How to Build a Food Pantry

You are reading Part 3 of the Heretica Six-Part Prepping Series. This series covers the critical foundations every individual needs to survive the collapse of traditional systems. The full series includes:

1. Build Your Personal Go-Bag

2. Build Your Vehicle Go-Kit

3. How to Build a Food Pantry

4. What You Need for Your Home If SHTF

5. Bartering Goods and Services

6. Building a Survival Library

This post covers how to build a survival-grade Food Pantry — a secure supply of shelf-stable food and water designed to outlast short-term disruptions and long-term collapse scenarios. You’ll learn what foods to stock, how much you need per person for 30, 60, and 90 days, how to adapt for special diets, and how to organize it all without overwhelming yourself or blowing your budget.

Introduction

You can't eat good intentions. When the trucks stop rolling and store shelves sit bare, the only thing that matters is what you already have in your pantry.

• Food Pantry Purpose: Secure enough food and water to survive without outside help.

• Scaling: Built per person. Adjust for more people.

  
  

1) Quick Calculation Tip: Multiply the number of people by the number of days you want to cover, then by 3 (for three meals a day). Example: 2 people for 30 days = 2 x 30 x 3 = 180 meals

2) Water Calculation Tip: Multiply number of people by number of days by 1 gallon. Example: 3 people for 7 days = 3 x 7 = 21 gallons

Planning by Timeframe:

• 1 Week per Person: 21 meals (3 meals/day)

• 30 Days per Person: 90 meals

• 60 Days per Person: 180 meals

• 90 Days per Person: 270 meals

How to Build Smart, Not Randomly:

1. Build around what you actually eat now. If you hate canned tuna, don’t buy it.

2. Plan simple repeatable meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner.

3. Focus first on a 7-day mini-menu you would actually eat, then scale.

4. Buy what you’ll rotate into your normal meals to avoid waste.

First Pantry Goal:

• Pick 3 breakfast options, 3 lunch options, 3 dinner options.

• Stock enough of each to repeat them for 7, 30, 60, or 90 days.

Pantry Supply Suggestions

1) Staples

• Rice (white lasts longer than brown)

• Dried beans, lentils, or canned beans

• Rolled oats (for breakfast or baking)

• Pasta

• Instant potatoes

Scaling Tip: 5 pounds rice + 5 pounds beans = about 30 meals for one person

2) Canned, Jarred, and Dried Goods

• Vegetables

• Fruits

• Meats (tuna, chicken, ham, Spam)

• Beef jerky or shelf-stable cured meats

• Soups and stews

• Tomato products (sauce, diced tomatoes)

3) Baking and Cooking Essentials

• Flour (preferably white for shelf life)

• Sugar

• Baking powder and soda

• Salt (critical for survival)

• Cooking oil (small bottles, rotate every 6 months)

4) Shelf-Stable Extras

• Peanut butter

• Powdered milk

• Shelf-stable plant milks (unopened cartons)

• Honey (lasts indefinitely)

• Hard cheeses waxed or canned

5) Quick Energy Foods

• Granola bars

• Trail mix

• Nuts and seeds

• Crackers

• Dried fruit

6) Beverages

• Coffee or instant coffee

• Tea bags

• Drink mixes with electrolytes (optional but smart)

7) Water = Minimum: 1 gallon per person per day

Upgrade: Water storage barrels or large stackable containers

Adapting for Special Diets:

• Vegetarian: Focus on canned beans, lentils, nut butters, shelf-stable plant milks, and meatless soups.

• Lactose Intolerant: Avoid powdered dairy milk; use almond, soy, oat, or rice milk.

• Gluten-Free: Focus on rice, quinoa, gluten-free pasta, canned meats, veggies, and fruits.

Storage Tips:

1. Cool, dark place (basement, closet, under beds)

2. Rotate stock: First In, First Out (FIFO)

3. Label everything with the purchase date

4. Eat foods within 6 months of their expiration date

5. Protect from pests (use bins if needed)

Long-Term Storage Upgrade:

1. If you’re storing dry goods (like rice, beans, oats) for over 6 months, use Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers.

2. Fill the Mylar bag, add oxygen absorber, seal it with a hot iron or hair straightener.

3. Store sealed Mylar bags in a plastic bucket or heavy tote to protect against pests.

Bonus: Use desiccants if you live in a humid area. Done correctly, food can last 5–20 years without needing rotation.

Budget-Friendly Tips:

• Watch for case sales at grocery stores

• Buy generic/store brands

• Use dollar stores for canned goods and dry staples

• Build a "Buy One, Stash One" habit: buy one for now, one for the pantry

How to Start If You’re Broke:

• $5–$10 per week: Buy a few cans of food or a bag of rice and beans.

• Focus first on 1 week's worth of food per person.

• Once 1 week is secure, expand to 30, 60, and 90 days.

Reality Check: You don't need to become a homesteader overnight. But you do need to be able to feed yourself if supply chains go down. Stock your pantry now. Share this post with someone you trust.