Whether you’re going for prepper status, rotating pantry or just wanting to know what to have in your home to cook food to keep your belly full.
Rolled Oats
Rolled oats are gluten free and are rich in protein, magnesium, iron, fiber and more.
They are a whole grain and really, I see no negative things about rolled oats.
I like to add them to my protein shakes, make energy bars, make homemade granola bars, homemade granola and even just eating some oatmeal. You can add so much and change up the flavor to what you like.
Honey
Natural sugars are far better for you than refined sugars. Honey also offers so many health benefits such as: provides energy, vitamins, minerals, can help heal wounds, antibacterial, soothes a sore throat, helps digestion and so much more!
AND. . . honey never goes bad! It may crystallize, but then just slowly warm it up and it will go back to being the yummy honey that you know and love.
Some of my favorite ways to use honey is: on sandwiches, homemade bread, homemade granola bars, energy bars and in my own electrolyte drink.
Water & Water Filtration
I don’t care where you live, I believe that everyone should have some kind of water/water filtration on hand. You never know what could happen. I remember as a kid, a racoon somehow got into the drinkable water, and died, making it so we couldn’t drink it. I don’t remember how long that lasted but wouldn’t having bottled water on hand help to lessen the stress (and gag reflexes!).
I know that in hurricane or tornado areas, they always seem to run out of in grocery stores due to everyone panic buying. How nice would it be to have water at home and to be able to stay at home and prep what you need to at home instead of running out and panic buying?
There are many more reasons to have water on hand and where it’s the one thing we can’t live long without, it’s a major necessity. You don’t want to find yourself without it.
Beans
I love beans! They are so easy to add and increase protein to meals. You can have dried beans, which is the cheapest, or in cans.
They are common food that’s talked about by preppers. But that’s because they are cheap and easy to store and can last a long time! Also, when added with rice, they make a complete protein.
My favorite ways to use beans are: adding to my taco meat to help the meat feed more people, making casseroles, serving as a side, adding in main dishes and then making chili! Yum!
Rice
This is another food that people like to store for long term storage because it’s cheap and easy on the pocketbook.
But you can add spices, coconut milk, chicken broth and whatever else to your rice when cooking it to change the flavor. It is the easiest thing to manipulate to taste how you want.
Rice helps prevent obesity, it’s gluten free, provides a good source of energy and more.
Many times, when a recipe calls for either pasta or rice I tend to go with rice. My favorite rice is jasmine rice but there are many options to choose from. Keep in mind that brown rice doesn’t last on the shelf so if you’re looking for something for long-term storage, go for something else.
Vinegar
This goes for both white vinegar and apple cider vinegar.
White vinegar you can use for disinfecting, food preservation, and cooking. With apple cider vinegar you can even use that for your hair.
I use white vinegar in my laundry, dishwasher and cleaning my fruit.
Herbs & Spices
You will want herbs and spices if for nothing else but to give flavor and variety to your food. I mentioned it when I talked about rice, but I rarely cook rice and don’t add anything to it.
You can also use them to make tinctures and for medicines.
Protein Powder
I like to have a daily protein shake! Typically, after I work out but having protein powder on hand gives you the opportunity to add protein to oatmeal, energy bites, yogurt, milk or anything else. It can provide flavor as well as protein and calories.
Some of my favorite protein brands are: Clean Simple Eats, Dymatize and Syntha6.
Alcohol
I don’t drink but having some alcohol on hand to clean wounds or to make tinctures could be a good idea.
Powdered Milk
I can’t tell you how many times my kids have wanted some cereal or some milk to drink only to have run out.
Having shelf stable milk on hand is a life saver! It’s very handy with recipes as well.
I like to buy mine from Thrive Life.
Canned Meats
If you pressure can your own meat, you know exactly what is in your food. If not, having some canned meat can help you whip up some dinner in no time.
Pasta
Pasta is great to have to make meals from. It can provide energy, fiber and help to fill hungry bellies.
It’s easy on the bank account and can last a long time if stored correctly.
I like to use pasta in casseroles, soups and to go with our dinners on a regular basis.
Potato Flakes
My kids all love mashed potatoes so having potato flakes is a must in my home.
But not only can you make mashed potatoes you can also thicken soups and sauces with it and add calories to your meals.
Ghee
I recently discovered this ingredient. I love having ghee in my home. I use it in place of butter all the time. You can make it relatively easy and with no special equipment either.
This is another item that I try to keep in my home since the great shut down of the world and butter became hard to find. Now, I have shelf stable butter! It’s awesome.
Green Powder
You know the “greens” everyone is drinking? The ones that regardless of what “flavor” is added, it still tastes like grass?
Yeah, this isn’t that!! This is SO MUCH BETTER!
You can make it super easy yourself and you get to choose what greens you want to powder!
I go through in detail how to do it here.
I add it to almost every single dinner I make and even desserts, especially brownies! And no one knows!! I will tell my adult kids that I have added either just spinach powder or my super greens to the brownies so they know, but no one can taste it.
Adding greens to your meals is an easy way to increase your family’s intake of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber.
Thanks!
Thanks for being here! I don’t know about you, but sometimes adulting and parenting is hard, confusing and there is always so much to do! And knowing you’re not alone in trying to do your best for your family, helps.
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