Grocery shopping can be quite an overwhelming experience, especially on a budget. As a prepper, you should start getting used to the practice of confirming the expiration date of everything you buy. If you aren’t eating it fresh, try to avoid wasting precious money on food that can spoil too quickly.
In this post, we will take a look at a list of foods with the longest shelf life that are commonly available at your local grocery stores. You can start your survival pantry right now, while you shop for more specialized products from places like My Patriot Supply.
Starting Point
If stored properly, some foods can be edible for quite a long time—most foods expire relatively quickly due to moisture or high oil content.
This issue can only be resolved if foods are dried, canned or other preservation methods are used, like curing meat. There are lots of common food products from grocery stores that can be eaten far beyond their expected “expiration date.”
Long-lasting food products is especially popular among preppers and survivalists, who expect living off the grid or bugging out when disaster strikes. The goal is to be ready all the time. You can start getting ready today with these tips on filling your cupboard with long-lasting food products.
There may not be a hurricane on the way (at least at the time of this posting), but it’s still easy to see the upsides of stockpiling your pantry with food that won’t spoil. Foods that will be suitable to eat for a long time will save you from a lot of problems in a SHTF situation.
List of Foods with the Longest Shelf Life
Honey
Raw honey will last indefinitely, quite literally lifetimes. Honey can be used as a substitute for sugar in many dishes, it regularly helps people with allergies, and can also be used to treat wounds and burns. If it crystalized by the time you need to use it, put the honey in a suitable container and drop it in some hot water until the crystals dissolve.
Rice
Most kinds of rice can last indefinitely as long as it stays dry. As long as you store it properly, it can have a shelf-life of decades.
Granulated Sugar
Granulated sugar can last 30 years—as soon as you get it from the grocery store, just transfer it into an air-tight sealed glass container.
Salt
Salt has a variety of uses that you can benefit from. It’s essential to your diet, for one. It is also ideal for curing meat for extended periods of time. You can also use salt to enhance the flavor of your meals. It also has the ability to clean dirty surfaces! Salt can last indefinitely just as long as you can manage to prevent it from solidifying.
Pasta
Pasta can last a while. It can last up to 30 years but you are fortunate enough if it lasts at least three years out of its original packaging. One concern with pasta is that it can be quickly contaminated with insects. We recommend you store pasta in a mylar bag or any food storage containers, just as long as you seal it securely.
Beans
While beans can be stored for over 30 years, they might lose the majority of their nutrients after around five years. In any case, they will give you the calories you need when absolutely necessary until you could find another food that’s rich in protein. Beans are a valuable part of your food reserve.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are the perfect food to start your strategic reserves with. Store it in an air tight container or mylar bags with oxygen absorbers to help prolong its shelf life. Rolled oats are likely to last for over 30 years.
Potato Flakes
Potato flakes should be stored in a mylar bag with oxygen absorbers. They can last up to 10 to 15 years.
Powdered Milk
Powdered milk will last for over 20 years if stored properly and not exposed to moisture. Storing it in a plastic bag or container may affect its flavor by giving it a “plastic” taste. Instead, store it in a glass container to prevent any possible change in flavor.
Popcorn
Un-popped popcorn has a shelf life of more than 30 years. It actually needs a bit of moisture content in the air to keep, in the range of 13 and 15 percent. This and some other foods are a big reason to have a hygrometer in your pantry, or wherever you store food.
Some Final Thoughts
There are specialized food products that we definitely suggest you check out. But as you can see from our little list, you can still start some basic prepping during your next trip to the grocery store. Don’t forget to always check out expiration dates on everything you buy!