Copy canning is the practice of picking up an extra can or package of whatever you are already buying with your weekly grocery trip. It’s a great way to start a food storage program, especially if you are new to prepping.
While home canning, dehydrating, and freeze drying are all great ways to preserve food for future use, the grocery store is also a great resource for storage foods. While you’re shopping, pay special attention to weekly sales on shelf stable foods you already eat. Canned goods, dry goods, and the like can be a great way to quickly build up supplies.
Pay special attention to foods that need little or no extra ingredients or water to prepare. As an example, heat and serve soups would be preferable to condensed soups that require equal amounts of water to be enjoyable. Another example would be the canned rice I mentioned in this post, as it requires only 1/2 cup of water as opposed to the amount of water needed to cook plain rice.
Dry beans are generally cheap, and most preppers have a good supply of them for emergency food. These beans need to be either soaked in a large quantity of water prior to cooking, or will require extended cooking times. Canned beans however, are cooked and can be added to dishes right away, or eaten as is from the can if you have the stomach for it.
Canned beans, rice, and meats are great ways to stock up, but you still have to prepare meals as these are only ingredients. There are a number of complete meals canned up and ready to go straight to the mess kit. Hearty soups, stews, and the famous Stagg Chili are great options when you need to be hiding out in the fallout bunker. If you have kids, they may enjoy Chef Boyardee and his varieties of pasta meals.
Very often, grocery stores will limit the number of sale items a customer can buy per visit. Get the limit, then have your spouse get the limit, then go back and do it all again. I know, it sounds unfair, but so is life. Will you feel good about being fair when your kids have nothing left to eat? I doubt it. Also, if stores are out of a particular sale item, don’t be afraid to ask for a rain check for the maximum they will allow. Keep them with you when you go shopping and keep an eye out for restocked shelves in the weeks to come.