Staying prepared for Hurricane Season with Shelf-Stable Foods

Weather has certainly been a wild card lately and as hurricane season is amping up and a northeast winter approaches It never hurts to be prepared with some shelf-stable items in case the power goes out, and things are shut down. You don’t want to be scrambling for the most wanted items last minute if it can be avoided. We’ve all experienced that terrible grocery empty shelf rush whether it's related to weather or even the COVID-19 pandemic.

This can also be a great guide for college students/apartment roommates that have limited fridge space and minimum access to a grocery store.

1. Canned Pumpkin

I love pumpkin. I use it in so many recipes and so many of my meals. I pretty much consume this food daily whether it's pumpkin spice season or not. It’s easy to add-into oatmeal, pancakes, waffles, yogurt etc.

2. Canned Salmon + Tuna

Protein can be so hard to get in when the power is out, but tuna and salmon are great canned options! They usually are on the cheaper side for protein which is a plus when you are on a budget. Inflation has also made the cost of meat rise exponentially, so these protein sources are key in my household. I love to make nourish bowls or sandwiches with them. Tuna and Swiss cheese on sprouted grain bread or in a wrap is one of my repeat meals.

3. Protein Pancake Mixes

I relied heavily on my Pamcakes Pancakes mixes for protein when we lost power two years ago, because all you need is water for the mix. We have a gas stove so we just used a lighter to light it and had pancakes for meals and snacks! I added things like extra protein powder, banana, applesauce, pumpkin, cacao powder, cacao nibs etc., to amp up the nutrients provided.

4. Oats

Oats are such a great food that you can do so much with. No-bake-cookies, oatmeal pancakes, regular oatmeal etc., I highly recommend keeping oats on hand for breakfast, snacks and creative goods. I also like to keep RX Oats on-hand as well for a quick option.

If you happen to have any eggs around you can even make my three ingredient Perfectly Pumpkin Pancake recipe with a gas stove despite there being no power.

I personally keep my eggs in the fridge, but I know some people don't so they shall last a bit even with no power.

5. Shelf-Stable Milks/Protein Shakes

I much prefer to drink these cold but sometimes you just have to make sacrifices in life. Protein shakes like the Iconic, OWYN, and Fairlife brands don’t have to be refrigerated until after they are opened. This is a great way to add some liquid to oatmeal, add it into pancakes, or make cereal while providing some extra protein. You could also always go to some place and ask for a cup of ice. One of my favorite Starbucks hacks is ordering a triple espresso with extra ice in a venti/trenta cup. I add in one of my protein shakes afterwards for a nice caffeinated protein packed start to the day or a wonderful mid-day pick me up. You can also purchase a variety of different dairy, lactose free or non-dairy shelf stable milks to keep on-hand at home.

6. Pasta

This is pretty much a given one. Power outages typically mean lots of pasta and rice. I like to keep a variety of pastas on-hand for some variety. My current favorite is Banza chickpea pasta and whole wheat pasta. You can always cook it in a chicken or vegetable broth for added flavor or add some olive oil. I love mixing canned fish and canned olives with olive oil. A nice delicious meal with essential healthy fats to support all the brain power you need to get through the storm.

7. Applesauce

I feel like applesauce is such a childhood staple, and then gets so lost in the adult-world. I love applesauce for so many different reasons. It’s a great source of vitamin c, shelf-stable, goes great in pancakes and in so many baked goods as a natural sweetener. This doesn’t work for power outages as much.. but I also love dipping grilled chicken into applesauce!

Here's one of my favorite recipes to make with applesauce that you can use a gas stove for in a power outage situation. I love that it incorporates so many great nutrients in a delicious way.

8. Crackers

I’m a huge cracker girl as Goldfish and Ritz crackers were my childhood. I literally had a sleeve of Ritz crackers almost every day for the first months of freshman year of college because chicken salads were not doing it for me. Recently, I’ve been loving Hu Grain Free Crackers, and Back to Nature Crispy Wheat Crackers for healthier options. However, I still love my Ritz and specifically Mickey Goldfish on occasion. Crackers and Tuna is a great snack balanced snack pairing as well that's cheap, convenient and affordable. I’m also currently obsessed with Kodiak Bear Bite graham crackers ( literally cannot get enough of these) and Annie’s Homegrown graham crackers as a fantastic snack with a tad bit of sweetness.

9. Protein Bars

Protein Bars are always good to have on-hand. I almost never leave home without one, so you know I have a nice stash in the house. RX bars are my favorite ones and I pretty much ate one every day of our last power outage.

10. Soups

Soup are another cheap shelf-stable option to keep on-hand that really hits home during the colder winter storm months. I love keeping minestrone, vegetable soups, and chicken noodle at home for emergency situations. It’s an easy way to get in some extra vegetables, have some comfort food, and it’s one of the cheaper items at the grocery store for those on a budget.