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You have probably read quite a few lists of what you should be adding to your stockpile of emergency supplies and food for an end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it situation.
There are literally hundreds of items you could be putting on your shelves, but there are some things you shouldn’t bother stockpiling, too. These are things that either will spoil beyond edibility or will lose potency. Spending a lot of money on things you can’t use five or 10 years down the road is wasteful. Instead, save your money and put it toward things that will provide for you for the long haul.
Here are five things that are not worth stockpiling:
1. Crackers may seem like a good idea at the time, but open up a box of crackers after it has been on the shelf for six months and you will see why you shouldn’t bother. It doesn’t even matter if you seal them up nice and tight in bags; they will go stale. There are special crackers that are meant for long-term storage, but your standard Saltine and Ritz crackers are not going to measure up.
2. Vegetable oil will go rancid within a year or less of sitting on the shelf. You would be better off storing something like coconut oil or olive oil that will last much longer.
Just 30 Grams Of This Survival Superfood Provides More Nutrition Than An Entire Meal!
You need some kind of cooking oil, but vegetable oil isn’t the answer. On a side note, if you already stored vegetable oil, then save it and use it to make candles in an emergency.
3. Breakfast cereals may seem like a good, cheap idea today, but they are right up there with crackers. In fact, the shelf life is going to be much shorter than the crackers. Much of the cereal out there isn’t exactly nutritional, either. Go with something like oatmeal that will store for 20 to 30 years without any issues — and is much healthier for you. Oatmeal is also very versatile and can be used in a whole host of recipes. It is also far less expensive than those sugary cereals.
4. Household bleach is a great idea in theory, but it isn’t going to last long. You have about six months at the most before it starts to lose potency. If you buy 10 gallons of bleach one week, then you will need to use it all within six months — or you just wasted your money. A gallon or two on the shelf that is regularly rotated is a good plan.
5. Brown rice is trendy and healthy and is better for you than white rice, but it isn’t going to sit on the shelf as long as the bleached variety. White rice isn’t terrible for you and in a survival situation, it will be perfect for filling your belly and giving you a nice burst of energy via burning carbs. Brown rice isn’t processed as much as white rice, which is good for healthy eating but bad for long-term storage due to the oils in the rice that will go rancid.
Check your existing stockpile and think about investing in items that will last you far longer than the immediate future.
What would you add to this list? Share your ideas in the section below:
