One of the biggest problems many new preppers encounter is trying to visualize what a one-year’s supply of food for one-person looks like. Over the years there are been many different versions published and handed out as the last word. Well here is another one. While doing some research I found this on the (BYU) Brigham Young University website.
BYU One Year Supply List
As many of you know for years BYU has led the field in studying long term food storage. This is a list that they have recently added to their website.Â
It is a one-year’s supply of food for one person, providing between 2000-2400 calories a day. This is adequate for most people, if you are doing hard labor you may want to consider adding some additional calories.
Long-Term Food Storage Items – at least 30 year shelf-life
| Food Item | Per Person Amount Per Year | # of Cases (6 cans per case) | Approx. Weight (lbs.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheat* | 24 (#10 Cans) | 4 | 132 |
| Rice, White* | 12 (#10 Cans) | 2 | 65 |
| Oats, Rolled* | 12 (#10 Cans) | 2 | 29 |
| Pasta (Macaroni or Spaghetti)* | 6 (#10 Cans) | 1 | 21 |
| Legumes (Beans, Split Peas, Lentils) | 12 (#10 Cans) | 2 | 62 |
| Milk, nonfat dry (15 year shelf life) | 12 (#10 Cans) | 2 | 49 (or 28 pouches) |
| Sugar (or other sweeteners) | 12 (#10 Cans) | 2 | 70 |
| Apple Slices, Dried | 6 (#10 Cans) | 1 | 6 |
| Potato Flakes | 12 (#10 Cans) | 2 | 22 |
| Carrots, Dried (10 year shelf-life) | 3 (#10 Cans) | – | 8 |
| Onions, Dried | 1 (#10 Cans) | – | 2 |
| Salt, Iodized | 8 lbs. | ||
| Baking Soda (for baking and to soften old beans | 1 lb. | ||
| Baking Powder | 4 lbs. | ||
| Vitamin C Tablets | 365 tablets |
Short-Term Food Items
| Food Item | Approx. Unopened Shelf-life (years) | Per person amount per year |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking / Salad Oils (e.g., soy, olive) | 1+ | 2 gallons |
| Shortening / Frying Oils | 1+ | 3 cans @ 3 lbs |
| Butter / Margarine (stored in freezer) | 1 | 6 lbs |
| Mayonnaise / Salad Dressings | 1 | 3 quarts |
| Peanut Butter / other butters | 1+ | 6 lbs |
| Fruit Drink Mix (or bottled multivitamins) | 2 | 3 #10 cans (or 8 pouches) |
| Spices / Flavorings / Bouillon / Condiments | 2+ | – |
| Eggs, dried (for baking not frying) | 3+ | 2 #10 cans |
| Yeast | 5+ | 2 lbs |
| Other Sweeteners (e.g., honey, molasses, brown sugar, jams, jellies, syrups) |
Nonfood Items
- Can Opener
- Grain Grinder
- Recipes – that use only stored ingredients
Now over the years, I have provided you with information on where the LDS Home Storage Centers are located and how you can purchase prepackaged, inexpensive long-lasting food from them.
The other items that are included on the one-year’s supply list are readily available products that you can find at your local markets. Now some of these products like the oils and fats need to be rotated on a regular basis.
To get a head start on a one-year supply, consider getting a 3 month can bundle to keep in storage for emergencies.
If you have been prepping for a while, this is a good basic list to judge your storage against and if you are a beginner a good guide. Now personally I would consider this list as a minimum one-year supply. I would then add to it canned and freeze-dried meats and vegetables, as well as some comfort foods.
Awesome, thanks for finding and posting this. I knew the LDS Church had to have something like this out there, but I can never seem to find them when I go looking for it. I will probably use this as a starting place for my food storage tracking app I am making. Like you said, it can use some modification to have some comfort food and whatnot.
LDS Food Storage Calculator
https://lds.about.com/library/bl/faq/blcalculator.htm
Many years ago, when i first joined the church, my missionaries brought me a list of what i should purchase each week for 52 weeks, to build up a surplus… is this still available somewhere?
I looked around the web and found a couple of lists. If you search “LDS 52 week supply list 2020” go to images and you’ll find some lists. Hope this helps!
Is the amount of salt and sugar really the amounts needed for one person per year? It seems high, 70lbs of sugar and 8lbs of salt.
I’ve found that these lists are only marginally helpful as a guide.
Thank you for this updated list and information from BYU, very valuable and helpful.
I have spent over 45 years teaching people how to use food storage in daily meals.
I base most of my recipes on the items from the LDS Home Storage Centers.
Look up on facebook: Free Frugal Food Storage Help and Recipes
I do not charge $$, my goal is to help others to see/learn how to use what can be stored.
Our bodies need to be used to basic whole foods now, not in an emergency somewhere in future.
For my family, this has saved us money on food, and also for us, on doctor bills.
Along with the nonfood items listed (and I heartily agree that a good can opener is essential. I prefer the Swing Away brand for reliability and ease of use) I have found that when I am trying to live off my food storage, I also need these items: Laundry detergent, dish soap, body soap, and basic work supplies such as tape and markers to label bulk foods that are divided up. I use old #10 cans and Nestle Quik cans to store salt etc. when breaking up a bulk bag. Thank you for posting this.