Long lasting foods to keep in your pantry
The Granny Mouse Country House & Spa culinary artists are here to give you a list of some basic staples you should have in the pantry to keep your family well fed.
As we have gone through so many ups and downs over the last year and a half, we don’t want to find ourselves panic buying, but rather being prepared. Yes, you should have enough food and supplies (including medications) on hand to last at least two weeks if possible. But hoarding toilet paper, and fighting people for it, is definitely not necessary.
Preparing for a possible crisis, or in the event of you needing to spend a few weeks indoors, comes down to this: stocking your pantry, fridge and freezer with healthy, nutritious foods that go a long way, keeping everyone at home well fed. Quality is just as important as quantity, and as tempting as it may be to load your pantry full of guilty pleasure treats, try to focus on certain basic food groups with high nutritional value as well as a long shelf life.
Here is a list of some of Granny Mouse Country House & Spa’s staples:
Canned fruits, beans, vegetables, soups and meats:
Usually, with an expiration date of a few years into the future, canned foods will last even longer in your pantry. Everything from canned pineapples to gammon ham will stay fresh for a while. Canned beans are shelf-stable and packed with protein and fibre, keeping you full for longer. Fill your pantry with black beans, chickpeas, and kidney beans, which you can use to make a salad or even a stew. Dried beans require only an overnight soak, and then can be used for everything from soups to stews. Store dried beans in airtight containers in a cool, dry pantry for up to a year.
Rice and Grains:
Rice and whole grains can be cooked in bulk and used throughout the week in salads and soups, and the combination of rice and beans provides protein, dietary fibre, and an inexpensive way to keep bellies full. Rice and whole grains can be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dry pantry for up to 6 months or in the freezer for up to a year. Whole grains that are ground will expire more rapidly and can be stored 1 to 3 months in a cool pantry or up to 6 months in the freezer.
Honey:
Honey is known to be one of the only foods that can last forever. This is largely due to the fact that it is made up of sugar, which makes it hard for bacteria to affect it. The modern expiration date of honey usually refers to when it will start crystallizing, which is a regular process of honey that doesn’t make it inedible. You can make the crystals return to their former state by heating up the honey.
Bonus: Honey can also be used medicinally.
Instant Coffee:
For a quick caffeine fix, coffee packets stored in the freezer will last pretty much forever. Packets stored in the pantry will still last between 2 to 20 years, according to Eat by Date.
Peanut Butter:
With no moisture and plenty of oil, peanut butter can be kept for 3-5 years. The high amount of fat and vitamin E in the food “stave[s] off oxidation and prolongs PB’s shelf life” Richard Faulks, a senior scientist at the Institute of Food Research, told Science line at NYU.
Milk:
Shelf-life milk, whether true dairy or a plant-based milk, is a good thing to have on hand in place of refrigerated milk. Although once you open a package, you have to refrigerate it. Be sure to read and follow the package directions.
Energy Bars:
These “basically last forever” and come in handy in a pinch. Have these ready-to-go bars for a quick fuel in an emergency. They travel well, most of the time.
Cheese:
When properly wrapped, hard and aged cheeses like Parmesan, Cheddar and Swiss will last a good while in your fridge, as will cured meats like ham, bacon, and salami.
Eggs:
Eggs store very well in the fridge and can be used for every meal of the day. From your breakfast scramble, to your lunchtime quiche, to your fried rice at dinnertime, and many baking projects in between. A great source of protein, you can keep some raw for cooking and some hard-boiled for snacks or an easy egg salad.
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Source: https://www.insider.com/long-lasting-foods-apocalypse-2018-10