Food storage can be daunting and takes time to figure out what you need to have in your stockpile. While I believe you should have the basics, your food storage should be personalized.

Often we see lists on the internet telling us to stock up on this or that. I know because I have written several of them. I stand behind those lists because I firmly believe you should have well-rounded food storage for daily use and long-term use. I also see those lists as ideas or suggestions because setting up a food storage/stockpile can be overwhelming at first.

However, from time to time, I get asked what I stock up on or foods I couldn’t live without in my everyday life and my food storage. I also get asked what I would recommend that my adult kids should stock up on when I tell them to get their food storage stocked up. I will indulge those requests in this article.

To be clear, these are shelf-stable food items. They may need to be refrigerated once opened, but they are fine on the shelf until they are opened. This list is personalized for me and will look different for you. I have also found that my storage and food tastes have changed significantly once my youngest went to college.

You will not see coffee on my list because caffeine and I do not get along. I detest peanut butter with a passion so that will not be a viable protein source for me. Chocolate (I know, contains caffeine) will not be listed but is always a given for me. As long as I can make brownies, the world will be okay. I also cannot consume very much dairy so I try to do without it.

I cook many things from scratch. I eat pretty simply so most meals look like protein, vegetables, and a small amount of carbs. Some meals are meatless and some are not, but I also like to eat soups and the occasional casserole. Fresh fruits and vegetables play a big role in my daily eating and try to keep a large supply of canned or frozen vegetables and fruits when I can’t have fresh produce.

With that said, on with the list!

30 Pantry Staples I Have to Have (No Matter What!)

Flour: Unbleached, Bread, Gluten Free
Sugar: Regular, Brown, Coconut
Salt
Spices: Pepper, Cinnamon, Ginger, Chili Powder, Cumin, Paprika, Turmeric, etc.
Herbs: Oregano, Basil, Thyme, etc.
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Oils: Olive, Avocado, Coconut, and Peanut
Rice
Instant Potatoes
Canned Chicken
Canned Tomatoes
Lemon and Lime Juice
Soy Sauce: I use Bragg’s Liquid Aminos, but I still think of it as soy sauce
Dried Onions and Garlic
Broths and Bouillion: Chicken, Turkey, Beef, and Vegetable
Shelf-Stable Milk: Mostly Almond and Rice Milk. I haven’t found shelf-stable lactose-free milk yet.
Vinegar: White, Apple Cider, and Rice
Nonfat Dry Milk
Canned Mushrooms
Cocoa Powder
Canned Fruit
Yeast: Instant and Regular
Honey
Oats: Rolled, Instant, and Steel Cut
Nuts: All Kinds
Tea: Herbal and Medicinal
Tuna
Pickles
Vanilla Extract

That was 30 areas or specific things depending on your view. I also keep the following things stocked, but I do not eat nearly as much since the kids are out of the house:

Canned Vegetables
Condensed Cream Soups
Pasta
Canned and Dried Beans and Lentils
Popcorn
Saltine Crackers
Marinara Sauce

Not everyone’s list will look the same and that is just fine. Your pantry must-haves should be personal to you and your family. You may have less or more than thirty items or areas and that is fine too. This is the list that I use for groceries and stocking up. I do keep some freeze-dried foods and I preserve what I produce or find on a great sale.

Thanks for reading,
Erica

This post does contain affiliate links, primarily from Amazon.

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