30 Staples to Stockpile Now
There's an interesting article that claims Costco executives are warning of a looming recession because of the current buying habits of Americans.
People are switching to lower priced meats and stocking up on canned goods with a longer lifespan. The statistics are sobering.
For the record, long before the covid hysteria, I read Costco was doubling down on their own shipping lines to make sure there wasn't a shortage at their stores. They were predicting problems months before anyone else had brought it up. They knew what was coming.
I like that. I like a buyer who thinks long-range. Of all the stores we visited during that drama, they seemed the least affected. So if they're now talking about a future recession, I'm paying attention.
You can weather a broody economy by stockpiling now.
This is my formula for stockpiling:
- Start small. There's no need to overdo it.
- Concentrate on shelf stable products.
- Stick to basics. Expand the list when you can, but start with the basics.
- Don't forget the medicine cabinet.
Shelf stability is the most critically important. There's no point in stocking up on stuff you won't use up in a timely manner.
So what are the 30 most important items to stock up on? This is my list.
- Seeds. I put this first because you can also grow your groceries even if it's in a flimsy plastic pot.
- Salt
- Pepper
- Sugar (or sugar substitute)
- Raw Honey. You might think it deserves to go under sugar but honey is a nutritive sugar. It's also anti-inflammatory, antifungal, and antibacterial. Best of all, it NEVER expires.
- Vinegar
- Fats. Most fats are not shelf stable, but coconut oil and Crisco shortening have the longest lives.
- Flour
- Yeast. This also has a short lifespan unless you freeze it.
- Milk. The only way to store shelf stable milk is to buy dry milk. Canned milk has a limited lifespan.
- Dehydrated Eggs (protein)
- Rice
- Pasta (unless you make yours from scratch)
- Beans (protein)
- Dehydrated Potatoes
- Jellies or Jams. You'll want something sweet.
- Peanut Butter (protein)
- Canned tuna or other fish. (protein)
- Canned tomatoes
- Dried Fruit (or buy a dehydrator and dry your own fruits)
- Pain Relievers. Tablets appear to have a longer shelf life than capsule form.
- Alcohol
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Adhesive Bandages
- Soap (bar soap is more stable)
- Non-latex Gloves
- Toothpaste (stock up on toothbrushes and floss too)
- Antibacterial ointment
- Garbage Bags. These have a multitude of uses.
- Water. For drinking, washing, and cleaning.
All of these items are either shelf stable or can be made shelf stable. If you see a sale on any of these things, especially those that never expire like honey or toilet paper, stock up.
If a recession comes, reduce your spending, pay off debt, and build an emergency fund. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Comments
Re: the rest -- yes. I always thought I was very prepared, and then covid hit. And I realized I didn't have things like flour and yeast. In theory, you can make something like a sourdough starter for yeast, but flour you can't make from whole cloth.
It's a good list. And I think I might still grab a little tequila. And vodka is good to use for making vanilla or other extracts, so I should definitely have that on hand...
I read that some professional cleaners use cheap vodka to clean toilet bowls.
re: thinking I was prepared
I was the same way when Hurricane Rita hit us. You don't realize what you need until it's taken from you.
:slaps head:
I'm so used to stocking up on pet food it's literally invisible to me. It's like part of the furniture.
But absolutely, pet and baby food first. Thank you for adding it to the imperatives.
My mom cooked from scratch but since there were so many of us we always had dozens of eggs on the countertop and lots of canned tomatoes, dried beans, rice, and pasta.
That little kitchen was packed but with so many mouths we polished off everything within a week and my mom had to start all over again.
To this day, I'm not sure how she did it. We had lots of soups and stews.
I would also items like feminine hygiene products, that sort of thing.
And peanut butter is our go-to - eat it on bread, crackers, just on a spoon. Also, granola bars. :)
Granola bars are a good addition too. We generally buy loose granola, but if you're on the road, bars are much handier.
Good ideas!