• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Snack
      • Lunch
      • Appetizer
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Ingredient
      • Apple
      • Beef
      • Blueberry
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Cranberry
      • Peach
      • Pumpkin
      • Squash
      • Strawberry
      • Tomato
      • Vegetables
      • Zucchini
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Baking
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • No Bake
      • One Dish
      • Slow Cooker
    • Type
      • Breads and Rolls
      • Cakes and Muffins
      • Condiments
      • Cookies and Bars
      • Drinks
      • Food for Kids
      • Gluten-Free
      • Main Dish
      • Pies and Crisps
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Wraps
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies
      • Soup
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • DIY
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printables
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing
  • Family Life
    • Giveaways
    • Lifestyle
    • Marriage
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Pet Care
    • Special Needs
    • Time Management
    • Travel
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas

Which Foods Store Best Long Term?

March 15, 2015 by Guest Contributor

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail

Whether you’re trying to make the most of your food budget or preparing for an emergency, stocking your pantry with high shelf life items is always a great idea. All you need is storage space, knowledge, and preparation. The following ideas will get you on the right track to never again being caught foodless and hungry after the supermarket closes. Keep in mind that maximum shelf life is achieved by storing your food in a cool, dry, dark place, preferably in an air-tight, moisture-proof containers.

5 Foods Great For Long Term Storage

Dried Grains and Pasta

Long-lasting staples are a  vital component to a rainy day food supply. Grains like rice are cheap, easy to prepare, and last decades. Pasta won’t last quite as long, but will add variety. White rice will keep you from going hungry until you can hit the grocery store, but is lacking a lot of nutrients, not to mention flavor. Take care when choosing between whole-grain and refined – whole grains are nutritionally superior but relatively quick to go rancid due to their higher oil content. If you choose whole grains, keep them in the freezer if possible.

Canned Goods

Keep your pantry stashed with plenty of canned vegetables, fruit, and meat to round out your emergency food diet. They will add the protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals missing from the rice and pasta. With wise food storage, they can remain edible for half a century if it comes to that, though their flavor and nutritional value will begin deteriorating in three to five years.

Seasonings

Just because you’re eating emergency food doesn’t mean it has to taste bland. Salt doesn’t expire, and aside from being a necessary nutrient, will enhance the most boring dish with judicious application. Any other flavor deficiency can be fixed with a few dashes of dried spice. Spices are especially economical to buy in bulk, but will start tasting like sawdust in six months if pre-ground. Whole spices are often cheaper, and will last two to three years. Keep a spare coffee grinder around for fresh-ground spices on demand. If you do have dried spices on hand, before throwing them out, rub them between your fingers to see if the flavor returns.

Sugar

Store sugar in a cool, dry place in an air-tight container. A tightly sealed container will ensure no bugs get into it and that it won’t absorb any odours. If your brown sugar hardens, you can use the age-old trick of adding a piece of bread to it.

Long-Lasting Fresh Produce

Far distant expiration dates aren’t always necessary to save money and stay prepared. If you stock up on fresh winter squash when it’s in season, you’ll have up to six months to take advantage of its delicious, nutrient-dense goodness. Sweet potatoes last a relatively short three to four weeks, but stocking up once a month – or when they’re on sale – is convenient and economical.

Pin For Later

Don’t lose track of this post… Pin the image below.

Which Foods Store Best Long Term

 
Originally published here at 5 Minutes for Mom on March 10, 2013.
Written by Kristene Blackham, a freelance writer and a lover of the outdoors and traveling. She uses her spare time with her husband and cat. Her dream is to travel the world one day and try all the amazing food.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
Around the Blogosphere – Add YOUR Giveaway Link #Giveaways
My Daughter’s First Formal Dress

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

2 Comments

  1. Rick says

    December 3, 2013 at 11:56 pm

    Four foods that provide a balanced diet and have long shelf lifes are known as the basic 4 (B4)
    1: Wheat – shelf life indefinite
    2: salt – shelf life indefinite
    3: honey – shelf life indefinite
    4: powdered milk – shelf life up to 5 years
    Additional long term storage food
    1: white rice – shelf life indefinite
    2: white sugar – shelf life indefinite
    3: beans (kidney/pinto/black) – shelf life to 8 years

    Reply
  2. Melissa K. Norris says

    March 10, 2013 at 4:37 pm

    Garlic is a great long storage crop. We grow our own and braid it to hang in the kitchen. It lasts all year long. I have complete post on how to grow your own on my website.

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Bringing Moms Together

We are Janice and Susan, twin bloggers and work-at-home moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.

Meet Us…

Work With Us…

Subscribe via Email

to be first to read new posts

Trending Now

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Among Us Costumes – How To Make Pretty DIY Among Us Cosplay Outfits

Among Us Costumes – How To Make Pretty DIY Among Us Cosplay Outfits

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

browse around

  • Posts by Susan
  • Posts by Janice
  • Favorite Recipes
  • Favorite Crafts
  • Giveaways
  • All Posts

Footer

Recipes

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Valentine Pretzels – How to Make Chocolate Covered Pretzels

Good Morning Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Good Morning Breakfast Smoothie Recipes

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Raspberry Coulis – How To Make Raspberry Sauce

Crafts/DIY

Animal Ears – How to Make an Easy No Sew Animal Ears Headband

Animal Ears – How to Make an Easy No Sew Animal Ears Headband

Free Halloween Printables For Kids

Free Halloween Printables For Kids

Easy Cat Costume – How To Make A Gorgeous Black Cat Costume

Easy Cat Costume – How To Make A Gorgeous Black Cat Costume

Giveaways

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Mom

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Mom

School Supplies List and Back to School Shopping Guide

School Supplies List and Back to School Shopping Guide

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2023 5 Minutes for MomTheme by Melissa Rose Design and Once Coupled