What’s in an ‘apocalypse pantry’?

“Prepping is just doing what you can to be ready for trouble and taking the steps to prepare now, instead of trying to do it when the trouble starts,” writes the mononymous Dan on his blog Start Prepping UK. “It’s not unusual, it’s not paranoid, and most people are already doing it to some extent or another.”

In the US, prepping is big business. Americans spent $11 billion in 2024 on ‘emergency preparedness’ while prepping shops are appearing across the UK, both online and on the high street. You can now buy almost everything to see you through an apocalypse, from freeze-dried food to a full nuclear survival kit.

Some preppers only store enough supplies to keep them going for a few months until society reboots, known as ‘bugging in’, while others plan to escape to a safer location, called ‘bugging out’. In this case, you may be restarting society yourself, so you’ll need weapons, power sources, seeds, water filtration devices and much more.

There are also differences between British and American preppers. For example, the US Reddit preppers thread contains questions about generators or knowing how to use a sword if you “run out of ammo”. But the UK version offers more general advice, such as what to eat; answers include seaweed, wild mushrooms and tinned honey-cured ham – delicious, apparently, once you get over the “cat-food smell”.

What kinds of food do preppers stockpile?

Anything with a long expiry date. Although some argue you can eat canned food for years after the use-by date, if there really is a global meltdown, you may not be able to get medical help if you fall ill.

Preppers also tend to follow the FIFO method: first in, first out. In other words, rotating supplies so the oldest food is always on top. This way, they can use their pantry like a normal store cupboard to stop food going to waste.

Some preppers invest in super long-life foods, such as freeze-dried goods that last for 20-30 years or Meal Ready-to-Eat kits (MREs) with a shelf life around five years. But choices are limited – menu boredom must be a major side-effect of Armageddon – and can be expensive compared to conventional foods.

But to get the most calories per square inch in their cupboards, most preppers will stock up on canned, dried, tinned, preserved and pickled foods.

Essential ingredients for a preppers pantry

Whatever their reasons for stocking up, preppers often pick these three food groups due to their nutritional benefits.

1. Canned goods

This group can be sub-divided into canned fruits and vegetables, meats, beans and ready-to-heat/eat meals like chilli or soup. For fruit and veg, a wide selection means a varied nutrient intake , and can include mixed cans like fruit salad or carrots and peas. One portion of canned fruit or veggies also counts towards 5-a-day.

Beans and legumes could be considered the king of canned foods. They’re rich in protein and fibre, have a long shelf life, and can be added to other dishes to increase their bulk and flavour. Popular choices include chickpeas, lentils, black, kidney, cannellini or butter beans.

Canned meats, such as ham, mince and meatballs may not be to everyone’s taste, but they’re a great source of protein and minerals including iron and zinc. Tinned oily fish, like mackerel, salmon and sardines, is also rich in heart healthy omega-3 fatty acids.

2. Dried goods

This covers so many foodstuffs; pasta, rice, dried beans, grains such as oats and quinoa, and dried fruits. Any dried goods should be stored in an air-tight container with oxygen absorbers to help preserve texture and flavour and prevent spoilage.

For rice, varieties like basmati or arborio are recommended over brown – brown rice contains more fat than white, so it may go rancid much faster. Dried fruits are rich in antioxidants, fibre and flavour, and go double-duty as snacks or ingredients in a main dish. A 30g portion of dried fruit also works out as one 5-a-day portion.

3. Essential extras

There’s no point stocking up on food if you wouldn’t enjoy cooking or eating it. That’s when unsung heroes like herbs, spices, salt and pepper, vinegars, sauces (think soy and Worcestershire), honey and sugar are invaluable.

Peanut butter is another store cupboard saviour; it’s high in protein, flavour and nostalgia. You can make your own in advance or save it as a fun activity for the kids. Pickles, store bought or homemade, will also add flavour and texture to meals.

What about a short-term emergency?

Not every prepper is worried about civil war or nuclear fallout; some are simply preparing to deal with extreme snowy weather or the aftermath of a hurricane. In these situations, stockpiling huge amount of food isn’t as important but there are other valuable items to consider.

A good home preparedness kit should include:
• water – either in large bottles or ways to purify any water you collect
• fire starters – matches, lighters (and gas to refill them) and fire extinguishers
• lighting – torches, head lamps, lanterns and rechargeable batteries
• heating – blankets, spare duvets, warm clothes, hot water bottles
• cooling – USB fan, cool pads (for pets or young children)
• sewing kit and first aid kit – check any medication is still in date

You may also want to include low-tech items to stave off boredom, like board games, a pack of cards or colouring pens and pencils. Even if you’re not planning for Doomsday, being stuck for days with your nearest and dearest can feel like the end of the world…

Is it worth it?

If you want to delve deeper into the trend, a number of prepper influencers are now on hand to offer advice and videos of immaculately curated bunker shelves, while the Mississippi Office of Homeland Security offers this handy guide to food storage.

Even if you disagree with the whole idea of prepping, keeping a well-stocked pantry is still a good shout. You may not need it for Doomsday, but running out of a key ingredient half-way through a recipe is a form of disaster in itself.