What are good non perishable foods to stock up on? There’s a hurricane a comin’ or you’re living through something affecting everyone globally or a blizzard, what should you have in your pantry?

Non Perishable Foods to Stock Up On

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What are Good Non-Perishable Foods to Buy?

Funny story--funny and true--a few weeks before the virus took hold in the U.S. one of my younger coworkers was wondering what she should stock up on besides toilet paper.

She had called her mom to ask what her parents were buying. 

Her mother, I’m sure in jest, said “Well, I bought two-pound bags of Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids.”

The newsroom had a good laugh. 

But, in all seriousness, you want a good, stocked pantry for emergencies. 

I think my coworker would have liked a list to take to the store. 

Maybe you would like a printable stock up list so that’s what I’ve made you. Keep reading.

I don’t know about you, but things are getting weird, where I am.

It doesn't feel like the America I know.

The grocery store is full of people wearing masks. 

We’re being limited on what we can purchase: right now, two packages of flour per person, two packages of toilet paper or paper towels.

There was a big sign on the bread aisle yesterday: “Bread purchases not limited at this time.”

I’m not sure if the owner put that sign up to let us know we should stock up while we can because they foretell a restriction.

Or because they have an excess of bread they need to move before expiration dates hit?

Tips to Keep in Mind Before Stocking Your Pantry for Emergencies

Keep in mind this is my list and I tend to cook regularly.

I don't rely on a ton of prepared foods.

But maybe you make a box of Hamburger Helper every week.

So, of course you would want to grab several boxes. 

IMPORTANT, think about what you and your people like to eat. 

There’s no sense in stocking up on cans of green beans if no one in the house can stand them.

What Canned Foods Should I Buy?

• Beans: black, red kidney, light red kidney, garbanzo, Northern White, Pinto (you can make chili! Or other good, filling dishes).
• Tomatoes: diced, whole plum, (whatever you like to cook with). A can of petite diced tomatoes with a jalapeno and a bit of onion and cilantro if you have it makes a good salsa.
• Vegetables (what do you like to eat?) Green beans, carrots, corn, artichoke hearts
• Sauces: pasta sauce, including tomato sauce, tomato paste, pizza sauce and jars of pesto, if you like it.
• Nut Butters: peanut butter, almond butter, cashew butter
• Jelly
• Meat and Fish: tins of sardines or mackerel, tuna, clams and chicken.
• Broth: chicken and or beef
• Coffee, tea, drink mixes--if your kids like Kool-Aid
• Spirits you might like to drink such as vodka, rum, bourbon or whiskey.
• Have you tried my easy three-ingredient Lemon Drop Martini recipe yet?
• Bottled water in case there's a power outage or your well water isn't safe anymore.
• Fruit: cans of pineapple, mandarin oranges, fruit cocktail, peaches, cherries
• Oil: vegetable or canola oil or olive oil (Our supermarket had one small container of canola oil when I went yesterday.

It made me glad I started stocking up on large bottles of oil at Sam’s Club a few years ago.

Have you thought about a Sam's membership? 

First time members or if it's been a year since your membership lapsed can can get a good deal when you sign up again.

Get a $20 e-gift card and a free rotisserie chicken, when you join Sam's Club now!

Dessert mixes: cake mixes, brownie mixes, cookie mixes (unless you’re a baker)

Milk: evaporated, condensed, nut milks (I bought shelf-stable almond milk on Amazon)

What Dried Goods Should I Stock for Emergencies?

• Ramen noodles 
• Pasta: spaghetti, fettucini, Ziti, elbow macaroni, lasagna, camparelle (think about your favorite pasta dishes and buy accordingly.)

If you never, ever make lasagna, chances are you won’t start in an emergency so no need to buy lasagna noodles. But, if you do like lasagna, try my vegetarian slow cooker lasagna recipe. 

Rice: I bought a big bag of long grain rice but I also bought a couple types of boil in bag rice, white and brown, for busy weeknights.

I am still working at this point and maybe you are too so it’s good to have things that are quick to fix.

What Are Good Things to Stock Up On?

• Bread, tortillas, English muffins, buns, taco shells
• Couscous, farro and quinoa
• Prepared foods like Zatarain’s Red Beans and Rice or Black Beans and Rice or Dirty Rice. 
• Dried beans if you’d rather instead of canned beans
• All purpose baking mix, such as Bisquik, (for making pancakes or waffles, find it in the baking aisle)
• Beef jerky, dried meats such as salami or sopressata

More Foods to Stock Up on In Emergency

• Garlic
• Whole oats: you can make granola or oatmeal or put it into cookies
• Nuts: peanuts, pecans, almonds, cashews. pistachios
• Seeds: sunflower seeds 
• Flours: white, unbleached, wheat
• Salt
• Yeast
• Baking Soda
• Baking powder
• Sugar: white, brown, confectioners, Stevia or Splenda if you regularly consume those
• If you're a baker, more baking supplies like chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, Heath chips, white chocolate, bittersweet chocolate, dried coconut, boxes of instant pudding, pumpkin puree, key lime juice.
• Also, cereal: Make sure to get extra cereal if you’ve got kids who eat a bowl every morning.

Me I know nothing of this.

I have a kid who always preferred eggs for breakfast, still does.

Go figure. I hate eggs. 

Fruit: raisins, dried cranberries, cherries, apricots (whatever you like to eat)

I’m not a huge fan of dried fruit but I get cranberries or cherries occasionally to put in granola.

Having written this, I remember that my son loves dried mangos and I haven’t gotten any.

That will go on my next list. 

Treats: when my son was in elementary school, he could have a piece of candy on Fridays. 

If you do something similar, stock up on a favorite candy.

Then disguise it and hide it.

Put it a bag, then put the bag inside a pillow case or a some other sort of subterfuge then hide it, perhaps in your lingerie drawer or the trunk of your car.

I'm addressing freezer and fridge stock up suggestions later this week.

Meanwhile, did you see Ina Garten's tips on freezing food?

Have you thought about getting a produce subscription? I've got a promo code for you to use.

Your turn:

What are your emergency must haves?

What are you looking for that you haven't been able to find?

 

 

 

 

Good Non Perishable Foods to Stock Up On

 
Get a $20 e-gift card and a free rotisserie chicken, when you join Sam's Club