Food storage

Food: store what you eat, eat what you store

by Joe Miller

A good pantry saves money every month and carries you through storms, outages and hard times. Start with food your family already eats, then add long-lasting staples.

How long common foods last in storage (best quality)Salt, sugar, honeyIndefinitelyWhite rice, wheat, dry beans(sealed, oxygen-free)30 yearsFreeze-dried mealsUp to 25 yearsCanned vegetables and meat2 to 5 yearsCanned fruit and tomatoes12 to 18 monthsPeanut butter, crackersAbout 1 yearBrown rice, whole-wheat flour6 monthsCool (under 70 °F), dark and dry storage lasts longest. Heat cuts shelf life fast.
Longer bars last longer. White rice outlasts brown rice because its oils have been removed.

What to store

A basic pantryRICERice and pastaCheap caloriesBeans and lentilsProtein and fiberCanned meat and fishTuna, chicken, chiliCanned vegetables and fruitVitaminsPeanut butterCalories and proteinRICEOats and cerealEasy breakfastOil and shorteningFat and caloriesRICEFlour, sugar, saltBaking basicsPowdered milkFor kids and cookingVitamins, spices, coffeeMorale mattersDon't forget a manual can opener, pet food, baby formula and special diets.
Store a mix: carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins.

How much food?

Calories per day (moderately active)Adult manabout 2,400Adult womanabout 1,900Teenagerabout 2,000 to 2,800Child 4 to 8about 1,200 to 1,600Hard physical work, cold weather3,000 to 4,000+
Plan about 2,000 calories per person per day as an average.

Rotate it

First in, first out1FOODBuyWrite the date on each canor box2StoreNew items in the back3EatUse from the front4TrackKeep a simple list orspreadsheet5$SaveBuy on sale to refillA rotated pantry never spoils and pays for itself.
The pantry turns over and stays fresh.

Long-term packing

Packing rice and beans for 30 years1FOODMylar bagLine a food-grade bucket2RICEFillDry rice, wheat or beansonly3Oxygen absorbersAbout 2,000 cc per5-gallon bucket4SealIron or heat-seal theMylar5LabelContents and dateDon't store sugar or salt with oxygen absorbers: they turn into a brick.
Oxygen, light, heat and moisture are what spoil food.
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Sources

Checked November 11, 2026.