Knowing which food to stock up on for an emergency will help us all navigate these uncertain times a little more stress free. I know for me that the anxiety really sets in when I go to the grocery store and find the shelves completely empty. The reality strikes when I wonder how I will give my baby her bottle if I can't get milk? Although food chain supply experts have explained that their will be no food shortages (albeit it restocking might be slow and specialty items might be hard to find), it is a great idea to know which food to stock up on so we don't run out of what we need.
This list provides you with pantry, non-perishables, and long-lasting fridge and freezer food to stock up to be prepared to hunker down for a little bit. But this list of food to stock up is not just for emergencies; these are necessary or simple foods to always have on hand so you never run out of meal ideas. I'll also tell you which foods can be frozen and even dehydrated so they last even longer.
While it's important to have a week or two's worth of fresh bread, milk, eggs, and our other favorite essentials on hand, it's also important to know what items to have on hand as alternates to these fresh essentials. Think, what do I need to make my own bread? What can I use in place of eggs if I run out?
It's scary to think that you may run out of food and have no way to get it, especially if you have children. I could go for days without eating if I had to, but how can you explain to a child the need to do that?
To live a little stress free during the coronavirus pandemic, you need to know how to make necessary foods from scratch or at least have plenty of ingredients on hand so you don't quickly run out of meal ideas. I am going to tell you what food to stock up on during the coronavirus so that you have a great stock of ingredients for meals and have an abundance of options.
Food to Stock up: PANTRY and NON Perishables
Vegetables and Fruits
Stock up on an assortment of canned vegetables and fruits, with the best and easiest to find as:
- apricots
- artichokes
- corn
- carrots
- diced tomatoes
- green beans
- oranges
- peas
- pumpkin
- peaches
- pears
- pineapples
With the exception of oranges and pears, these canned vegetables and fruits are freezer friendly. While they will last in the pantry for a good amount of time, once opened they'll need to be eaten within a few days. Freeze opened unused portions to eat at a later date. The texture might change a bit, particularly with the fruit, but they would be great in smoothies, pureed as baby food, or used to sweeten and flavor homemade yogurt. Canned and frozen vegetables are perfect for homemade soups.
Breads
When choosing which food to stock up on for any emergency, make sure to have enough bread to last your family a few weeks. Breads can be stored in the pantry, fridge, or freezer so it never hurts to buy a little more and throw them in the fridge (but remember not to hoard). During normal times I buy bread in bulk from Sam's Club and freeze most of it, keeping only what I need for the next few days in the pantry.
- white loaf
- whole wheat loaf
- tortilla wraps
- bagels
- English Muffins
- hot dog buns
- hamburger buns
- na'an or flatbread
Grains and Legumes
Grains are always an excellent type of food to stock up on for any occasion. They have long shelf lives and are hearty and filling. A little bit also goes a long way, so they naturally take up less space in your pantry! I always keep a variety of grains on hand so we don't get bored eating rice over and over again. Like grains, legumes pack a hearty nutrient-dense punch and should always be on hand for an emergency. They can be thrown in all sorts of casseroles, soups, salads, Mexican dishes, and more. While the grocery stores are still open and stocked, make sure to have:
- beans
- brown rice
- chickpeas (great for salads or roasted as a snack)
- couscous
- lasagna noodles
- oatmeal
- pasta (all different varieties!)
- quinoa
- ramen noodles (for Ramen soups and noodle bowls)
- soup noodles
- white rice
Nuts and Seeds
- almonds (eat as a snack, use in salads, or in poultry/fish breading)
- chia seeds (use in smoothies or baking)
- granola/trail mix)
- walnuts (use in baked goods, poultry/fish breading, sauce, and as an ice cream topping!)
Miscellaneous Pantry Foods
- shelf stable milks (this is a must! Parmalat is a great brand)
- tuna
- canned salmon
- tomato sauce (to make pizza sauce and homemade tomato sauce)
- soups
- bread crumbs
- honey
- soup mixes (like onion or noodle)
- spice and herb mixes (like ranch, fajita or taco seasoning, and our other favorites)
- Parmesan cheese
- mac and cheese for the kiddos (of course!)
- raisins
- tea bags (you can make any hot or iced tea in minutes with tea bags, just like this iced green with honey)
And coffee. Whatever food you choose to stock up on, just don't forget you need plenty of coffee and espresso! Before you know it you'll be a full blown barista, making lots of homemade lattes and mochas. Especially since we're all working from home and homeschooling our kids. Our brains are fried. We need coffee!
Oils and Vinegars
Oils and vinegars are an essential food to stock up. They can be used to make your favorite sauces, dressings and marinades. They are essential to baking and are the base of marinades, sauces, and dressings that we typically buy from the store. Being under a quarantine might be a great time to learn how to make all of your favorites right at home!
- apple cider vinegar
- balsamic vinegar
- coconut oil
- cooking spray
- olive oil (or vegetable oil)
- red wine vinegar
- rice wine vinegar (again, for Asian meals)
- sesame oil (if you cook a lot of Asian meals)
- soy sauce
- white vinegar (to disinfect and clean too)
- Worcestershire sauce
Food to stock up on: Baking Supplies
Baking supplies are critical to have stocked and ready for any emergency situation, and the coronavirus pandemic is no different. As long as the food you stocked up on includes the right baking ingredients, you can make breads, doughs, muffins, cookies, granola bars, broths and soups. Here is a list of baking ingredients to stock up on and what they can be used for:
- all-purpose flour (use for muffins, breads, dough, biscuits, and frying)
- bread flour (use for dough and breads)
- brown sugar
- white sugar
- baking soda
- baking powder
- yeast (for rising bread and dough)
- ghee (a shelf-stable butter, even when opened!)
- nutritional yeast (a great cheese replacement if you run out of fresh cheese)
- ground flaxseed (use as an egg replacement in baking if you run out of fresh eggs)
- wheat germ (use in smoothies, breads, and muffins)
- cocoa powder (for hot chocolate and chocolate goodies)
- corn meal (to coat fried foods or keep dough from sticking to pans)
- corn starch (to thicken sauce)
- chocolate chips
- white chocolate chips
This may also be a good time to purchase a bread machine in case bread becomes yard to find. I love my bread machine and use it all the time to make pizza dough, sun-dried tomato basil bread, and lots more delicious baked goods. Making bread from scratch is so simple when you can throw all the ingredients in a machine and let it do the work for you.
Which Pantry Foods Can I Put in the Freezer?
Here is a list of the above foods that you can put in the freezer if you've stocked up on a bunch of pantry foods and either can't fit them in your pantry or don't want them to go bad before you eat them. I am so thankful for my extra deep freezer when it comes time to stock up!
- artichokes
- apricots
- beans (all)
- biscuits
- bread (all)
- breadcrumbs
- cheese (all)
- corn
- carrots
- chocolate chips
- chickpeas
- dough
- green beans
- nuts (all)
- peas
- pizza sauce
- pumpkin
- peaches
- soups
- sugars (all)
- tomato sauce and paste
- yogurt (to make frozen yogurt or ice pops)
These pantry and perishable food that can easily be stored in the freezer so they last a greater duration of time brings me to my next list: simple freezer foods you should stock up on not just now, but all the time.
Food to Stock Up on: Freezer
This is a list of fresh perishable foods that you can throw right in the freezer to extend their use and keep for much longer than when fresh. I freeze all of these foods on a regular basis if I think they will go bad before I use them. Then I always have a nice freezer stash to use when something is out of season or I don't have a chance to get to the store.
Vegetables and Fruits
These fruits and vegetables are great food to stock up on because they freeze well for a long time, defrost easily and can be used to make easy meals.
- broccoli
- blueberries
- Brussels sprouts
- cauliflower
- cauliflower rice
- carrots
- corn
- edamame
- herbs
- mango
- onions
- raspberry
- spinach
- strawberry
Frozen fruit is especially good when making smoothies, jams, or pureed baby food.
Meat and Fish
- bacon
- beef strips
- cod fillets
- chicken breasts
- chicken nuggets (for the kiddos!)
- ground beef
- ground chicken
- ground turkey
- hamburger patties
- hot dogs
- kielbasa
- roast
- salmon
- shrimp
- white fish fillets (tilapia, whitefish)
Bread
Luckily bread can easily be frozen! It's wise to always have a good assortment of breads in your freezer regardless of the situation. It's an American staple. Knowing you have enough bread in stock for a few weeks eases a lot of anxiety around food supply shortages.
- bagels
- biscuits
- hot dog buns
- hamburger buns
- hoagie rolls
- homemade loaves
- na'an of other flatbread
- pizza dough (store bought or homemade)
- white loaf
- whole wheat loaf
Cheese
Cheese is a great food to stock up on in your freezer. All you need to do is purchase some extra and throw it in! There is no special preparation needed. To have what you need for easy meals, like pizzas, pastas, salads, and casseroles, have these on hand:
- cheddar
- mozzarella
- feta
- blue cheese
- parmesan
Plus whatever your favorite cheeses are.
Miscellaneous & Snacks
It's always good to have a few snacks, frozen meals, and items that are otherwise easy to turn into full meals.
- butter
- french fries
- pizza
- ravioli
- sweet potato fries
- tortellini
Food to Stock Up on: Fridge Perishables
When you choose which food to stock up on, perishables should be kept to a minimum. Or, choose perishables that last for a while even after being opened. Perishables that can also be frozen are perfect choices, too and we will get to that next! Here is a great list of fridge food to stock up on or to make sure you aren't running low on. Many of these can be used as sauces or marinades alone but are also the basic ingredients to make your own at home. Keep in mind that some of this food is also a pantry food but once it's open needed to be kept in the fridge.
- applesauce
- almond or other nut milks (these last longer than cow's milk)
- barbecue sauce
- buffalo sauce
- eggs
- dijon mustard (use for homemade dressings and marinades)
- dressings
- garlic (for the base of many sauces, marinades, and dressings)
- ketchup (also used for marinades)
- lemon juice
- lime juice
- hot sauce
- mayo
- mustard
- onions (for the base of many sauces)
- pickles
- raisins (will keep for 2 years in a fridge)
I hope that you have learned which food to stock up on not only for our current pandemic, but to keep your pantry, fridge, and freezer stocked with the essentials for any situation. Follow me on Pinterest for more recipes and tips!
And make sure to stay safe and stay tuned. My family will be staying inside as much as possible and using all of our stocked up foods for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. For the next few weeks you'll see lots of recipes for how to use basic food to make yummy meals!
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