How to Stock Your Prepper Pantry with Real Food

Today, I am continuing my three-part Prepper Pantry Series that you don’t want to miss! This video and blog post covers Part 2, How to Stock Your Prepper Pantry with Real Food. Coming up tomorrow, Part 3 will cover How to Stock Your Prepper Pantry on $5 a Week.

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Prepper Pantry: A Quick Review

When you store food items in your home, you place them in one of the following Four Corners Pantry areas:

Main Kitchen Pantry (Working pantry)
Refrigerator
Freezer
Extended Pantry

A Prepper Pantry is essentially your extended pantry. And an extended pantry is an extension of your main working pantry where you keep your non-perishable foods that you access every day to prepare meals. Your extended pantry holds those same foods as your main working pantry that serve as backups when you need to restock your working pantry. Foods in your extended pantry are often referred to as food storage.

However, your extended pantry is much more than just an extension of your main working pantry. As part of your Four Corners Pantry system, your extended pantry should also include additional non-perishable foods to help you weather an emergency when you may not be able to purchase fresh foods. These non-perishable foods may not be foods that you are accustomed to using on a regular basis, but they are there if you need them.

And over time, so that these foods are not allowed to expire, you will periodically need to incorporate the non-perishable foods from your extended pantry into your meals so that you become comfortable cooking with them. We’ll explore this idea in more detail below.

What Are Real or Traditional Foods?

If you have been with me for a while, it’s not going to come as any surprise that I am talking about stocking our Prepper Pantries with real food—food that is as close to traditional foods as possible.

So when I talk about stocking your Prepper Pantry with real food, I am referring to foods that are as close to their natural state as possible with limited ingredients and minimal processing. However, at the same time, these real foods need to also be in a non-perishable state.

So what types of foods fit that description? All sorts of items. Don’t worry. Even in an emergency where you may need to rely on more of these foods than normal, your palate won’t get bored! I’ll show you some delicious recipes below.

Shopping For Your Prepper Pantry

When you shop for your Prepper Pantry, you’ll be choosing a variety of canned goods including:

Beans (canned)
Fruit
Vegetables
Various types of protein, including canned chicken and fish

You’ll also add dry foods to your shopping cart, such as:

Beans (dry)
Coffee beans (yes, coffee is a food 😉 )
Oatmeal
Pasta
Rice
And more!

My stocking your Prepper Pantry video shows you many of the specific foods that you’ll want to have as part of your Prepper Pantry.

Stocking Your Prepper Pantry with Traditional Foods

As you are making the transition from a processed foods kitchen to a Traditional Foods Kitchen, trying to stock your Prepper Pantry can present a challenge. In an emergency, where you will have to rely on more food than usual from your food storage, you may find that you are now cooking with canned chicken instead of a whole fresh chicken. And you may be wondering how it will taste.

So as you are shopping to add foods to your Prepper Pantry, keep in mind what foods you like to eat when they are fresh. Then try to find non-perishable options as close to your original fresh food. Then take time to practice making recipes with some of the new non-perishable foods that you buy.

Recipes for Your Prepper Pantry

In this section, I list recipes you can try with foods from your Prepper Pantry.

Canned Chicken Recipe

When it comes to canned chicken, I have a delicious Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe that can literally be ready in 10 minutes and relies on only canned food from my Prepper Pantry.

Chicken Tortilla Soup – Ready in 10 Minutes! – Pantry Challenge

Canned Salmon Recipe

If you like fresh salmon, be sure to add some canned salmon to your food storage and try making my Salmon Patties.

How to Make Salmon Patties – Quick and Easy Salmon Cakes Recipe

Canned Sardines Recipe

In my video, I show you all the canned fish you can include in your Prepper Pantry. Salmon recipes are always welcome, but canned sardines can be an acquired taste. After you try this best sardines recipe, you’ll be adding sardines to your list of favorite foods!

Best Sardines Recipe – A Delicious Way to Prepare Canned Sardines

Oat Groats Recipe

Thinking of storing oat groats in your extended pantry, but not sure what to do with them? No problem. I show you how to make oatmeal with them. And I guarantee it is going to be some of the best oatmeal you’ve ever had!

How to Make Soaked Oatmeal Using Oat Groats

If you plan to store grains in your Prepper Pantry, learn how the Mockmill Stone Grain Mill can help you make flour to use in your recipes, including baking bread. (And if you decide to get one, be sure to use my Mockmill affiliate link and promocode marysnest to get a 5% discount.)

Mockmill 100 Grain Mill Unboxing and Review

If you want to learn how to soak and sprout grains and make your own sprouted flour (it’s easier than you think!), be sure to watch the video below.

How to Make Sprouted Flour at Home YouTube Video

How to Make Sprouted Flour at Home

Canned Crushed Tomatoes Recipe

You can water bath can foods to include them in your Prepper Pantry. In the following video, I talk about canning crushed tomatoes. Follow the recipe below to find out how easy it is to water bath can your foods for long-term storage.

Canning Crushed Tomatoes with Water Bath Tutorial

I also talk about getting a package of canning lids while you’re doing your regular grocery shopping. For other canning supplies that you’ll want to have on hand, watch the video below.

Canning Supplies - WaterBath Canning 101 - Home Canning Basics for Beginners Series Video

Canning Supplies – Water Bath Canning 101 – Home Canning Basics for Beginners Series

Vanilla Bean Extract Recipe

Prepper Pantry recipes don’t have to taste bland. In addition to storing spices, you can also make and decant vanilla bean extract to add to your long-term storage.

Mary holding a jar with Vanilla Extract.

How to Make Homemade Vanilla Bean Extract – A Perpetual Vanilla Extract Recipe

Chicken Bouillon Recipe

You can include canned bone broth in your Prepper Pantry, but the jars of liquid can take up a lot of space. In addition, you’ll need to closely monitor the expiration dates of your broth to make sure your jars of liquid gold don’t go bad. You can solve your space and expiration problems by creating your own bouillon, and in the following video, I show you how.

How to Make Chicken Bouillon Powder in the Oven or Dehydrator

Recipes You Can Make to Store in Your Prepper Pantry

For lots more information on how to make your own homemade apple cider vinegar (that walks you through the entire 30-day process) and how to make all sorts of homemade fermented condiments, be sure to check out these detailed video playlists:

Experiment with Recipes from Your Prepper Pantry

Also, as I experimented with canned food recipes, I was surprised at how delicious canned peas can be when smashed with some ghee (or butter if you have it). It’s what the British call “mushy peas,” and amazingly, it’s really good! So rest assured, there are so many delicious meals that you will be able to make with food from your Prepper Pantry when the need arises.

Pantry List for Your Prepper Pantry

Be sure to download your free pantry list and watch the accompanying video for more tips on how to stock your prepper pantry. The eBook lists specific foods for each of your Four Corner Pantry areas.

FREE 36 Page Traditional Foods Pantry List – Printable Pantry Staples List

Shop for items used in this blog post or video

Favorite Food Storage Supplies

Using 5 Gallon Storage Buckets are a great option when storing large quantities of dry goods, such as grain, rice, flour, and beans. These buckets create an airtight seal, and if you add in some Silica Gel Packs to prevent moisture build-up and some Bay Leaves to kill off the development of any bugs, your dry goods can stay fresh for an extended period of time.

Handheld Food Saver
Food Saver Jar Adapter Kit
Food Saver Space Saver Kit
32-Ounce Canning/Storage Jars
Presto Dehydrator
Excalibur Dehydrator
5 Gallon Storage Buckets
Mylar Bags (1 Gallon) (5 Gallon)
Oxygen Absorbers
Silica Gel Packs (Prevents moisture build-up)
Bay Leaves (Deter bugs)

Favorite Kitchen Supplies

Apron
10-Piece Glass Bowl Set
Cast Iron Dutch Oven
8-Quart Slow-Cooker
Fat Separator
Flour Sack Towels
2-Cup Glass Storage Jars with Lids
Masontops Fermentation Kit (promo code below)
Mockmill 100 Stone Grain Mill (promo code below)

Use promo code MARYSNST for a one-time 15% off Masontops and Breadsmart products on Amazon.com.

Use promo code marysnest for a 5% discount on Mockmill Stone Grain Mill products, including Ancient Grains, like Einkorn, Emmer, and Spelt.

Amazon Shop and Shopping Guide

Visit Mary’s Nest Amazon Shop
Visit my Shopping Guide page
Learn where I buy my Beef Bones, Wild-Caught Fish, Sprouted Grains, and more…and learn about Special Discounts for Mary’s Nest visitors, including from US Wellness Meats, Vital Choice, Masontops, and Breadsmart.

^*Affiliates note: As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. My videos and blog posts may contain affiliate links to products and services. If you click through and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission. It does not affect the price you pay.

^**Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the MarysNest.com website, including text, images, videos, eBooks or eGuides, social media, or other formats, were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched in a video or read on this website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video and website will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this website or corresponding video channel.