In most successful countries, it is difficult to understand what a lack of food means. Walking into any store in these countries, you will easily find different types of foods with different varieties of the same food. For people in such countries, it is difficult to understand why they need to keep lasting foods in their pantries.
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However, natural disasters and other pandemics force people to buy long-lasting foods in their pantries. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic forced economies around the globe to shut down. This meant that foods were not being produced and people were forced to stay at home.
With such a pandemic, people are supposed to be prepared to go through the pandemic without any problems.
One way of making sure that you are prepared is keeping long-lasting foods in your pantry. These foods will keep you going throughout the entire time you are locked in the house without them going stale. So, which long-lasting foods should you keep in your pantry?
Food From Trusted Companies
The food that we eat has a major impact on our health. There are very many companies in the world that engage in food production and processing. Due to stiff competition among these companies, most of them are trying their best to make sure that they observe health regulations and produce healthy and quality foods.
However, that does not mean that we should buy food from every other company that we see. When buying long-lasting foods, we should make sure that we are buying from trusted companies. For instance, you need to ensure that you are getting survival foods from the best prepper food companies in case of emergencies or pandemics.
This will not only ensure that you have everything that you need but will also keep your health in check.
Hard Grains
You need to look for hard grains from reputable companies that, with proper storage, last for up to twelve years. This includes things such as millet, soft white wheat, hard red wheat, and buckwheat among others.
In order to have these grains lasting for as long as possible, you need to ensure that the grains come with a package that is capable of absorbing oxygen. Also, you can buy them in bulk to cover the entire family for the time that you will use the grains.
Soft Grains
In addition to hard grains, you will also need soft grains that can last for up to eight years, again, with proper storage. This includes grains such as grits, rye, quinoa, and barley among others.
You need to ensure that you are buying these grains from companies selling long-lasting foods since their sealing and packaging processes are designed to keep the grains for as long as possible.
Hardtack
Some people refer to hardtack as the bread that is known to last for as long as possible. It was very common with soldiers during the civil war in America. Even though reports indicate that they did not like it, it kept them going despite a lack of food during the war.
Similarly, hardtack is a long-lasting food that you can keep in your pantry especially during emergencies and natural calamities. Today, you cannot get hardtack easily in stores but can make it yourself without any struggles.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is another long-lasting food that you can keep in your pantry. If purchased from a reputable long-lasting food store and kept at the right temperature, oatmeal can last for up to two years. If you need it for a longer period, you need to ensure that you do not have oxygen or any moisture getting inside the oatmeal containers.
To ensure that you are consuming healthy oatmeal, do not use it when it has a rancid smell or flavor. This means that it has gone stale. You can get bulk oatmeal easily from long-lasting food stores.
Dry Pasta
Without any oxygen or moisture, you can keep dry pasta in your pantry for up to thirty years. However, you need to be careful when shopping for dry pasta. This is because the packaging determines the time that it’s going to last.
For instance, the normal packaging of dry paste can last for about two years. However, if the packaging comes with oxygen absorbers, it is going to last for a longer time.
Conclusion
In addition to long-lasting foods, you also need to have a look at survival supplies that you might need to help you through an emergency. This is because you will need more than just food depending on the type of emergency or pandemic that you are facing.
Finally, when looking for long-lasting foods to keep in your pantry, it is important to look at their packaging. This is because the packaging determines the pantry-life of the food. In addition, make sure that you understand the different storage conditions needed for each of the foods to ensure that you get the maximum lifespan from them.
I also keep a good supply of dry beans, lentils, rtice and steel cut oats.
Hi Roger S., Those are all great long term foods for the pantry. Thanks for the comment!