Emergency preparedness: Foods to stockpile for any situation

09/11/2024 / By HRS Editors

If emergencies like hurricanes and other natural disasters are common in your area, you should prepare a stockpile of food and clean water for the whole family. Doing this means you have access to food, water and other supplies if things go south and you are without electricity and clean drinking water for more than one week. (h/t to BackpackersPantry.com)

You can stock up on things like freeze-dried food to maximize your storage space.

Clean drinking water

All stockpiles should have enough clean drinking water for the whole family. If possible, avoid single-use plastic water bottles and buy larger water jugs that are easy to stack and store.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests storing a two-week supply of water in your stockpile. This means one gallon of water per person per day (14 gallons per person for two weeks).

If you do not have enough space to store this much water, store as much as possible and make up for the rest by adding a water treatment method to your emergency survival supplies. (Related: Top canned foods with the longest shelf life.)

Canned fruits, vegetables and legumes

You can save money on canned food by purchasing them during sales at grocery stores. Having canned food can add some variety to your emergency meals, but it will also ensure that your diet after SHTF is still full of essential vitamins and nutrients.

Canned meats

You can also store a variety of long-lasting canned meats in your stockpile.

Choose from the following canned meats:

Beef chunks
Corned beef
Chicken
Ground beef
Ham
Pork
Salmon
Sardines
Spam
Tuna
Turkey
Vienna sausage

Canned soups and stews

While many canned soups and stews are high in sodium, that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a place in your survival kit.

Pair canned soup or stew with veggies or beans and legumes so your meal is still nutritious and filling.

Crackers

Crackers last longer than bread, making them a better choice for your stockpile. Pair crackers with some canned meat for a quick and filling meal or snack.

Check the expiration dates regularly because most crackers only stay fresh for several months.

Dried fruit

Dehydrated fruits can last for a long time when sealed and stored properly. You can either make your own at home using a dehydrator or buy some from the nearest grocery store.

When SHTF, it’s also nice to have healthy snacks like dried fruits.

Freeze-dried fruits and vegetables

Keep freeze-dried fruits and vegetables in your stockpile so you can serve delicious and healthy meals even during a survival scenario.

Jerky and other dehydrated meats

Jerky is a great source of protein. And while jerky has a long shelf life, you should store it in a sealed, airtight container to retain freshness.

The shelf life of jerky can be up to multiple years if stored properly.

Shelf-stable beverages like canned or powdered milk

Shelf-stable drinks don’t require refrigeration until they’ve been opened. Canned or boxed milk, non-dairy milk and juices are ideal supplies for your stockpile.

Electrolyte drinks are also great for staying hydrated. Try to avoid sugary drinks like soda because they can make you more dehydrated.

When building your stockpile of survival supplies, you should remember that certain grocery items like crackers, jerky and shelf-stable drinks usually have a shelf life of about 18 months.

Check expiration dates at least once a year. Rotate your supplies regularly to avoid food waste and replace all foods that you used up.

Where to buy lab-verified food for your survival stockpile

The Health Ranger Store is committed to helping you prepare for any emergency and building a stockpile of supplies.

That’s why we’re proud to introduce items like Freeze-Dried Organic Whole Blueberries, Fair Trade Organic Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee and Freeze-Dried Organic Peas.

Organic blueberries are considered one of the most nutritious and antioxidant-rich fruits in the world.

That is why we offer Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Whole Blueberries, a convenient, healthy snack you can enjoy all year round. Our organic blueberries have been carefully freeze-dried to preserve the taste, texture and nutrients of fresh produce without any chemical preservatives. You can eat them directly or reconstitute them by simply adding water.

Health Ranger Select Freeze-Dried Organic Whole Blueberries contain no gluten or GMOs and have undergone extensive lab testing for glyphosate, heavy metals and microbiology. They are also vegan, non-China and certified Kosher and organic.

You should also consider stocking up on instant coffee for a quick pick-me-up when dealing with an emergency.

Freeze-dried instant coffee is made of tiny granules of brewed coffee extract that have been carefully chilled until frozen at specific temperatures, broken down into small fragments and finally dried under vacuum conditions. The tiny coffee granules left behind by this process can then easily be rehydrated by adding water. This makes instant coffee the best way to store coffee and continue to get your coffee fix even after SHTF.

The Health Ranger Store is thrilled to bring you our specialty Fair Trade coffee in a convenient and easy-to-prepare format. With a much longer shelf life than regular coffee, Health Ranger Select Organic Freeze-Dried Instant Coffee delivers a bold and exquisite flavor of medium roast coffee that you can enjoy immediately. Just add hot water, stir and your instant coffee is ready to drink.

Lastly, you can try our Freeze-Dried Organic Peas. This product can be stored for up to 10 to 15 years, depending on storage conditions. Keep it in a dark, cool, low-humidity location and it will last for an extended duration.

Our freeze-dried, non-GMO peas are grown in the U.S. under strict organic standards.

Visit FoodSupply.news for more ideas on how to build your food stockpile before SHTF. You can also check out Health Ranger Store and Brighteon Store for more clean food supplies for your prepping needs.

Click on this link and try our recipe for dairy-free Creamy Coconut Blueberry Smoothie.

Watch the video below to learn why you should have Organic Whole Blueberries in your survival stockpile.

This video is from the Health Ranger Store channel on Brighteon.com.