I get asked often how you go about creating and building a first time stockpile. Obviously most of us can't afford to do it all at once and even if you could would you know where to start? Here's a list of basic things that I think should be in every self-sufficient families stockpile.Try and set aside a small amount of money each week (even $5 to $10) to work on your stockpile. How much you stock up on depends on the size of your family and how much you feel like you need to stock. I wouldn't recommend buying more than you can use in a year unless you plan on further preserving these goods in some kind of mylar bag storage.
The Very Basics
Rice
Beans
Wheat Berries
Sugar
Salt
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Yeast
Milk Powder
Unsweetened Cocoa
Buttermilk Powder
Dried Onion
Dried Garlic
Non-Food Items
Lids and Rims for Canning
Candles/Wick
Essential Oils
Water Storage Containers
Self Sufficiency Books
Natural Healing Books
Citric Acid
Other Good Items to Work On
Honey
Oil
Like I stated above, these are the very basics to first work on stockpiling. I'm not much for stockpiling because I think it's more important to be more prepared and to be self sufficient. (Know how to garden, save seeds, canning and preserving, ect)
A few notes on what I listed above....even if you don't eat sugar in a crystal form you can use it for canning so it's a good item to have on hand. Also, don't stockpile flour, it goes rancid too fast, focus on getting wheat berries and purchasing a good grinder instead. Make sure you get the yeast in the vacuum sealed packages, not the little packets. It will last much longer. Don't feel like you have to get every essential oil in the book, get a few of the good basics instead. I also listed citric acid because of it's uses in canning and making fresh cheeses.
For more information on this topic you can check out my Practical Food Storage Series. And for tips on where to buy some of these items see the Resources Page.
Disclaimer: This post may contain a link to an affiliate. See my disclosure policy for more information.
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Thanks for the basics. Been thinking I should do this. Both my parents worked on this before they died.
So glad I found this post. I am trying to build a food storage but I wanted to use as many items as I could of whole foods. I heard brown rice will not store for long periods. Is this correct and what other whole rice food will be better to store long term?
Yes that’s true. If you want a long storing rice without too much work you would have to use white rice. Otherwise you could vacuum seal brown rice.
hmm, how about if you soak and sprouted the brown rice? I soak mine… and store it in the frig for weeks but I don’t know how long it would last otherwise. I wonder about basmati rice, it’s healthier than white (if you are eating a lot of it that is).
I think sprouted rice needs to be stored in the freezer or the fridge for any length of use. And I actually store the basmati rice, it seems to store well!
I do LOTS of canning of fruits, veggies, meats and pickles etc. I do try to keep flour, sugar etc on hand as well. My daughter once said (after looking at my stockpile)..Mother you have enough food here to feed the whole town for months!
Mary Beth, it’s a great feeling isn’t it? I love knowing I have enough food to get my family through the winter even if we are snowed in for months on end:)
I keep a good 6 month supply at any time. I hate “havering”
Oop…having to go to the store!
A friend of mine put her 5 gallon buckets on a shelf that rolled out! I thought it was so smart!
Where do you get 5 gallon buckets at?
I order them from my co-op but you can also get them from most hardware stores(just make sure they are food grade).
I saw your stock pile picture on Facebook and had to check out Azure. I had never heard of them before, and kept thinking, as I was going down the list of items they have; “This is nice but I really wanted Bob’s Red Mill.”
To my surprise, they carry that brand! I’m opening a coffee house but was not able to get shipments directly from BRM because of the layout of our property. It won’t handle their trucks.
I called Azure and found out about their drop points and I am now set up as a wholesale customer for the coffee house. I love your blog. In addition to our coffee house, we actually live in an attached apartment, and are going to homestead in the city and raise veggies for the coffee house. I’m a fast food junkie that is going to transform my life, so I have a lot to learn from people like you.
i love this
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