How to Stockpile Food For Survival

Last Updated:

Publish Date:

Whether you’re a prepper or just a person who wants to be prepared for the worst of emergencies, you’ll want to read this article before the next crisis hits.

Please take note that we’re not talking about how much pasta to prepare for dinner.

We are concerned with preparing enough food so that your family can survive on it when they are without power or air conditioning, and this is called being prepared by stockpiling survival food.

This article will provide you with a good start for creating your emergency food supply.

 

1. Create a Plan for Your Stockpile

Before you start building your stockpile, you need to have a plan.
If you didn’t plan before stockpile, you’re going to waste money and time.

Your plan should include:
• the types of foods you will store and when they will be used;
• how much food you will need;
• how the food will be stored (i.e., Find out how much food you will need for your plan’s timeframe and each member of your family.

The types of foods you will store and when they will be used
Decide what foods to keep and break them down by planned use: stockpiling, everyday cooking, emergency use.

For example:

If you are going to have a bug-out bag, you should have the necessary things to survive for 4-7 days.

If you plan on having daily food storage, you should have foods that will last with the least amount of spoilage for at least 3 months.

In emergencies such as power outages or natural disasters: You should have enough food for at least 3 months of survival using the ingredients from your emergency preparedness kit.

How much food you will need

Figure out your family’s dietary needs and what you want to prepare to ensure you have enough food on hand.

In case of power outages, decide how long you will be without electricity.

Then multiply that factor by three to get a rough idea of how much food you will need.

For example, if you plan a three-day power outage, you will need at least 3 times the amount of food required for the average American family.

How the food will be stored

Learn how long food can last in storage. This is critical because you don’t want to have food spoil sitting in your home for months and then not using it.

If you don’t have the money or time to buy a particular container for your food, store it in heavy-duty plastic bags.

Put the first item on a cardboard box that is designed to store food.

Each item’s space should be large enough for it to stand up and not get crushed by other items in the box.

Know what foods must be stored in a cool or cold place.

Know how different types of foods last before they spoil and rot (the shelf life of canned goods is one way to determine this).

Storage containers should maintain the temperature of the food in your stockpile at about 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Store all foods in airtight containers. Make sure that all leftover canned goods are used up before they spoil.

 

2. Purchase or Harvest Food in Bulk

It’s time to look at what is actually in your survival food supply.

You can save money by buying bulk foods like grains, canned goods (such as beans, soup), dehydrated fruits and vegetables, freeze-dried foods, dried pasta, etc.

Check local stores and local and online food storage companies for discounted items.

Stockpile as much food as you can for your planned use. If you have limited storage space, you should plan how to rotate and use the food in your stockpile.

When buying in bulk, purchase only what your family will need for the foreseeable future.

Store all canned goods and other foods in airtight packaging to prevent spoilage.

 

3. Shelve and organize Your Stockpile

Once you have decided how much food you will need, it is time to find a place for it to be stored.

You can start small with a shelf in the closet or pantry and work your way up to a full room.

It is necessary to ensure that the room you get does not have drafts.

Keep food dry and prevent spilled water from seeping into other containers. If you have a basement, it would be an ideal spot for your food storage.

Once you have decided on the place, set aside as much space as possible to store canned goods and other pre-packaged foods.

Pack the food in boxes so that you do not run out of room.

As food runs low, add more to the stockpile.

 

4. Store it Safely

Keep stored foods in a cool, dry place that is rodent-proof.

The best way to keep foods from spoiling is, of course, to store them in airtight containers.

Ensure the food is stored away from sunlight because some of the foods are sensitive to light.

Keep a small supply of foods that spoil quickly in an emergency pantry for fresh daily use. That way, a necessity such as making a meal can be done even if there is no power.

Also, rotate canned goods so that expired foods can be used up first.

Label foods with amounts and dates of purchase to keep track of expiration dates.

 

5. Stay Within Budget

Once you begin stockpiling, make sure the amount you spend is sustainable for you and your family; otherwise, you may not be able to finish the plan.

When you first start stocking up, keep track of every purchase and date each food item was bought in a notebook or on a spreadsheet.

After this, record each item’s actual amount for 3 days of preparation and make a budget for survival food supplies.

 

6. Stockpile for Everyone in the Family

Create storage plans for children to ensure foods they like are available when needed.

Planning will help you keep your family safe and save a lot of money in the process.

Every family member will have a different diet, so make sure to plan enough supplies for everyone.

Create emergency kits for children and pets to help them be prepared for disasters and teach them how to use emergency supplies.

 

7. Dealing with Food expiration dates

Since food expiration dates are a large issue in survival, it is best to look into this before you ever start stocking up.

You can do some things for both fresh and dried stores, but know that expiration dates do vary from country to country.

For fresh foods, you can check the sell-by date or the use-by dates on the packaging.

Dried foods do have a date on them that can usually be found on the back of the package.

 

8. Dehydrated Foods for Quick Meals and Last-Minute Emergencies

Dehydrated foods are popular among those who buy survival foods.

These foods are lightweight and provide convenient storage that is easy to use in an emergency.

To keep dried foods from spoiling, store them in airtight containers.

Keep your dried food in a cool place that is well-ventilated and stays dry at all times.

Also, storing a little of these foods is good for your survival food pantry.

They take up little space yet are quite filling for their small size.

You will be able to make a delicious meal quickly.

 

9. Stockpile Emergency Water

If you have water stored, then you need to have water purification tablets as well.

When storing, be sure to keep the tablets dry and store them separately from your filtered water.

Besides, you should invest in sturdy containers to store rust-proof water and keep the water out of the sunlight.

If you have extra space, then buy extra water purification tablets and keep them stored with your food supply until you need them.

In conclusion, you should always be prepared in an emergency, and you should prepare for most emergencies; when you prepare for most emergencies, you will be prepared for everything.

By remembering these basic rules, you can make sure that your preparedness plan is well thought out.

 

FAQ

How many days of emergency food should I have?

1. You’ll need to figure out how many days of food you’ll need for each member of your family and then divide that by the number of days in a month.

2. Most people have enough food on hand for 30-60 days, but it’s possible that you may need more or less depending on how much you’re prepping for and your cooking skills.

3. Because of this, it’s best to just store as much food as you can and be prepared for anything.

Remember you don’t want to make yourself miserable by eating the same foods day after day.

You can rotate your stockpiled foods by what goes bad first, so that as each item expires you can replace it with a new one.

Maybe this is how you can get your kids interested in prepping too.

 

Is there a single food that you can survive on forever?

No, there is no single food that you can survive on forever. Your body needs a variety of nutrients in order to function properly and stay healthy.

There are a variety of foods that are good sources of nutrients, but you should not rely on any one food as your sole source of nutrition.

Your body will probably maintain its health on two to three meals per day.

The first meal should be high in carbohydrates and protein, while the last meal can be high in carbohydrates or fats.

 

How long can you survive on just potatoes?

It is very difficult to survive on just potatoes for a long time.

It’s been reported that you would have to eat at least 18 pounds of potatoes per day in order to stay healthy, which isn’t sustainable.

 

Can you survive on just milk?

You can survive on just milk for a short period of time, but this is not recommended because the milk will not provide your body with all the nutrients it needs.

You may also develop lactose intolerance and/or have digestive issues.

The most important thing to remember if you are planning for a long-term emergency situation is that food restriction can be dangerous to your health, so it’s best to try and eat something every day.

 

Can you survive on just rice?

It is very difficult to survive on just rice for a long time.

It’s been reported that you would have to eat at least 6 pounds of rice per day in order to stay healthy, which isn’t sustainable.

How long can you survive on just beans?

It is very difficult to survive on just beans for a long time.

It’s been reported that you would have to eat at least 2 pounds of beans per day in order to stay healthy, which isn’t sustainable.

 

Also Read:
Best Essential Foods to Grow for Survival

Facebook
Twitter
Picture of Survive After End

Survive After End

write anything related to surviving a catastrophe. Whether it's disaster preparation or how to prevent an apocalypse in the first place.

All Posts