55 Meals You Can Cook With Your Emergency Food

 

Estimated reading time: 23 minutes

Oftentimes, when people come to the realization that civilization is going to collapse in their lifetime, they panic. Some people do nothing, like deer in the headlights. Other people do too much, like running to the store and filling their carts with all sorts of foods.

That's why I did back in 2009. I was convinced that the economy was going to collapse and that we were going to live through the second Great Depression. (We still are—I was just off by a couple decades.) So I went to the store and bought all the standard stuff: beans, rice, flour, oats, pasta, sugar, etc.

Unfortunately, I had no idea what to do with it. I didn't know how to store it properly, and even if I had known, I didn't know how to cook with it. Like many modern Americans, most of my meals came from canned or boxed foods that you simply open, heat, and eat. To me, cooking from scratch was something people only did on Little House On The Prairie.

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If you're new to cooking from scratch, don't worry. It's not as hard as it sounds. As long as you can follow a recipe, you'll be fine. In this article, I'm going to list a bunch of recipes that you can make using survival foods like beans, rice, flour, and so forth. Ideally, you'll want to either print the recipes or buy a cookbook that relies on shelf-stable ingredients.

If you aren’t someone who does a lot of cooking from scratch, it would be wise to practice now while you can still order a pizza if you mess up the recipe.

Some people complain that they're too busy to cook from scratch. I understand that. We live in a fast-paced world, and everyone is busy nowadays. You don't have to cook from scratch every single day, but if you're determined, you can find time to make at least one from-scratch recipe per week. It's not a lot, but once you're forced to use your emergency food, you'll know what to do.

Before we get to the recipes, let’s talk substitutions. It may change the taste and overall appearance of a recipe, but you can make it work. This is why you’ll want to have plenty of spices and seasonings in your pantry to help make up for missing fresh ingredients.

• Eggs can be substituted with applesauce, powdered eggs, or a combination of 1 teaspoon of baking soda mixed with 1 tablespoon of vinegar. Another great substitute is 3 tablespoons of aquafaba, which you'll probably have a lot of since it's the liquid in canned beans.
• Milk can be omitted and replaced with almond milk, evaporated milk, or canned coconut milk. In some cases, depending on the recipe, you can use water.
• Butter is easy to omit. Use applesauce, ghee, olive or vegetable oil, or shortening.

For more ideas, I recommend getting a copy of The Food Substitutions Bible. Now on to the recipes…

7-Can Soup

This ultra-easy, hearty soup combines seven canned ingredients for a comforting, flavorful meal with minimal prep and maximum convenience.

12-Bean Soup

A hearty and nutritious soup made with a mix of dried beans, perfect for long-term food storage and a warm, filling meal.

Amish Black Beans

A rich, slow-baked dish made with tender beans, molasses, and savory seasonings for a classic, comforting side.

Applesauce Waffles

Crisp on the outside and fluffy inside, these waffles use applesauce for natural sweetness and a hint of warm flavor.

Baked Oatmeal

A warm, hearty, and shelf-stable breakfast made with oats, milk, and spices for a nutritious and filling start to the day.

Baked Pinole

A traditional, nutrient-dense mix of toasted cornmeal, cinnamon, and sweeteners, perfect for energy-boosting snacks or survival food.

Bean and Rice Burritos

You can use canned cheese in place of the shredded cheese, or skip the cheese altogether.

Black Bean Soup

A bold and flavorful soup made with black beans, spices, and zesty ingredients for a hearty, protein-packed meal.

Black Beans and Rice

A simple, budget-friendly meal packed with protein and flavor, perfect for stretching ingredients while staying nutritious.

Blackberry Pie

A delicious, homemade pie using shelf-stable ingredients and preserved blackberries for a sweet, comforting dessert anytime. Another freeze-dried fruit could also work in this recipe.

Canned Crab Cakes

Can be made without mayo and egg. Use one of the egg substitutes, like the bean juice option.

Chicken and Bean Stew

A hearty, flavor-packed stew with tender chicken, beans, and rich spices, perfect for an easy, comforting meal.

Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe will require some quick subs, use chicken brother, canned veggies and canned chicken. The dumplings can be made with flour and water or use a milk substitute.

Chicken Noodle Casserole

A creamy, comforting casserole with tender chicken, egg noodles, and a crispy topping for a quick and satisfying meal.

Chicken Pozole

A rich and hearty Mexican stew made with tender chicken, hominy, and flavorful spices, perfect for a warm and comforting meal. Just use canned chicken instead of fresh. 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

A quick and easy soup made with six pantry staples, delivering bold Mexican flavors with minimal effort.

Chickpea Curry with Rice

A hearty, flavor-packed vegetarian dish featuring tender chickpeas simmered in a rich, spiced curry sauce, served over rice.

Chickpea Meatballs

Savory, protein-packed meatballs made from chickpeas and flavorful seasonings, perfect for a meatless meal or a tasty appetizer.

Chow Mein Casserole 

A budget-friendly, shelf-stable casserole combining crispy chow mein noodles, savory sauce, and pantry staples for a quick, hearty meal.

Cornbread

A simple, shelf-stable cornbread recipe made with pantry staples for a warm, fluffy, and slightly sweet side dish.

Cornflake Tamale Pie

A unique twist on classic tamale pie, featuring a flavorful meat filling topped with a crunchy, golden cornflake crust.

Creamy Vegetable Soup

This is a basic recipe you can dress up or down any which way you want. If you really want to make it easy, open a can of cream of chicken and mix in some canned veggies and a little water if necessary.

Eggless Cake

This could be dressed up with whatever dried fruit you have in the pantry.

Enchilada Pie

A hearty, layered dish combining tortillas, savory enchilada filling, and melted cheese for an easy, pantry-friendly meal.

Four Bean Chili

A hearty, protein-packed chili made with a mix of beans, tomatoes, and spices for a flavorful and satisfying meal.

Fried Bread

Use it as bread, stuff it, or eat it plain.

Hawaiian Sesame Chicken

A sweet and savory dish featuring tender chicken coated in a flavorful sesame glaze with a tropical Hawaiian twist.

Oatmeal Bread

A hearty, nutritious bread made with pantry staples, perfect for preppers looking for a soft, slightly sweet homemade loaf.

Oatmeal Energy Snacks

There are many variations of this recipe you can use depending on what’s in your storage.

One-pan Taco Pasta

Can be made with canned meat of your choice or no meat at all.

One Pot Beans and Rice with Corn and Salsa

A flavorful, budget-friendly meal featuring hearty beans, rice, and a zesty corn salsa, all made in one pot for easy cleanup.

One Pot Spaghetti

You can skip the fresh veggies and used canned tomatoes.

Pantry Jambalaya

A spicy, flavorful one-pot meal made with shelf-stable ingredients, perfect for an easy and hearty dinner.

Pantry Pasta

A quick and delicious pasta dish made with simple pantry staples, perfect for an easy, last-minute meal.

Pantry Pasta with Romesco Sauce

A rich and flavorful pasta dish featuring a smoky, nutty Romesco sauce made from pantry staples for a quick, gourmet meal.

Pea Soup

A hearty and comforting soup made with shelf-stable ingredients, perfect for an easy, nutritious meal from your food storage.

Pinto Bean Dip

You can eat this with fresh tortillas for a quick meal. 

Pizza Dough

Make a pizza with whatever ingredients you have on hand—you don’t always need cheese. Barbecue sauce with canned chicken is an option. 

Pumpkin Soup

A creamy, comforting soup made with canned pumpkin and warm spices for a quick and delicious fall-inspired meal.

Red Beans and Rice

A classic, flavorful dish featuring tender red beans, smoky seasoning, and rice for a hearty, budget-friendly meal.

Salmon Loaf

A simple, protein-packed dish made with canned salmon, breadcrumbs, and seasonings for a budget-friendly and delicious meal.

Salmon Patties

Crispy on the outside and tender inside, these easy salmon patties are a delicious, budget-friendly way to enjoy canned salmon.

Sausage and Lentil Soup

Canned sausage is the trick here. You can substitute for another canned meat if you would like. 

Spam Fried Rice

A quick and savory stir-fry combining crispy SPAM, fluffy rice, and veggies for a budget-friendly, flavorful meal.

Spam Hash

A hearty and crispy skillet dish featuring diced SPAM, potatoes, and seasonings for a simple, comforting meal.

Spanish Rice

A flavorful, tomato-infused rice dish cooked with onions and spices, perfect as a side or a base for hearty meals.

Spinach Tortellini Soup

Use canned spinach and dried tortellini.

Taco Beef Soup

A simple, flavorful soup made with pantry staples like beans, corn, and taco seasoning for an easy, hearty meal.

Taco Soup

Omit the ground beef and use canned chicken. 

Tomato Sauce

This can be used for pizza, spaghetti or in any of your other recipes. 

Tortillas

This is a quick and easy tortilla recipe you can use.

Tuna Casserole

A classic, creamy casserole with tender noodles, flaky tuna, and a crispy topping for a comforting, budget-friendly meal. The shredded cheese is optional.

Tuna Pasta Salad

A versatile, budget-friendly dish packed with fresh veggies, pasta, and a flavorful dressing for a quick meal or side dish. Just skip the fresh tomatoes.

Tuxedo Soup

A hearty and creamy black-and-white bean soup made with simple pantry staples for a delicious, budget-friendly meal.

Vegetable Soup

A quick and easy soup made with just three canned ingredients, perfect for a warm, nutritious meal in minutes.

These are just a sampling of the many meals you can throw together using very basic ingredients. It’s all about getting creative. You can make a five-bean soup or twelve. It’s up to you and what your family will enjoy. You want to aim for protein-rich meals as much as you can.

Having protein powder on your shelf can help beef up some of your recipes, especially desserts, while packing in nutrition without taking a lot of room in your pantry. Experiment now and be ready for anything.

While you are experimenting with recipes, you’ll want to learn some alternative methods to cook these meals. If you’re living out of your emergency food stores, there’s a good chance you’re doing it without power. One benefit to using canned meats and food is the fact they really just need heating. This will save you time as well as energy expended to cook.

Here are some ideas about ways you can cook without power.

• Solar ovens are great for cooking in the summer. You can make one with a cardboard box and some aluminum foil. If you have a pane of glass, you can watch the process without opening your box and letting out the heat. This method will cook breads, casseroles and heat up soups and stews. It’s not going to do much for cooking rice or beans.
• A fire is probably the most used method. Have a tripod with some cast iron pots and pans ready to use. This allows you to cook like you would on your kitchen stove. A pot of beans over a fire is good old-fashioned cowboy style.
• A camp stove is another easy option. Because of the fuel needed, this is great for heating and frying, but it would be wasteful to use it to try and cook beans that require long cook times.
• A Dutch oven is an absolute must-have. It can be used to bake biscuits and breads as well as cooking beans, meats and whatever else.
• If you have a woodstove for heating, you can heat up canned food on top of it. You can use cast-iron pans or be careful and keep a close eye on your typical kitchen pots and pans.

You’ll also want to be prepared to cook and bake without the handy appliances you have in the kitchen right now. The following are some tools you might find in your grandmother’s kitchen. You’ll want them in your kitchen—just in case.

• A hand mixer. This is the little beaters you hand crank to mix up soft ingredients.
• A manual can opener. Spend the extra money and buy at least one good one and a few backups.
• Percolator coffee pots are going to be a huge asset.
• Manual grain grinder for grinding up wheat.
• An egg timer will come in handy as well.
• Mortar and pestle will be nice to have when you want to grind up crackers for a bread crumb topping or herbs you might find fresh in the wild.
• A hand-cranked blender is probably not absolutely necessary, but it might be nice to have for smoothies or some of the soups you make from your canned ingredients.

As always, practice now. Don’t wait to learn how to cook without power after the grid has already gone down. You're liable to mess up, and you can’t afford to waste food because it didn’t cook thoroughly or got burnt. And of course, always have a backup method in case your first method fails.

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