CHAPTER 33 - MOST COMMON CHOICES FOR FOOD STORAGE & THEIR SHELF LIVES
Some foods that work well for storing are beneficial for just about anyone who might encounter the need to survive a crisis that involves food shortages whether long-term or short-term. At the very least, the following information will give you a place to start in determining what your own food storage should be and can be a guideline for doing so. These lists are based mainly on shelf life and are a good way to break up the project of food storage into more manageable and less overwhelming tasks of planning.
Keep in mind that some of the stated shelf lives depend on the method of storage used such as canned, dried, dehydrated, in mylar pouches, etc. While these lists are a great place to start, they are in no-way considered comprehensive and will depend on the temperature stored at along with other specific methods of storage unique to the item being stored in order to reach their full shelf life potential. Most, if not all, food items can have a much longer shelf life when vacuumed packed and/or stored with oxygen absorption packets.
6 Month or Less Shelf Life | 1-2 Years of Shelf Life | 3-10 Years or Indefinite |
Rice or Whole Wheat Flour | Condensed Soup (canned) | Canned Fruits & Vegetables |
Crackers (in metal)
| Yeast | Dried Beans |
Cereal (for cooking, i.e. oatmeal, Quinoa) | Ready-To-Eat Cereals | Dried Corn |
Dried Fruit (in metal)
| Peanut Butter | Salt |
Powdered Milk (in box)
| Jelly | Coffee |
Hard Cheeses (wrapped in wax and refrigerated) | Baby Food (jar) | White Sugar |
Chocolate syrup | Cooking Oils | Bouillon cubes & granules |
Mustard
| Hard Candy | Dehydrated Cheeses |
Pickled Foods
| Chocolate | Honey |
Olives
| Vanilla Extract | Cocoa Powder |
Some fresh fruits and veggies if in cool cellar | Spaghetti Sauce | Whole Grains |
Brown Rice
| Solid Shortening | White Rice |
Nuts (vacuum sealed) | Hot Sauce, Salad Dressings, Salsa | Canned Chili |
Dried Potatoes
| Instant Rice | Canned Tuna |
Pasta & Rice Mixes (Pre-packaged & sealed) | Popcorn, whole kernels | Biscuit & Bread Mixes |
Ground Spices | Pasta | Pudding Mixes (canned) |
Brown Sugar | Condensed or Evaporated Milk | Soybeans |
Bacon Bits (meat substitute) | Vienna Sausage | Powdered Shortening |
Dehydrated Vegetable Flakes | Gelatin | Granola |
Mayonnaise | Grain, barley & buckwheat | Vinegar |