To be prepared for long-term austere, survival conditions, you ultimately have to do a lot of thinking about food. Deciding what foods are good candidates for inclusion in your preparations may come down to knowing which foods are best in terms of storage over the long haul. Here’s a quick rundown that will give you a good basis in the best survival foods to stock up on, before you need them.
1. Dry Goods: Beans, Oats, and Rice
Properly packaged dry beans, rice, and oats can last for up to thirty years with no problems. For maximum shelf life, you would want to store them in air-tight containers with an oxygen absorber—mylar bags work well as they are usually both air- and light-proof.
Rice and lentils (also on our list, below) both cook at the same rate, so can be cooked together in one pot (just be sure to use enough water for both grains). Oats will also last for around the same thirty-year time span, and are versatile in how they can be used—dried oats can be ground into flour and used to make breads and muffins as well as prepared the more traditional way by boiling to make oatmeal.
2. Dry Pasta
Most commercially packaged pasta will last for between eight and thirty years, depending on its initial moisture content and other factors such as the grain it’s made with, its fat content, and even the amount of sodium it contains. If you’re stocking up, be sure you’re buying pasta intended for long-term storage, as some brands are meant to be used within a much shorter span of time.
3. Dehydrated, Canned Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables that have been thoroughly dehydrated will keep for much longer than they would fresh. Almost every fruit can be dehydrated—apples, apricots, dates, pears, plums, raisins, and many more. Most dehydrated fruits will last for around five to seven years; dates and raisins will last eight to nine years if stored in a cool, dry place.
Dried lentils and peas will generally be edible for slightly in excess of five years, but if kept in mylar bags with oxygen absorptive material they can last as long as twenty years.
Most canned foods are safe to consume for ten to fifteen years from the date of their manufacture, provided the cans are not buckled, bulging, or otherwise visibly compromised. Perhaps the best non-canned vegetables for long-term storage are root vegetables—dehydrated onions, carrots, and potatoes can last for up to twenty-five years.
4. Military Rations/MREs
MREs, or “Meals, Ready to Eat,” are the “main operational food ration” for the Armed Forces. MREs have been carefully formulated to be high-energy meals that are compact, lightweight, and with a very long shelf life. Inside each MRE pouch are an entrée, side dishes, and a drink, and they come packaged twelve to a case. MRE packaging is designed to be rugged and long-lasting, making them a great solution for long-term food storage. MREs are also a great short-term disaster scenario food item when regular supplies of food are expected to resume within a few days.
5. Miscellaneous Foodstuffs (Powdered Foods, Spices, etc.)
Instant coffee, tea leaves, cocoa powder, and freeze-dried stock or bouillon will stay edible for a minimum of ten years. Spices will generally hold most of their flavor (and nutritive value) for about fifteen years.
And good news if you’re a fan of powdered milk: the freeze-dried powder can, if stored correctly, last for twenty-five years or longer. The same is generally true of any powdered substance intended to be reconstituted with water—whey protein powder, for instance, is a good addition to any long-term food storage solution.
You can keep staples like salt, sugar, and baking soda indefinitely—they will last practically forever if stored in an airtight container. As will another kitchen favorite: honey may crystalize, but it lasts longer then you might think. Archeologists have found jars full of 3,000-year-old, perfectly edible honey in burial chambers in Egypt.
Food Storage Tips
The above time ranges are all assuming proper storage under reasonable conditions. If extra care were taken in storing some of these items, their useful lifespan could be doubled in many cases.
Mylar storage bags are a great storage solution for any food item, especially when coupled with an oxygen absorber, which many mylar food storage bags now feature. The mylar bag blocks light and heat, is airtight and moisture-proof, and is a highly lightweight, portable, yet durable container.
Food stored with oxygen absorbers in mylar bags that have been heat sealed or zipper sealed will last much longer than food stored almost any other way, and is a highly recommended method for storing small to medium amounts of supplies. For larger amounts, food-grade plastic storage barrels may be a better option.
To your survival,
Joseph Wilkinson
