Top 10 Best Foods to Have in Your Long Term Storage

It doesn't necessarily have to be an end-of-life-as-we-know-it doomsday scenario to make you wish you had an emergency food storage. It could be something localized, like a natural disaster, or even something relatively short-term, like a severe winter storm, that could cause you and your family to clean out your fridge and resort to eating from a reserve stash.

It could also be something like a community panic caused by the fear of a catastrophic event, such as the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) hysteria, that results in grocery stores selling out and leaving you with nothing.

Hopefully, maintaining a well-stocked long-term food storage ends up being nothing more than an exercise in caution. Ideally, the only consequence will be you eating a lot of lentils at the last minute to avoid letting them go bad. However, if you do end up needing to rely on your long-term storage, you'll be grateful you made the effort.

Below is a list of the best food items to add to your long-term storage. These suggestions are based on shelf life and usability.

The Top Ten

Salt

Salt gets a bad rap in times of abundance. The typical diet contains more than enough sodium, which can cause a myriad of health problems. However, salt is an essential component of our diets that must be accounted for in a survival scenario. Salt is required for maintaining fluid balance, transmitting nerve impulses, and maintaining muscle function. Sodium deficiency leads to fatigue, headaches, confusion, and even vomiting and seizures.
On top of our physical need for salt, it is also good for flavor enhancement and food preservation.
Sugar

Sugar has a shelf life that will likely outlast your own lifespan. It is extremely versatile and will help make many other items in your food storage more palatable.
Oat Groats

Properly sealed, oat groats can last up to 8 years. They are high in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. They are also versatile and can be used as a meal by themselves, as a thickener for soups and gravies, or to add nutrition to breads, beverages, or desserts.
Quinoa

Quinoa has a relatively high, complete protein content. It is highly digestible and an excellent source of a variety of nutrients. When stored properly, it can last up to 8 years.
Pasta

Not only is it tasty, but pasta is high in carbohydrates, nutritious, filling, and convenient to prepare. When stored properly, it will last for years. No wonder pasta became so popular during the Great Depression.
Dry Corn

When dehydrated, corn rehydrates in 30 minutes, tastes great, has a decent calorie count, and creates a complete protein when combined with legumes. Properly packaged, dehydrated sweet yellow corn can last up to 25 years in storage.
Tea
Buckwheat

A hard grain with a decade long shelf life, buckwheat, when combined with traditional wheat flour, creates a near perfect ratio of essential proteins.
Pinto Beans

Pinto beans are a good source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are a tasty addition to your long-term storage and can last over 8 years when sealed and kept away from oxygen.
Rice

The Newcomers

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Eggs
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Cheese

The Contenders

Honey
Coconut Oil

While it has a shorter shelf life than other supplies, coconut oil can last up to 2 years, which is one of the longest among oils. It is a great way to add flavor and calories to dishes.
Canned Tomato Sauce
White Rice
Garbanzo Beans

Among the healthiest beans, garbanzo beans can last 8 to 10 years when sealed and kept away from oxygen. They are a good source of protein, dietary fiber, iron, and folate. They can be mixed into salads or stews, roasted, or mashed to make hummus.
Butter Powder
Beef Jerky
Powdered Milk
Dried Figs
Hot Sauce
Canned Sausage
Sardines