The Most Calorie-Dense Plants for Your Garden

Estimated reading time: 13 minutes

Growing up, my family had a vegetable garden every year. We didn’t grow one because we had to but because we enjoyed the work and the availability of fresh produce at our fingertips. These days it seems almost trendy to say you grow your own food but the time to have a food garden out of necessity certainly seems to be on the horizon.

Food prices keep increasing, shortages have become normal, and changing weather patterns all affect what types of foods are available to us. The system on which we rely for our food is really an experiment. When you take into account the whole of human existence this system hasn’t been around for all that long so it’s no wonder it has problems.

Whether that system just keeps getting worse, it collapses, or SHTF happens, the answer is that we need to get back to our roots and grow our own food. In the case of SHTF, you are going to want the most calorie-dense vegetables and fruits you can grow and you are going to want to grow them as quickly as you can.

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High-Calorie Vegetables For Survival

The vegetables below are listed in alphabetical order.

Amaranth

Amaranth is a group of plants used for their leaves and grains. On average they provide roughly 250 calories per cup when cooked.. After planting, amaranth can be ready for harvest within about three months. Amaranth likes sunny conditions and temperatures around 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Avocado

The avocado made a huge comeback in recent years as a healthy food to be eaten, primarily due to its levels of healthy fats. At 234 calories per cup, this is the number of calories you can expect out of one avocado. As great as avocados may be, there are two huge downfalls to growing them.

The first is that avocados grow on trees, meaning you will need a decent amount of space for it to grow. Secondly, if you are starting from seed, it will be many years before you see your first avocado. To speed this process up, consider planting a tree rather than starting from seed.

Chickpeas

Another option on this list is from the legume family and with good reason. At 729 calories per cup (raw), chickpeas provide a ton of calories per serving. Like most legumes, they are quite versatile to cook with and can be harvested around 15 weeks after planting.

Chickpeas are a good option for container gardening because they only grow to about 18 inches tall but make sure the container is placed in full sunlight.

Jerusalem artichokes

Jerusalem artichokes are also referred to as wild sunflower, Sunroot, or earth apple and it is a native plant of central North America. In one cup you can expect to get a little over 110 calories from this versatile tuber. This plant is relatively easy to grow, likes slightly cooler temperatures, and is ready for harvest in about 20 weeks.

Lentils

Like beans, lentils are a part of the legume family and they are used around the world either in their dry form or canned version. Lentils provide 230 calories per cup and can be prepared in a variety of ways, making them a popular and calorie-dense crop to grow.

Lentils require around 15 weeks of growing time before they can be harvested. Lentils grow best in cool, dry locations where they also receive full sunlight.

Lima Beans

Lima beans also referred to as butter beans due to their creamy taste and texture, can provide around 209 calories per cup. When growing, choose a location that is warm, not hot, and where it will receive at least a few inches of water per month. These beans should be ready for harvest 60-70 days after planting.

Peanuts

Interestingly, peanuts are considered a grain legume and an oil crop because of the high levels of peanut oil they contain. A handful of peanuts will also give you a boost of energy because one cup of peanuts contains around 830 calories and you can expect one plant to produce up to 50 nuts.

When planting, choose a hot location that receives plenty of rainfall, and has loose soil. You can expect to harvest between 120-160 days.

Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are a popular legume in the southern United States and northern Mexico. One cup of pinto beans can provide around 245 calories. When planting, be sure to pick a spot that receives full sunlight all day long. Depending on the variety, it can take up to 100 days before you can harvest.

Potato

Potatoes making it on the list is probably no surprise since they have been considered a starvation food throughout history and if they are good enough for Mark Watney in the movie The Martian, they should be good enough for you.

At 110 calories per 5.3 ounces (.66 cups) the average potato is going to provide you with around 160 calories. Potatoes like at least 6 hours of daylight and slightly acidic fertile soil. Soil should be loose to allow the tubers to properly grow. Each potato plant can produce around ten tubers and it can take anywhere from 10 to 20 weeks before they can be harvested.

Quinoa

Quinoa is a part of the amaranth family and its seeds have higher nutritional values than other grains, including protein, fiber, B vitamins, and other minerals. One cup of quinoa will also provide you with about 222 calories. When planting, choose a location that is warm with sandy soil that drains well and you can expect to harvest the seeds in 90-120 days.

Soybeans

Soybeans are native to the region of East Asia and while they have many different uses, one of the most common uses for them is in making soy milk and tofu. Soybeans provide around 297 calories per cup and can require about 20 weeks of growing before the plant is mature. Soybeans like sunlight, soil that drains well, and temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit.

Sweet Corn

Ah, everyone’s favorite summer picnic food and a highly used product around the world. Sweet corn was developed specifically for humans due to its higher levels of sugar.

At 90 calories per 3.2 ounces (.4 cups) the average ear of sweet corn will yield up to 90 calories and it will take up to 100 days before it's ready to be harvested. Be sure to choose a location that receives full sunlight and gives the corn plenty of room to grow.

Sweet potato

What can be said about a regular potato can pretty much be said about sweet potatoes. At 100 calories per 4.6 ounces (.57 cups) the average sweet potato will provide you with just a little over 100 calories.

Sweet potatoes prefer sunny locations and loose, sandy soil. If your soil is too hard or compacted, consider growing potatoes in buckets or raised beds. A sweet potato plant will produce fewer tubers than a regular potato plant and they can take up to 17 weeks before they are ready to be harvested.

Winter Squash

Squashes can be eaten raw but most people find them to be tastier when they are baked or roasted. The average squash will provide around 40-80 calories per cup and some varieties include butternut squash, carnival squash, banana squash, pumpkin, buttercup squash, and acorn squash.

Squash thrives in soil that drains well and when it receives 8 hours of sunlight a day Depending on the variety, you can expect to harvest squash between 80-100 days after planting.

High-Calorie Fruits For Survival

The fruits below are listed in alphabetical order.

Banana

Bananas are another fruit packed with nutrients that have become a part of our daily diets and they provide about 110 calories per 4.5 ounces (.56 cups) A single banana contains around 105 calories.

A banana tree can produce fruit in a relatively short time frame, around one year. Banana trees do best in warm humid conditions and do not like extreme temperatures in either direction.

Cantaloupe

One cup of diced cantaloupe will provide around 50 calories with a whole large melon providing around 270. Cantaloupes grow best in rich soil, warm temperatures, and sunlight. Consider growing melons on a trellis to help keep the melons off the ground and you can expect to harvest a cantaloupe after about 80 days.

Grapes

Grapes are another popular fruit used in snacks and other dishes that provide around 90 calories per 4.5 ounces (.56 cups). You will need a bit of area for raising grapes as they grow on vines that need room to spread out. Depending on the variety, grapevines can take several years before they start producing fruit.

Honeydew

The honeydew melon will provide you with about 60 calories per cup (diced) and one large whole melon will contain around 450 calories. Honeydews do best in hot and dry climates. If you live in a colder region, start them indoors and do not transplant them outside until after the first frost. You can expect to harvest your first honeydew in between 50-100 days depending on the growing conditions.

Pineapple

The pineapple is a tropical plant found in South America and one whole fruit can provide around 450 calories. Since it does well in tropical locations, it’s no surprise that the pineapple plant does well in warm climates where it receives plenty of sunlight. The downside to growing pineapple is that it can take up to two years before you can harvest any fruit.

Watermelon

Watermelon is another summertime favorite food to eat and it will provide roughly 46 calories per cup (diced). When planting, choose soil that drains well and is somewhat loose. You will also need quite a bit of space as each plant needs around 20 square feet for growing. You can expect to harvest a watermelon in about 90 days.

Winter Melon

The winter melon is technically a vegetable that is related to the cucumber, and it can produce rather large fruit, resembling a large watermelon Weighing up to forty pounds, one winter melon can provide almost 800 calories and they grow well in rich soil, well-drained soil, giving the melon plenty of space to grow. It also likes to be in locations that receive full sunlight throughout the day.

Keep Your Garden Soil Healthy         

If the soil in your garden isn’t in good condition then your plants aren’t going to do well. Here's how to keep your soil in good health.

Get To Growing

Joy can be found in the process of growing not to mention the benefits reaped upon harvest. If you have never grown food before it can seem like a daunting prospect. I suggest starting off small, perhaps trying to grow some microgreens on your window sill or kitchen counter.

For some people, growing food may seem impossible given their circumstances. I promise you that it is not, where there is a will there's a way. If you don’t have a green thumb, make it green by getting your hands in the dirt. It’s better to learn how to do this stuff now when you aren’t depending on it.

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You May Also Like:

• 8 Best Vegetables for Small Space Gardening
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• The Highest Calorie Crop You Can Grow

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Preparing for Curfews: How to Stay Supplied During Civil Unrest

Curfews tend to arrive with very little warning. One evening everything feels normal, and a few hours later your city is under restrictions and stores are closing early. It has happened before during riots, hurricanes, blackouts, and other emergencies, and it will happen again. For families who never thought about preparing for curfews, the scramble ... Read more...

from Prepper's Will

How To Build A Food Storage Supply You’ll Use

A few days ago, I was criticized on Facebook for teaching panic. Panic, really? That’s not in my vocabulary when it comes to food storage. Having a solid food storage supply is one of the most practical things you can do for your household. Not because the world is ending, but because life is unpredictable, a job loss, a winter storm, a sick week when grocery runs aren’t happening, or simply an unusually busy month. Let’s get started with how to build a food storage supply you’ll use.

A well-stocked pantry means you’re ready for all of it without a second thought. This post walks you through building a food storage system that’s realistic, affordable, and tailored to how your family actually eats. No catastrophizing required.

Why Food Storage Makes Everyday Sense

People often picture doomsday bunkers when they hear “food storage,” but the reality is far more ordinary. Families who keep a three-month supply of food on hand save money by buying in bulk during sales, waste less because they rotate stock, and experience a quiet financial cushion that’s easy to overlook until you actually need it.

Think of food storage the same way you think about a savings account. You’re not stashing cash because you expect disaster; you’re building a buffer because it gives you options and flexibility. The same logic applies to your pantry.

Real-world disruptions that food storage helps with include extended illness or injury, job transitions, supply chain hiccups at your local store, natural weather events, or simply a chaotic season of life when cooking from scratch is the last thing on your mind.

How Much Food Do You Actually Need?

Most preparedness resources recommend working toward a three-month supply of food that your household regularly eats. That said, even two weeks of extra food in the pantry puts you well ahead of the average household, and that’s a completely reasonable place to start.

A straightforward way to calculate your needs: write down what your family eats in a typical week. Multiply that by the number of weeks you want to cover. You now have your shopping target. No complicated formulas needed.

Keep in mind that “food storage” doesn’t mean eating differently than you do now. The goal is to have more of what you already buy and eat, not to learn a new way of cooking or stock up on foods nobody in the household actually enjoys.

The Best Foods for Long-Term Food Storage

Not all pantry items are created equal when it comes to shelf life and nutritional value. These are the workhorses of a solid food storage system.

Staple Grains and Legumes

White rice, rolled oats, dried pasta, all-purpose flour, cornmeal, and dried beans are the foundation of any food storage plan. Stored properly in airtight containers away from heat and light, these foods last anywhere from one to twenty-five years. They’re also among the most affordable calories you can buy. I store my cornmeal in the freezer; that’s how I roll. I’m ready to make cornbread or corn tortillas.

Canned and Shelf-Stable Proteins

Canned tuna, salmon, chicken, sardines, and canned beans do double duty as both protein and convenience. They require no refrigeration, have shelf lives of two to five years, and can be added to a wide variety of meals. Peanut butter and other nut butters are also excellent sources of protein and have a shelf life of 1 to 2 years. You can also freeze your peanut butter in FoodSaver-like bags.

Fats and Cooking Oils

Cooking fats are easy to overlook in food storage planning, but they’re calorie-dense and essential for making shelf-stable staples taste like real food. Coconut oil, olive oil, ghee, and shortening all store well. Coconut oil and ghee in particular hold up for one to two years without refrigeration.

Flavor and Comfort Foods

Salt, sugar, honey, vinegar, soy sauce, dried herbs, and spices last virtually indefinitely and are the difference between just edible and genuinely enjoyable meals. Coffee, tea, cocoa, and shelf-stable comfort items matter enormously for morale and routine; don’t skip them. Don’t forget Worcestershire Sauce, I love that stuff.

Storing Your Food the Right Way

The enemies of stored food are heat, light, moisture, oxygen, and pests. Keep that in mind, and your pantry will do its job for years. A cool, dark, dry location is ideal; a basement, interior closet, or spare room works well. Avoid garages or exterior walls in climates with significant temperature swings.

For bulk dry goods like rice, flour, and oats, food-grade five-gallon buckets with gamma-seal lids are a practical and affordable storage solution. Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers inside the buckets extend shelf life significantly for long-term storage of a year or more.

For your working pantry, the foods you cycle through regularly, using simple organization, matter most. Label everything with purchase or pack dates. Rotate stock by putting newer items behind older ones. This first-in, first-out system keeps waste to a minimum and ensures nothing quietly expires at the back of a shelf.

You don’t need a dedicated room or special infrastructure to maintain a food storage supply. Most families do just fine using existing pantry space, a few shelving units, and a corner of a basement or closet.

Building Your Supply Without Blowing Your Budget

The most sustainable way to build food storage is to do so gradually, using the money you already spend on groceries. Add a few extra cans or an extra bag of rice with each weekly shopping trip. Over the course of a few months, that compounds into a meaningful supply without a large upfront expense.

Watch for sales on the staples you buy most. Case lot sales at warehouse stores and grocery chains are an excellent opportunity to stock up on canned goods, dried beans, and pasta at a meaningful discount. Even a 10% savings on items you buy regularly makes a real difference over time.

A reasonable milestone for most families is reaching a two-week supply in the first month, a one-month supply by month three, and a three-month supply within the first year. Adjust that pace to whatever actually works within your household budget; progress matters more than speed.

Water Storage: The Often-Skipped Essential

Food storage without water storage is only half a plan. The standard recommendation is one gallon of water per person per day, accounting for both drinking and basic sanitation. A two-week supply for a family of four means 56 gallons, which sounds like a lot until you realize that’s about eight standard seven-gallon water storage containers.

I recommend four gallons of water per person per day. You need water for cooking, hydration, basic hygiene/sanitation, and limited laundry chores. I get thirty just thinking about one gallon per day. But that’s me, one is none, two is one.

Commercially sealed water containers and food-grade barrels are the most reliable option. Tap water stored in clean, food-grade containers with a small amount of unscented liquid bleach will remain safe for up to a year. Rotate and refresh your water supply annually.

A quality water filter, such as a gravity-fed ceramic filter or a pump filter rated for bacteria and protozoa, adds another layer of security and extends your options considerably if your stored water runs low. I like the products from Big Berkey and PortaWell.

Special Dietary Needs and Your Food Storage Plan

Your food storage should reflect how your household actually eats. If someone has celiac disease, their grains need to be gluten-free. If you have an infant, you need formula or its ingredients. If a family member has diabetes, you’re thinking differently about carbohydrates than the average food storage list suggests.

Don’t copy someone else’s generic list wholesale. Use it as a starting point, then adapt it to your household. The best food storage supply is one that your family will actually eat, that covers any medical or dietary requirements, and that accounts for the ages and needs of everyone under your roof. Here is a form I used when I taught classes: PRINTABLE: Where do I start (PDF).

Keeping Your Food Storage Fresh: The Rotation System

A food storage supply that never gets used is not a supply; it’s a slowly expiring collection. Rotation is the practice that keeps your pantry functional and your food fresh. Cook with what you store, and replace what you use. If you’re eating canned chili from your pantry tonight, replace it on the next grocery run.

Some families find it helpful to do a full pantry inventory twice a year, once in spring and once in fall, to check dates, identify items that need to be used soon, and update their shopping targets. This also gives you a clear picture of what you actually eat versus what you thought you’d eat when you bought it.

Shelf-life guidelines printed on packaging are generally conservative. Many canned foods remain safe and palatable well past their best-by date. Trust your senses: if it smells off, looks off, or the can is bulging or compromised, don’t eat it. When in doubt, throw it out; the cost of replacing one can is far lower than the cost of foodborne illness.

Frequently Asked Questions About Food Storage

How long does food storage last?

Shelf life varies widely by food type. White rice and dried beans kept in airtight containers can last 20 to 30 years. Commercially canned foods typically last 2 to 5 years. Whole wheat flour and brown rice have shorter shelf lives of 6 to 12 months due to their natural oils. The key variables are temperature, moisture, and oxygen exposure.

I purchase Lehi Mills (Orem, Utah) white bread flour once a year, 200 pounds. I don’t put it in the freezer; I buy eight 25-pound bags, usually about $12.00 a bag (Costco). I store each bag in a clean 5 Gallon Bucket with a Gamma Lid.

Souper Cubes

5 Gallon Bucket with Gamma Lids

Label Machine

Is food storage the same as an emergency food supply?

They’re related but not identical. An emergency food supply is specifically intended for crisis situations and often includes freeze-dried meals or MREs with extremely long shelf lives. A general food storage supply, as described here, uses everyday foods that you rotate through regularly. Many households benefit from maintaining both: a working pantry supply for everyday use and a longer-term emergency reserve.

Where do I store food if I live in a small space?

Apartment and small-home dwellers build storage in creative places: under beds in flat storage bins, in the back of closets, in ottomans with storage interiors, in unused corners with a decorative cover, or on vertical shelving installed in a laundry area. Even a modest amount of thoughtful storage in a small home can hold a meaningful two-week to one-month supply.

Start Where You Are

Building a food storage supply doesn’t require a dramatic lifestyle change, a large budget, or any particular worldview. It’s a practical, sensible habit that makes your household more resilient. This approach isn’t for some imagined future catastrophe, but to deal with the entirely normal bumps and disruptions that every family encounters.

Foods That Have a Long Shelf Life

Smart Ways to Store Food in a Small Home

Final Word

Start with what you have. Buy a little extra of what you already eat. Find a spot to store it. Keep a rough count of what’s there. That’s really the whole system. The rest is just refinement over time.

A well-stocked pantry is one of the quietest, most unglamorous forms of self-sufficiency, and also one of the most rewarding. There’s a particular satisfaction in knowing that whatever this month brings, your household is fed. May God bless this world, Linda

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A Navy SEAL Would Never Use This Gun

There is a reason elite warriors choose their weapons with extreme care. A Navy SEAL does not carry a firearm based on brand loyalty, marketing hype, or internet rumors. Every weapon in their hands has been tested under brutal conditions, such as extreme weather exposure or urban combat. They know that if a gun fails […]

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