While some articles on this website deal with other items to store, this article will deal with one of the better ways to store food and what sorts of food are worth buying or preparing. I hope to give you a worthwhile list of the best canned food for survival so you will have a dependable stockpile of food when you need it most.
There are so many reasons to want prep these days. A single night in front of the television is enough to see how much bad is happening in the world on any given day. It’s not just natural disasters, either. There’s a lot of man-made events happening right now that could potentially turn deadly, affecting you wherever you might be living.
Disasters don’t necessarily have to be the worst kind. While tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis and bushfires all happen regularly, there are other reasons that cause just as much impact on your life, should they happen.
Financial collapses, disease outbreaks and trade embargoes all have the potential to impact on your immediate life. And while disasters may not necessarily destroy infrastructure as such, they have the potential to interrupt your food supplies.
People don’t take much to panic. If there is the slightest hint of something potentially harmful coming, supermarket stock will disappear within hours. Mass panic is dangerous and can also develop into a mob mentality, leaving many without basic supplies.
That is why it is important for you not to wait until it is too late. Prepare for such an event today and ensure the survival of you and your loved ones in the future. Have you ever considered discovering the best canned food for survival?
The Food Storage Options
Several methods of food storage exist. It doesn’t have to be specifically designed to last until the apocalypse. Many forms of food storage are available and it’s just a matter of finding which is more suitable for you. There are a few things to consider when choosing an appropriate method for storing food.
- Plastic Storage Buckets
- Mylar Bags
- Jars
- Store-bought Cans
Some of the above are often used in conjunction with each other, to extend the shelf life of foods. There are other options, but these are probably the most popular ones, preppers using them together with emergency ration packs, as a valuable substitute.
The thing to consider when deciding what type of food storage you are prepping with, is how you intend to store the food. Will it be housed indoors or outdoors; underground; inside containers; in your pantry, attic or cellar? When planning your food stockpile, these are some of the considerations you’ll need to remember.
Why Does Food Spoil?
Almost every piece of food that you buy from a grocery store has an expiry date. While some products like dairy and bread have a ‘use by’ date, other food has a ‘best before’ date.
Do you know the difference? With best before dates, manufacturers will guarantee their food to be the best possible condition up until the best before date, after which time it is still edible, but not as in perfect condition.
A use-by date is when the food must be consumed by or else thrown out. Generally, that is the date when bacteria in the food reaches levels unfit for consumption, either turning the food bad, or inedible. It is always advisable to throw ‘use-by’ food out once it passes its due date.
And after mentioning bacteria, it is worth noting that it is the main reason for turning good food bad, the tiny organisms breaking down the food, multiplying itself and making you sick if eaten. How does it grow, I hear you ask? Because of 3 specific things.
The first thing you need to eliminate in order to prolong the life of your food is oxygen. Sealing your food in air-proof containers and bags is a sure-fire way to eliminate oxygen. Mylar bags are particularly useful for this, as are canned goods.
The second thing is sunlight. Ultraviolet light will also affect your food. Silver Mylar bags and canned goods are also great for blocking sunlight out and eliminating the chance for bacteria to grow. But sunlight and air aren’t the only things to cause bacteria to grow.
The third thing to eliminate is heat. Raising the temperature of a food item is a great way to invite hordes of bacteria that thrive in warm environments. Ever read the storage labels on food? They always have something like “Store food in a cool, dry place away from sunlight”. Now you know why.
Store-Bought Cans or Home-made
There are 2 options when it comes to canning food for long-term storage. Whether you chose to go one way or the other is entirely up to you. There are both pros and cons with both methods, which means you’ll need to decide which is better suited to you.
When someone mentions canning food at home, they are most likely talking about ‘water bath canning’, a form of preparing food and storing it in glass jars for the long term. A good aspect of water bath canning is that you know exactly what is in the food you are preparing.
There’s also the money side of things. Sometimes preparing the food yourself works out cheaper, especially if the food is bought in bulk. You could also make metal cans yourself, but the can sealer is quite pricey.
Store-bought cans are also a great way to build up a food stockpile. Although you never quite know how well the food is prepared, you should always try it before buying in bulk, again saving money. Or buy the cans when they are on special.
The Best Canned Food for Survival
Here is a list of great canned food options.
Option #1: Honey
Regardless of whether it has a best before date or not, honey never spoils. It is one of the purest foods on the planet and should be high on your list.
Option #2: Spam
A staple for anyone needing canned meat. While there are other options, Spam is what helped our soldiers get through 2 world wars when meat was in short supply.
Option #3: Powdered Milk
This is available in several forms, but if you find it in cans, snap it up, because powdered milk has a shelf life of 20 years in cans.
Option #4: Fruit (Low Acidic Varieties)
Canned fruit keeps its vitamins and minerals during the canning process, which makes it perfect for storing in your stockpile.
Option #5: Instant Coffee
Freeze-dried coffee in cans is another great food item, with a long shelf life to ensure you’ll always have that perfect cup first thing in the morning.
Option #6: Beans
These have an amazing shelf life when stored properly and are one of the most nutritious foods to keep in your pile.
Option #7: Corn
Another great vegetable that is great for storage. Corn is a staple in many cultures, making it perfect for a host of meals.
Option #8: Fish
High in protein and omega varieties, some types of canned fish make for perfect survival meals.
Option #9: Lentils
A perfect survival food, lasting several years if canned in the right conditions. Highly nutritious and quite robust in storage.
Option #10: Soups
Varieties of canned soup are great for a hearty change. While their shelf life depends on the individual ingredients, some options last for several years when stored properly.
