Today I’m going to share with you my top ten paleo foods storage list. I’m sure many of you have seen the lists going around the net of the top ten Long term storage foods. I’ve seen a ton of them and most of them are the same list over and over. On top of that most of the list is things I don’t want to eat now nor in a disaster. I’m not storing wheat and not going to eat it. So I thought about it and did some serious research. I’ve come up with a list of ten paleo food storage items you need to have. Foods that are paleo friendly and have storage lives from years to indefinite. My paleo food storage list is as follows.
Paleo Food Storage
#10
Coming in at number ten on the paleo food storage list is maple syrup. While guzzling down maple syrup is a bad idea. It is best used very sparingly as a treat . Maple syrup is very calorically dense. As an occasional morale boost would be awesome. It has no real expiration date. I would only use it one rare occasions and in small amounts. It would also make a good barter Item. People are always willing to pay more for wants before needs. America has a lot of sweet teeth that need sugar. If you store almond or coconut flour you can make some paleo pancakes. If you have kids it’s sure to make their day.
#9
Coming in at number nine is Sauerkraut. Kraut is an amazing paleo food storage item. It has a ton of health benefits. Contains vitamin C and lactobacili bacteria. Captain James Cook made sure he always took plenty of kraut on his voyages to prevent scurvy. Lactobacili may posses many therapeutic benefits, including anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities. It can last many months in its fermentation vessel. Unfortunately unless it’s canned it does not last more than a season. Once canned its live bacteria dies and you lose the benefits. It it weren’t for that it would easily be number one on the paleo food storage list.
#8
Number eight is the often vilified Lard. Lard was the go-to fat of choice for centuries. It has long been a substitute for butter. I feel lard has a bad rap now though. Lard has less saturated fat, more unsaturated fat, and less cholesterol than an equal amount of butter by weight.[2]. Lard unlike the modern franken-oil contains no trans fats. Lard is massively calorically dense, with 115 calories per Tbsp. Lard has a great shelf life, making it great for paleo food storage. I’ve seen some conflicting numbers on the internet on shelf life. I did come across a story about a 64-year-old can of Lard. Testing found it still safe to eat.
#7
Salami is the number seven item on this paleo food storage list. There are many hard Italian Salamis that claim to have no expiration date. Salami is a great combination of Fat/protein. Does not need any refrigeration. In my experience of taking salami camping they have a huge satiety effect. It only takes a small amount to feel full and have plenty of energy. Plus they are delicious.I had one really that I ate on for 3 days. I kept it wrapped to keep out insects but not airtight.
#6
Salt Cured meats is number six. This is a rather all-inclusive category. Salt cured and salt packed meats can last a very long time. Salt curing was the main method before refrigeration. From my research it seems to work for all meat. The time it takes to cure and the complexity of the curing process varies greatly. Some hams can six months just to fully cure. This is one preservation method to be studied and mastered now while there are resources and hospitals in case of a mistake. Salt curing though makes some of the most delicious meats. For this reason it is an important part of your paleo food storage.
#5
Coming in at the halfway point is Salt. Without it you can’t do number six. Salt is a rock from the ground and never goes bad. Salt used for various methods of food preservation for thousands of years. It would be a huge benefit in making bland food taste better. Salt historically was a valuable commodity. In a long-term disaster I can see salt being a big barter item. Salt is cheap so stock up now. My mom always make fun of the 100 pounds of salt I bought once. I found bags of food grade salt on sale for less then $2 for a 25 pound bag. So I bought it all. Salt is the backbone of food preservation making it critical to have in your paleo food storage.
#4
Coconut Oil (virgin) is number four on the list. Virgin Coconut oil last forever making it a great paleo food store. Coconut Oil is high in the saturated fat medium chain triglycerides which have benefits in protein metabolism and help induce ketosis. With a neutral flavor, coconut oil is good for cooking. It is a solid at room temperature. It also taste OK in Coffee. No really try it. Coconut oil is great to add extra fat to dishes. I used it in my coconut oil pemmican and paleo survival ration bar. You can use coconut oil for oil pulling. You can use it for a fire starter. Coconut oil is good on hair. Coconut oil has so many uses it’s place in your paleo food storage is set.
#3
Honey comes in at third. Honey has been found in Egyptian vessels still be safe after thousands of years. It has a unique sweet taste not too overpowering. Honey can give a little sweetness and flavor complexity to bland foods. You can make delicious Mead from it. Honey is a huge immune booster. It helps with allergies if you source local honey. Use honey as a topical antibacterial agent for wound treatment. Once again though like with the Maple syrup don’t sit around in your underwear and spoon it out with your paw. Use this sparingly and in small amounts. Our ancestors had a hard time getting a small amount. Having bees is the best method to get the pollen benefits. With its indefinite shelf life though honey is a great paleo food storage item.
#2
Were almost done now. Number two on the paleo food storage list is Biltong. Biltong is a cured meat from originated the South African Bush. Biltong made from thick slices of lean meat. It’s similar to jerky in that it’s dried meat. Biltong is much thicker and is different in texture. Biltong doesn’t is not as chewy to me. While eating it and breaking off some the fibers separate easily. Its Hard but tender. You just have to try it. It is delicious and super easy to make. This is a video on how to make it by Jack Spirko from The Survivalpodcast. Biltong doesn’t seem to go bad if stored properly. The Biltong needs to breath and stay dry. Wrap it in a cloth for storage. I’m thinking about putting some in mason jars with O2 absorbers for long-term storage.
#1
The number one item for Paleo food storage is pemmican! Pemmican is half shredded dried meat (jerky) and half tallow. Pemmican is a true super food. It last forever, has a perfect nutritional profile and is calorically dense. It is the power bar of the ancient world. There are stories of Native Americans living solely off of pemmican for many months without ill effect to health. You can make it or buy it, U.S Wellness Meats is the only real choice for commercially bought.
Bonus!
I have a special bonus to store. Tequila! As a hard liquor it has no expiration. You can use it to make delicious Norcal margaritas. Disinfect wounds, or use for Barter. People are always willing to pay for a drink when times are tough.
That’s my Paleo friendly 10 (plus 1) list of long-term paleo food storage items to stock up on. I plan on in the coming months to put the storage of these items into high gear. Do you feel I left anything off the list? Let me know in the comments.
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I like the brand “real salt”… but make sure your salts aren’t stripped of minerals is generally a good idea.
If you pressure can I would add stock to the list. However I guess this list is more 15+ year list.
-Nick
Thanks for the comment Nick. I need to do more pressure canning. I just don’t feel comfortable worth it yet.
really? i think the opposite is true. water bath cannign seems far more likely to be dangerous. pressure canning eliminates the need for sterilizing jars, lids, and rings. it is really more energy efficient too, since you only need to turn on the stove for the pressure canner and not for hot packing, jar/lid/ring sterilizing. best of all, you can i find that the higher temps make jellies and jams more firm for canning.
modern pressure canners have redundant pressure safeties that make it very, very safe.
I need to pressure can more. It probably is safer but sounds like its going to blow up
Good points ferndale, on energy consumption. (A steam canner would be a much more energy efficient tool.) However jars etc don’t need to be sterilized beforehand, just clean and hot, before packing and canning. If properly canned everything is sterilized in the water (steam) bath process. The limitations are of course, you can only can high acid foods in a water bath. Getting comfortable with a pressure canner is therefore a great idea, but they are usually pretty intimidating until you jump in. YouTube can probably help with the leap. (BTW, my qualifications are certified master food preserver.)
I to was a little freaked when I first pressure canned. That first load was a nervous time. After it was done, and I saw all my jars had sealed, I felt a sense of pride. I really enjoy it now. My wife does the water bath, I’ll stick with pressure canning. It’s way more fun, and do I dare say manlier.
I need to do more pressure canning. I recently opened up a jar of canned beef for chili and it was great!
Great post! Having recently changed over to a paleo diet I will be adding some of these to my preps. Nice site by the way – found you through TSP. Thank you for the info.
Thanks for stopping by Barry glad you are digging the site!
On the salt issue you can buy large amounts at feed stores in rural areas. Far cheaper per lb,but good for salt curing. I also buy sea salt and kosher to store. good list and thanks! David/ Orrville TSP member
I live in a pretty rural town Ill have to check the Co/Op and TSC for it. Thanks
Nice list, keep up the good work. Heard about you from Jack at TSP.
Great list. I heard about your site on Jack Spirko’s The Survival Podcast.
Thanks for checking it out!
Top 10 Paleo foods for storage……. Man, you nailed it. All good choices. I re-discovered Lard about a year ago and have been using it since. because of it’s high temp smoke point it is an excellent for seasoning my cast iron cook ware. (as an therapeutic herbalist,I also use lard as a base for many topical herbal salves, balms and remedies as lard has a high tissue penetration factor ).
I would like to mention salt as a storage item… very important and necessary item. However salt has been iodized in this country for almost a century (Morton’s) Iodine is necessary for a proper functioning thyroid gland.. without Iodine you will die. Most table salts are stripped of everything and then Iodine added back in as a supplement. I have recently started using and storing Himalayan Rock salt. It is loaded with 72 vital minerals that most people seem to be deficient in. This salt is quarried, a bit more expensive than table salt,is pink in color and very nutrient/ mineral dense. Makes itr even more worthwhile in a down grid situation.
Really good article, thanks for the tips.
TinMan
I’ll have to get some of that pink salt. Also I need to learn about herbalism I know nothing about it
Awesome post, i keep alot of these same items on hand. Ill be making some biltong this week.
What do you think of seaweed? It has minerals, it’s dried so it lasts, and you can add it to foods or eat some types stand alone.
Maybe I need to try it again. I’ve tried various forms of seaweed and never been a fan.
good choice Mil. Sea weed (Kelp or Bladderwrack)is loaded with needed minerals, It is nutrient dense, especially iodine… The only caution is to know the source. I wouldn’t want to be ingesting seaweed harvested recently from off the coast of Japan. Seaweed should be harvested from a pristine area.
This is a pretty cool list. We’re trying to work our way into the paleo lifestyle, but I’m not into the whole ‘no dairy’ thing. Have you tried making your own salami? I think that could be a pretty sweet skill.
Vince there are some good reasons to give up dairy but I can not find good reasons for eliminating Butter, Heavy Cream and occasionally cheese. I’ve never cared for the taste of milk and I’m lactose intolerant anyway. On the making salami I have not but will be looking into it.
Consider a combination: cheap salt in bulk for chemistry projects and corning beef; mineral-rich salt in small quantities to set on the table.
Amber I have many kinds of salt for different uses. I use mostly kosher salt for cooking but have iodized too. In bulk I have 25 lb bags of salt.
Pemmican from US Wellness Meats is great but is not a food storage item unless you have it in a freezer. They add water during the processing and it will spoil. I have plans to make my own but I haven’t gotten my hands on the right combination of ingredients and ambition yet.
Lemon juice is also a good choice. It is cheap and is used for canning.
You can buy long-term food storage #10 cans of dehydrated or freeze-dried vegetables, meats, and fruits. Don’t forget the TOP PRIORITY….storing water. You can live weeks without food, but will die rather quickly without adequate water.
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As a NJ based producer of biltong in the USA we were very pleased to see your recommendation of biltong as the #2 food and couldn’t agree more with your recommendation as it is such a great source of protein, doesn’t need to be cooked and keeps for years frozen or vacuum sealed, most importantly it’s delicious. You don’t feel like you’re eating a survival item but rather a primal treat. You should try droewors (a seasoned dried cured beef sausage in a lamb casing) it is equally durable and another great snack/survival option.
Tequila is great, but I say take 190 proof Everclear. It’s twice as strong, therefore half the weight. It’s pure alcohol so it’s good for cleaning parts and wounds. Water it down by half and stir in a few drops of your maple syrup and a dash of organic bitters and enjoy!
All good choices for paleo food. It’s very informative. Have you ever tried olives? I guess they’ll make a great addition to the list. Olives are a great source of good fats.
Olives are a great idea one of my favorite