11 Foods to STACK at Costco That NEVER Expire!
11 Foods to STACK at Costco That NEVER Expire!
Your Costco Guide to Everlasting Foods
The following article from Finder reveals that 29% of the adult population in the US, that’s 74 million Americans, stocked up on emergency preparedness supplies in the last year.
Source: 74 million Americans prepping for disaster
Over the past year, I've focused a lot on the investment side of preparedness – buying precious metals and discussing strategy. Near the bottom of the chart – “Bought precious metals” – that’s been the focus. But I want to dive deeper because preparedness is more than just assets; it's a mindset, one ingrained in my upbringing.
My parents were children of the Great Depression, so we didn't use the word "prepper" back then. We called it what it was: stocking up. Buying in bulk, hunting and fishing, preserving food from my grandparents' garden – these weren't niche activities, it was how we ensured we had what we needed, regardless of the season.
That preparedness mindset instilled in me still drives how I approach things today. One easy way to start building your pantry is a trip to a place like Costco. They offer amazing deals on bulk staple items with long shelf lives, meaning you can stock up now and rest easy knowing they'll be there when you need them.
Here are 11 examples of Costco foods that will virtually never expire. While "Never Expire" is a bit strong, these prepper foods are known for exceptionally long shelf lives, along with some important caveats.
Remember: All staples on this list are great for bartering.
Core Pantry Staples:
Foods along with their key benefits for survival and long-term storage:
#1 Salt
Salt is a must-have due to its incredible versatility and virtually indefinite shelf life. Beyond simply adding flavor to food, salt is essential for food preservation. It's been used for centuries to cure meats, pickle vegetables, and create long-lasting staples like jerky and fish. In survival situations, salt is vital for maintaining electrolyte balance and preventing dehydration. It can even play a role in basic sanitation and wound care. With proper storage, salt can last for decades, adding value to your preparedness plan long into the future.
More info: How to Keep Salt Fresh Forever: A Prepper's Guide to Storage.
Shelf Life: Virtually indefinite
Why it's great: Essential for bodily functions, and food preservation. Stores indefinitely in airtight containers.
Amazon alternative: Redmond Real Sea Salt
#2 Honey
Honey, particularly locally sourced varieties, is a prepping workhorse due to its unique properties and versatility. First, let's talk about its virtually indefinite shelf life. When stored correctly in sealed containers, honey's natural composition prevents spoilage, making it a food you can stock up on without worrying about expiration dates. This provides long-term food security, even in the face of supply disruptions.
Beyond simple sustenance, honey offers medicinal benefits. It has natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, making it useful for wound care and soothing sore throats. Locally sourced honey is especially valuable as it may contain pollen that helps build immunity to allergens common in your region. Additionally, honey is a natural sweetener, offering a healthier alternative to refined sugar while adding variety to a prepper's diet. It can be used in baking, beverages, and even as a preservative for other foods. With so many uses, honey is a multi-functional addition to your preparedness plan.
Unfortunately, not all honey is created equal. Some on the market are diluted with syrups or have added sugar. To ensure you're getting the real deal, look for labels that clearly state "pure honey" or "100% honey." Choosing "raw honey" is also a good indicator of quality, as it means the honey has undergone minimal processing, preserving more of its natural properties. A sign of pure, raw honey is that it will naturally crystallize over time. Processed honey often contains additives to prevent crystallization.
Shelf Life: Virtually indefinite
Why it's great: Natural sweetener, a source of energy, and has potential medicinal uses.
Amazon alternative: Local Hive Honey (choose your state/region)
Check out my 40 Emergency 'Go Bag' Essentials From Amazon
#3 Sugar
White granulated sugar, when stored correctly, boasts an almost indefinite shelf life. This means it won't spoil like fresh produce, providing a source of sweetness and calories for years to come. It is incredibly versatile, playing a crucial role in food preservation techniques like jams and jellies, a staple in baking and beverages, and even has some potential medicinal uses for wound care.
For maximum longevity, remember that storage conditions are key. Keep your sugar in airtight containers and stored in a cool, dry place. This will prevent moisture exposure, ensuring your sugar remains a valuable resource in your prepper's pantry. While brown sugar also has its uses, its higher moisture content leads to a shorter shelf life and makes it more prone to clumping, making white granulated sugar the ultimate choice for serious preparedness.
Shelf Life: Virtually indefinite
Why it's great: Provides energy and can be used for various purposes.
#4 Pure Maple Syrup
While often considered a luxury, pure maple syrup offers surprising value as a prepping powerhouse. Firstly, it boasts an amazingly long shelf life. When stored unopened in its original container, pure maple syrup can last indefinitely. Even after opening, refrigerated maple syrup can easily keep for a year or more. This makes it a reliable sweetener that won't spoil like many fresh foods, providing a touch of familiar sweetness in difficult times.
Beyond longevity, pure maple syrup carries unique advantages over refined sugar. It contains trace amounts of minerals like manganese and zinc, and also offers a source of antioxidants. While not a substitute for a balanced diet, these additional nutrients and protective compounds can offer a slight boost during times when fresh food is scarce. Additionally, the pure, natural flavor of maple syrup makes it a delicious upgrade to basic meals, enhancing the palatability of stored foods and potentially boosting morale.
Shelf Life: Virtually indefinite
Why it's great: Natural sweetener with a longer shelf life than honey.
Amazon flavor-alternative: Crown Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged Organic Maple Syrup
Amazon value-alternative: Butternut Mountain Farm Pure Vermont Maple Syrup
#5 White Rice
White rice, particularly long-grain varieties, is a champion for preppers due to its exceptional storage capabilities and versatility. Unlike fresh produce, long-grain white rice boasts a shelf life of 30 years when stored properly in mylar bags and airtight containers in a cool, dry place. This ensures a reliable source of carbohydrates, the body's main source of energy, for extended periods. Beyond its longevity, white rice shines in its adaptability. It can be enjoyed plain, used in countless savory dishes, and even features in some sweet treats.
While brown rice offers additional fiber and nutrients, its shorter shelf life and higher moisture content make it less ideal for long-term preparedness. White rice, with its simpler makeup and extended shelf life, takes the crown as a prepping asset, ensuring you have a foundation for filling and nutritious meals during challenging times.
Shelf Life: 30+ years
Why it's great: Versatile, affordable, and a good source of carbohydrates. Choose white rice over brown rice due to its much longer shelf life.
#6 White Flour
White flour is a cost-effective cornerstone of any prepper's pantry. With proper storage in mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and airtight buckets, it boasts an impressive shelf life exceeding 10 years. This extended lifespan allows you to confidently build up your food reserves without worrying about spoilage. White flour's incredible versatility makes it an even more valuable asset. It serves as the foundation for countless staples like bread, pasta, pastries, and even thickeners for soups and stews. This adaptability ensures you can create a variety of meals from a limited selection of ingredients.
Shelf Life: 10+ years
Why it's great: Versatility ensures you can use white flour in various ways to create a variety of meals during an emergency. White flour is a good source of carbohydrates, providing essential energy in times when food may be scarce. Generally less expensive than other staples like brown rice or specialty flours.
#7 Dried Pasta
Pasta isn't just a kitchen favorite; it's an incredibly reliable survival food. With proper storage, pasta can last for decades! While store-bought pasta has a shelf life of a couple of years, upgrading your techniques makes it an outstanding addition to your long-term food supply.
Pasta is made from durum wheat, a hard variety with high protein content, making it resistant to spoilage. Plus, its low moisture content discourages mold and bacteria growth.
For maximum longevity, store your pasta in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers. Additionally, place those sealed bags inside airtight, food-grade 5-gallon buckets for an extra layer of protection.
When you’re ready to use your pasta it’s easy to prepare. Pasta's simplicity makes it a great choice in a crisis. It needs minimal cooking time and can be paired with a variety of ingredients.
Shelf Life: 20+ years
Why it's great: Easy to cook, versatile, and a good source of carbohydrates.
#8 Oats (Rolled or Steel Cut)
Oats, specifically rolled or steel-cut varieties, are a prepping favorite for their exceptional shelf life, nutritional value, and versatility. When stored in airtight containers with oxygen absorbers in a cool, dry location, oats can easily last for 20+ years. This means you can stock up now and rest easy knowing you have a source of nutritious meals long into the future. Oats offer a good source of fiber, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals, providing a solid foundation for your diet during challenging times. Additionally, oats shine in their culinary flexibility. From simple porridge and overnight oats to hearty baked goods and savory dishes, a bag of oats can add much-needed variety to a prepper's pantry.
The choice between rolled and steel-cut comes down to texture and preparation. Rolled oats, with their pre-steamed and flattened form, cook faster, perfect for quick breakfasts in a crisis, yielding a smoother porridge. Steel-cut oats, however, retain their full groat shape. They require longer cooking but offer a chewier texture and nuttier flavor. Steel-cut oats also have a slightly lower glycemic index than rolled oats, potentially offering a more sustained energy release.
Shelf Life: 20+ years
Why it's great: Nutritious, a good source of fiber, and a versatile breakfast staple.
#9 Dehydrated Foods (sold at Costco.com)
Dehydrated foods are a prepping mainstay for several compelling reasons. First and foremost is their incredible shelf life. With moisture removed, these meals can last up to 25 years or more if stored properly. This eliminates concerns about spoilage and makes stocking up for the long haul a breeze. Secondly, dehydrated foods are incredibly lightweight and compact. This makes them easy to store in large quantities without taking up excessive space, essential for smaller homes, or if you need to create a portable "bug-out" kit.
Beyond storage benefits, dehydrated foods shine in their convenience. All they require is adding boiling water and a short rehydration time – perfect when resources like fuel and clean water might be limited. Additionally, companies like Mountain House offer a huge variety of meals, from breakfast scrambles to pasta dishes, and even desserts. This helps combat food fatigue and provides familiar, comforting meals during stressful situations. While dehydrated foods might not replace fresh food entirely, they are an invaluable addition to any well-rounded prepper's pantry.
Shelf Life: Varies from 10-25+ years
Why it's great: Lightweight, nutritious, and a huge variety including fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Costco.com: Mountain House Chili Mac with Beef #10 cans
Amazon alternative: Mountain House Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
#10 Powdered Milk (sold at Costco.com)
Powdered milk earns its place as a must-have prepping supply due to its impressive shelf life and versatility. With proper storage in airtight containers, powdered milk can last for 20 or more years, providing a reliable source of calcium, protein, and other nutrients when fresh milk isn't available. Beyond simple reconstitution, powdered milk can be used for cooking and baking, adding richness and creaminess to soups, sauces, and bread recipes. It's also a valuable ingredient in survival foods like pancakes and biscuits, adding nutritional value to basic shelf-stable ingredients. Whether you need a splash in your coffee, a creamy base for a casserole, or want to whip up some comforting baked goods, powdered milk is a versatile and long-lasting addition to your pantry.
Shelf Life: 20 years
Why it's great: Long shelf life, good calcium source, and reconstitutes for various uses.
Costco.com: Chef's Banquet Instant Non-Fat Dry Milk
Amazon alternative: Hoosier Hill Farm Whole Milk Powder
#11 Instant Coffee
While it may not be a gourmet experience, instant coffee is a prepping must-have for its long shelf life, versatility, and morale-boosting potential. Stored in a cool, dry place, instant coffee can easily last for 10 or more years, ensuring your caffeine fix is covered even in the face of extended disruptions. Beyond just a cup of joe, instant coffee is surprisingly versatile. It can be used in baking recipes, for flavoring desserts, or even as an ingredient in DIY energy bars for a quick energy boost. Additionally, in challenging times, a hot cup of coffee can offer a touch of familiar comfort and routine, significantly improving morale.
Shelf Life: 10+ years
Why it's great: Long-lasting way to get your caffeine fix.
Amazon alternative: Taster's Choice Original Gourmet Instant Coffee 14 Oz
Important Notes from the Article:
Storage is Key: Most of these items require mylar bags, oxygen absorbers, and airtight buckets kept in cool, dry, dark storage for maximum longevity.
Not Just About Sustenance: Flavor, comfort, and variety are important in stressful times to maintain morale and appetite.
Versatility: Foods with multiple uses (sweetening, preserving, adding to dishes) are especially valuable.
Rotation: Rotating your prepper food supplies means using your older stored food items and replacing them with fresh ones before they reach their expiration dates or lose significant quality.
Remember: Optimal shelf life depends on proper storage conditions - cool, dry, and dark locations are essential!
Disclaimer: Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links, and I may earn commissions from qualifying purchases as an Amazon Associate. However, please note that any potential compensation I receive will not affect your purchase in any way.