A Peek into an Organic Preppers PantryDaisy Luther We build food stockpiles for many reasons: Whatever the reason that caused you to make the move towards the stockpile method of food shopping, it is vital that the foods you store have nutritional value. Although many stockpilers have a closet full of Ramen noodles and Vienna sausages, this is not a method that is conducive to long-term health, energy, and vitality. The human body cant digest and use what few nutrients remain in these foods because of all of the chemicals and preservatives. Whats more, there are many toxic ingredients in these foods, including substances that have been BANNED in other countries. (To learn more about why whole foods are of vital importance in your long-term food supply, click HERE.) Your long-term food storage should consist mostly of ingredients, not meals in a box. These ingredients should be non-GMO (GMOs are toxic and have been proven to cause cancer, organ failure, and a host of other serious health problems), organic (pesticide-free) and nutritious. Avoid chemicals and preservatives. There are many ways to preserve food without the use of such toxins. My pantry isnt perfect, but I strive each time I add something to make it the best possible version of that item. Please, dont go and throw out the foods in your pantry, striving to replace them all at once very few of us can afford that. Simply use the foods that arent ideal very sparingly and when you replace them, go with foods that are better choices. Thank you to Suzie for the great article idea! Ive added brand names where applicable. A star * denotes something that has been preserved at home. (I purchase most of my organic grains from Oak Manor Farms, in Ontario. I highly recommend them. They respond quickly to questions, delivery is fast, and the quality is excellent.) All of the grains in my pantry are organic. Oils Organic VirginCoconut Oil (I highly recommendTropical Traditions Gold Label it is sweet, delicious, and light-tasting. The customer service is top of the line, too) Sweeteners are a huge source of GMOs in North America. Lots of sugar is made from either GMO corn or GMO sugar beets. Please take a look this article on why you should source non-GMO sugar for your pantry (and how to find it.) We avoid all artificial sweeteners because they are poison, plain and simple. Kitchen Basics Fruits and Veggies Conventional Pantry Items Nuts Herbs and Spices Meats We store a small amount of meat in the freezer; however, for long-term food storage, you may find that canning is a better method because the meat is not subject to the whims of the electrical grid. Dairy Products I have not yet found a source of organic powdered milk. If anyone has one, please share and Ill add a list of reader contributions at the end of this article. Powdered milk is the one pantry item that we have that we wouldnt actually use unless there was an emergency that gave us no other option. I am very concerned about the hormones in milk. Beans Some of our dried beans are conventional because of availability. As I replace them we are going with organic. When you compare the price of conventional canned beans with organic dried beans, the dried beans are still far cheaper. Its very easy to can beans yourself! Reader Resources: Oak Manor Farms (grains) Tropical Traditions (coconut oil) Organic Valley Dry Milk available via Amazon Request to readers: Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor. Her website,The Organic Prepper, wherethis article first appeared, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy onFacebookandTwitter, and you can email her atdaisy@theorganicprepper.ca linkwithin_text=Related Articles: 