What Should I Stockpile For The Apocalypse?

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Last Updated on October 28, 2020 by

Knowing what to stockpile for the apocalypse could mean the difference between life and death. Have you seen the images on the news lately in China of the grocery store shelves in Wuhan? They are completely bare with all of the non-perishables wiped out. It’s quite eerie to see.

It’s best to be prepared before something like this happens. As you can imagine, things can quickly get out of hand. It doesn’t take long for people to start panicking.

This is why having important items like the ones we will talk about today stockpiled ahead of time, will help you stay calm during chaotic times.

One note about this list. This list is NOT a list of items to start prepping with in general. There are important items every prepper should own to help increase his or her chances of survival, but we will discuss that in another post.

This list below is designed for you to understand the items to buy a lot of something in bulk or to buy a bunch of one item that may be individually packaged such as a toothbrush.

For example, paracord is good to have in your bug out bag for survival, but you don’t need to stockpile paracord. You have to remember you are going to have to store all this stuff you decide to stockpile in various containers and various places throughout your home or garage or shed.

So with that said, below you will find a comprehensive list of some of the most important items to stockpile for the apocalypse.

Things To Consider Before You Start Stockpiling Items For The Apocalypse

which foods should I stockpile for the apocalypse?

There are a few things you need to keep in mind before you go all out and start buying a bunch of things to stockpile when the SHTF. As I start to prep, I realize I only have enough room for certain items. I’m looking at the space in my garage and wondering about the temperature in the summertime. There are other factors as well that you should think of.

  1. Living situation. – Do you live in an apartment, an urban housing development, or out in the country? This will have a huge impact on where you store your items and how much you can store.
  2. How many people in your party? – Know how much you need to store. If you are going to survive on your own, you will need a lot less than if you have a family of four.
  3. Do you have pets? – You will need to stockpile enough food and water for your dog or cat. This includes pet food, water, any kind of pet medications that your pet may need.
  4. Do you have livestock? – What does your livestock eat? You may need to buy hay and grain for your livestock.
  5. What kind of medications does your family need? – Some members of your party may have special needs, which means special medications for stockpiling.
  6. Are you going to bugging in or bugging out? – This will be a huge determinant of where you store your stockpile.
  7. Food Storage Skills – You will need to understand how to properly store food to keep away pests, mice, moisture, insects, and other threats to your food stockpiles.

Emergency Food List For Stockpile

stockpiling food for emergency

The list below is a fantastic list to get you going. If you haven’t had a chance to read the article on the foods that last forever make sure you do. It goes into depth on many of the longest-lasting foods that you can have on hand. These foods make for great prepping items and many of them that are on that list are in this list below as well.

  • Pasta – Pasta is one of those cheap and plentiful foods that store very well. There’s a great survival thread that talks about storing pasta here.
  • Peanut ButterPeanut butter is a fantastic survival food. Peanut butter comes in a powder form, which makes it popular among preppers. If you store it under the right conditions it can last a very long time.
  • Honey – Honey can be stored for a very long time under the right conditions. Just make sure you keep it in a cool dark place. Don’t be alarmed if the honey texture crystalizes and changes over time, this is normal. It will be wonderful to have something sweet around to make things taste better.
  • White Rice- White rice is one of those foods that many preppers have a lot of. That and beans. It’s one of the easiest foods to store and you can buy a lot of it in bulk. You can store it in 5-gallon plastic buckets with mylar bags. This takes a little bit of knowledge on how to store, but you can learn more about storing food in 5-gallon buckets in subsequent posts I will be writing about.
  • Beans– Beans are another nutritious-packed food that can store almost indefinitely in 5-gallon buckets. There’s an interesting discussion here on canned food versus dried foods like rice and beans.
  • Salt – There are several reasons you want to stockpile salt. It is good for preserving foods, you can use it to make saline, to repel pests such as ants, enhancing the taste of foods, and for various health reasons. You can easily buy iodized salt from Augason farms so you don’t have to go through the hassle of doing it yourself.
  • Beef Jerky – Dried meat such as beef jerky is great to stockpile because if stored properly it can last a very long time.
  • Canned Tuna in Oil – Tuna tastes wonderful and has plenty of uses, from tuna salad to pasta sauces and soups. It’s a very good source of protein and essential fatty acids, too. Buy tuna in oil – olive oil if you like it, vegetable otherwise – because it lasts longer and preserves the fish’s nutrients.
  • Survival Seeds – This is one of the smartest things you can stockpile. Survival seeds can help get you and your family through a long-term disaster for years to come. Seeds can vary in terms of how long they will last but you can read some gardening articles to get a better idea of the different vegetables and how to store your seeds.
  • Food Ration BarsFood ration bars can last about 5 years and there are many claims that they can last much longer. They are a high calorie, nutrient-dense food product that can help add some variety to your daily diet. I wouldn’t recommend trying to survive on these alone, but stockpile as much of these as possible. They are easy to carry around and you can stash one in your bug out bag and anywhere around the house.
  • Powdered Milk and Other Dairy Products – Powdered milk and other powdered dairy products are great to stockpile because you easily store them inside mylar bags within 5-gallon buckets and you’ll have a nice addition to your breakfast in the morning.
  • Dehydrated/Freeze-Dried Food – You may or may not be familiar with the many freeze-dried foods that are on the market these days. These are one of the most popular prepper foods because the shelf-life on these items are up to 25 years. All you need to do is add water and voila! You have an instant meal!
  • Canned Foods – Stockpiling canned foods is an excellent idea as canned foods are what people used to do during the war times because of the excellent shelf-life of these products. Stockpiling canned foods will help with adding variety to your diet, which is going to be extremely important to keep your health in good standing during the apocalypse.
  • Vegetable Oil (coconut oil, olive oil) – Vegetable oil such as coconut oil and olive oil are perfect for cooking and making different dressings. You can also use it for making natural soaps and herbal remedies. The only downside to stockpiling vegetable oil is that it won’t last as long as some of the other foods on this list so you will need to rotate the oils more often.
  • Canned Butter – Red Feather has an excellent canned butter product that has a long shelf life. Butter is important for cooking and making your food taste good.
  • Oatmeal – Oatmeal is a great survival food and you can store it in mylar bags within 5-gallon buckets. This way you can easily stack your buckets on top of each other in your pantry or your garage.
  • Baking SodaBaking soda has several uses and is one of the more popular items that preppers stockpile. From toothpaste, deodorant, and hair wash, to cleaning dishes and acting as an antacid, you will be glad you have a lot of this stockpiled during the apocalypse.
  • Vodka – Vodka lasts a really long time and can be used to help lift our spirits when we are down. Not only is it good for our psyche, but it has many other benefits such as cleaning wounds, oral hygiene, and used as a skin-care product. Maybe you can mix it with a little Tang and have a nice cocktail!
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – Preppers love Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar because it has so many uses.
  • Drink Mixes: Tea, Coffee, Tang – Storing these kinds of powdered and dried drink mixes helps keep a pep in your step. Tea and coffee are just good to have because they can add a little caffeine boost.
  • Dog Food/Cat Food– Don’t forget about your precious pets. You will have to continue to feed them in a post-apocalyptic world. It makes me sad to think of all of the pets who will be abandoned and left to fend for themselves during a disaster. Please don’t forget to stock up on dog food. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just something for them to get by on.
  • Water- Water stored in 5-gallon containers or 55-gallon barrels will be your best option. Make sure you stock up on enough water storage containers to get you through at least 6 months to a year.

Tips On Storage Containers Your Stockpiled Food Items

It’s easy to go and tell you to stockpile pasta, but how are you going to store the pasta once you get it? The best way to do that is by storing it in 5-gallon buckets with mylar bags. Storing food for the long term in 5-gallon buckets is something that you should learn as soon as you can.

It’s not hard to do, but you do need to know what you are doing so that your food doesn’t get infested with insects, for example, or go bad.

Personal Hygiene Products

items to stockpile in an apocalypse

This is going to be an important part of your prepping stockpile. Personal hygiene in a survival situation can become quite difficult, but it can be done if you’re prepared ahead of time. If you don’t stay clean, it can cause health problems and when there are no doctors around to help, the smallest issues can become much larger ones.

  • Toothpaste – I can’t stress enough how important toothpaste will be. Taking care of your teeth is crucial in a post-apocalyptic world. If you get a toothache, it could turn into some of the worst pain you’ve ever felt, which could ultimately end up making you not want to eat.
  • Mouthwash – Mouthwash is good to have as it ads a step to taking care of your gums. It may not be as important as toothpaste and floss, but it still contains alcohol so it will help keep your mouth clean and fresh.
  • Toothbrushes – Stockpiling toothbrushes is vital. Toothbrushes are easy, convenient, and small so they can be stored quite easily in small plastic containers.
  • Floss – Don’t forget to stock up on floss. Again, your gums and teeth can become your worst nightmare if you’re not careful to keep them healthy.
  • Toilet Paper – I know that no one wants to talk about this, but you’re going to need something for when nature calls. I found these great compressed toilet paper tablets by Portabwipes that you can carry anywhere with you. To give you an idea of size, they look similar to an Altoid. I have some in a plastic bag in my bug out bag as well in a few of my other packs.
  • Feminine hygiene products – If you have females in your party, stocking up on feminine hygiene products will be necessary. Preferably you should stock up on tampons because they can also be used to plug up bullet hole wounds.
  • Deodorant
  • Wet Wipes– Wet wipes are fantastic for a quick “wash” and getting fresh in those spots of your body that collect more moisture than others.
  • Hand Sanitizer or Alcohol wipes
  • Bar Soap– Bar soap is going to be a luxury during a crisis and you can never have enough of it. You can get this down at the dollar store, so don’t be afraid to get as much as you can.
  • Breath Mints – I know this sounds a little crazy, but trust me, you’ll feel much better having fresh breath if you run out of toothpaste

Power and Heating Supplies

things to stockpile in survival
  • Batteries– You can never have enough batteries. The best ones are lithium Energizer batteries, but any kind will do. I would recommend that you have AA and AAA battery stockpiles. Make sure that all of the devices that you have like emergency radios, electronic equipment, and anything else you have are compatible with the batteries you stockpile. If you stockpile AA batteries, don’t buy electronic items that aren’t compatible with that type of battery.
  • Matches – You can’t have enough matches. I would recommend you get waterproof matches so that you can use them if it’s raining. You can also find matches that have a nice plastic waterproof case that stores a little better than the ones that Coghlan makes.
  • Lighters – I know that you see tons of articles online from survivalists, including on my site, talking about cool ways to start fires without matches. But the reality is that if you have enough spare lighters you won’t have to! Stock up on Bic lighters and you’ll be happy that you did.
  • Candles – Candles are great to use when you have no power. If you think about our early ancestors, that’s all they used to have to live by. When the power goes out, long-lasting candles can keep a room lit up for quite some time. You can buy them cheaply enough online or at your local dollar store. I have some myself in every room of the house.
  • Wood – The primary use of stockpiling wood would be for building fires and keeping warm. If you live in an urban environment like me, this might be a little tough because my backyard is pretty small. If you live in an apartment, you for sure won’t be able to do this at all. You’re really doing well if you live in the country and you’ve got plenty of room on your ranch to store wood.
  • Flashlights – Flashlights will be necessary for a variety of different tasks. If the grid goes down and you are without power, flashlights will be your lifeline. Go down to your local Home Depot or anywhere online and start stockpiling different sizes and varieties of flashlights.
  • Fuel– Do your long term storage plans include fuel? Well, they should. Make sure you stockpile gasoline, diesel fuel, and kerosene for example. They will come in handy for when you need to bug out in your vehicle, for cooking food (propane), and for keeping warm.
  • Esbit Fire starters – There are several different types of firestarters on the market, but some of my favorite ones are the small, compact Esbit firestarters that can conveniently be stockpiled and put into plastic containers for use later.

First Aid For A Post-Apocalyptic World

what does the 3 p's stand for?

There are several premade first aid kits on the market that you can buy, but you should be stockpiling medical supplies in addition to just having one or two survival medical kits on hand. Below is a list of some of the additional items you should stockpile.

  • Bandaids – You can never have enough bandaids. These are great for small cuts and scrapes.
  • Israeli bandagesIsraeli bandages are essentially for more critical wounds such as bullet wounds and large lacerations. These are large bandages that are designed for blood clotting. Please don’t forget to stock up on these essential bandages.
  • Antiseptic – Antiseptic is necessary because it helps slow down the growth of microorganisms. You will need this to dress wounds, cuts, and any gashes that can happen. Since you’ll be doing more manual labor in the apocalypse, it is smart to stockpile antiseptic as it will help to stop the spread of infection.
  • Bactine – Bactine is used to reduce pain or discomfort caused by skin irritations such as sunburn, insect bites, poison ivy, poison oak, poison sumac, and minor cuts, scratches, or burns. You will be happy to have this to relieve your itching.
  • Bug Spray – Bugs, particularly mosquitos, can be one of those annoying critters that can make your life miserable. Depending on where you decide to ride out the apocalypse, bug spray is a necessity, especially if your bug out location is a place in the high mountains or woods.
  • Anti-itch lotion – Even with mosquito repellent, you are going to get bit. So make sure you have some anti-itch lotion or some type of relief. One of my favorite anti-itch products is called After Bite. I used this when I came back from my trip from the Amazon and man I think I used 3 whole boxes of this stuff. I don’t know what I would have done without it!
  • Aspirin/Advil – Make sure to stockpile aspirin or ibuprofen. This can help with bringing fevers down, help with headaches, and general muscle aches and pains.
  • Over the counter medications – Any type of over-the-counter medication that you think you will need, or that you normally use today, should be stockpiled so that you can make it through those uncomfortable times.
  • Nitrile Gloves – One thing you will be faced to deal with is a lot of germs. Since you won’t have the normal sanitary environment that we are used to, using nitrile gloves to dress wounds, clean cuts and scrapes, wash dishes, and handle food, will help keep disease from spreading.
  • Face MasksN95 masks are good face masks to start with. These will help keep dirt out, but in pandemics, it will help protect you from germs as well.

Self Defense For The Apocalypse

items to stockpile for the apocalypse

When it comes to protecting yourself and your family and your home during the apocalypse, I would advise that you stockpile as many guns and ammunition as you can. This includes weapons of any kind that you feel comfortable using.

  • Ammunition
  • Guns
  • Weapons

Miscellaneous Prepping Items to Stockpile

  • Plastic Tarps – these are cheap and you can get these pretty much anywhere. These are good for covering things, protecting things, and even collecting rainwater.
  • Chlorine Bleach or Pool shock – Pool shock is good for purifying water if need be. You should already have stockpiled water for the apocalypse, but if you happen to run out, chlorine bleach or pool shock will help with this.
  • Underwear – This is one of the most missed items on everyone’s list. Keeping yourself as clean as possible in the parts of our body that contain high moisture content is paramount for warding off skin rashes and other issues.
  • Duct Tape – Duct tape has tons of uses and will definitely be used for anything from plugging holes, to making makeshift shelters.
  • Tin Foil – If there is no electricity, tin foil is a great option for cooking food, especially over an open fire.
  • Local Maps – Maps of your local area, mountains, and other nearby cities can be important for navigating when there is not Google Maps anymore.
  • Compass– Make sure you have a good compass to navigate no matter where you are.
  • Cigarettes and Alcohol – These will be great items for bartering during the apocalypse. If you stockpile these now, they can come in very handy later on.
  • Fire Extinguishers – I know this seems odd, but there will be a lot more fires happening since there will be looting and possible riots happening in the beginning. Make sure your own home is protected because there will be no fire department anymore to respond to fires.
  • Coffee Filter – good for filtering water and other uses.
  • Trash bags (compactor bags) – shelter, ground cover, make-shift rain jackets

Final Thoughts

The best place to start is stockpiling the stuff that you already use on a daily basis. This is the easiest and smartest way to stockpile for the apocalypse. I’m sure there are other things that you might think of that aren’t on this list so let us know below what you would add!