
How to Use Long-Term Food Storage (25 recipes included)
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If you've ever stocked up on buckets of wheat, oats, beans, or rice and then thought, “Now what?” — you’re not alone.
At Ready & Prepped, we’re all about helping families feel confident and capable when it comes to emergency preparedness. And that includes actually knowing how to use what’s in your food storage—not just collecting it like insurance you hope to never cash in.
Here’s how to make long-term food storage part of your everyday life—and why that matters.
Why You Should Practice Using Your Food Storage
Long-term food storage is more than a backup plan. It’s:
- A safety net in emergencies
- A way to save money by buying in bulk
- A chance to simplify your meals
- A skill-building opportunity
But if you don’t know how to cook with your stored food, you’re going to be stressed when you need it most.
The good news? Most long-term staples are incredibly versatile once you get the hang of them.
Core Long-Term Staples and How to Use Them
Wheat
Storage life: Up to 30+ years (if stored properly)
What it’s good for: Bread, pancakes, porridge, flatbreads, crackers
How to use it:
- Whole wheat berries can be cooked like rice
- Grind into flour using a grain mill (manual or electric)
- Mix with water, salt, and yeast or baking powder for breads or biscuits
- Use in soups and stews as a chewy, nutty grain
- Sprout for added nutrition
How to prepare:
To grind: Use a manual or electric wheat grinder.
To cook: Soak 1 cup wheat in 3 cups water overnight. Drain, then simmer in fresh water for 45–60 minutes until tender.
Emergency meal ideas:
- Porridge (with milk powder and sweetener)
- Wheat berry salad (with canned veggies and dressing)
- Homemade flatbread (flour + water + salt, pan-fried or cook on coals)
Oats
Storage life: 25+ years (rolled or steel-cut in mylar with oxygen absorbers)
What it’s good for: Breakfast, baking, thickening soups, energy bars
How to use it:
- Make oatmeal with water or powdered milk
- Bake into oat bars with peanut butter and honey
- Grind into oat flour for pancakes, muffins, or breading
- Mix with beans for meatless burgers
- Used in no-bake snacks or emergency granola.
How to prepare:
- Rolled oats: 1 part oats to 2 parts boiling water. Simmer 5 minutes.
- Steel cut oats: 1 part oats to 3 parts water. Simmer 20–30 minutes.
- Soak overnight if fuel is limited.
Emergency meal ideas:
- Sweet oatmeal (add sugar, cinnamon, powdered milk)
- Savory oats (add bouillon, dried herbs, freeze-dried veggies)
- Oat pancakes or biscuits
Beans (dried)
Storage life: 25+ years dried (or use canned for short-term ease)
What they’re good for: Soups, stews, patties, dips, complete protein when paired with grains
How to use them:
- Soak overnight, then cook until soft
- Mash into spreads or refried-style beans
- Blend into soups or use bean flour for quick cooking
- Combine with rice or wheat for filling, nutrient-rich meals
- Grind into bean flour for quick soups or baking.
How to prepare:
- Soak beans 8–12 hours (or use quick soak method: boil 2 minutes, rest 1 hour).
- Cook 1 cup soaked beans in 3 cups water for 1–2 hours, depending on type.
- Pressure cook to save time/fuel if you have one.
Emergency meal ideas:
- Bean stew (beans + bouillon + canned tomatoes)
- Bean patties (mash beans + flour + seasonings, pan-fry)
- Bean soup (pureed with water, onion/garlic powder, salt)
Rice
Storage life: 25+ years (white rice stored in mylar with oxygen absorbers)
What it’s good for: Side dishes, stir-fries, soups, casseroles
How to use it:
- Boil with water and bouillon for easy flavor
- Mix with canned or freeze-dried veggies
- Add beans or lentils for a complete protein
- Use leftovers to make rice pudding or breakfast porridge
- Serve as a side, base, or ingredient in stews
- Use in soups, or casseroles
To Prepare:
- 1 cup rice + 2 cups water, bring to boil, cover, and simmer 15–20 minutes.
- Pre-soak to reduce cook time and fuel use.
Emergency Meal Ideas:
- Rice and beans with cumin, chili powder, and salt
- Rice porridge (sweet: cinnamon and sugar; savory: bouillon and veggies)
- One-pot meals (rice, canned meat, and veggies with spices)
How to Get Comfortable Using Food Storage
1. Start small. Try one meal per week using only pantry staples.
2. Practice cooking without power. Use your camp stove, rocket stove, or solar oven.
3. Build go-to recipes. Create a binder or printables of your family’s favorite food storage meals.
4. Rotate your storage. Use and replenish items regularly to avoid waste.
5. Involve your family. Teach kids how to make oatmeal or rice so they gain confidence too. Then teach them about wheat and beans.
No-Fail Food Storage Meals to Try
- Rice & beans with taco seasoning
- Oatmeal with powdered milk and cinnamon
- Wheat flatbread with lentil dip
- Bean and rice soup with bouillon
- No-bake oat bars with honey and peanut butter
- See more recipes below
Tips for Fuel-Efficient Cooking:
- Use a thermal cooker or insulated pot to retain heat.
- Soak grains and beans overnight to reduce cook time.
- Consider making "instant" mixes ahead using pre-cooked/dehydrated items.
Here are 15 easy, 1-pot and no-bake recipes using just wheat, oats, beans, and rice—plus basic pantry staples like salt, spices, oil, bouillon, powdered milk, and sweeteners.
1. No-Bake Oatmeal Bars
Ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup honey or sugar
- ¼ cup peanut butter (or dry milk + oil)
- Dash of salt
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients. Press into a pan. Chill or let firm up. No cooking needed.
2. Oatmeal Energy Balls
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- 2 tbsp honey or syrup
- 1 tbsp oil
Instructions:
Mix into a dough, shape into balls, let sit to firm.
3. Savory Oatmeal Bowl
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp bouillon
- ½ tsp garlic/onion powder
Instructions:
Cook oats and seasonings in water for 5–7 minutes.
4. Rice & Beans
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white rice
- 1 cup cooked beans (or rehydrated)
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp cumin, ½ tsp salt
Instructions:
Cook all together in one pot until rice is done and liquid is absorbed.
5. Spiced Wheat Berry Porridge
Ingredients:
- 1 cup wheat berries (pre-cooked)
- 1½ cups water
- 2 tbsp powdered milk
- 1 tbsp honey or sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
Simmer ingredients until thick and creamy.
6. Instant Bean Soup
Ingredients:
- ½ cup bean flour
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp bouillon
- ½ tsp chili powder
Instructions:
Whisk everything in a pot. Boil and stir until thick and smooth.
7. Wheat Flatbread (No Yeast)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (ground from wheat berries)
- ⅓ cup water
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions:
Mix dough, roll thin, and pan-fry until golden on both sides.
8. Rice Pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked rice
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup powdered milk
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Cinnamon to taste
Instructions:
Simmer until creamy. Serve warm or cool.
9. Bean Patties
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mashed beans
- ¼ cup oat flour or wheat flour
- Salt, onion powder
Instructions:
Mix into a dough, form patties, and pan-fry or dry fry in a skillet.
10. No-Bake Wheat Berry Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked wheat berries
- 1 tbsp oil
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp vinegar (or lemon powder)
- Salt
Instructions:
Toss all ingredients together. Serve cool or at room temperature.
11. Simple Bean & Rice Stew
Ingredients:
- ½ cup beans
- ½ cup rice
- 1 tsp bouillon
- 3 cups water
Instructions:
Simmer all together for a hearty stew.
12. Overnight Oats
Ingredients:
- 1 cup oats
- 1 cup water or milk (reconstituted from powder)
- 1 tbsp sugar or honey
Instructions:
Mix and soak overnight. No cooking needed.
13. Bean & Oat Mash
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked beans
- ½ cup oats
- Salt, cumin, garlic powder
Instructions:
Simmer all together until thick. Mash for a spread or filling.
14. Wheat Berry & Bean Chili
Ingredients:
- ½ cup wheat berries (pre-cooked)
- ½ cup beans
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp bouillon
Instructions:
Simmer all for 20–30 minutes. Serve thick.
15. One-Pot Oat & Bean Soup
Ingredients:
- ½ cup oats
- ½ cup mashed beans
- 3 cups water
- 1 tsp bouillon
- Seasoning of choice
Instructions:
Simmer all together until soupy and creamy.
Here are 10 long-term food storage meal ideas with recipes. Each uses shelf-stable pantry staples like powdered sauces, canned goods, or freeze-dried items:
1. Lentil Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup dry lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried parsley
Instructions:
Rinse lentils. Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer 30–40 minutes until lentils are soft.
2. Chili with Rice
Ingredients:
- 1 cup instant rice
- 1 can chili
- ½ tsp cumin
- ¼ tsp chili powder
Instructions:
Cook rice as directed. Heat chili with seasonings and serve over rice.
3. Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 cup macaroni
- ¼ cup cheese powder
- 1 tbsp powdered milk
- 1 cup water
Instructions:
Cook pasta. In another pan, combine cheese powder, milk powder, and water. Stir and heat, then mix with pasta.
4. Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
- 1 cup instant mashed potatoes
- ½ cup freeze-dried ground beef
- ½ cup freeze-dried peas & carrots
- 1 tbsp bouillon
- 2 cups water
Instructions:
Rehydrate beef/veggies in 1 cup hot water with bouillon. Prepare mashed potatoes. Layer beef/veggies and top with potatoes.
5. Pasta with Tomato Sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pasta
- ½ cup tomato powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- 1½ cups water
Instructions:
Cook pasta. Mix tomato powder, seasoning, and water in a pan. Simmer into a sauce. Combine with pasta.
6. Rice and Beans
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup cooked beans (or ½ cup dry beans, soaked & cooked)
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
Cook beans and rice separately. Mix together and season.
7. Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pasta
- ½ cup powdered alfredo sauce
- ½ cup freeze-dried chicken
- 1½ cups water
Instructions:
Cook pasta. Rehydrate chicken. Mix sauce with water and heat. Stir in chicken and pasta.
8. Creamy Potato Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup potato flakes
- 2 tbsp powdered milk
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ cups water
Instructions:
Boil water. Add ingredients. Stir and simmer until thick.
9. Tuna Casserole
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pasta
- 1 can tuna
- ½ cup freeze-dried peas
- ½ cup powdered cheese sauce
- 1½ cups water
Instructions:
Cook pasta. Rehydrate peas. Mix all ingredients and heat through.
10. Pancakes
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pancake mix
- ½ cup water
- 1 tbsp powdered egg (optional)
Instructions:
Mix ingredients. Cook on a griddle until golden.
Final Thoughts
The best time to learn how to use your food storage isn’t during an emergency—it’s right now, while you can experiment and adjust.
By cooking from your pantry even once a week, you’ll gain confidence, reduce waste, and teach your family resilience in the most practical way possible.
Preparedness isn’t just about what you store—it’s about what you know how to use.
Check out this article for a 30 day Pantry-Only Meal Plan.
Check out this article to learn more about food storage. There's a difference between long-term and short term.