Food and water is essential if you want to stay alive after the stores are looted. Learn to create a solid long-term food storage plan.
Emergency food and water is essential if you want to stay alive after the stores are looted. Recent events have taught us that this isn’t just a paranoid notion.
Whether you're a doomsday prepper or simply want some extra peace of mind, having a solid plan for long-term food storage is a smart move. So, grab your popcorn (or should I say canned goods) and let's dive into the question that’s top of mind: How do you stock a pantry for a year?
Download: 1-year food storage list PDF
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1-year food storage list
Below is a starting point to get an idea of what your 1-year supply might look like. Of course, you should tailor it to your needs. In our case, we eat an insane variety of cuisines and so we have a spice addiction. Do what you need to do for your situation.
Grains
Hard red wheat: 48 lbs
Hard white wheat: 48 lbs
White flour: 48 lbs
Brown rice: 48 lbs
White rice: 48 lbs
Rolled oats: 48 lbs
Cornmeal: 48 lbs
Pasta: 48 lbs
Dehydrated foods
Potatoes: 5 lbs
Onions: 2 lbs
Veggies (assorted): 5 lbs
Fruits (assorted): 5 lbs
Eggs: 5 lbs
Legumes
Canned beans ( black, pinto, etc.): 25 cans
Dried beans and lentils: 48 lbs
Bean soup mix: 4 lbs
Refried beans: 4 cans
Canned and jarred
Veggies (assorted): 104 cans
Fruit (assorted): 52 cans
Applesauce: 9 cans
Tomatoes and/or pasta sauce: 52 cans
Tuna: 52 cans
Chicken, Spam, or other meat: 52 cans
Chili, soup, or stew: 12 cans
Broth: 24 quarts
Evaporated milk and/or nut milk: 6 cans or quarts
Sugars
Fats and oils
Cooking oil: 3 gallons
Mayonnaise: 4 quarts
Peanut butter: 6 large jars
Condiments
Salsa: 6 jars
Mustard: 4 bottles
Ketchup: 4 bottles
Salad dressing: 4 bottles
Baking and cooking
Cornstarch: 2 lbs
Baking powder: 2 lbs
Baking soda: 2 lbs
Yeast: 2 lbs
Salt: 10 lbs
White vinegar: 2 gallons
Apple cider vinegar: 2 gallons
Vanilla extract: 16 oz
Cocoa powder: 2 lbs
Spices (assorted)
Non-fat dry milk: 2 lbs
Nuts and snack seeds
Nuts (almond, peanut, and cashew): 20 lbs
Seeds (sunflower and pumpkin): 10 lbs
Juice
Apple juice: 2 gallons
Cranberry juice: 2 gallons
Vitamins and meds
Multi-vitamins
Vitamin C
Zinc
Echinacea
Fiber
Tylenol
Ibuprofen
Cold and flu medicine
Prescription meds
Gardening seeds
Tomato
Carrot
Cabbage
Pea
Corn
Onion
Lettuce
Bell pepper / hot pepper
Squash / zucchini
Cucumber
Herbs (assorted)
Buy long-term food storage
Many manufacturers offer long-term food storage in buckets and #10 cans. Here are a few to check out:
Customize your food storage plan
Now that you’ve got your checklist, it’s time to customize it. Begin by assessing your needs.
Answer the following questions to get started:
How many people are you storing food for?
Are there any allergies or dietary needs you need to plan around?
Do you have infants or toddlers to keep in mind?
How much room do you have to store your food?
Doing a quick assessment like this will help you alter your food storage list to include the right foods, in the right quantities.
Take these three examples:
Gluten intolerance. Those who can’t eat gluten will need to substitute GF flours for the wheat in this food storage list. They could instead consider adding in flours such as: rice, tapioca, potato, almond, sorghum, and quinoa.
Infants. If you’re planning around an infant, you may consider adding powdered formula to your list. Powdered formula has a longer shelf life than liquid formulas and can be easily stored in airtight containers.
A family of five. You’ll multiply the recommended quantities by five in most of the above recommendations. Remember that children don’t often eat as much as adults and no family should be eating 10 bottles of mustard a year — unless you’re German.
What are the best foods to stockpile
When it comes to your food stockpile, opt for non-perishable, long-lasting foods. Canned goods, dried fruits, nuts, rice, pasta, and beans are all great options. With a few condiments and spices, you can add flavor to your emergency cuisine.
And if you’ve got the space, throw in a few comfort foods to keep morale high, and your love handles, well …. handleable.
Rotate: the first rule of food storage
Arrange your stockpile with the oldest items at the front and the newest at the back. Make a habit of using and replacing items regularly, ensuring that your stock remains up-to-date and edible. This is a pain in the buttocks, butt necessary.
Store what you eat! Start with a three-month storage goal consisting of the foods you actually eat. Think about your daily diet, subtracting the fresh produce and meats you get from your local stores, and that’s basically what you should consider storing for your initial three-month supply. These foods won’t last as long as your 30-year shelf-life white rice and will need to be rotated.
How do you store food for long-term storage?
Find a cool, dry, and well-ventilated area to house your food stockpiles. Extreme temperatures can spoil food, so avoid hot attics or damp spaces. Remember, the goal is to keep your provisions in optimal condition for the long haul, so don't store your cans next to the furnace or under a leaky pipe. Once you have your three-month supply taken care of, you can start thinking about all the odd places you can stick buckets and cans in your house for your one-year storage.
A note on water storage
Stocking up on food is a big part of the battle, but you’ll also need an ample water supply to quench your thirst and keep hydrated for survival. Plan for at least one gallon of water per person per day — and aim to have at least a two-week supply of clean drinking water ready at any time.
For the long haul, make sure you have a quality water purification system like a Berkey or Purewell. These types of water filtration systems can remove hundreds of impurities from external water sources so you can have safe drinking water for an extended period of time, whether you're fetching water from a nearby pond or collecting rainwater.
Non-food storage essentials
You need more than food to have food, and to deal with your basic hygiene (Steve, this one’s for you).
You’re going to need:
A manual can opener
A wheat grinder
A stove and other cooking gear that works off-grid
Toilet paper
Paper goods (when water is scarce)
Body, laundry, and dish soaps
Spare toothbrushes and toothpaste
Other hygiene and cleaning essentials
Oh, and don't forget some board games or playing cards for entertainment. I mean, can you think of a better apocalypse activity than to play a cooperative game of Zombicide by candlelight?
Long-term food storage and survival
Remember, it's better to be over-prepared than to find yourself in the middle of a crisis with nothing but a box of Twinkies in your pantry. Keep your food stash fresh, rotate regularly, and be mindful of storage conditions, and give that extra deodorant to Steve.
Next, discover some non-food SHTF supplies you might want to stock up on.