Long Term Survival Food Essentials

When building a long term food supply, most will agree that nutritional balance and adequate calories are crucial for health and survival.

By focusing on shelf-stable nutrient-dense foods across key categories and properly storing them, you can create a robust 25-year emergency food stash to feed your family.

In this post, we'll explore the essential components of a well-rounded stockpile, tips to maximize shelf life, efficient organization systems, and more to set you up for self-sufficiency in an extended crisis.

Introduction to Long Term Survival Food

Long term survival food refers to non-perishable food items that have a shelf life of several years or more. Stocking up on these types of foods is an integral part of emergency preparedness planning. Having a robust supply of survival food enables you to feed yourself and your family in a crisis when normal food supply lines are disrupted.

This article provides an overview of what constitutes long term survival food and why it's important to have in your preparedness supplies. We'll also explore the key factors to consider when building your stockpile, including nutritional balance, shelf life, storage, and budget.

Defining Long Term Survival Food

Long term survival foods are non-perishable foods that have an extended shelf life of 5+ years. This includes freeze-dried foods, MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), and certain canned/pouched items. The key is finding foods that provide balanced nutrition and calories to sustain you, while also lasting many years in storage.

Other characteristics of good survival food include being lightweight and compact for portability if evacuation is needed, and not requiring refrigeration or special storage conditions besides a cool, dark place. Simple preparation methods are also useful in case utilities like stoves or microwaves are unavailable.

Overall, the focus is on staple ingredients and whole foods rather than fancy packaged items. The goal is sustenance and nutrition rather than gourmet cuisine.

The Importance of a 25-Year Emergency Food Supply

Having a 25-year stockpile of long term survival food provides peace of mind that you have ample reserves to feed your family for an extended duration. Most experts recommend a 3-6 month supply at minimum, but expanding this to 20-25 years ensures you are prepared for any catastrophic disruption.

The advantage of such a large stash is that it hedges against inflation over the decades. Food prices will likely continue rising over the next quarter century, so locking in a supply now avoids much higher future costs. It also mitigates against potential long-lasting disasters like nuclear war, pandemics, climate change induced famine, or other black swan events that could severely undermine food production and the overall economy for many years.

In an emergency, food and water will be more valuable than gold. So investing in a robust 25-year cache is one of the most vital preparedness steps you can take to keep your family safe.

Key Factors to Consider

When building your long term food reserves, focus on the following key factors:

Nutritional Balance - Choose survival food items that provide complete nutrition across the macros, vitamins, and minerals. Freeze-dried fruit and vegetables, whole grains, fats, proteins are all important. Variety is key.

Shelf Life - Verify that any survival food products you buy are lab-tested to last 25+ years in storage. Canned goods have shorter viable lifespans around 5 years.

Storage Considerations - Store in a cool, dark place like a basement or root cellar. Use oxygen absorbers and mylar bags to prolong shelf life. Rotate stock as you use it.

Budget - Balance affordability against quantity and nutritional quality. Build your supply gradually if needed. Sales and bulk deals can reduce costs.

What foods last the longest for survival?

When building your long term food storage, focusing on shelf-stable items with a long shelf life is crucial for survival preparedness. Some of the best options include:

Grains and Legumes

Soft grains like oats, rye, and quinoa can last around 8 years on average. With ideal storage conditions, their shelf life can reach 20 years.
Hard grains like buckwheat, corn, wheat, and flaxseeds keep even longer - between 12 to 30+ years.
Dried beans and lentils are very shelf-stable, lasting 8-10 years when properly stored.

Canned and Jarred Foods

Canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and soups can last 2-5 years unopened.
Home-canned foods stored properly keep 1-2 years.
Honey and maple syrup keep essentially forever unopened.

When building your long term survival food supply, focus on nutrient-dense non-perishables with proven longevity. Store items properly in cool, dark places and routinely check for spoilage. With the right storage methods, many foods can outlast even the longest emergencies.

What foods should I stockpile for survival?

When building your long-term survival food supply, focus on nutrient-dense non-perishable foods with a long shelf life. Here are some of the most essential categories to stock up on:

Proteins

Stock up on canned and dried meats, beans, nuts, and nut butters. These are packed with protein to support muscle mass and provide lasting energy. Great options include:

Canned chicken, tuna, salmon
Canned beans like black, pinto, kidney
Beef and turkey jerky
Nuts and nut butters

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and veggies provide key vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Prioritize nutrient-dense canned and dried options. Some top picks are:

Canned fruits in juice like peaches, pears, pineapple
Canned tomatoes, carrots, spinach, beans
Dried fruits like mangoes, cranberries, blueberries
Dehydrated veggie chips and powders

Grains, Cereal, Crackers

Carbs from whole grains provide fuel and keep you feeling full. Look for whole-grain options with fiber and protein too:

Brown rice, quinoa, oats
Whole-grain cereals, granola
Whole-grain crackers and cereal bars

Dairy and Plant-Based Milks

Stock up on shelf-stable milk options to get calcium and vitamin D. Great choices include:

Canned evaporated milk
Powdered milk
Almond milk or soy milk cartons
Nut-based dairy alternatives like almond yogurt

When building your long-term food supply, focus on nutrient diversity across categories to support complete nutrition. Track expiration dates and create a rotation system to keep items fresh. With some planning, you can build a survival stockpile to nourish your family in an emergency.

What are the top 10 survival foods?

When building an emergency food supply, focusing on shelf-stable foods with a long expiration date is key. Here are 10 of the best survival food options to stock up on:

Canned and pouched proteins

Canned tuna, salmon, chicken, and turkey can provide protein and nutrients for years if properly stored. Canned meats should be part of any robust food stash.

Peanut butter

An excellent source of protein and healthy fats, peanut butter has a shelf life of up to 3 years when properly stored and sealed. Peanut butter sandwiches will keep you feeling full.

Nuts and trail mixes

High in nutrition and able to last 2+ years in storage, nuts and trail mixes make great survival foods. Stick to dry roasted and raw nuts, avoiding heavily salted varieties to maximize shelf life.

Whole grain crackers

Whole wheat crackers offer complex carbs and fiber, keeping you feeling energized. Check expiration dates and store in airtight containers. Pair with peanut butter for added protein.

Cereals and granola

Look for whole grain cereals and homemade granola, avoiding sugary varieties. When stored in airtight containers, most dry cereals can last 6-12 months past their printed date.

Canned fruits and vegetables

Canned produce like carrots, green beans, and apricots are packed with essential vitamins and minerals. When stored properly, canned goods can safely last 2-5 years.

Dried fruits and veggies

Dried options like raisins, apples, carrots and potatoes rehydrate well for meals and snacks. With a shelf life of 12+ months, dried fruits and veggies add key nutrients.

Meal replacement bars

Meal replacement and protein bars offer balanced nutrition in an easy, grab-and-go form. Avoid bars with long ingredient lists and artificial flavors.

Freeze-dried entrees

Packaged freeze-dried meals require only hot water for preparation. With a shelf life of 25+ years, they offer lightweight, convenient nutrition.

Water and water purification tools

In any emergency scenario, clean drinking water is essential for survival. Stock up on bottled water and portable water filters or treatment drops.

What foods have a 10 year shelf life?

When stocking your long term survival food supply, focusing on shelf-stable foods that can last 10 years or more is essential. Some of the best options include:

Uncooked Rice and Grains

To really extend its shelf life, transfer the rice out of the bag or package it comes in, put it into an airtight container. White, jasmine, and basmati rices will last the longest and you can count on quinoa, barley, and grits to last you nearly a decade.

Canned Goods

Properly stored canned goods like vegetables, fruits, meats and beans can easily last 10+ years. Ensure cans remain dent-free and store in a cool, dark place. Avoid temperature fluctuations.

Honey

With its concentrated sugar content and low moisture levels, pure raw honey keeps practically forever if stored properly in an airtight container. It's versatile for cooking and medicinal uses.

Salt

Table salt stores indefinitely due to its natural ability to inhibit microbial growth. Store in an airtight container to prevent clumping. Sea salt and specialty salts may have shorter shelf lives.

Soy Sauce

The high sodium content allows soy sauce to last many years when stored at room temperature and away from direct sunlight. Check bottles periodically and watch for changes in aroma or appearance.

The key is proper storage - keep foods in airtight, food-grade containers in cool, dark places with minimal temperature fluctuations. Avoid pantry pests and inspect regularly. With the right storage methods, these foods can nourish your family for 10+ years.

Essentials of a Long Term Survival Food Pantry

A well-stocked long term food pantry is essential for emergency preparedness. When building your supply, focus on nutrient-dense non-perishable foods with a long shelf life. The key is to store a variety of foods that will meet your nutritional needs in a crisis.

Carbohydrates: The Energy Foundation

Rice, pasta, oats, beans, lentils, and whole grains are all rich sources of carbohydrates with long shelf lives, making them survival food staples.

White rice can be stored for 30 years if kept cool and dry. Brown rice has a shorter shelf life around 6 months.
Pastas and dried beans also last 30+ years in proper conditions.
Rolled oats keep for 10-20 years.
Ensure your supply has variety for nutritional balance.

Protein: Building and Repairing Tissues

Protein helps maintain muscle mass and supports a healthy immune system. Stock up on:

Canned meat and fish like tuna, salmon, chicken, and beef.
Beef jerky or pemmican for portable protein.
Nuts, seeds, nut butters.
Protein bars and powders.

Canned meats keep 2-5 years. Jerky, nuts and nut butters can last 1-2 years past printed date.

Fruits & Vegetables: Vital Micronutrients

Fruits and veggies provide essential vitamins, minerals and fiber. Opt for shelf-stable versions:

Canned fruits and vegetables
Freeze dried produce
Dehydrated fruits and veggies

Properly stored, canned goods last 2-5 years. Freeze dried foods keep 25+ years.

Healthy Fats & Oils: Sustained Energy

Fats are concentrated sources of energy. Stock up on:

Oils like olive, coconut and vegetable oil
Nuts and seeds
Nut butters

Oils store 2-3 years. Nuts/seeds keep 1-2 years past date. Integrate variety for nutritional balance.

Focus on nutrient density and shelf life when stocking survival food. Store a diverse supply of non-perishables to meet all nutritional needs in an emergency.

Maximizing Shelf Life: The 25-Year Emergency Food Supply

Commercial Survival Food Kits

Pre-packed commercial kits like Mountain House, Wise Foods, and Augason Farms offer a convenient, turnkey setup for building your long term food supply. However, these prepared kits can be more expensive per meal compared to buying ingredients in bulk. When selecting a commercial kit, prioritize ones with an advertised shelf life of 25+ years to maximize longevity. Consider kits with a diverse range of entrées to add variety to your diet over time.

To offset costs, start with a 3-month supply commercial kit for essential nutrition, then supplement with bulk ingredients like rice and beans for calories. Having both gives you the ease of ready-made meals and the economy of bulk foods.

Bulk Ingredients for Longevity

Rice, beans, grains, and other dried bulk foods bought in large quantities can significantly cut costs over commercial kits. A 25+ year emergency food supply will require hundreds of pounds of these basics. Focus on nutrient-dense, non-perishable foods with indefinite shelf lives like:

White rice: 25+ year shelf life if stored properly; provides carbohydrates
Dried beans and legumes: 20-30 year shelf life; protein and fiber
Wheat berries or other whole grains: lasts decades; complex carbs and protein
Dried pasta: lasts 30+ years; carbs and calories
Rolled oats: lasts 30 years unopened; carbs, fiber, and nutrients

Buying in bulk allows you to create customized meals by combining ingredients. However, it requires more effort in planning balanced recipes, meal rotation, and periodic ingredient replacement compared to commercial kits.

Superfood Additions for Enhanced Nutrition

In addition to bulk staples, certain superfoods can further enhance nutrition while still retaining 20-30+ year shelf lives:

Honey: lasts forever unopened; nutrients, antioxidants, and flavor
Salt: never spoils; essential electrolytes and food preservation
Vegetable oils: 20+ years unopened; healthy fats and calories
Spices: 5-10 years shelf life; flavor and variety

Having a diverse mix of dried foods, bulk ingredients, and superfoods builds a robust, long-lasting emergency food supply full of essential macro- and micro-nutrients. Periodically cycle out ingredients nearing expiration dates to maintain peak freshness and nutrition over your 25-year supply target.

Long Term Storage Solutions

Storing your emergency food supply properly is critical to preserving its shelf life and nutritional value. Selecting the right location and storage containers, monitoring conditions, and organizing your stockpile efficiently will ensure your food lasts as long as possible when you need it most.

Location and Environment Control

Storing your emergency food in a cool, dark place is ideal for maximum preservation. Basements, cellars, and interior storage closets make excellent storage areas, as they maintain more stable temperatures and limit light exposure. Avoid places that experience major temperature swings or direct sunlight.

Airtight Containers and Preservation

Investing in high-quality airtight containers is essential to protect your food from pests, light degradation, moisture, and oxygen. Opaque containers prevent light exposure. Rubber gaskets provide a tight seal to block oxygen and moisture. Durable plastic bins work well and are affordable. For added protection, consider oxygen absorbers and desiccant packs.

Temperature Monitoring for Optimal Conditions

Use a thermometer inside your storage area to monitor conditions. 60-70°F is optimal. Higher temperatures accelerate spoilage. If the area gets too warm, consider adding insulation, installing ventilation, or relocating your supplies. Maintaining stable cool temps preserves nutrients and extends shelf life.

Organization System for Efficient Use

Develop an inventory system to organize and label storage containers clearly. Track product names, purchase dates, and best-by dates. This allows you to effectively rotate stock, using oldest supplies first before newer inventory. An orderly system also makes taking inventory and restocking more efficient.

Survival Food Kits and DIY Meal Preparation

Selecting the Best Survival Food Kits

When choosing a survival food kit, prioritize nutritional balance, calorie density, and your family's taste preferences. Look for kits with a mix of proteins, complex carbs, fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats. Ensure the food has a long shelf life of 20-30 years. Consider portion sizes and daily calorie recommendations when deciding how much food you need.

Some top-rated survival food brands to consider include:

Wise Food Storage: gluten-free kits with gravy mixes and desserts
Mountain House: lightweight, freeze-dried meals ideal for bug out bags
Augason Farms: kits with a wide selection of vegetables, meats and breakfast foods

Consider creating a customized kit mixing various brands and meal types to meet your family’s needs.

Long Term Survival Food Recipes

Get creative with food storage ingredients like white rice, pasta, oats, wheat, beans, lentils, TVP textured vegetable protein, and dehydrated produce. Try recipes like:

Rice pilaf with TVP, mushrooms and carrots
Pasta primavera with dehydrated mixed vegetables
Breakfast skillet with powdered eggs, potato shreds, ham and cheese
Lentil coconut curry with onions, sweet potatoes and spinach
Bean and barley vegetable soup

Use spices, bullion, oil and condiments to add more flavor. Make your own seasoning mixes for tacos, chili, etc.

Baking with Storage Staples

Stock up on baking essentials like all-purpose and whole wheat flour, white and brown sugar, baking powder and soda. Dried milk, dried eggs and margarine powder allow you to bake cakes, cookies, muffins and breads. Consider adding chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits and vanilla extract.

Use a solar oven or Dutch oven with coals to bake off-grid. Allow for adjustments in cook times when using dried egg and milk substitutes.

Spicing Up Your Meals

In addition to salt and pepper, keep a variety of spices and condiments in your prepper’s pantry to improve flavor. Soy sauce, hot sauce, vinegar, bouillon cubes, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil and cinnamon are versatile options.

Spice blends like ranch mixes, taco seasoning and curry paste also help liven up boring storage foods. Grow an herb garden or dehydrate chopped herbs to add fresh flavor.

Planning for Families: Emergency Food Supply for a Family of 4

As a parent, ensuring your family is prepared for an emergency is critical. When planning an emergency food supply for a family of four, there are a few key factors to consider.

Calculating Quantities and Nutritional Needs

The first step is calculating how much food you need. Experts recommend storing a two week to three month supply of non-perishable food and water for your family. To determine the right amount, take into account each family member's age, gender, size, and activity level. On average, adults need around 2,000 calories per day while children need 1,200-1,800 depending on their age.

Be sure your emergency food storage has enough calories, macronutrients like protein and fiber, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals to meet everyone's nutritional needs. Shelf-stable foods like granola bars, nuts, canned vegetables and fruits are all good options.

Balancing Variety and Preferences

When building your emergency food supply, it's important to have variety to keep your family satisfied and healthy over a long period. At the same time, tailor it to your family's tastes and preferences.

Include familiar foods like peanut butter, pasta, rice, oats and trail mixes that your family enjoys. Having foods everyone likes makes the situation easier, especially for kids. You can also stock up on versatile ingredients like beans, lentils, bouillon cubes, spices and oils to make different recipes.

Incorporating Kids' Favorites

Getting kids on board with emergency eating is crucial. Include kid-friendly foods like granola bars, fruit snacks, shelf-stable puddings or applesauce. Macaroni and cheese, soups, peanut butter and other high-calorie options are good for keeping children nourished.

Having familiar comfort foods helps lower kids' stress levels during emergencies. Consider any allergy needs too - ensure you have safe foods for all family members.

With some planning and attention to each person's needs, you can build an ample emergency food supply to nourish your whole family.

The Role of Freeze Dried Food in Long Term Storage

Freeze dried foods can play an important role in a long term survival food stash due to their lightweight nature, long shelf life, and easy preparation. When building an emergency food supply, incorporating some freeze dried options alongside other survival foods brings certain advantages.

Advantages of Freeze Dried Food

- **Extremely long shelf life:** Properly packaged freeze dried foods can last 25+ years. This makes them ideal for long term survival food storage.

Lightweight: Freeze drying removes about 97% of the food's weight in water content. This makes these foods very portable in a bug out bag.
Easy to prepare: Just add hot water or milk to rehydrate freeze dried meals and ingredients. This allows for quick, convenient meals during an emergency.
Nutrient retention: Freeze drying locks in a good amount of the food's original vitamin and mineral content.

Integrating Freeze Dried Options

When building your emergency food supply, here are some tips for adding freeze dried foods:

Use freeze dried fruits, vegetables, and meats to add variety to staple ingredients like rice, beans, pasta, and oats.
Have some full freeze dried entrees or meal kits on hand for quick, hot meals.
Consider adding freeze dried dairy products like milk or cheese powder.
Mix up short-term usage items like freeze dried produce with long-term buckets of freeze dried entrees.

Rehydration and Cooking Tips

Follow these best practices when rehydrating and cooking with your freeze dried survival food:

Use hot or boiling water/milk and allow the standard rehydration time for full volume and texture reconstitution.
Many freeze dried ingredients require cooking after rehydration. Follow package instructions.
Stir regularly while rehydrating dense items like large pieces of meat or whole vegetables.
Avoid overheating rehydrated foods to prevent losing texture.

By thoughtfully incorporating freeze dried foods into your survival food kits, you can enhance nutrition, convenience, and longevity.

Final Tips and Conclusion

When building your long term survival food supply, it's important to set reasonable guidelines for your budget, storage space, and nutritional needs. Here are some final tips:

Set Budget Guidelines

Determine how much you can reasonably invest in survival food based on your household size and income level. Prioritize nutritious, long-lasting options over quantity.
Consider building your supply gradually over time to spread out costs. Take advantage of sales and bulk pricing when possible.

Take Inventory Annually

Inspect your survival food once a year for expiration dates, signs of spoilage, or damage.
Rotate stock by using and replacing items before they expire. This ensures you have a fresh, viable emergency supply.
Make replacements for anything that has expired or been used so you maintain target quantities.

Store What You Eat, Eat What You Store

Choose survival foods your family already enjoys and incorporate into meals. This avoids waste if you ever need to rely on your emergency supply.
Try new long-lasting ingredients and recipes now, so your family adapts to that diet if needed during an emergency. This makes your food supply more practical and useful when it matters most.

Focusing on these key tips will help you build an effective, affordable long term food stash your whole family can depend on if disaster strikes. With some planning and foresight, you can be fully prepared.