Rice for Long-Term Food Storage and Emergency Preparedness

Rice is one of the main food storage staples for long-term emergency preparedness and to hedge against economic distress. It's eaten the world over by itself and in dishes of nearly every cuisine. It's inexpensive and nutritious. It can even be ground into rice flour which is used in Asian dishes and by those who are on a gluten-free diet.

Water, wheat, rice, beans, oats and canned goods are just a few of the foods to take into consideration when planning for long-term food storage. Many people store food for storm emergencies as well as in case of economic distress such as unemployment, under employment and possible food shortages.

No serious prepper wants to store only the proverbial rice and beans, but don't discount the value of rice as a beginning point. Learn more about the different types of rice available. Also given are tips on the best way to store it and cook with it.

According to the USA Emergency Supply website, brown and white rice have a very different shelf life. Brown rice has essential fatty acids which make it good for you but shortens the shelf life to about 6 months in regular storage and to about 1-2 years when stored with oxygen absorbers. White rice has had these fatty acids removed which gives a longer shelf life of 8-10 years when stored with oxygen removed. Along with bulk rice selections below, I provide shorter term options for storage.

Many supermarkets and warehouse clubs like Sam's Club and Costco sell bulk white rice. For long-term storage, food-grade buckets that keep out heat and moisture are the best way to go which I explain in my emergency food storage supplies articles linked above. You can also buy bulk rice online at Amazon as well as emergency preparedness companies like Honeyville Grain and Emergency Essentials.

Rice can be cooked in a pot on the stove top or in a rice cooker like those linked below. Rice to water ratios vary depending on the type of rice you're using. One way to remember this is the 1-2-3 rule for white rice, that is 1 cup of rice to 2 cups of water equals 3 cups of rice.

Here is a basic recipe for long-grain white rice, but be sure to check the packaging of the rice you're using for the best results as some rice doesn't need as much water for cooking.

Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add white rice, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for 2 minutes. Uncover, fluff rice with a fork and serve immediately.

You can dress plain rice up by using meat or vegetable stock instead of water or adding herbs while cooking. In the summer, I often add fresh basil and lemon extract and it makes a delicious lemon basil rice that is great with fish.

Snapware makes excellent food storage containers. They make it easy to scoop out the rice. Rice dispensers make it even easier and some will dispense a cup of rice automatically. These containers aren't for long-term storage. You should plan on using the rice you store in them within a year.

Here are some videos about rice including one that details how to store it for long term as well as some rice recipes and how to make the perfect white and brown rice.