List of Common Pantry Foods

REMEMBER to check the “use by” dates on any items you’re going to store, and NO dented cans.  Keeping your storage pantry up to date and organized will take some time but at least you won’t be caught off guard. Store your food in a cool, dark place (under beds, bottom of closets etc.), rotating it as dates come close.  When possible the most favorable rule for storing food is in glass jars, then cans and where possible avoid “pop top” lids (obviously the aluminum is perforated for pulling the top off easily and therefore might not store as well).

NOTE:  A couple of sprigs of dried eucalyptus leaves will keep moths and most bugs out of your pantry. Moths and bugs will eat thru your bags of rice, dried beans or most paper packages.

- Baked beans, 3 Bean Salad,  chili beans
- Baking ingredients:  Chocolate chips, coconut, raisins , cocoa, vanilla, baking soda and baking powder,  Pam Cooking Spray
- Bouillon cubes:   beef and chicken
- Canned meat:  tuna fish, salmon, chicken, beef, corn beef hash, ham and deviled ham and chicken, etc.  Then of course there’s the world famous Vienna Sausages and Spam!   And for the really staunch eater, anchovies and sardines (excellent sources of protein but salty).
- Crackers, Brown Bread with Raisins in a can (by B&M the baked bean company and usually in the baked bean section
- Drinks:  coffee (some instant in case your wonderful bean grinder doesn’t have power and some powdered creamer), tea bags, lemonade, powdered Gatorade (good to replace electrolytes), fruit juices.  Try and stay away from a lot of sweet drinks, they only make you thirstier.
- Flour, cornmeal, corn starch, yeast
- Fruit - canned and dried  – Remember you can use the juice in the can for drinking; don’t forget applesauce.
- Dried beans – black turtle, navy, split pea, white northern, red kidney, etc.
- Honey, corn syrup, molasses
- Bottled Lemon juice
- Nuts:  bagged/canned pecans, walnuts, almonds; mixed nuts (lightly salted at best; remember water may be at a premium)
- Oatmeal (raisins, brown sugar or cinnamon to fancy it up some) and Grits
- Potato Pancake box mix
- Oil: cooking oil, olive oil, Crisco 
- Pancake mix and syrup – the pancake mix that requires only water is very good – pecan pancakes are great  and bring some protein to the meal
- Parmesan cheese
- Peanut butter and jelly
- Pickles and pickle relish, mustard and ketchup…Mayo, but consider small jars; if there’s no refrigeration a large jar will go to waste.
- Popcorn – popping it the old-fashioned way in a pot just in case we’re without electricity  and using Sterno or an open fire
- Powdered eggs
- Powdered milk
- Rice: white, bow and yellow (white and yellow rice stores longer than brown rice)
- Seasonings -  salt and pepper, dried onions, garlic, etc.
- Soups and Dinty Moore stews over egg noodles or rice
- Spaghetti sauce and pasta
- Boxed macaroni and cheese
- Sugar:  granulated, brown and powered, artificial sweeteners of your liking
- Sweets:  candy, cookies, granola bars, etc.  Comfort food is really a good idea to have on hand!  My personal favorite…M&M’s
- Vegetables:  canned corn, peas, potatoes, beans, beets, carrots, tomatoes, etc
- Vinegar, A-1 sauce, Worcestershire sauce, your favorite Hot sauce, Soy Sauce, Teriyaki , etc.

Whole Grain Wheat and a hand grinder – remember there could be seasons of no electricity so a hand-cranked grinder is the best way to go (stainless steel blades are more effective).  Find a bread recipe you like and then store the ingredients you need: yeast, honey, gluten, seeds, etc.   (We found http://beprepared.com/ to be a good source for wheat and grinders.) 

This is an excellent site for buying Dutch Ovens (because of a potential lack of electricity we may not be able to use our bread making machines; a Dutch oven will service you well): http://www.chuckwagonsupply.com/

A beginner’s guide to making bread (your Dutch Oven will service your bread making well):  http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/hn/2006/fs0690.pdf

Also store:

- Hygiene items:  deodorant, toothpaste, dental floss, denture creams, mouthwash, shampoo and conditioner, hairspray, hair coloring and finger nail polisher and polish remover [it’s always beneficial to feel good about ourselves so during a challenging season who needs to worry about grey roots and nails not being well groomed] sanitary napkins/tampons, diapers, wipes, shaving crème, razor blades or disposable razors, hand and body lotion, cotton balls and cotton swabs

- Soap:  bath, hand, dish and liquid laundry (powdered takes too much water to work effectually), dish washer soap
- Paper goods:  aluminum foil, wax paper, toilet paper, paper towels, napkins, tissues, paper cups and plates.
- Plastic Bags:  garbage (3 mil will prove the best), zip-lock baggies (various sizes)
- Cleaning items:  bleach, ammonia, sponges, comet, Windex, Pine Sol
- Critter Provision:  bug spray, rat poison, rat and mice traps, and wasp spray; get a good old-fashioned fly swatter  

Don’t forget your pet’s needs - food, water, any medications their on as well as the name of their veterinarian and their current vaccinations should you need to take them to a shelter.  

NOTE:  cat litter also works really well as an absorbent if you need to make a “toilet” with a plastic garbage bag in a 5 gallon paint bucket.