22.4 Store what you eat and eat what you store

The best emergency pantry is your normal pantry, made bigger. That way nothing expires and nobody has to get used to strange food in the middle of a crisis. The rotation rules (date with a marker, new items in back, check in March and November) are in chapter 2, section 2.16. Here, the practical side:

• First in, first out (FIFO). Set aside a shelf or box labeled "EAT THIS MONTH" for what expires soon.
• Buy double of what you already use: every time you open a can of beans, buy two.
• Keep a simple inventory on a sheet taped inside the closet: product, quantity, nearest date. Cross it off as you use it.
• Test your pantry: once a year, cook for a weekend using only it and with the power off (or pretending there is none). You will discover what is missing: can opener, salt, coffee, something sweet.