Chapter 6 – How To Build A Food Store That Will Last Months

 

Tip #21: Its All About The Cans

 

For storing food for more than a few months there is little doubt that cans are the most flexible and efficient way of stocking up.  For most preppers, cans make up the core component of their pantries.  When food is preserved in liquid and sealed in cans it offers the prepper both amazing nutritional value and a long-shelf life. The food in cans will easily keep for months and often many years after its official expiration date.  If rotated properly, cans will easily cover you for the 12 month period. Furthermore, the range of foods available in cans is amazing and can satisfy most tastes. 

 

Consider stoking canned meat and vegetable soups, as these are great sources of protein.  Canned root vegetables will provide you and your family with many of the vitamins they need and also the fiber to fill them up.   Cans of carrots, potatoes and sweet potatoes are great, you can also try artichoke hearts, olives, asparagus, and sauerkraut.  One fantastic source of Vitamin A is canned pumpkin puree.  With all the canned vegetables they can be made into a great-tasting and healthy soup by cooking with garlic, spices and bouillon.

 

An interesting fact is that, pound for pound, canned fruit contains more calories than veg.  Fruit has the added advantage of being useful source of hydration.  Prep with canned mandarin oranges, peaches in syrup and pineapple chunks. 

 

While you are considering fruit, why not also think about storing jams. Even if you do not can them yourself, preservatives offer a great range of long-lasting fruits from strawberry to apple and blackberry.

 

Cans of oily fish, for example, salmon, sardines, mackerel and tuna, are a prepping essential because the supply us with important Omega 3 oils.