Freeze-dried food with a long shelf life

A food supply that has to be replaced every year rarely gets done. Here we have gathered food that keeps for 5, 10 or 25 years – freeze-dried food, canned goods and ready-to-eat rations – so you can build your supply once and then leave it alone.

What does long shelf life mean in practice?

Shelf life is determined by three things: moisture content, oxygen and temperature. Freeze-dried food in sealed packaging with an oxygen absorber can last up to 25 years. Canned goods and pouch meals usually last 3–10 years. Dry goods such as rice and pasta can be stored in mylar bags with an oxygen absorber and will then keep considerably longer than in their original packaging.

Build your supply in layers

A common approach is to think in three layers. First, the food you already eat and rotate continuously – canned goods, dry goods, things you buy anyway. Next, pouch meals and ready-made dishes that require little or no cooking. Furthest back, the food that will sit untouched for ten years or more.

The advantage of this model is that you never throw food away. The outer layer rotates by itself, and the innermost layer only needs to be checked once or twice a decade.

Count calories, not packages

An adult needs roughly 2,000–2,500 kcal per day in a calm situation. Multiply by the number of people and the number of days, and you have a target to build towards. It is a more useful measure than the number of pouches, since the energy content varies greatly between products.