If you are planning to build up a stockpile of food supplies at home, canned foods should definitely be near the top of your shopping list.
Canned food is one of the ideal foods that you should stockpile. Canned food can be one of the most important items to stockpile for bugging-in and bugging out. Canned food is easy to prepare and provides healthy calories, which is super important when SHTF.
In this post, we will discuss the reasons why you should store canned foods at home and we will give you a list of our favorite canned foods for survival.
Why You Should Store Canned Foods
There are many reasons why you should consider stockpiling canned foods at home. You may not be able to recognize the value of stockpiling right now. But if SHTF, you will be very glad that you followed your instinct to stockpile, and you’ll be in great shape to survive if you stockpile some of our favorite canned foods. But first, Why stockpile canned food?
Emergency Supply
At the time of writing this, there are worldwide supply chain issues. Americans are seeing bare aisles at the grocery store- again. We are all to aware today that there may be a time in the very near future in which it will be tough or impossible to go to the grocery store and get what you need. It’s comforting knowing every day that if SHTF, you have a backup food supply at home. Remember that our mental state is incredibly important when things get rough, so you want to make the basics- food and shelter- as easy as possible for you sort out ASAP.
Budget-friendly
Canned foods are reasonably priced compared to most uncanned food options available in the market today. You can definitely save a lot of money, especially with bulk orders, when filling your kitchen pantry and food cabinets at home. You may not notice the accumulated savings right off the bat but you will after spending hundreds, if not thousands of dollars on food for survival.
Long-term Storage
Canned foods are tailor-made for long-term storage, lasting at least a year or so, making them some of the best food support for any kind of situation. You just have to make sure to store them properly in a cool, dry place, away from moisture. For that reason, do not refrigerate canned goods unless they are opened.
Trouble-free of Cooking
As you know, you do not have to cook canned foods to be able to consume them. But of course most folks would still want to cook them first, maybe adding their favorite herbs and spices that will suit their taste. Preparing them requires no effort at all, you just have to open the top lid and you can dig straight out of the can.
Best Canned Food For Survival
There are many types of canned foods that are readily available on the market today and you have a ton of choices. Almost every food that needs to be cooked is already processed and preserved in cans for a much more convenient eating, whether it is fruits, meat, vegetables and much more.
Canned Meat
Generally, it contains a higher content of fat, sodium and other chemicals yet it is one of the best canned food choices to fill an empty stomach. It also contains preservatives, but small amounts, so you only need to be careful if this is the only food you will be eating for a long period of time to survive. And if you prepare correctly, that will not be the case.
Depending on the manufacturer, there are different processes and recipes. Therefore, you should try a few and opt for your favorite brand if you are a picky eater. Also, canned meat can last for 4 up to 10 years, just stay away from canned meats that have sauce and sugar included in their ingredients as they will degrade the product’s quality faster, shortening its shelf life.
Canned Vegetables
Canned vegetables are perhaps the safest among all canned foods available in the market. They do not require any artificial chemicals in order to be preserved in a can, making them a natural food option—vegetables need only to be preserved through pickling. It goes without saying that raw and fresh vegetables are way healthier than those preserved in cans but still, canned vegetables have a well-rounded nutritional profile with minerals, vitamins, fibers and more to help you meet your nutritional needs. Furthermore, unlike fresh vegetables, canned vegetables have an far longer shelf life and are easier to prepare and eat, lasting for 3 up to 8 years.
Canned Beans and Legumes
There are lots of ways you can do with canned beans such as mixing them in salads, spreads, chili, soups or even burgers. Canned beans contain proteins, folate and minerals like iron, magnesium, potassium and zinc. Specifically, navy beans, kidney beans and black beans are the ones you should keep your eyes on for these nutrients. The addition of a high amount of salt takes place in preserving canned beans which helps them last for 3 up to 6 years. If you like to reduce the high salt content, you can rinse them off with water. But keep in mind that you are also rinsing off some of the nutrients they have in them.
Canned Fish
Whether it is tuna, sardines or salmon, canned fish contains a high level of Omega-3 fatty acids, making it perhaps the healthiest among all canned foods out there. Salmon and tuna are rich in good fats and protein and provide more nutrition which can help your overall health and livelihood. It is worth mentioning that freshly-caught fish in the sea are way more nutritious than those ones in the farms. It is because wild fish can swim around in the vast sea which helps them develop muscles and they live by eating natural food, while fish in the farms can only swim in a limited space and live by eating artificial food. Canned fish can last for 3 to 6 years, just stay away from canned fish that has sauces that come with it as it will degrade the product’s quality, shortening its shelf life.
Canned Rice
Rice is part of many peoples’ daily diet, providing carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and protein which are essential in a healthy diet. Canned rice also contains these nutrients, except they are only in lower levels. Canned brown rice is a healthier option than canned white rice, but they tend to last shorter due to its high oil content. Canned rice is definitely easier to prepare than grain rice since it is already cooked and you can eat it straight out of the can, but you can also heat it up according to your preference. Canned rice can last for 2 to 6 years.
Canned Soup
Canned soup usually contains vegetables, meat or even both in one can. The greater part of its content is water which can help to prevent dehydration when you don’t have a steady water source. It also contains salt to be able to extend its shelf for a long period of time. Due to its salt content, it may cause dehydration as well if consumed in large quantities. Canned soup is a great canned food option, providing vitamins and minerals. You can eat it straight out of the can or heat it up but you should take off the top lid first to avoid pressure building up inside the can. Canned soup can last for 2 up to 4 years.
Canned Fruits
There are a wide variety of canned fruits available in the market and they are a great option for hydration as well, often packed with the right vitamins and nutrients just like vegetables. They usually contain water and have more sugar content than fresh fruits. Therefore, people with diabetes are advised to avoid consuming canned fruits in large quantities as much as possible. But there are some canned fruits that have low sugar content while others do not have at all, however these may have a shorter shelf life. Canned fruits can last for 1 to 2 years.
Final Thoughts
Setting aside the useful purpose they serve, too much intake of canned foods is not advisable as they are not a natural and healthy food option to be eaten regularly due to preservatives and high sodium content in many canned foods. Canned foods are excellent at serving a survival purpose, but they should be a supplement to your food stockpile, not necessarily a main staple of your stockpile. Bottom line, canned foods are an excellent food reserve, most especially in a bugging-in situation where one must be able to survive without leaving home. But canned food shouldn’t be the only food you have to survive on in your house.