10 Mistakes to Avoid When Building a Survival Food Stockpile

There is no one right way to build a survival food stockpile. There are plenty of options when it comes to which foods to include, how long you want to spend putting it together, where you keep it, etc. 

There is also no one wrong way to build a survival food stockpile. In fact, there are many mistakes we can make that will cost us – both financially and in terms of our future well-being.

In a moment I'm going to provide you with 10 of the most glaring and costly errors you can make while compiling a survival food stockpile. 

Because while most people understand the importance of storing food for an uncertain future, many are not sure which foods to stockpile or how best to store them. 

If you are able to avoid these mistakes while accomplishing this important task, you should be in very good shape when you need to access this food in a time of crisis.

Build your stash over time

Both FEMA and the Red Cross recommend that Americans have at least 72 hours' worth of non-perishable food on hand in case of an emergency.

I agree, but I would put the emphasis on "at least." Three days' worth of non-perishable food is the absolute minimum amount I'd recommend.

You and your family will be much better off – and experience much more peace of mind – if you can build that out to a week, then two weeks, then a month, and then three months. 

If I'm really being honest, I'd like to see everyone have a year's worth of non-perishable food. Extreme weather and other disasters are not only becoming more common, they're becoming lengthier. Almost all of them involve a loss of electrical power. 

And even if you have enough survival food stockpiled for you and your household, there will probably be other family members, friends, neighbors, and co-workers you will want to help when the stuff hits the fan. 

Food storage errors to avoid 

Without further ado, here are those 10 errors:

Ignoring the importance of nutrition in stored food. This happens more frequently than one might think. Sometimes we're so concerned about the volume of food we store that we forget about vitamin and mineral content. Survival food kits offer a wide variety of nutritious meals. The food has a long shelf life (up to 25 years) due to a "low-heat dehydration" method that seals in nutrition and taste. 

Using sacks or other containers that are not airtight. This is wrong for a variety of reasons. Air and moisture will greatly decrease the shelf life of stored food. In addition, containers that are not airtight increase the chances that insects or critters might get into your food. Triple-layer Mylar pouches are one of the best storage methods for protecting your survival food.

Failing to keep food containers in a dry, cool place. Moisture and heat are two of the worst enemies of stored food. The storage temperature for most food should be between 40-70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Failing to keep food containers out of the light. You definitely want to head to the dark side when it comes to storing food. Light can deplete the vitamin content of food.

Storing too many items that need refrigeration. As mentioned, it's very likely a crisis will include the loss of power, which means your refrigerated items will spoil quickly without a generator.

Failing to include enough variety. After a couple of days of eating the exact same thing, you and your family are going to want something different. 

Failing to include at least a small percentage of "comfort" foods. In addition to satisfying your sweet tooth, comfort foods will give you and your family a big psychological lift in a crisis.

Failing to check expiration dates and rotate stored foods. In each container, organize food by expiration date. When an item's expiration date is approaching, eat that food – or donate it to a shelter – and replace it with newer food.

Failing to keep your stockpile discreet. Advertising to others that you have a stash of survival food could make you vulnerable when a crisis hits. Keep your preparations on the down low.

Storing all the food in one location. This is the classic case of putting all your eggs in one basket. If your home is destroyed in a disaster, you'll be glad you kept food and water at a secondary location. 

Your 3-Month solution

Putting together your own stockpile of non-perishable food can be fun and rewarding. It can also be time-consuming. If you'd like a done-for-you solution, I've got a great one for you. 

It's the 3-Month Survival Food Kit PlatinumXL. It provides more calories per day than our regular 3-Month Kit, plus 34 free servings of freeze-dried chicken and beef. 

And if that weren't enough, for a limited time we're offering this Kit for $100 off, and tossing in free shipping and handling.

All the survival food stockpiling mistakes listed above go away in an instant when you choose the 3-Month Survival Food Kit PlatinumXL from 4Patriots and store it properly.

Here's how to get yours...