Preppers plan ahead for everything – from possible disaster scenarios to everyday emergencies like a flat tire. They also plan for the kind of items that they add to their survival food supply. (h/t to TheMerrillProject.com)

If you wish to start setting up your own food stockpile, here are three common mistakes that you need to avoid when buying food.

Buying food in bulk doesn’t always save you money

This may depend on the prepper, but buying items in bulk doesn’t always save you money.

Here are two reasons why:

1. You buy so much of one item that you get sick of it.
2. You buy too much food that you store it in your pantry, you forget about it, and it goes to waste.

Unless you have enough storage space, buying seasonings and baking ingredients in bulk may be to your disadvantage. Purchase the typical size available at the grocery store. With these common bulk items, you only save a couple of cents to the dollar per ounce.

If you have an extra room just for storing your survival supplies, here are items that are better to buy in bulk:

• Canned fruits and vegetables – Preserve your own fruits and vegetables if you have the resources or buy canned organic products.
• Coffee and tea
• Condiments – Buy condiments that your family likes, like BBQ sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, or mustard.
• Dried beans – Buy kidney, Pinto, or white beans, as long as your family likes eating them.
• Granola and granola bars
• Honey
• Jams and jellies
• Oatmeal
• Pasta (e.g. macaroni, spaghetti, etc.)
• Salt and pepper
• Sauces – Ideally, you should also learn how to preserve sauces to ensure the quality of each jar in your pantry.
• Spices and seasonings – Different spices and seasonings are a lifesaver, especially if you want to make each meal delicious even after SHTF.
• White flour
• White rice – Brown rice is healthier, but it has a shorter shelf life.

Think of the items that your family uses or consumes a lot, like beans and rice. You can save more money per ounce if you buy these products in bulk.

Not considering the product’s best buy dates

Before you buy a whole case of ketchup or other products that are on sale, double-check the best buy dates. You don’t want to keep expired food in your stockpile, do you?

Take note of best buy dates so you know how to properly organize food and when to rotate items. The best buy dates of items in your stockpile will also help you keep track of how much food your family consumes in a year. (Related: Food storage tips and tricks for preppers.)

Buying without planning ahead

Never go to the store without planning ahead. There’s no point in buying beans in bulk if your family prefers rice instead.

Consider how often you’re going to use each item before you buy in bulk. For example, you can use rice to make both savory meals like beans and rice, along with desserts like rice pudding. Incorporate versatile ingredients into your recipes so you can make the most out of all the items in your pantry.

If you have pets, don’t forget to buy pet food and treats for them. You may also want to stockpile your kids’ favorite food so they can snack on something familiar even during a disaster.

Avoid these three common mistakes when planning your survival food supply to save money, time, and space in your storage.

Visit FoodStorage.news for more articles with tips on how to maximize your storage space.

Sources include:

TheMerrillProject.com

UrbanSurvivalSite.com