When a disaster strike, chances are your local grocery stores are going to be stripped bare in just a matter of a few hours. With panicked crowds trying to stock up on last minute supplies, those who failed to prepare for even short-term disasters, will find themselves facing the huge chances of starving. Your local markets will look like a battleground in a post-apocalyptic scene. We bring to you our ideas for Canned Food with Longest Shelf Life.

Usually most grocery stores have a 3 day supply of goods before they end up running dry. This means even if a short-term disaster such as typhoons, hurricanes, floods and earthquakes occurs, thee supplies will wipe out quickly. So what happens if a long-term disaster does occur? There will be a supply shortage and you will have a real recipe for disaster.

In order to be prepared to face any emergency situation, you need to invest in a long-term supply of food. This should be made up of at least six months’ worth of emergency food that has a long shelf-life. With a handful amount of research, we have compiled a list of the top foods that are able to store up for months and even years.

One of the best ways to store food for the long term is to use a multi-barrier system; this protects the food from natural elements such as moisture and sunlight, and insect infestations.

So the question is -  are you looking for the Top 10 best survival foods at your grocery store? Lets run down some options you can look into below:

Best Canned Foods that Have the Longest Shelf life

Canned foods will last you a long time and even easy on the budget. If you store them properly without any damage they will last long. When it comes to consuming canned foods, common sense is required. The myth is that vitamins will diminish over time when the produce ages, but this is just as likely to happen with fresh produce. What are the best canned foods for survival?

Canned Fish and Meats

Spam

Spam has an excellent source of protein and sodium and it will typically last about 5 years, with a long life span.

Canned Alaskan Wild Salmon

Alaskan salmon is extremely rich in protein and healthy fats like omega 3s. If you look for Alaskan Wild Salmon, you will get salmon with no environmental contaminants that sometimes show up in other canned fish. You can even eat Alaskan salmon right out of the can without cooking.

Corned Beef Hash

This salt cured beef will give you comfort during rough times in a disaster. You may even find it packed with potato bits to save you time and energy.

Pink Salmon

Not only rich in protein and omega -3 fatty acids, it’s actually better than fresh salmon because the bones are still intact meaning there’s more calcium.

Canned Ham

You can use ham to chunk it up with hash browns or cheese. DAK ham is one of the best.

Vienna Sausages

Vienna sausage is very ingredient wise so this means fewer preservatives. They are easy to carry and a great staple food when in a disaster. These guys last about 5 years or more.

Sardines

Like Salmon, Sardines are very rich in Omega-3 fatty acids. It is often packed in a sweet tomato sauce, which is great for its lycopene content but often contains a high level of sodium. Try going for a low-sodium option that is packed in water. Sardines are sustainable and fairly inexpensive. They also contain high amounts of vitamin b12.

Crab Meat

Consider crab meat a gourmet survival food. This will go a long way as a mood booster and very tradable in the post-disaster scene.

Tuna

A healthy, no salt added canned food is Tuna. It has six times the omega-3 and great brain food especially in a survival situation.

Additionally, here are guides to freeze drying food at home and pressure canning bacon.  On a related note, we put together some easy to carry options for Best Backpacking Food

Along with the best canned foods here are more necessary food items you need to store in your survival food supply.

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Food that adds Flavour and Comfort

During a stressful situation for survival, comfort foods can be a huge mood booster. Keep this in mind when you start to stock file food. These four items can be stored for more than 10 years and are a great way to add flavour to your cooking. If stored properly, they will probably last a long time.

Salt

Though salt is actually prone to absorbing moisture, it does have an indefinite shelf life.

Uses: curing, preservative, cooking, cleaning, and medicinal.

Sugar – brown or white

Just like salt, sugar is also prone to absorbing moisture. This problem can be solved by adding some rice granules into the storage container.

Uses: sweetener for beverages, cakes, bread, preservatives, and curing.

Raw Honey

In Egypt 3,000 years ago, honey was found in a tomb and was still edible; this means honey never goes bad. If there are temperature changes and sunlight, then the colour and consistency can change. Many who harvest honey say that when honey crystallizes, it can be re-heated and used just like freshly made honey. Also, microorganisms do not like the environment because of the honey’s low water content.

Corn Starch

Corn starch is a great thickening agent, but there are many uses for this starch including cleaning.

Vinegar

Vinegar is great for marinades and salad dressings. We all know you can clean with vinegar, but there are a lot of practical uses for vinegar.

Alcohol such as Vodka, Whiskey, etc. …

Any alcohol that is over 10% and does not contain eggs, milk, and other dairy derivatives should last forever in a stockpile. Alcohol also has a disinfectant and medicinal properties, so it is essential to keep some in stock. Choose liquors, spirits, and wine.

Base Ingredients with a Long Shelf-Life

Dried Beans

Dried beans are all high in calories and contain a good amount of protein per serving. It comes in packages larger than canned beans. The key difference is that you must add water and let the beans soak for several hours before consuming. Kidney beans, black beans, lima beans, garbanzo beans, pinto beans and other beans also contain essential vitamins and minerals. A large supply of dried beans is inexpensive and can go a long way compared to canned food.

Dried Corn

Dried corn can be used as a substitute for anything that calls for fresh corn. TO extend its shelf-life, it has to be preserved by drying it out so it can be used later.Uses: soups, cornmeal, feeding livestock, grits and hominy, heating source.

Rice

A major staple item that survival preppers like to put away because it is a great source for calories, cheap, and has an incredibly long shelf life. If Rice is properly stored, it can last more than 30 years.Uses: breakfast meals, soup additions, and side dishes.

Brown rice

Brown rice is high in calories and protein, with added essential vitamins and minerals. Just add water and soak for 1-2 days until the rice expands, or you can boil rice for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Bulk nuts

Try to look for seeds and nuts in bulk packages, most especially unsalted and unshelled. Choosing survival foods that are not high in salt are better as too much salty will make you thirsty as water is also a commodity during a disaster. They provide essential vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and a fair amount of protein. Also, they are usually light-weight and small serving sizes.

Peanut butter

It’s packed with protein, fatty acids, and essential vitamin and minerals such as iron and copper. Choose “natural” brands. Consumed just a couple of tablespoons a day of peanut butter can help you survive a period of limited food intake. During a disaster, in order to survive, you must have an understanding of the need to cut calories. By cutting calories, your food supply will last longer and at the same time help you lose excess weight making potential escaping and evacuation on foot easier.

Trail mix

With a variety of ingredients such as peanuts, raisins and other nuts, trail mix has been a prepper’s favourite. Chocolate and dried fruits can be a quick mood booster and a great source of short-term energy.

Energy and chocolate bars

Energy bars provide a high calorie count as well as plenty of protein and nutrients. Chocolate is a quick source of energy and calories. It is also likely to become a demand when a disaster strikes.

Beef jerky

Jerky is a delicious form of dried meat. It is a long time proven survival food used by Native Americans and pioneers. You can buy jerky in smaller serving packages or purchase your dried meat in bulk and have it delivered to you.

Coffee

Coffee may be an essentials as you may become tired, constant headaches and lethargic without it if you are a regular coffee drinker. It is a great mood booster and can also be used like a commodity during a crisis.Powdered Super Greens & Sea vegetablesMost communities will be affected without fresh produce. Sea vegetables are a great super food that is packed with vitamins and nutrients and provides many health benefits to boost your immunity.

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