For all preppers, stockpiling food is a matter of longevity, calories and nutrition. Except for the most hardcore among us, it’s also a matter of variety:
Eating the same thing over and over again can certainly keep you alive, but the toll it takes on your psyche can get brutal, especially if the food is bland and uninteresting.
Menu fatigue is a real thing, and as a prepper, you are wise to seek full spectrum readiness, taking actions that will keep you physically, mentally, and emotionally in the game. Good meals are a part of that!
But preparing these wholesome, tasty, and interesting meals is easier said than done if you’re just working with staples you have stored in your pantry. If you can’t count on your fridge and freezer, and the ingredients they contain, that’s going to limit you.
Luckily, you just need to think about recipes in a different way, and I’m here to help you do that with 18 awesome but basic ones that you can make using nothing but stockpiled food.
Why These Recipes?
Okay, so what are the rules, in a sense, for these recipes? Why did I choose them and not others?
Simply, all of these ingredients can be made with long shelf-life stored food, be it dry goods like rice, beans, pasta, mixes, and so forth, or canned food like meats and veggies. And that includes meats and veggies that you might have canned yourself, not just bought at the grocery store!
Even things like dairy products, milk, and cheese, along with eggs can be stored for the long haul in dried, powdered, or dehydrated form.
These are things that most preppers who have been stashing food for any length of time already have, but if you haven’t been, it’s time to start thinking about ingredients like this so you can keep eating well even when times are tough.
Just keep in mind that you might need to do a little bit of conversion on these recipes: you might need to reconstitute powdered milk, or you’ll need less dehydrated cheese than you would fresh stuff. Things like that.
Cornbread
Cornbread. You know it, you love it, and if you don’t know how to make it then you really should. It is simple, filling, and more adaptable to preparation with other dishes compared to traditional flour-based bread.
Skillet Spaghetti and Meatballs
One of the very best, most filling, and flavorful dishes on this list is skillet spaghetti and meatballs – which is why I’m starting with it…
This is also a great recipe for preppers because you won’t need to boil a big pot of water separately to make the pasta; you put the tomato sauce and the pasta in one pot and just get the whole thing simmering and let it take care of itself.
I know this is total sacrilege to folks who love good Italian food, but don’t knock it until you’ve tried it because this recipe tastes great. Get the recipe.
Pinole
Pinole is a Native American dish consisting simply of cornmeal, cinnamon, various seeds, nuts, and brown sugar. There are many regional variations, and today the dish is enjoyed across the American Southwest and much of Mexico.
This recipe might not be 100% authentic but it is certainly indicative of what it would have looked like way back when. It is nutritious, easy to prepare, and very filling making it a great survival food.
Tuna Rice Bake
Tuna, rice, and veggies always go together perfectly, and they cover most of your bases nutritionally. You get protein, plenty of vitamins and minerals, and you also get great taste and a full stomach. What’s not to like about that?
This tuna rice bake calls for broccoli, but I can tell you from experience you can easily switch any green canned veggie you want, and it’ll turn out wonderfully. I like asparagus or peas, but go with anything you prefer.
You can easily make this in a Dutch oven on your grill or over a campfire if you don’t have power. Get the recipe.
Garlic, Anchovy, and Olive Oil Spaghetti
You’ll be seeing plenty of pasta dishes on this list and that’s with good reason…
Pasta is one of the longest-lasting and most convenient sources of calories, protein, and minerals, and it’s easy to prepare with just a little bit of boiling water. Every prepper should have plenty of this stuff on hand!
But instead of cracking open yet another jar of marinara sauce, go for something a little bit fancier using jarred garlic, canned anchovies, and olive oil to make a luscious and savory sauce. Get the recipe.
Pasta Salad with Roasted Peppers, Tuna, and Oregano
Another tuna dish, and one that is absolutely perfect if you’ve got some canned or store-bought peppers stashed in your pantry.
Oregano gives it a delightful kick, and it turns out pretty good using macaroni, shells, or any other sort of pasta that you might have on hand. Get it here.
Pumpkin Risotto
Okay, settle down now there, Gordon Ramsay! Pumpkin risotto sounds like something you should see on the menu at a Michelin restaurant, not on a list of basic pantry-ready meals for preppers. Right? Not exactly!
Risotto is just rice that’s cooked in broth, two things that will keep for a long time in storage. The same goes for canned pumpkin puree!
This is a wonderfully comforting, delicious, and different dish that is sure to please your family, and not just during a survival situation.
But the fact that you can make it in very little time and with little effort means it has a permanent place of honor on my survival menu. Try it, and I’ll bet you’ll like it.
Skillet Pepperoni Pizza
Now I’m going to caution you on this one. If there was any dish that looked like some unholy abomination that a desperate college student might whip together during a bad attack of the munchies, it’s this one.
But, against all odds, not only does this turn out a lot better than you might think, but it still nails all of those classic pizza flavors that pizza lovers want.
Plus, it all goes together in a single skillet, easing logistics when you’re trying to put together a meal for your family. Get the recipe.
Creamy Cheesy Tuna Pasta
If you love tuna melts, you owe it to yourself to try this creamy cheesy tuna pasta. It’s filling, nutritious, and a cinch to make after you pull out just a couple of ingredients.
I know I said above that these recipes assume you won’t have access to your refrigerated goods, like fresh cheeses, but that powdered stuff that comes in the can makes a great stand-in for real-deal parmesan.
Likewise, peas and other veggies are readily available canned, so you can always keep what you need on hand for this dish. Get it here.
Red Beans and Rice
If there is one dish, and I say that under protest, that is synonymous with real survival, it has to be beans and rice. It’s thought of as food for peasants, prisoners, and desperate survivors for a reason!
It’s because beans and rice both last basically forever when they are dried, and often these cheap staples are the only things that people have, or still have on hand, to ward off starvation. But the truth is it is surprisingly good, and also surprisingly nutritious.
There’s nothing wrong with getting back to basics, as this simple recipe will show. We show you how we made it right here.
Vegetarian Black Beans and Rice
Red beans not your thing? No problem, check out this vegetarian black bean and rice recipe. And for you, meat eaters in the audience, don’t sweat it, I promise this one is so good you won’t even care.
The flavor profile is different enough that it is a great option for changing up the menu just a little bit, even if you are getting down to the bare bones of your stockpile. Get it here.
Chicken and Corn Ramen Bowl
Ramen noodles and canned chicken are probably in every single prepper food stash around the nation, and even if you shudder at the thought of eating more, don’t give up on them just yet…
Combining chicken, corn, and other veggies in a proper ramen bowl makes for a more complete, nutritious, and satisfying meal. Get the recipe.
Easy Polenta
Polenta is another dish that Americans seem to associate with fine dining, but in reality, it’s just Italian grits as far as I’m concerned. It’s no less wholesome, nutritious, or delicious because of that though!
Polenta is easy to make with a little patience and it serves as the perfect base for adding all kinds of other ingredients, including meats and various vegetables. I like to have a little bit of cornmeal in my stash just to mix things up a bit from time to time. Learn how to make it.
Chicken Cornbread Casserole
Cornbread mix, whether it’s Jiffy or some other brand you prefer, is another shelf-stable favorite for long-term food storage. It’s great by itself, or as an accompaniment to various meals, but it’s especially good when mixed with other stuff in the form of a casserole.
Letting those flavors mingle and the juices soak into the cornbread itself is so delicious it’s hard to describe, and this recipe can also easily be made in a single baking dish or, if you prefer, your Dutch oven.
Start thinking about your stockpile meals in terms of single-pot preparation, and a world of possibilities will open up for you. Get the recipe.
German Sausage and Sauerkraut
Another simple recipe, and a super satisfying one at that.
Sauerkraut and sausage go together better than almost anything, and although the stuff that comes out of jars and cans isn’t quite as good as stuff made fresh, it will definitely scratch your itch for wholesome, homemade European cooking. Get it here.
Cheese and Pepper Pasta
If you’re sick of tomato or Alfredo-based pastas, check out this easy riff on a traditional and beloved Italian sauce.
Just like the recipe claims, you can whip this one together in 15 minutes flat. It’s filling and fortifying, but it never weighs me down quite like the tomato-based sauces do…
In any case, it’s a great way to get a different pasta dish into your usual rotation or just use up those tons of spaghetti that you’ve accumulated! Get it here.
Spam Fried Rice
Most of my readers know by now that I am an Asian food friend. I have so many happy memories associated with it, but I always start hankering for it when times are tough, or I’m just ready to kick back and enjoy myself.
Pork fried rice is my absolute favorite, and Spam is a surprisingly inspired substitution for typical cuts of pork. It is super salty, rich, and savory with an umami taste that is picture-perfect for complementing fried rice.
Don’t get too caught up with using a wok if you don’t have one; you can get it done in a skillet all the same. Learn how to make it.
Oatmeal Pancakes
We can’t forget about breakfast now, can we? Yes, you can just bust open the old box of Bisquick and make a passable pancake, but I’ve got to tell you: Bisquick pancakes don’t taste like real pancakes.
But you can make your own with pantry staples, and make them even more nutritious, by adding oats to this well-known recipe.
It’s easy to mix up, and in just a few minutes on a hot griddle, you can crack open a bottle of maple syrup and enjoy something truly decadent under the circumstances of a survival situation. Here’s the recipe.
Cornmeal Ration Crackers
Sometimes when you’re busting food out of your pantry to feed yourself for a long haul survival situation, it is purely about survival. I’m talking bulk calories and basic nutrition to keep you alive.
If that’s the scenario, it’s hard to do better than these cornmeal ration crackers. There are nothing but cornmeal, water, and salt. They aren’t going to win any awards for taste or texture, but what they will do is stay edible and unspoiled for years if you store them properly.
And, not for nothing, you might be down to just the basics and a little else in a bad situation. This recipe might come in handy.
Pioneer Style Biscuits
I don’t know about you, but there’s hardly anything I love more than home-baked bread. And I mean any kind of bread! Sourdough, French bread, scones, cookies, and of course biscuits. What kind of Southern son would I be if I didn’t like biscuits?
This biscuit recipe is basically identical to what settlers and pioneers would have prepared and eaten on long journeys when they had plenty of ingredients, and that’s because they took nowhere near as long as traditional biscuits. All you need is flour, salt, baking soda, and milk, the latter you can reconstitute from powdered milk or condensed milk.
And honestly, they’re pretty good! I make these sometimes for quick breakfasts or dinners.
Cowboy Stew
Cowboys do really live up to its name, and this classic trail food for hard-working cowboys was easy to prepare after a long day of driving cattle. It’s particularly good as a pantry-ready prepper food because it can be made from canned and dried ingredients.
And this is a recipe that’s satisfying and really sticks to your ribs, the perfect thing for replenishing your energy after a hard day of survival tasks. You’ll need ground beef, onions, potatoes, baked beans, and a few other basics.
If you’re looking for a good excuse to try this meal, change it out for your next chili night.
Classic Fry Bread
This classic Native American recipe is packed with calories and little else, but it makes a wonderful accompaniment to stew, meat, or vegetable dishes. It can also be sliced open and used as a sort of wrap for sandwiches or filled with other foods.
There is a trick to kneading the dough to make it just right, but otherwise, it’s the picture of simplicity; it requires only all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder, and water along with some kind of oil to fry it in.
Corn Dodgers
You read that right, dodgers, not doggers! Sorry, we aren’t making corn dogs here. Another classic pioneer recipe, corn dodgers were constantly eaten by pioneers heading west and were easy to prepare in a variety of ways. They could be baked over an open fire and in a skillet, placed in a hot Dutch oven, or even thrown right on the coals.
The ingredients are super simple, but these things are calorie-packed and very flavorful. Cornmeal, bacon fat or coconut oil, brown sugar, and a little bit of milk make them filling and subtly sweet.
They are one of my very favorite recipes on this list. They aren’t something you should eat all the time if you want to stay healthy, but my family loves them enough that I make them regularly!
Cornmeal Mush
There’s a reason you are seeing cornmeal pop up on our list so much. It’s been a survival staple for ages! And mush is a word with a distinctly negative connotation, one that hardly sounds appetizing, but believe it or not cornmeal mush is super tasty!
Cornmeal, water, and salt are all you need. You can dress it up with a wide variety of toppings to make it savory or sweet. Consider using white cornmeal for this recipe because it is smoother and not quite as gritty as the yellow stuff, but that will work fine if it’s all you have. Here’s the recipe.
Hardtack
Sometimes you’ll find yourself in a truly desperate survival situation. You’re either facing a profound lack of ingredients, or you need a survival ration that will very literally endure the apocalypse with you. If that’s the case, you need hardtack.
Hardtack is basically a type of unleavened bread biscuit, and like the name suggests this stuff can be molar-shatteringly hard and so is usually softened by dipping it in stew or water. As a dependable source of long-lasting bulk calories, it will do the job. But that’s all it will do!
Cheese Mashed Potatoes and Sausage
OK, last one, I promise! This one is cheesy, salty, savory, and very, very filling. Eat slowly and don’t overdo it with this recipe, I warn you! All you need is summer sausage, instant mashed potatoes, a little bit of cheese powder, and some optional seasonings.
Chili Mac
Chili mac takes two of my favorite things and puts them together. The rich, beefy, spicy flavor of chili and the indefinable goodness of macaroni noodles.
This recipe, what the creator calls silly chili macaroni, is not only delicious but extremely easy to make right from your pantry or food stash.
This is another one on our list that’s so good you’ll be happy to make it even when the sky isn’t falling, so give this one a whirl one weeknight and see what you think. You and yours will probably love it!
Tom Marlowe practically grew up with a gun in his hand, and has held all kinds of jobs in the gun industry: range safety, sales, instruction and consulting, Tom has the experience to help civilian shooters figure out what will work best for them.
