11 Healthy Foods That Will Outlast You

Estimated reading time: 11 minutes

When you’re thinking about stocking food that will carry you through a month or a year or however long, you should consider your health. Survival food isn’t just about calories. You need to think about your health.

In a situation where you are surviving on the stockpile of food you have, it’s usually for a reason. That reason might mean you don’t have access to medical care. You can’t run to Walgreens and get your blood pressure checked or make a quick visit to get some meds for your high cholesterol.

You need to do all you can to eat right and stay in the best health you can based on diet alone. That means you need to stockpile good, healthy food. Food that’s going to fuel your body and keep you as healthy as possible.

The following list includes some of the healthiest foods that will store for years, decades even. That’s assuming you store them right. With every food store, you have to keep in mind proper storage is key. Dark, dry, and in a cool, but not cold or hot temperature is how you get the longest shelf lives. And of course, most importantly, as little oxygen as possible.

Check out some of the healthy foods you’ll want to make sure you have in your stockpile.

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1. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple Cider Vinegar is the gold standard. It’s used for just about everything from cleaning, to curing what ails you and can even be used for cooking. It is an antioxidant and is an antiviral.

Imagine eating a meal that is actually filling your belly and making you healthier. When stored in a cool, dry place unopened, you can expect to get at least five years on the shelf. However, it is known to last much longer than that.

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2. Raw Honey

Raw honey that hasn’t been pasteurized. It’s a sweetener, it’s an antibacterial and it will store for a good long while. It won’t spoil. It might get hard and crystallize but it can be warmed up and it will return to it’s usual state. It should be stored in a cool, dry place. The lower the humidity, the better.

Storing in a sealed jar is sufficient. Honey is also very calorie dense, which is important when every calorie counts towards keeping you energized and alive.

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3. Rolled Oats

Rolled oats are always going to be a hit. These aren’t the same as instant oats. They retain more of the nutrition you want from anything you eat. Oats are high in fiber. Whole grain oats are better for you and can help cut down cholesterol levels. Oats also have high levels of B vitamins which mean energy.

Another bonus to oats is the fact they are very filling. You’ll feel full while eating less. They can be stored for a long time with proper storage techniques. Again, as with most foods, oxygen is the enemy. Oats can be added to stews to help thicken them and used to make bread.

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4. Ghee

Ghee is one of those things that people in the US aren’t super familiar with. It’s basically butter but it’s the kind of butter that will last for a good long while. It’s very common in Indian and Middle Easter cultures. It’s butter that’s boiled down to remove all the stuff that contributes to butter spoiling.

Ghee can be stored in a cool, dark place. Ideally, a Mason jar works. Use smaller pint size jars. Once you open it, it’s going to cut down on the shelf life. You can typically store ghee for two years or more when you store it correctly. If it looks or smells funky, it’s better to toss it.

Ghee is high in omega fatty acids which your body needs to stay healthy. It will also contribute to better heart health—bet you never imagined butter could do that. Ghee is a healthier option than butter or vegetable oils.

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5. Pemmican

Pemmican is an old, old school survival food. Before you can store pemmican, you need to make it. You can find a recipe here. Pemmican can rot quickly if it is not absolutely dried and stored correctly. The goal is to keep it completely free of air.

Bags that have been vacuum sealed, with a couple desiccant bags inside is the best option. Store these bags inside a sealed bucket or even a jar. Proper storage can make your pemmican last for decades.

Pemmican is an ideal option for keeping on your shelves for meaning reasons. It’s easy to pack along. It gives you meat when hunting isn’t an option. It’s packed with protein and will give a body a burst of energy to get through survival.

6. White Rice

White rice gets a bad rap in today’s world when everyone is on a diet, but in a survival situation. it’s exactly what you want. It’s full of starch aka carbs. Carbs are exactly what you need when you need energy to trek long distances and then chop wood.

The best part about white rice—it will store for decades while brown rice goes rancid very quickly. Store your white rice in mylar bags that have been vacuum sealed with a couple oxygen absorbers tossed inside.

White rice is extremely versatile when it comes to meals. Eat it plain, toss in some seasonings or use it to make a soup or stew a little more calorie dense. Check out just a few out of the hundreds of recipes that use white rice.

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7. Dried Beans

Dried beans will store for decades when kept in a cool, dry place. They can be stored in vacuum sealed bags and left on the shelf for a long time without ever going bad. Beans are an excellent choice because they last forever and they pack a lot of nutrition. A cup of beans can feed a person all day. They are filling, so you don’t feel hungry. They are loaded with iron, fiber and protein.

You can make dried beans every which way. They can be cooked and served as a meal or used them in addition to meat or rice.

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8. Wheat Berries

Wheat berries aren’t fruit. Wheat berries are a healthier option than flour when you are thinking about baking. The berries can be ground into flour or used as a cereal option. There are many ways you can use wheat berries.

Wheat berries are high in fiber along with some other minerals your body needs to stay in good health. And the best part about wheat berries—a little goes a long way. Choosing to store wheat berries instead of flour is a space saver.

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9. Powdered Milk

It doesn’t sound appetizing but imagine being able to serve your kid a glass of milk with dinner or adding a little milk to your coffee. Powdered milk when stored correctly can last up to ten year—maybe even more.

If you buy the kind sold by some of the survival food companies, they boast it can last twenty-five years. Powdered milk doesn’t have the same level of nutrition but it does have calcium, which is necessary for good bone strength.

Powdered milk isn’t just for drinking. It’s an excellent addition to thickening soups, stews and gravy. It can be used in a number of ways.

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10. Salt

Yes, salt. Everything in moderation. The body needs salt. Having too little salt in your diet can actually cause dehydration. In fact, a diet with too little salt can increase your cholesterol. It’s a balancing act. You don’t want to overdo it with salt because that is very dangerous, but when you are thinking about survival, you might not be able to get a diet rich with meats and other foods that have salt.

Diets that are strictly fruits, veggies, and grains are not going to have the salt you need to stay healthy. And honestly, salt does make food taste a little better. You might think you’ll eat anything for survival, but you don’t want to be just getting by. You want some of the little things that make life worth living.

11. Dried Pasta

Again, this is another starchy carb that gets a bad rap in normal society because it’s a carb. However, carbs mean energy. Dried pasta can be good for you if you’re reasonable. It’s got some B vitamins and a little fiber. The best part about dried pasta is that after giving it a short stay in the freezer, you can put it on the shelf for twenty-five years and it will still be good to eat.

Adding pasta to a bowl of veggies turns a skinny meal into a full meal. It can also be a comfort food, which goes a long way in survival. While you probably already have your own favorite pasta recipe, here are a couple more.

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Ultimately, food can be as healthy or unhealthy as you make it. It’s a different mindset in a survival situation. You’re not trying to cut calories or carbs. You have to feed your body what it needs to do real physical labor.

Feeding your body the healthiest foods gives you a necessary edge in survival. Always remember proper storage is the key. Any food can go bad if it isn’t properly stored.

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