List of food to buy now while you can.

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I am sure most of you have been noticing some empty shelves in your area. Some more so than others. I have been warning of this for some time. I hope most of you worked on building up your deep pantry. If you didn’t or are still working on it I have made a list of some of the most important things to get NOW while you can. They are saying that the shortages could go on for a few years. And if you can find it you may not be able to afford it.

I have posted this list before, I have updated it and added a few things to it. I will be working on some posts to show you how to make some of these things for if you don’t know-how.

Remember even if you can find it in the future it is going to be way more expensive. Not to mention we are already starting to see a lot of shrinkflation. ( price may be the same but there is less product).

Don’t stress yourself out though. Get what you can, something is better than nothing. Try to get real foods, convenience foods are expensive and most can be made with the basics.

The starred items are the things I feel are the most important to get.

*Sprouting/microgreens seeds, These are easy to sprout or grow for microgreens. Then you will have a source of greens for salads and toppings without having to rely on the store. Also if you have small animals you can supplement their feed. Some of these I have not tried but have seen others use.
These can generally be found in the grocery store. If you are going to grow microgreens you will need some potting soil. You can compost the potting soil to keep using it.

Lentils
Brown rice
Chickpeas
Wheat
Mung beans
Lima beans
Sunflower seed ( you can use the black oil seeds for bird feed).
Quina
Popcorn
Barley
Kidney beans
Popcorn

 

These you will need to order or find in a specialty store
Broccoli
Radish
Alfalfa
lettuce
Spinach
Peas
Clover
Daikon
Rye
Amaranth
Beetroot

*Flour/Wheat Don’t get wheat unless you have a grinder ( you can get a little to use for sprouts). With the flour, you can make.
Bread products
Cakes
Cookies
Flour Tortillas
Pancakes/waffles
Pasta ( noodles, spaghetti, etc. more if you have a pasta maker)
Pie crust ( pies, pop tarts, and pot pies)
Pizza crust
Crackers ( saltines, cheese, graham)
Cream soups
Pudding
Biscuits
Pita Bread
Pretzels
Glue/ paste
Clay
Play Dough
Sourdough starter

*Rice
What you can use rice for.
Flour ( if you have a grinder)
Use to stretch meat
Rice pudding
Main dish with added vegetables and or meat
Side dish ( just add a little Broth, seasonings or salsa)
Spanish Rice
MYO Rice a Roni
Fried Rice
Chicken rice casserole
Soups
Pet foods

*Oats
Things to use oats for
Oatmeal
Cookies ( no-bake)
Breakfast bars
Granola
Granola Bars
Cookies

Corn Meal or ( whole corn if you have a grinder)
Things to use Corn Meal for
Corn Chips
Cornbread
Cornmeal mush ( really good if you roast the cornmeal before)
Cornmeal pancakes
Cornmeal Dumplings
Baked Polenta Fries

Whole corn ( would be good to have slacked lime if you want masa and slacked lime can be used to perverse you fresh eggs, It is also called pickling lime)
Corn Tortillas
Tortilla chips
Hominy
Grind your own cornmeal
Masa Harina

*Beans get what your family likes to eat. Dry beans are a lot cheaper than canned but having a few cans of beans on hand is pretty handy for quick meals. Remember you can can your own beans for an added savings. Most beans can also be used for sprouting.
Add to meat to stretch it.
Soups
Beans
Baked beans
Use instead of meat

*Vegetables Canned, frozen or dehydrated ( with canned you don’t need to worry about freezer space)
Soups
Add to meat to stretch it ( great in meatloaf)
Side dishes
Add to rice

*Fruit (Frozen, dehydrated and canned)
Snacks
pies
cobblers
Jelly/jam

*Sugar/Honey

*Salt and nosalt ( no salt can be used to make Gatorade)

*Meat
Canned or frozen
Buy in bulk and separate into meal-size portions to freeze or can.
With careful planning, you can stretch your meat. A whole chicken ( or chicken parts like thighs, legs or breast) can make several meals
A pound of hamburger can also be stretched to several meals ( I use to get 4 meals from a pound of burger)

*Powder Milk
You can go here for all the uses of powdered milk.

*Oils
Don’t forget to save your bacon grease to cook with.

*Tomato products
You can get the # 10 sized cans of tomatoes and tomato sauce and make just about everything tomato-based yourself, like pasta sauce ( use on pasta and pizza), ketchup, salsa, in stews and soups, pretty much any tomato-based product.

*Baking Soda ways to use baking soda,
Washing soda
toothpaste
deodorant
dishwasher soap
laundry soap
cleaning supplies
and of course to cook with

Vinegar (you can also make your own,)
Cleaners
Pickling (You will need store-bought for canning to make sure it is the correct ph) I am working on a vinegar with the correct ph for canning. You will need test strips if you plan on making your own for canning,

Fabric Softener
hair Conditioner

*Spices & herbs
Get what you use don’t forget you can make your own blends so just get the basics.

Yeast/sourdough starter
A sourdough starter would be great to have. You can make your own with a little flour
( I will have more on that later) You can also ask on FB if someone has a starter they would be willing to share.
Baking Powder If you plan to make your own you will need baking soda and cream of tarter

Pasta
Add to soups and main dishes to stretch them.
Don’t forget you can make your own pasta

Cocoa Powder
While not super important it would be nice to have for a treat with it you can make
Chocolate syrup
Chocolate chips
Cookies
Cakes

Coffee/tea If you use K cups get a reusable cup and use regular coffee it will be way cheaper.

Personal hygiene products a lot of these you can make yourself.
Toothpaste
Bath soap
Shave cream
Razors (if you get straight edge you can resharpen them a few times)
Shampoo
Conditioner ( can be used to make fabric softener)
Feminine hygiene (you can go here to see how to make your own luna pads )

Baby Items if you have little ones or plan to in the near future
diapers (cloth would be best since they are reusable)
Formula If you don’t or can’t breastfeed. Here is a link to a homemade formula, it is what parents used in the 60’s ( My siblings and I  were raised on it).
You can make your own baby food

I know it looks like a long list but try to get what you can start with the starred items. You can go here for ways to save money you can go here for ways to save money so you have a little extra to get some of the things you need.
And I can’t emphasize enough to cook from scratch it is so much cheaper.

Go to the 2nd hand store and buy a couple bags of rags. Generally, these are t-shirts. You can cut them up to use for napkins, paper towels, family cloth ( TP), in a pinch you could make diapers (be sure to have a few safety pins.

Can you think of anything else to add to the list?

2 Replies to “List of food to buy now while you can.”

  1. NRP & Blue

    Good Article Connie, Thank You

    I don’t know of anyone that I talk to that says Prices are going down on ‘Stuff’
    Take Gas for an example, in 10 months it’s gone from $2.09 to $3.50.
    Food is doing the same, just harder to track unless you keep a Log of Cost.
    Another Example you ask, How about a nice Ribeye Steak, Last year at this time from Wally World $10.98 per pound, two weeks ago, $21.98, BUT back down to $19.98. AND Hamburger has done the same thing.
    I have written about Inflation before….. Its real folks.

    Ok, let’s talk Shortages, Read or just listen to the non-MSM News for a few days, read about the Trucking shortages, how about the Labor Stats.
    Most will try to say the ‘Stuff’ is out there, but can’t get it to the stores…. Sure it is.
    Try reading about the Agricultural shortages and the Meat Industries; how about the Droughts around the world that are killing the harvest yields.
    One more, all the Countries of the World are buying the US committees like crazy, maybe you should ask yourself “Why are they buying US food so fast?”

    I agree with Connie here 10,000%, you might just think on storing up a few things that you KNOW you are going to use anyways.

    BTW…. Toilet Paper is OUT of Stock in most Big Box Stores, AND when they get some in it’s one package per customer and is sold out in hours…. What are you going to do when the Kids say “Mom, we’re out of TP”? For the Men out there, do you really want the Wife to give you “That Look”?

    Lastly, this is important stuff folks, PLEASE open your eyes and see what’s going on in the world, Take a good hard look at where our Country is headed with the current regime in power.

    YES, life is good, and there is no need to think you should not be enjoying life to the max, BUT, just be a little prepared just in case something does happen.
    Ohhhhh maybe something like a Pandemic, or Inflation, or maybe even Shortages……

    Just Saying that’s all

  2. Kellie

    Thank you Connie for this list! Helps me to see if I’m on track. I have been working on it for about a year, following along here. We have seen some empty shelves too. Thank you again.