Long-lasting foodstuffs are a privilege that homesteaders work hard all summer to produce. Storing these foods for winter means your family will eat this year, and you may even have surplus to sell. For the rest of us, here are some foods we should keep at home, should the worst happen.
It is no bad idea to keep your parlor stocked up with emergency foods. These are foods that last a long time. They can help if something disastrous happens, so you are prepared for the worst. They can also make the best food items to stock up on before a long incoming winter if you live out in the stakes.
Which long life foods should you stock up on in case you can’t reach the grocery store for a prolonged period? Let’s review some of the best buys that will last you longest.
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Which Foods to Stock Up On, Just in Case
If you are a disaster prepper, or even if you just never know what the next increase in the cost of living will do to you, then take our tips on food storage. Stocking your larder with the right types of foods means you might never miss a meal again… even in a power outage.
Flours
Wondering how to store flour long term? There are lots of ways to do it to prevent deterioration of the grains. The main risks with flour are damp and bugs, so if you can store it in an airtight, waterproof container, it can last a long time.
Safely stored flour can last you for years. Consider the smells of the other foods you store it with though. Flour stored with pickles or onions might well absorb the smells.
Tins
Tinned goods are not necessarily going to last longer than a year, two at most. However, they let you stow vegetables you wouldn’t otherwise have access to for that length of time. Tinned foods have a stigma to them to this day, caused by the original use of lead to line the tins.
Nowadays tins are sterile and contain things like peas, beans, carrots, and soups. These wet vegetable options are a great alternative to the dried veg we otherwise store. The earliest tins were of wrought iron. An Englishman invented them with the express design to preserve food for army and navy regiments.
Pastas
You need complex carbohydrate in any well-stocked larder. Pastas dry out nicely and, once dried, can last you up to 30 years.
Store them in glass jars to keep the air and the bugs out. Pastas include the rice groups, with each type of rice lasting forever once it dries out.
Apples and Carrots
Apples and carrots can last for two decades when you prepare them correctly. Thinly slice your apples and your carrots to dry them in the oven on a low temperature. Once properly dried out, you can store it away and rehydrate it in dishes later.
Meat and Fish
Lastly, you need meats and fishes for protein over those long, cold months. A dried beef jerky is a wonderful way to retain a meat diet even months after the last animal went into hibernation. You can salt and even dry hang your meats to create longer lasting versions for winter.
Other Foods to Consider
Don’t stop with these staples, either. Consider powdered milk and potato as a good substitute that keeps for longer. Remember to stow away plenty of fresh drinking water. You can keep onions and garlic for months at a time. You should consider oats and other grains, too.
