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This post is by Bernie Carr, apartmentprepper.com

When you start a food storage plan, whether for emergencies or money-saving reasons, you should avail yourself of various sources besides the supermarket. I should point out that some supermarkets have bulk bins such as Whole Foods and Kroger. Winco has a great selection.

Food Storage Sources

Try using various sources including but not limited to:

Online Stores

I’ve had great success buying bulk items such as rice, flour, coffee, sugar via Amazon and other online stores such as Emergency Essentials.

Warehouse stores*

Sam’s and Costco are good sources for food storage. If you partner up with a friend or relative, you can split the cost of bulk items and split the contents as well. Good items to buy are:

rice
beans
flour
sugar
nuts
cooking oil
coffee

Discount stores and pharmacies

Walmart and Target also carry food, and if you check the weekly specials you can take advantage of sale items.

Discount pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens have a couple of food aisles where they carry canned foods, candy and chocolate, powdered drinks and juices. Check the weekly flyer or online discounts and combine with coupons for the best deals.

Sporting goods stores

Sports and outdoors stores such as Academy, or REI have camping and backpacking sections that carry easy to prepare and portable foods. If you buy at full price, they can be expensive, but wait for the once or twice a year sale to net some good discounts on food items.

Ethnic grocery stores

If you live in a big city you would likely have a good selection of ethnic grocery stores. You may see Italian, Asian or Middle Eastern stores on your way to work but never thought to check them out. These stores offer some good prices on everyday food items such as pasta, rice and other grains, fresh food and meats and canned foods. Some of the canned foods are likely made by the same brands you recognize but may be packaged differently. Don’t be intimidated if the signs show another language – the English translation is likely right below it; if not, just asked for help. I have frequently many of these stores and have always had a pleasant experience.

LDS Cannery

The Church of the Latter Day Saints (LDS) runs food stores in many major cities that sell bulk food items and materials you can use to store for the long term. These stores are non-profit and offer excellent prices on items such as flour, sugar, salt, yeast, drink mixes, etc. They even teach people how to pack foods for long term storage. You do not have to belong to the church to shop and learn; however, it is best to call ahead. Some locations may have different requirements for appointments or hours. I know there is one store in our city, however, the day I was planning to visit, I called the location and found they were closed for remodeling and were not going to reopen for several months. I was glad I called first, as it saved me an hour long drive. For a list of stores, visit Provident Living.

Health Food Stores

Many health food stores have bulk bins for nuts, whole grains, dried fruit, etc. They also carry nutritional shakes, protein powders and meal replacement bars that can be used for emergencies. At full price, they can be pricey but watch for sales. Get to know the sales people, as they may also give you advance notice for discount days.

Use proper long-term storage methods and you will have the basics of a good food storage that will last for many years.

*Excerpted from my book The Penny Pinching Prepper

Money-saving deals for you!

Here are a few items that may be helpful for protecting your car and its contents:

One gallon size Mylar bags - protect against oxygen and moisture.

Oxygen absorbers - guaranteed to absorb 180% of their rating giving you a nice buffer for freshness.

Prepper's Guide to Food Storage by Gaye Levy - everything you need to know about storing food.

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