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What food lasts longest without refrigeration?

ezprepping.com - Foods that Last a Long Time Without Refrigeration: Ultimate List

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Having access to shelf-stable food that will store for years without refrigeration or freezing is a necessary part of my home pantry and emergency food supply. I can’t help but wonder what my family would do if we lost power for an extended period of time and were unable to keep the food in our refrigerator or freezer from spoiling. So what nonperishable foods last a long time without refrigeration?

Foods that store well and last a long time without refrigeration include: Grains (Wheat, Rice, Flour, Pasta, etc.)

Canned and Dried Meats that don’t need refrigeration

Beans and Legumes

Dried Milk and Dairy that don’t need refrigeration

Fruits and Vegetables (Dehydrated, Freeze Dried, and Canned)

Nuts and Seeds

Sugars

Cooking Essentials (Salt, Yeast, Baking Powder/soda, etc.)

Full Freeze Dried Meals (Breakfast, Dinner, etc.)

Other Shelf Stable Foods and Snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated

The best nonperishable foods that last a long time without refrigeration include wheat, rice, flour, pasta, canned and dried meats, fats and oils, beans and legumes, dried milk and dairy, sugars, dehydrated, freeze-dried, or canned vegetables and fruit, and other freeze-dried or dehydrated meals. The above and below lists will provide a well-balanced supply of shelf-stable nonperishable foods. It’s important to have a balance of proteins, fruits and vegetables, healthy fats, and carbs. See our food storage calculator to help plan your food storage and check out this generic but complete list of foods that last a long time. There are several places that are good for buying shelf-stable foods including online (Amazon and various food storage companies) or in-person grocery stores (find the cheapest grocery stores) especially bulk food stores. We really like some Amish bulk food stores (see this list of 400+ Amish stores to find one near you). I have spent years researching and storing various types of shelf-stable food without refrigeration. Here is a list of all of the best nonperishable foods that you should store in your pantry, cupboards, closets, and/or cold storage. See detailed lists of each type of food below.

Grains (Wheat, Rice, Flour, Pasta, etc.)

Grains such as wheat berries, rice, flour, pasta, and oats are an important part of any long-term food storage that doesn’t require refrigeration or freezing. The below list of grains will provide you with a lot of ideas. Wheat berries store for longer than flour and produce fresher, better-tasting flour after being ground. You’ll want to find the best grain mill/flour grinder for you so that you can make your own flour whenever you need fresh flour.

Hard Red Winter Wheat

Hard Red Spring Wheat

Soft Red Winter Wheat

Durum Wheat

Hard White Wheat

Soft White Wheat

All-Purpose Flour (hard and soft red wheat)

Whole Wheat Flour (stone ground wheat berries)

Bread Flour (hard red spring wheat)

Cake Flour (soft white wheat endosperm)

Pastry Flour (hard white wheat endosperm)

White Rice

Jasmine Rice

Basmati Rice

Wild Rice

Red Cargo Rice

Parboiled Rice Black Rice

Rosematta Rice

Brown Rice

Arborio Rice

Camargue Rice

Sticky Rice

Sushi Rice

Valencia Rice

Spaghetti Pasta

Fettuccine Pasta

Penne Pasta

Macaroni Pasta

Rolled Oats

Quick Oats

Steel Cut Oats

Oatmeal

Cereal

Here are some great options of shelf-stable wheat and other grains that don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen that you can find on Amazon.

Canned and Dried Meats that Don’t Need Refrigeration

Protein is an essential part of anyone’s diet so it is essential to have a variety of meats that last a long time and don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen in your food storage. Preservation methods such as dehydrating, freeze drying, and canning are good options for shelf-stable meats that can be stored in your long-term food storage. See a list of various types of meats below that can be stored for a long time without refrigeration. Also check out more detailed information specifically about meats and other foods that can be freeze dried, dehydrated, and pressure canned.

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Jerky

Canned Beef Soups or Stews

Canned Ground Beef

Canned Roast Beef

Canned Corned Beef Hash

Canned Chicken Breast

Canned Sausage

Canned Ham (Smoked)

Canned Vienna Sausages

Canned Spam

Canned Spaghetti with meatballs Canned Tuna

Canned Salmon

Freeze Dried Ground Beef

Freeze Dried Beef Dices

Freeze Dried Chicken

Freeze Dried Sausage Crumbles

Dehydrated Beef

Dehydrated Chicken

Dehydrated Deli Meats

Dehydrated Fish

Here are some great options of shelf-stable meats that don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen that you can find on Amazon.

Beans and Legumes

Canned or dry beans are good for storing long-term without refrigeration. Most dry beans can last for up to 25 years in Mylar bags or #10 cans with oxygen absorbers. Canned beans can last for a few years. The below list can be stored for a long time either dry or canned.

Black Beans

Kidney Beans

Split Peas

Black Beans

Lima Beans

Garbanzo

Cranberry or Roman Beans

Lentils

Dried Milk and Dairy that Don’t Need Refrigeration

Milk and other dairy products are a big part of most people’s daily diet and are used in so many meals and recipes. Dairy products are perishable and require refrigeration to keep from going bad, however, there are some great alternative dairy products that can be stored for a long time without refrigeration. Here is a list of dairy products that will last for a long time without refrigeration.

Powder Milk

Dried Whole Egg Powder

Dried Scrambled Egg Mix

Butter Powder

Buttermilk Powder

Sour Cream Powder

Dehydrated or Freeze Dried Yogurt

Freeze Dried Cheese

Here are some good dairy products on Amazon that don’t require refrigeration or freezing.

Fruits and Vegetables (Dehydrated, Freeze Dried, and Canned)

Fruits and Vegetables that have been dehydrated, freeze dried, or canned can be stored without a refrigerator for a long time (years). They can then be used to eat as is or rehydrated and added to cooking. See a more comprehensive list of what fruits and vegetables can be freeze dried and what can be dehydrated. Also, Vegetables should be pressure canned and Fruits can be water bath canned.

Fruit that has been dehydrated, freeze dried, or water bath canned

Apple Slices

Apricots

Avocado

Bananas

Blackberries

Blueberries

Cantaloupe

Coconut

Cherries

Grapes

Jackfruit

Kiwis Lemons

Limes

Mango

Mixed Fruit

Oranges

Peaches

Raspberries

Star Fruit (Carambola)

Strawberries

Tangerine

Watermelon

For more details see our articles about what fruits can be freeze dried or what fruits can be dehydrated.

Vegetables that have been freeze dried, dehydrated, or pressure canned

Asparagus

Beans

Broccoli

Carrots

Celery

Corn

Eggplant

Green Beans

Kale

Mushroom

Onions Peas

Peppers

Potatoes

Pumpkin

Spinach

Squash

Swiss Chard

Tomatoes

Yam

Zucchini

For more details see our articles about what vegetables can be freeze dried, what vegetables can be dehydrated, or what vegetables can be pressure canned.

Nuts and Seeds

Your food storage should have a good balance of protein, carbs, and fat because they are essential macronutrients. Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein and fat as well as vitamins and minerals. Like all foods, there are a few things to keep in mind when storing nuts and seeds. Store dry roasted and salted nuts because they will store longer than raw nuts. See a list of nuts to include in your long-term storage.

Almonds

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Brazil nuts

Cashew nuts

Hazelnuts

Macadamias

Pecans

Pistachios

Walnuts Peanuts

Pumpkin seeds

Flax seeds

Sesame seeds

Poppy seeds

Sunflower seeds

Psyllium seeds

Chia seeds

Sugars

Sugars store for a long time without refrigeration or freezing. It is most often stored long-term in 5-gallon buckets with gamma lids for an airtight seal, or in mylar bags for an even longer-lasting even indefinite storage life. See why you should not use oxygen absorbers in sugar.

Sugars that are good to include in your long-term storage include:

White Sugar

Brown Sugar

Powdered Sugar

Honey

Syrup

Jams

Corn Syrup

Molasses

Powdered Juice Mix

Jello Mix

Cooking Essentials

To do much with your food storage you’ll also need to include cooking/baking essentials. Your cooking and meals will be far less enjoyable without the following cooking essentials.

Salt

Pepper

Baking Powder

Baking Soda

Yeast

Vinegar

Garlic

Favorite Seasonings

Cooking Oil and Shortening

Full Freeze Dried Meals

Freeze dried meals are the most convenient food to store for a long period of time without needing any refrigeration or freezing. You can take these meals camping, backpacking, in a grab-and-go bag, on trips, or just keep them on hand for emergencies. See more ideas of the best kinds of freeze dried food. A couple of the best things about freeze dried meals are they only require water for rehydration, they maintain their nutrition, and they taste very similar to when the meal was fresh (similar to how leftovers taste). Here is a list of freeze dried meals that last a long time without refrigeration.

Beef Stroganoff

Casseroles

Cheese Steak

Chicken Parmesan

Chili

Chow Mein

Enchiladas

Fajitas

Ham Fried Rice

Hash Browns

Jambalaya

Lasagna Macaroni & Cheese

Mashed Potatoes

Meat Loaf

Meatballs

Pasta

Pizza

Roast Turkey Dinner

Roast Beef Dinner

Rice

Scrambled Eggs

Soup

Stew

For more ideas look at this list of best sellers of freeze-dried meals on Amazon. We own and regularly use a home freeze dryer and really enjoy the freedom it gives us to preserve whatever meal or individual food we want (see a full list of foods that can be freeze dried). If you are at all interested in getting a home freeze dryer then check out our article Buying a Home Freeze Dryer, What You Need to Know First. Also, see Harvest Right’s freeze dryers to see if there are currently any deals on their home freeze dryers.

Other Shelf Stable Food and Snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated

There are plenty of shelf-stable foods and snacks that will last a long time without refrigeration or freezing. Look for foods that have a best if used by date of at least a couple of months out and are still edible beyond a few months. See the below list for ideas.

Conclusion

Storing a supply of shelf-stable foods that last a long time without refrigeration or a freezer is essential in being prepared to weather emergencies or unexpected disasters. Those who take the time to build a supply of the above foods will find confidence and peace of mind knowing that they will be able to feed their family in any circumstance. For more information about food preservation see the National Center for Home Food Preservation or for emergencies see Ready.gov.

ezprepping.com - Foods that Last a Long Time Without Refrigeration: Ultimate List

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