Planning a full year of food storage usually starts with one simple concern: consistency. Grocery access changes, prices fluctuate, and emergencies rarely come with warning.

A well-built food reserve removes the regular planning hassle from daily life and replaces it with stability. The goal is not excess, but coverage. So your meals last, and the ingredients stay usable.

This 1-year food storage list focuses on dry, shelf-stable foods that store safely, rotate easily, and support your meals over time.
With proper packaging and storage, these foods stay dependable long after purchase.

Core Staples for a 1-Year Food Supply

Staple foods carry a one-year food supply. They deliver calories, hold meals together, and stay reliable when stored dry, sealed, and protected from air and light.

This category should take up the largest share of your storage because these foods are predictable, filling, and easy to rotate.

Grains and Carbohydrates 

Grains meet daily energy needs and can be incorporated into almost any meal. They cook simply and store longer than most foods when the moisture stays low.

A balanced annual supply includes the following foods. 

  • White rice
  • Rolled oats
  • Pasta (various shapes)
  • Wheat berries or all-purpose flour
  • Cornmeal
  • Quinoa
  • Instant rice

Rice and pasta stay especially stable. Flour and oats work well but benefit from planned rotation due to their natural oils.

Legumes

Legumes add protein, fiber, and meal balance without relying on refrigeration. They store compactly and pair well with grains for complete meals.

Here’s a list of legumes you can store for up to 30 years with Mylar bags. 

  • Dry beans (pinto, black, kidney, navy)
  • Lentils
  • Split peas
  • Chickpeas

When stored in Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers, most of these staples last up to 30 years under proper conditions. Rice and beans remain the most reliable, while flour and oats benefit from rotation every 10 to 15 years, depending on the fat content.

Why These Foods Store So Well

These staples share traits that support long shelf life:

  • Density meets calorie needs without large volume
  • Low moisture limits microbial growth
  • Minimal oils slow rancidity
  • Versatility prevents menu fatigue

Storage and Portioning Strategy

Storage method matters as much as food choice. Smaller Mylar bags reduce waste during use, while larger bags, such as the 5-gallon Mylar bags, manage bulk efficiently.

When paired with oxygen absorbers and sealed correctly, these staples become a stable foundation that supports a full year of meals without constant replacement.

Proteins, Dairy Alternatives, and Nutritional Support Foods

Calories keep you full, but nutrition keeps you functioning.

A one-year food supply falls apart quickly without enough protein, calcium, fats, and supporting nutrients.

Long-term planning focuses on foods that stay stable without refrigeration and hold their value after months or years in storage.

Dry, powdered, or freeze-dried forms work best because they resist spoilage when sealed correctly.

Protein Sources That Store Reliably

Protein anchors long-term meals and supports muscle health and energy. For storage beyond a few months, moisture and fat levels matter more than flavor variety.

Strong storage options include:

  • Dry beans and lentils
  • Freeze-dried meats
  • Freeze-dried eggs
  • Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
  • Fully dehydrated meats that snap clean when bent

These foods remain dependable when sealed dry and protected from oxygen. Beans and lentils last for decades, while freeze-dried proteins retain structure and nutrients with minimal loss.

Dairy Alternatives and Nutrient Supplements

Fresh dairy can disappear quickly during outages or supply disruptions. Powdered alternatives solve that problem while still supporting calcium and protein intake.

Common storage choices include:

  • Powdered milk
  • Shelf-stable milk powders
  • Powdered cheese blends
  • Butter substitute powders

Powdered forms outperform liquids because they contain far less moisture. Properly sealed, they stay usable for years without refrigeration.

Fats and Cooking Essentials

Fats support calorie intake and cooking flexibility, but they require restraint in storage. Oils break down faster than other foods, even when sealed.

Better options include:

  • Shortening powder
  • Coconut oil powder
  • Ghee for shorter rotation cycles

Why These Foods Hold Up

These foods hold up well because freeze-dried items retain nutrients and structure. Powders store longer than liquid forms, and low-fat proteins resist oxidation. 

Avoid high-moisture or oily foods for long-term Mylar storage. Jerky that bends, nut-heavy mixes, and soft dairy products degrade quickly, even in sealed environments.

When stored correctly, these proteins and support foods carry nutritional balance through an entire year without refrigeration.

Fruits, Vegetables, Seasonings, and Daily Essentials

Man and woman preparing food in a kitchen with a Waffley product visible.

Variety affects appetite, routine, and morale over time. Fruits, vegetables, and basic seasonings turn stored staples into meals people actually want to eat.

Vegetables for Long-Term Storage

Vegetables store best when water content stays extremely low. Freeze-dried and fully dehydrated options keep color, texture, and nutrients intact when sealed correctly.

Reliable choices include freeze-dried carrots, peas, and spinach, along with dehydrated onions and potatoes. These ingredients rehydrate easily and blend into soups, rice dishes, and stews without changing texture or taste.

Fruit Options

Fruits add natural sweetness and nutrients that are otherwise hard to replace. Freeze-dried apples, berries, and bananas store well and avoid the stickiness that causes spoilage. Citrus powder offers vitamin support and flavor without moisture risk.

Seasonings and Baking Essentials

Salt and sugar store indefinitely and stabilize long-term meal planning. Baking soda and yeast support bread and basic cooking, though yeast requires rotation. Spices last longer when stored in small airtight portions away from light.

Small items with large impact:

  • Flavor reduces food fatigue
  • Vitamins support long-term health
  • Variety improves meal rotation

Daily items like tea, coffee, and powdered drink mixes round out a practical one-year supply, even though they rotate faster than core staples.

Store a Full-Year Food Supply Safely With Wallaby

A one-year food supply only works when storage protects every ingredient inside it. Dry foods sealed properly stay usable, nutritious, and dependable long after purchase.

Wallaby Mylar bags paired with oxygen absorbers create a stable environment for long-term storage demands by blocking air, moisture, light, and pests at the source.

Bulk grains, powdered staples, and freeze-dried meals all hold their quality when packaged with care. Build your system once, store with purpose, and avoid constant rotation headaches.

Prepare with confidence using Wallaby Goods and keep your full-year food supply secure, organized, and ready whenever it’s needed.