Here they are … the ‘holy grail' items for your pantry! We, as human beings, may not be here forever but these items might survive the fabled lifespan of a  cockroach!

1. Honey. As I mentioned above, it only needs to be kept in a sealed container in a cool, dry place and it will last a lifetime. Did you know that honey was found in Egyptian pharaohs’ tombs and it was still as good as new? And don’t fret if your honey has crystalized; just place the jar in some warm water (without letting water enter the jar) and it will be smooth and good as new in no time.
Besides having great nutritional value, honey also has a lot of uses as a natural remedy, which we wrote about here and here, so it makes sense to include it in your stockpile as a multipurpose item.

2. Salt. An essential supplement in any diet, salt is also useful as a natural remedy and is a multipurpose household item. It keeps well in cool, dry places and you can prevent it from clumping by dropping a few grains of rice at the bottom of the shaker.

3. Rice. Speaking of rice, it’s also one of the foods that, if kept in a cool dry place, will last forever. You will also want to make sure no bugs get to it; that’s why it’s best to keep it in air tight containers. The exception is brown rice which has a higher oil content than other rice and will therefore spoil eventually.

4. Sugar. Just like salt, sugar is another food that does not allow bacteria to develop. That’s why it’s used as a natural preservative when canning fruits, for example. Any type of sugar will keep well in an air tight container, away from bugs and high humidity, but it might eventually become solid pieces. No need to worry though; a few hammer smacks will solve the problem for you! And you can learn to DIY in our article, here.

5. Maple Syrup. Just like honey, maple syrup’s high sugar content keeps it from ever spoiling. Keep it in a cool, dry place in an air tight container or freeze it and it will be good to go whenever you need to top your pancakes with streams of deliciousness. It might develop a bit of mold on top, but all you have to do is clean as much as you can off with a spoon and then boil the syrup to make sure you killed it all.

6. Pure Vanilla Extract. It will make for a great flavor boost when SHTF and the variety of foods is limited. Just keep in mind that “pure” is the key element for it to keep well for a long time. All you need to do it to keep it in a cool, dry place.

7. Hard Liquor. Vodka, rum, whiskey, gin, tequila and similar liquors will last forever if bottles are kept unopened and out of heat and sunlight. They might lose a bit of flavor, but it will take a long time before you notice that. Plus they will make for great disinfectants when SHTF.

There are other items that can be stored for long periods of time but will eventually spoil. So you have to be careful. Those include dry spices, beans, tea leaves and dried pastas.  By all means, hold onto them. Spices are great barter items!

Oh and there are more than the above that you can keep on your shelves indefinitely – including the famous Twinky (c)! Suddenly I am reminded of the movie, Zombieland (c)! Those who have seen it will know why! *wink*

Go to Survivorpedia to check out these other items you will absolutely not want to do without!