured it was worth the investment just in case. I never got any of the 5gallon pairs of any of the stuff at least. Just going through a #10can would get boring for just me and my wife. As they say though, if you’re really hungry then taste isn’t very important.

 

[DrHenley]

I figure if I made a stew with a few of these (if I had a pot big enough that is) I could feed a platoon of hungry soldiers.

FOR DAYS. LOL

 

[Brittany1]

BULK BUYING AND STORING FOOD

Ok just remember when you start bulk buying food such as tins or dried goods try to not buy all from the same batch or stock number or even the same shop, If the batch is tainted you could lose a huge amount of your cache in one go.

NEVER buy all from the same production date. Do try and buy stuff with the longest shelf life.

Avoid paying on a credit or debit card, use cash only if at all possible. Always buy a few items at a time from different shops, this stops the authorities from data harvesting for future confiscation under emergency power laws the large amounts of food you are buying. Try and buy little and often from various sources.

Ignore the labels on the containers and mark what is in the tin / packet / tub and the necessary dates with a permanent marker pen. Labels can fall off or fade.

Don’t buy tins that are dented, scratched or look like they are overfilled (Over inflated) the contents could be off.

Try and store stuff completely out of daylight, with low humidity, and preferably some place cool.

Rotate your stock on a regular basis, IE eat the oldest stuff first and put your replacement purchases at the back of the shelf after moving the older stuff forward.

If you are buying dry stuff like Rice, Flour, Pasta, wheat etc and it comes in packets then you really need to put the packets in sealable plastic containers to stop vermin and bugs, moisture and light ruining your food. If you can get at the food easily so can most bugs and vermin.

I believe that putting flour; rice etc in a freezer for 5 or so days kills off any weevil eggs that are found in nearly all grains etc. So buy it freeze it, then box it, but ensure that anything you do store or cache after freezing is moisture free first.

Cans should be flipped or rolled regularly if stored for any long periods to keep contents from settling out, Many people now store tins on their sides on sloping shelves so that when a can is taken for use the remaining cans roll forward and keep the contents mixed, added bonus of you end up using the older stuff first.

Don’t rely on food caches in freezers unless you have your own backup power supplies, Usually the first thing to go in a crisis or disaster is the electricity which means loads of rotting defrosted and thawed food to deal with.

In a crisis or disaster eat the fresh, chilled and frozen foods first before they go off, a skilled prepper may be able to convert joints of meats into Pemmican or Jerky, or even salt preserved pork type preserves.

The problem for many people when it comes to storing lots of tin cans is the mainstream brands of kitchen floor standing cupboard, (MAGNET, B & Q, Homebase etc) don’t have sufficient strength in the shelf supports for the amount of tins we wish to store.

On my own cupboards I have supplemented the plastic studs on the ends with 4 two inch angle brackets, screwed to both the carcass and the shelf. PLUS two more, 1 in the centre rear screwed to the backboard, and the other at the front on the centre support.(essential on 1000 mm units)

Also on a couple of my wall units I have added extra wall mounting supports underneath the unit to help the two wall unit hanger brackets carry the load.

Designs are available on the internet for inserts that allow you to store tins on their sides on sloping shelves that allow the tins to roll forward as used, thus ensuring the oldest tins are consumed first.

FOOD stuffs that have a long shelf life or can be reconstituted easily are required and it must be food you like. It does not put much of a strain upon your financial resources to spend an extra £ 2 a week on food to lay away for emergencies (unless you are a British pensioner).

Don't forget to rotate your cached food through your everyday supplies so you always have the freshest stuff in reserve. In many cases rural folk and those who are affected by restricted access to the shops keep a lot more tinned and dry goods than would normally be found in the average families town house.

I tend to buy tinned goods like baked beans, soups, vegetables, fruit, corned beef, tinned hams, peas, carrots, potatoes, tinned milk etc by the dozen, tins if looked after have a good shelf life and fairly easy to store. Do write on the end of the tin with a marker pen what the contents are and its expiry date, just in case the label falls off during storage.




DAIRYFOOD STOCKPILE LIST

____ Eggs dried

____ Butter tinned

____ Spreads

____ Yoghurt

____ Cheese tinned




MEAT, FISH & POULTRY Dried, tinned, preserved




____ Bacon

____ Sausage

____ Hot Dogs

____ Chicken

____ Turkey

____ Beef

____ Pork

____ Ham

____ Fish




FRUIT/dried/tinned

____ Apples

____ Bananas

____ Berries

____ Grapes

____ Mixed fruit

____ Oranges

____ Pears




BEVERAGES

____ Instant Tea

____ Coffee

____ Tea Bags

____ Fruit Juice

____ Soft Drinks

___ Water Filter elements

____ Spirits

____ Wine

___ Coffee Whitener




VEGETABLES tinned

____ Carrots

____ Baked Beans

____ Mushrooms

____ Peppers

____ Potatoes

____ Radishes

____ Spinach

____ Tomatoes

____ Peas




BREADS

____ Flour/yeast

___ Pasta Flour

___ Bread Mix




DRY GOODS

____ Cereal

____ Oatmeal

____ Biscuits

____ Crackers

____ Pasta/Noodles

____ Beans/Lentils/Peas

____ Rice

____ Sugar

____ Cake Mix

____ Pancake Mix

____ Gelatine




CANNED GOODS

____ Sausages + pasta

____ Macaroni Cheese

____ Tip Top

____ Fruit

____ Custard

____ Pasta Sauces

____ Soups

____ Spag Bog Sauce

____ Stewed Tomatoes

____ Potatoes

____ Corned Beef

____ Tuna /salmon

____ Vegatables




BAKING GOODS

____ Baking Soda

____ Baking Powder

____ Corn Starch

____ Salt

____ Pepper

____ Chocolate Chips

____ Nuts

____ Raisins

____ Vanilla

____ Dried Herbs

CONDIMENTS

____ Oil

____ Vinegar

____ Ketchup

____ Mayonnaise

____ Mustard

____ Salad Dressing

____ Shortening

____ Soy Sauce

____ Jelly/Jam

Wow, thank you so much. I didn’t realize a lot these things...Specially when the stuff we purchase are being recorded. Very helpful.

 

[Brittany1]

Yeah, I have a bunch of the #10cans of freeze dried stuff too. I haven’t opened any of them yet. That was kind of my thinking as well with if I get to the point where I have to open them there will likely be more people living in the house then too. I’m hoping to never have to test them out in my lifetime but figured it was worth the investment just in case. I never got any of the 5gallon pairs of any of the stuff at least. Just going through a #10can would get boring for just me and my wife. As they say though, if you’re really hungry then taste isn’t very important.

Freeze dried goods, are these MRE’s?

 

[Brittany1]

I hope to give everyone an update after a year or so with my food prepping capabilities.

 

[Dani]

For oats? How long do you think this last. I get conflicting answers, some say 5 yr and some longer.

It would depend on the type of oats you buy. If you get the flavored stuff, it's only 6-9 months. Buying plain old fashioned last more like 5 yrs. Look for 100% whole grains. These are usually rolled, steamed and toasted at the manufacturer which brings out the natural oils and once processed will extend the shelf life of your oats.

 

[Dani]

BULK BUYING AND STORING FOOD

Ok just remember when you start bulk buying food such as tins or dried goods try to not buy all from the same batch or stock number or even the same shop, If the batch is tainted you could lose a huge amount of your cache in one go.

NEVER buy all from the same production date. Do try and buy stuff with the longest shelf life.

Avoid paying on a credit or debit card, use cash only if at all possible. Always buy a few items at a time from different shops, this stops the authorities from data harvesting for future confiscation under emergency power laws the large amounts of food you are buying. Try and buy little and often from various sources.

Ignore the labels on the containers and mark what is in the tin / packet / tub and the necessary dates with a permanent marker pen. Labels can fall off or fade.

Don’t buy tins that are dented, scratched or look like they are overfilled (Over inflated) the contents could be off.

Try and store stuff completely out of daylight, with low humidity, and preferably some place cool.

Rotate your stock on a regular basis, IE eat the oldest stuff first and put your replacement purchases at the back of the shelf after moving the older stuff forward.

If you are buying dry stuff like Rice, Flour, Pasta, wheat etc and it comes in packets then you really need to put the packets in sealable plastic containers to stop vermin and bugs, moisture and light ruining your food. If you can get at the food easily so can most bugs and vermin.

I believe that putting flour; rice etc in a freezer for 5 or so days kills off any weevil eggs that are found in nearly all grains etc. So buy it freeze it, then box it, but ensure that anything you do store or cache after freezing is moisture free first.

Cans should be flipped or rolled regularly if stored for any long periods to keep contents from settling out, Many people now store tins on their sides on sloping shelves so that when a can is taken for use the remaining cans roll forward and keep the contents mixed, added bonus of you end up using the older stuff first.

Don’t rely on food caches in freezers unless you have your own backup power supplies, Usually the first thing to go in a crisis or disaster is the electricity which means loads of rotting defrosted and thawed food to deal with.

In a crisis or disaster eat the fresh, chilled and frozen foods first before they go off, a skilled prepper may be able to convert joints of meats into Pemmican or Jerky, or even salt preserved pork type preserves.

The problem for many people when it comes to storing lots of tin cans is the mainstream brands of kitchen floor standing cupboard, (MAGNET, B & Q, Homebase etc) don’t have sufficient strength in the shelf supports for the amount of tins we wish to store.

On my own cupboards I have supplemented the plastic studs on the ends with 4 two inch angle brackets, screwed to both the carcass and the shelf. PLUS two more, 1 in the centre rear screwed to the backboard, and the other at the front on the centre support.(essential on 1000 mm units)

Also on a couple of my wall units I have added extra wall mounting supports underneath the unit to help the two wall unit hanger brackets carry the load.

Designs are available on the internet for inserts that allow you to store tins on their sides on sloping shelves that allow the tins to roll forward as used, thus ensuring the oldest tins are consumed first.

FOOD stuffs that have a long shelf life or can be reconstituted easily are required and it must be food you like. It does not put much of a strain upon your financial resources to spend an extra £ 2 a week on food to lay away for emergencies (unless you are a British pensioner).

Don't forget to rotate your cached food through your everyday supplies so you always have the freshest stuff in reserve. In many cases rural folk and those who are affected by restricted access to the shops keep a lot more tinned and dry goods than would normally be found in the average families town house.

I tend to buy tinned goods like baked beans, soups, vegetables, fruit, corned beef, tinned hams, peas, carrots, potatoes, tinned milk etc by the dozen, tins if looked after have a good shelf life and fairly easy to store. Do write on the end of the tin with a marker pen what the contents are and its expiry date, just in case the label falls off during storage.




DAIRYFOOD STOCKPILE LIST

____ Eggs dried

____ Butter tinned

____ Spreads

____ Yoghurt

____ Cheese tinned




MEAT, FISH & POULTRY Dried, tinned, preserved




____ Bacon

____ Sausage

____ Hot Dogs

____ Chicken

____ Turkey

____ Beef

____ Pork

____ Ham

____ Fish




FRUIT/dried/tinned

____ Apples

____ Bananas

____ Berries

____ Grapes

____ Mixed fruit

____ Oranges

____ Pears




BEVERAGES

____ Instant Tea

____ Coffee

____ Tea Bags

____ Fruit Juice

____ Soft Drinks

___ Water Filter elements

____ Spirits

____ Wine

___ Coffee Whitener




VEGETABLES tinned

____ Carrots

____ Baked Beans

____ Mushrooms

____ Peppers

____ Potatoes

____ Radishes

____ Spinach

____ Tomatoes

____ Peas




BREADS

____ Flour/yeast

___ Pasta Flour

___ Bread Mix




DRY GOODS

____ Cereal

____ Oatmeal

____ Biscuits

____ Crackers

____ Pasta/Noodles

____ Beans/Lentils/Peas

____ Rice

____ Sugar

____ Cake Mix

____ Pancake Mix

____ Gelatine




CANNED GOODS

____ Sausages + pasta

____ Macaroni Cheese

____ Tip Top

____ Fruit

____ Custard

____ Pasta Sauces

____ Soups

____ Spag Bog Sauce

____ Stewed Tomatoes

____ Potatoes

____ Corned Beef

____ Tuna /salmon

____ Vegatables




BAKING GOODS

____ Baking Soda

____ Baking Powder

____ Corn Starch

____ Salt

____ Pepper

____ Chocolate Chips

____ Nuts

____ Raisins

____ Vanilla

____ Dried Herbs

CONDIMENTS

____ Oil

____ Vinegar

____ Ketchup

____ Mayonnaise

____ Mustard

____ Salad Dressing

____ Shortening

____ Soy Sauce

____ Jelly/Jam

great list

I saw under vegetables tinned is listed radishes. How are these processed? I've never seen them at the stores here so curious. Can only assume they are big on your side of the big pond. I Will can my excess from the garden by pickling them and then use in salads.

 

[Dani]

I am definitely buying and storing more food. I don't have a lot of money to waste so I am looking for longer shelf life. I did a few research for canning food for longevity, which I will try perhaps later. Im a ****** cook so the idea still intimidates me. I know not to buy acidic food thus, they spoil faster.

These are on my list.

1. rice- bag, individual package
2. SPAM!!
3. Jerky
4. Ramen noodles
5. Oil. for cooking
6. Salt (iodize), some spices.
7. powdered milk or eggs. ***Still undecided about this***
8. Pasta, a few boxes or so
9. flour, sugar, baking powder.
10. energy bars (cliff, naked, nature valley)

Couldn't thing anything else. Please let me know if there are things I need to add or subtract. Anything is appreciated.

Also, not sure if it is worth signing up for Costco to buy in greater bulk.

My place has a small kitchen cabinets. not ideal for stocking up long term. But, I found this second hand shelf from a close out deal. Not the prettiest, but its durable and fits in my apartment. I think it's good place for storing hygiene products, water and my other camping stuff .
View attachment 10318

Thanks for all the help!!

The shelving unit you have pictured is similar to the one I use for my canned goods. When I put mine together I turned the shelving upside down to have a lip so things didn't call off so easily. I tried to upload a picture but my tablet won't let me.

Maybe this will take you to a page I posted a pic??
http://www.doomsdayprepperforums.com/index.php?threads/canning.440/page-2#post-72871

Ok it does work and if you scroll down I also posted a corner picture of the shelves in my stockroom.

 

[Mountain trapper]

The wife just ordered a food dehydrator so we can start drying food from the garden, if I'm able to get anything planted. I think dried food will take up a lot less space and weight than canned goods. I think having a good variety of different foods is critical.

 

[Dani]

The wife just ordered a food dehydrator so we can start drying food from the garden, if I'm able to get anything planted. I think dried food will take up a lot less space and weight than canned goods. I think having a good variety of different foods is critical.

Dehydrated is very lightweight in comparison and will take up less space. I do both, but for the most part canned is the way I go mainly since dehydrating takes awhile and I usually have a lot to process. I could actually just blanch and throw in freezer to dehydrate after a batch gets done if that is the main route I would like to go. I only have two 4 tray dehydrators that do not actually hold enough for me to process the bulk of my garden.

 

[Mountain trapper]

Dehydrated is very lightweight in comparison and will take up less space. I do both, but for the most part canned is the way I go mainly since dehydrating takes awhile and I usually have a lot to process. I could actually just blanch and throw in freezer to dehydrate after a batch gets done if that is the main route I would like to go. I only have two 4 tray dehydrators that do not actually hold enough for me to process the bulk of my garden.

I think she ordered the 5 tray model. She wanted the larger one but since we're on solar power she figured the 440 watt model would be a better option. We freeze a lot of food now and she plans to do more canning, if she's able to come home this summer.

 

[Oddcaliber]

Freeze dried goods, are these MRE’s?

Not quite. MRE is Meal Ready to Eat. At least that's what we were told! LOL. Freeze dried IE Mountain House requires water to rehydrate. Add boiling water stir wait 10 minutes.

 

[Jayson]

Not quite. MRE is Meal Ready to Eat. At least that's what we were told! LOL. Freeze dried IE Mountain House requires water to rehydrate. Add boiling water stir wait 10 minutes.

Also called ‘Mush, Rarely Edible’ by we former service members.

 

[Proud Prepper]

Do you know how long I can store them even pass the Best Buy date?

Many years for most, the quality one's, usually name brands last longer, they use thicker and better quality cans. I have had cheap no name brands leak shortly after the best buy date. Keep them undented and clean, dry in a cool place.

 

[Brent S]

Freeze dried goods, are these MRE’s?

Similar to MRE’s but packaged more in size than individual meals. Freeze dried is the best way to preserve and store food but it’s also the emost expensive. I got it mostly as it’s got somewhere around a 25 year shelf life. It isn’t a great option for anyone just starting out on a budget though.

 

[BillMasen]

Also called ‘Mush, Rarely Edible’ by we former service members.

Meals Refused by Ethiopians = MRE

 

[Brent S]

I hope to give everyone an update after a year or so with my food prepping capabilities.

My advice is to get stocked up on as many canned goods as you can in the immediate future. None of us know how bad things are going to get from this mess. Just ensure you won’t be going to bed hungry anytime soon. You can always build up more over time with different types of things too.