Shelf Stable Food To Stock Up On

How are things where you are? With the current state of uncertainty that I know many of us are experiencing at the moment, we figured many of you might be thinking ahead, stocking up on some shelf-stable foods, and we don’t blame you.

So we hope this list of shelf-stable food to stock up on, is helpful. It is all about pantry essentials that will last a long time. All of the items can be found either on Amazon or at a local grocery store (many offer delivery or pick-up service, which we encourage you to use). We’ve also included a few fresh produce options that have a long shelf life.

It’s unsettling, to see bare grocery store shelves and not know if, when, and how long this might last. If you’re someone who can rest a bit easier with a solid plan and stocked pantry, this list of pantry essentials is for you.

Non-Perishable Food Items.

Everything on this list lasts for 6 months to a year without refrigeration (with the exception of some of the fresh produce). The produce we listed can last up to 4 weeks. You may not be cooking gourmet meals but this list will keep you out of the grocery store for several weeks.

Along with a well-stocked freezer, this emergency food list will help you hunker down and feed your family. However, if the power goes out and you lose everything in your freezer, you can still make a full meal out of this essential food pantry list. At the bottom, we condensed this list into a table if you prefer to view it that way.

Stay well, friends. Keep cooking, baking, and whatever else sets your mind at ease. We’ll still be here, sharing enjoyable recipes to help you feed your loved ones well.

Meat:

• Beef jerky, chicken jerky, salmon jerky
• Canned salmon
• Pepperoni sticks
• Canned chicken
• Canned tuna
• Sardines
• Spam

Dairy:

• Evaporated milk
• Sweetened condensed milk
• Dry milk powder
• Dry buttermilk powder
• Creamer singles for coffee
• You can even purchase shelf-stable milk in convenient single-serve pouches. 

Non-dairy milk*:

• Canned coconut milk
• Oat milk
• Almond milk
• Hemp milk
• Macadamia milk

*Any milks that are sold in the carton and are not stored in the refrigerated section of the grocery store are shelf-stable.

Rice, Pasta, Legumes, and Bread:

• White, brown, and wild rice
• Dry pasta: spaghetti, macaroni, fettuccini, penne
• Tortillas
• Panko bread crumbs
• Crackers
• Polenta
• Dried beans and lentils
• Grits
• Quinoa

Spices and seasonings:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Powdered garlic
• Powdered onion
• Dried minced onion
• Cumin
• Curry
• Chili powder
• Oregano
• Thyme
• Sage
• Cinnamon
• Ginger
• Nutmeg
• Allspice

Baking items:

• Powdered eggs (use in place of fresh eggs in baking)
• Flour
• Nut flours, flaxseed meal, hemp seeds, chia seeds (nutrient-dense and filling)
• Sugar
• Brown sugar
• Vanilla extract
• Baking powder and baking soda
• Yeast (make your own bread!)
• Cocoa powder
• Chocolate chips. Troubles fade when you have cookies.
• Ghee* (shelf-stable replacement for butter, an opened jar of Ghee lasts up to 3 months on the counter.)
• Honey

* Butter lasts for up to 3 months in the fridge or a year in the freezer but it is always nice to have a substitute in case the power goes out for an extended period.

Using dried eggs in baking—- According to TheSurvivalMom, you can use powdered eggs in place of fresh eggs in baking. I haven’t tried it yet but it might turn into a fun experiment soon.

Breakfast items:

• Old fashioned rolled oats
• Dry cereals 
• Granola
• Peanut butter
• Nut and grain bars
• Pancake mix
• Maple syrup
• Protein powders or breakfast shakes (we love these plant-based options: Vega One or Orgain)
• Coffee, tea, hot cocoa

Canned vegetables, stock, and sauces:

• Tomatoes
• Tomato sauce
• Marinara sauce
• Tomato paste
• Salsa
• Chiles (green chiles and chipotles)
• Canned beans (kidney, cannellini, black beans)
• Chicken or beef broth
• Canned corn
• Green beans, canned
• Canned artichokes
• Non-perishable, cartoned or canned soup

Other items:

• Olive oil
• Vegetable oil
• Coconut oil
• Rice vinegar
• Apple cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Soy sauce
• Bouillon cubes
• Dried mushrooms
• Ketchup packets (don’t require refrigeration after opening)

Snacks:

• Peanut butter
• Almond butter
• Applesauce (in individual packets that don’t need refrigeration)
• Pretzels
• Popcorn kernels
• Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apples, etc.)
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, walnuts, cashews, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)
• Corn chips
• Crackers
• Rice cakes

Fresh produce with a long-lasting shelf life:

• Cabbage
• Onions
• Garlic
• Beets
• Butternut squash
• Spaghetti squash
• Carrots
• Potatoes 
• Sweet potatoes
• Apples 
• Oranges

SOME RECIPES YOU CAN MAKE WITH PANTRY ITEMS:

Our favorite chocolate cake has plenty of options for ingredient substitutions. Check out the post and use what you have on hand.

This salmon and pasta salad uses spelt pasta but you can substitute any pasta you have. Use canned salmon or even canned tuna if you don’t have any salmon in the freezer. Substitute the fresh herbs for dried herbs.

If you have a ham in the freezer, it makes an inexpensive dinner. The leftovers can be used for red beans and ham or our Instant Pot version of red beans and ham.

Split pea and ham soup is another great option to make with leftover ham. It’s a forgiving recipe. If you don’t have celery or fennel, don’t use them. Carrots last up to 4 weeks if stored correctly in the fridge and onions will last for up to 4 months. These are great staples for soups so make sure you stock up on them.

Make a large batch of black beans then cook some rice. Beans and rice combine complementary proteins to make a balanced meal. If you want to get fancy then serve the beans with Spanish rice or sprouted brown rice.

Tell us how you are doing? We would love to hear from you. What kinds of non-perishable food items are you stocking up on? Drop us a comment below. 

NON-PERISHABLE MEAT	SHELF STABLE DAIRY	SPICES AND SEASONINGS
Jerky (beef, chicken, salmon)	Evaporated milk	Salt and pepper
Canned salmon	Sweetened condensed milk	Garlic powder
Canned tuna	Dry milk powder	Onion powder
Canned chicken	Dry buttermilk powder	Dried minced onions
Sardines	Creamer singles	Cumin
Spam	Shelf-stable milk	Curry
NON-DAIRY MILK	RICE, PASTA, LEGUMES, BREAD	Chili
Canned coconut milk	Rice (white, brown, wild)	Oregano
Oat milk	Dry pasta (all kinds)	Thyme
Almond milk	Tortillas	Sage
Hemp milk	Panko bread crumbs	Cinnamon
Macadamia milk	Crackers	Ginger
BAKING ITEMS	Polenta	Nutmeg
Powdered eggs	Dried beans, lentils and peas	Allspice
Flour and nut flour	Quinoa	BREAKFAST ITEMS
white and brown sugar	Grits	Rolled oats
Vanilla extract	CANNED VEGETABLES, STOCK, AND SAUCES	Dry cereal
Baking powder and baking soda	Tomatoes	Granola
Cocoa powder	Tomato sauce	Peanut butter
Chocolate chips	Marinara sauce	Nut and grain bars
Ghee	Salsa	Pancake mix
Honey	Green chilis, chipotles	Maple syrup
OTHER ITEMS	Canned beans (kidney, cannelloni, black beans)	Protein
Olive oil, vegetable oil	Chicken or beef broth	Coffe, tea, hot cocoa
Vinegar (rice, apple cider, balsamic)	Canned corn	SNACKS
Soy sauce	Canned green beans	Peanut butter
Boullion cubes	Canned artichokes	Almond butter
Dried mushrooms	FRESH PRODUCE THAT KEEPS FOR A LONG TIME	Applesauce (in individual cartons)
Ketchup packets	Cabbage	Pretzels
ADDITIONAL ITEMS NOT ON THIS LIST:	Onions and garlic	Popcorn kernels
	Beets	Dried fruit
	Butternut and spaghetti squash	Nuts and seeds
	Carrots	Corn Chips
	Potatoes and sweet potatoes	Crackers
	Apples and oranges	Rice cakes