Pantry Stock Up List

A poll that someone did on my instagram showed that people’s biggest concern right now is the rising cost of food and people worrying about feeding their families. Wow, what a wake up call that was. I’ve felt like I’ve talked too much about prepping lately. There are times I’ve felt like a fraud because we don’t even have all of these things stocked up either. Just a quick search on instagram will lead you to people who are much more experienced than I am! However, that poll woke me up. It showed me that this truly is important and the work I’m doing is worth it even if I only help one person. Heck, it’s worth it because it’s helping us to be more prepared for whatever comes! So, in carrying on with that theme I’ve created a pantry stock up list. 

Making Your Own List

This one was probably one of the easier lists that I’ve made. I went over to my pantry and started writing down what I saw in there. You could most certainly do the exact same thing and create a list that is more tailored to your family. I do recognize that there are individuals that also don’t stock their pantries anymore and are used to just running to the store when they need something. If you are that person, I got you! I’ve got a pretty comprehensive list here. You might run through it and cross off some items or add some items but it should have most of what the majority of pantries hold these days.

To Bulk or Not to Bulk? That is the Question.

This is actually just one of the questions because the other question is how much do I need Bri? Answering that second question is actually going to give you the answer to your first question. Honestly, if you’ve already got your food prepped this is a bonus in my opinion. This is the difference between surviving and thriving. Do I need ranch dressing? Nope. Would life be better with it? Absolutely. For that purpose, I don’t give you the amount to buy here. There are two ways you can look at it.

Your Budget

Stock up on what you can afford in your budget. Maybe you’re maxed out and wondering how in the world people are affording all of this prep stuff. Or perhaps you got your food list prepped but now you’re wondering how in the world I’m adding more to that list. That’s okay! It’s okay if you don’t have 50lbs of flour. If you grab an extra 5lb bag each time you go to the store you’ll still get 50lbs it might just take longer. 

What You Use

A 5lb bag of sucanat will last 3-4 months. Our family can use 50lbs of flour every 6 months. There are two of us and the occasions that I make things for others as well. That includes holidays, events, etc. It took me a while to learn that. I started to document when I was buying things and looked back to see how long they would last. This helps me to know what I need on hand to be prepared for 3 months ahead (remember, I always advise that you have 3 months worth on hand at any given moment). 

Back to Bulk

There is a good portion of this list that I purchase and store in bulk. I did an introductory post on that which you can find here. We purchase all of our bulk through Azure Standard except for coffee. I get my coffee from Jim’s Coffee and it’s delicious. Based on how you are answering the questions above you will be able to know if bulk buying is for you. If you’re going through 10lbs of flour a month, buying in bulk is where it’s at! You can also buy in bulk even if you don’t have high usage though. The key would be making sure you store your goods in mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. More on that later but if you have immediate questions please reach out and I can help right away.

Pantry Stock Up List

• Flour
• Sugar 
• Brown Sugar
• Baking Soda
• Baking Powder
• Chocolate Chips
• Raisins
• Poppy Seeds
• Corn Meal
• Cocoa Powder
• Salad Dressings
• Honey
• Relish
• Pickles
• Popcorn
• Molasses
• Oats (quick and old fashioned)
• Beans (pinto, black, navy, etc)
• Protein Powders (may include collagen)
• Rice
• Quinoa
• Powdered Sugar
• Arrowroot/Cornmeal
• Cornstarch
• Evaporated Milk
• Sweetened Condensed Milk
• Gelatin
• Coconut
• Oils (Avocado, Olive, Etc)
• Shortening (we use palm fruit shortening )
• Vinegar
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Coffee
• Coffee Creamer
• Tea
• Chocolate/candy/treats

In Summary: Pantry Stock Up List

Preparing your home for emergencies should not mean that you go into debt or feel uncomfortable with your budget. The key is to work through these things at your own pace. This is actually the first place that I started. The first thing I bought in bulk was quick oats. I grabbed a 50lb bag and my mom thought I was crazy. She also preps her home but they buy a lot of smaller packaging. Each time she is at the store she grabs an extra of the things that they use often. I really hope I’ve gotten the message across that there is no one right way to do all of these preparations and each person is going to have a little bit of a different process. As always, do what is best for your family.

I know our family won’t be going without chocolate for a long time because I have the biggest sweet tooth there is! What is your must have item on the pantry stock up list? We’d love to hear in the comments!

P.S. If you are new to Azure please use code BriannaHart1 at checkout to bless our family in a small way.