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Whether it’s a severe weather event, a disease outbreak, or acts of violence, sudden emergencies can interrupt our food supply. We may need to shelter in place for days, weeks, or even longer.
While we cannot control how and when a crisis hits, we can control how we handle it. One way to prepare for an emergency is by building a stockpile of food for your family. Most health and safety organizations today recommend having a three-day supply of food and water on hand at all times.
But what happens after those three days when the infrastructure is still down, and hazards still exist? That’s when we may need to rely on having a supply of food that lasts. This article includes a list of foods that will last for 15 years or more when stored under the right conditions.
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Bouillon
Named for the French verb “bouillir,” which translates as “to boil,” bouillon powders or cubes are an excellent addition to the long-term food pantry. You can use them to make stews, soups, sauces, and gravies. They also can deliver essential electrolytes to the body when you drink them as a broth.
Granular bouillon products store better than bouillon cubes, and your best bet for long-term results is to keep the granular product in sealed Mylar bags in a cool, dark, dry place. For extra protection, add oxygen absorbers before sealing the Mylar, and store the bags inside a food-grade bucket to guard against pests and temperature fluctuations.
Avoid storing bouillon near heat-producing appliances, and check periodically for signs of clumping or moisture, which can indicate a compromised seal.
Canned Foods
Commercially packed canned fruits and vegetables will last for decades when stored properly.
Avoid cans that are rusted, dented, scratched, or bulging when purchasing canned foods. Canned food that has been stored for many years may change slightly in color or texture but is often safe to eat. Never eat canned food that has a foul odor or shows other signs of spoilage.
Store canned foods off the floor in a cool, dark, dry space that is safe from wide temperature swings and freezing (like unheated basements or uninsulated attics). Ideally, keep cans between 50°F and 70°F, and rotate your stock using the “first in, first out” method to ensure freshness. Use sturdy shelving to avoid accidental dents or punctures, and consider labeling each can with the purchase or expected rotation date using a permanent marker.
Dried Beans and Lentils
An excellent source of fiber and carbohydrates, dried beans can last up to 30 years when stored correctly.
According to research by Utah State University, a consumer taste panel that was testing foods for emergency use gave dried pinto beans that had been stored for three decades an 80 percent acceptance rate.
For best results, you should remove dried beans from their store packaging, transferring them to #10 cans or Mylar bags. Oxygen absorbers also help extend flavor and appearance. Store the containers in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.
To further guard against pests and moisture, seal the Mylar bags inside food-grade buckets with tight-fitting lids. Even though beans last for decades, they may take longer to cook as they age, so consider storing extra water and fuel for food preparation.
Dried Pasta
In her book Pasta and Noodles: A Global History, food scientist Kantha Shelke reveals that she tasted pasta found in an Egyptian pyramid. Remarkably, she found no loss in its quality.
For the best long-term storage of dried pasta, place the pasta in an airtight container along with oxygen absorbers. Another option is to vacuum-seal dried pasta in its original packaging.
Store in a cool, dry location. To maximize shelf life, keep it away from sources of heat and light, and consider storing vacuum-sealed pasta inside Mylar bags or food-grade buckets for an added layer of protection. Avoid storing pasta near strong-smelling items, as it can sometimes absorb odors over time.
Flour
For long-term pantry storage of white flour, your best bet is to place it in sealed Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. This step helps protect it from light, moisture, and oxygen for up to 15 years.
Another option is to store wheat berries in a Mylar bag with oxygen absorbers in a cool, dry location. Wheat berries, which you can grind into a nutritious flour, will last up to 15 years when stored this way. Because wheat berries retain their natural oils better than processed flour, they’re less prone to spoilage and more shelf-stable.
To prevent pests like weevils, freeze wheat berries for a few days before sealing them in storage containers. For both flour and wheat berries, keep the sealed bags inside food-grade buckets to block out rodents, humidity, and temperature shifts.
Freeze-Dried Foods
The higher the moisture content of a food, the shorter its shelf life. The freeze-drying process removes around 98 percent of a food’s moisture content.
You can freeze-dry many foods including dairy, meat, fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and even pet food. You can even purchase entire freeze-dried meals. Oil-based foods, such as peanut butter, honey, jam, syrup, and pure chocolate, do not freeze-dry well.
Freeze-dried food should be stored in a cool, dark, and dry location. For maximum shelf life—up to 25 years or more—keep the food sealed in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and then place the bags inside a sturdy container like a plastic tote or bucket. Avoid frequent handling or moving of the containers, which can weaken the seals over time.
If you’re new to the concept of freeze-dried food, here’s an article that provides some of the basics.
Hardtack
You may know it only as a Civil War ration. But hardtack, a dense biscuit made from flour, water, and often salt, is an inexpensive long-term survival food. You can dip the hard cracker in water or fry it with butter to make it edible.
Here is a recipe for hardtack. And this article offers more information on this survival food. When stored in air- and water-tight containers, hardtack will last indefinitely. For best results, allow it to dry thoroughly after baking—ideally for several days in a low-humidity environment—before storing it.
Once completely dry, place the biscuits in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and then seal the bags inside a food-grade bucket or metal tin to protect against pests and moisture.
Honey
The expiration date on honey usually refers to when it will start to crystallize. However, crystallization does not make honey unsafe to eat. You can easily heat honey so that it returns to its syrupy state.
Store honey in glass jars or heavy food-grade plastic containers with tightly-closed lids. The best temperature range for honey storage is about 57 to 80°F. Store your honey in a dark place away from direct sunlight or other heat sources.
Avoid storing honey in metal containers, which can cause oxidation over time. If crystallization occurs, simply warm the jar gently in a pot of hot (not boiling) water and stir until smooth. When sealed and stored properly, honey can last indefinitely.
Maple Syrup
Like honey, maple syrup can last indefinitely when stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry location. A sealed glass jar or bottle is your best bet.
And, also like honey, you can melt crystallized maple syrup back down to its original state. An easy and gentle way to handle this procedure is to place the unopened maple syrup container in a bowl of warm water. Avoid using direct heat, which can alter the flavor.
Once opened, maple syrup should be refrigerated to maintain quality, but for long-term storage, keep unopened containers away from sunlight and temperature swings. A pantry or root cellar is ideal.
Oats
An important ingredient for breakfast cereals, breads, and non-dairy milk, dried oats can last up to 30 years.
Like most of the other items on this list, heat, moisture, and light are enemies of your dried oat supply. Therefore, store oats in airtight containers in a cool, dry, dark location and use oxygen absorbers. Mylar bags sealed with absorbers and stored in food-grade buckets offer one of the best long-term solutions.
Avoid storing oats in their original cardboard packaging, which offers little protection from pests or humidity. Rolled oats, steel-cut oats, and oat groats all store well using these methods, though oat groats generally have the longest shelf life.
Peanut Butter
An unopened regular peanut butter can stay fresh for five years. However, there are some reports of flavor and odor deteriorating in less than one year.
For long-term storage of 5 years or more, try powdered peanut butter. It’s made with roasted, pressed peanuts that have had their oil removed. Store peanut butter powder in tightly-sealed containers in a cool, dry place.
For best results, transfer the powder to Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, and then store the bags inside a food-grade bucket to keep out light, moisture, and pests. Unlike regular peanut butter, the low oil content in the powdered form greatly reduces the risk of rancidity, making it ideal for long-term storage and emergency use.
Pemmican
Pemmican is a centuries-old name for the Cree word for rendered fat. The food, which provided a nutritious and filling food for Native Americans, was adopted by fur traders in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Pemmican is a dried combination of berries, meat, and rendered fat (also known as suet or tallow) that requires no refrigeration and can last for many years. Here is a recipe for pemmican.
For long-term storage, wrap the pemmican in aluminum foil and then place it in a sealed plastic bag. Keep the bag stored at room temperature in a dark, dry location. For added shelf life, vacuum-seal the wrapped pemmican and place it inside an airtight container or food-grade bucket.
The key to longevity is keeping moisture and oxygen out, so make sure it’s fully cured and dry before wrapping. Properly made and stored, pemmican can last a decade or more.
Popcorn
While kernel un-popped popcorn—not the packaged microwave kind—will last indefinitely when stored in airtight containers.
Place the kernels in Mylar bags, which protect against both air and light. Add an oxygen absorber in each bag for extra protection, then place the bags inside a food-grade bucket with a tight-fitting lid. Keep the bucket in a cool, dry, dark place to prevent the kernels from losing moisture, which is essential for proper popping.
Avoid storing popcorn near heat sources, as high temperatures can degrade the natural oils inside the kernels and reduce their popping performance over time.
Powdered Milk
Powdered milk may have a “best by” date of 18 months, but it can last indefinitely under the right conditions.
Here are the steps to take for the best results:
- Store only non-fat powdered milk. The fat in whole milk powder can go rancid over time, so non-fat varieties are much more stable for long-term storage.
- Transfer powdered milk from store packaging to an airtight container. Mylar bags are ideal, especially when sealed with oxygen absorbers and placed in a secondary container like a food-grade bucket.
- Store in a cool, dry, dark place. Aim for temperatures below 70°F to slow oxidation and nutrient loss.
- Use oxygen absorbers to control oxygen and desiccants to control moisture. This two-pronged approach significantly extends shelf life and helps preserve flavor and nutritional value.
Properly stored, non-fat powdered milk can remain viable for decades.
White Rice
Although it often gets a bad nutritional rap, white rice is a complex carbohydrate that offers protein and vitamins and minerals, including manganese, niacin, iron, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, zinc, and Vitamin B6. It also can last in your stockpile for 25 to 30 years.
Store rice in a cool, dry spot in tightly-sealed containers. To guard against pests, you can place vacuum-sealed bags inside five-gallon buckets or add oxygen absorbers to #10 cans. Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers offer excellent long-term protection as well.
Avoid brown rice for long-term storage, as its natural oils cause it to go rancid in just a year or two. Keep rice away from fluctuating temperatures and humidity, which can compromise both quality and shelf life.
Final Thoughts
As you plan for your long-term pantry, keep in mind that your foods’ main enemies are temperature, oxygen, moisture, and pests.
Even if you’re storing food for the long haul, it’s still a good idea to label containers with the storage date. And despite the information in this article and other long-term storage advice, trust your senses when it comes to eating your food. Some changes in appearance may be expected for food that’s been stored for a long while. But if it smells or looks “off,” don’t eat it.
Here are some sources for further references:
- Food Storage for Self-Sufficiency and Survival by Angela Paskett
- Survival Food To Stockpile by Raymond L. Hillman
- A Year Without the Grocery Store by Karen Morris
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