Top 10 Non Perishable Food Items to Stock Up on NOW for Thanksgiving To Save Your Budget
Last Updated on January 20, 2024 by Allison Lancaster
Having budget concerns this year? Here’s 10 non perishable food items to stock up on NOW for your Thanksgiving dinner and save time and money.
If you are like many of us, your budget is getting a bit tighter this year. Supply chain shortages, along with rising food prices have made grocery budgets and food insecurity go off the charts. But, there IS a way to ensure your family will have the Thanksgiving holiday meal you always had.
How do you do that without breaking the bank? By stocking up NOW on these 10 non-perishable foods for Thanksgiving. And the bonus, is you can get them as they go on sale NOW, and have extra on hand to share with your local food bank, or local families in need. They are nice additions to any annual Thanksgiving food drive as well. It’s a great way to help give to others and be thankful for what you have.
Storing non perishable food items isn’t hard. If you are planning on using them up in 4-6 weeks, you can keep them in your pantry in the containers you purchased them in. If you want a long shelf life for them, you may want to consider storing them in glass containers, mylar bags, or food grade buckets for longer term storage.
Let’s get into some non perishable food items for Thanksgiving you can purchase at your local grocery stores now for the upcoming holidays.
What are non perishable food items?
They are food items that are processed at the factory that will not spoil very quickly. Many of these items can be stored long term, if you desire. While fresh produce is always best, in my opinion, having some non perishable food items can ease that stress of the holidays as you can purchase them ahead of time without worrying if they will last.
Our Top 10 Non Perishable Food Items
Instant Mashed Potatoes-great to have on hand for other times of year as well, having these can make your side dishes shine. Simply add some garlic, or rosemary and use chicken stock instead of water for added flavor. Of course, some may consider instant potatoes at Thanksgiving the worst thing ever, so if that’s you, you can wait and get the fresh potatoes. Keep in mind that potatoes will also last in a cool, dark pantry for up to 4 weeks.
Green Beans- is there another more classic side dish at a Thanksgiving dinner than green bean casserole? Grab a few extra cans when they go on sale, along with some cream of mushroom soup, and fried onions to make sure you are ready to make several of these casseroles.
Cranberry Sauce unless you are the one who likes to make your cranberry sauce from scratch, grab a few of these cans NOW to be sure to have it on Thanksgiving day. As a bonus, you can use extra cranberry sauce for cranberry oat bars, or a cranberry grilled cheese after the holiday.
Pie Crust- While this may not be completely non-perishable, they can last a long time if you store them in the freezer. Simply grab a few on sale, store in the freezer and thaw a day or two before you are ready to do your pie baking. While you are at it, you will want to grab some canned pie filling such as apple, cherry, or pumpkin pie mix (aka pumpkin pie filling) to make baking day a breeze.
Canned Sweet Potatoes- Sweet potato casserole is a must at our Thanksgiving table. Grab 1 can per person when you see them on sale. You can have extra for side dishes, or even for Christmas. Don’t forget to grab some brown sugar, and marshmallows too.
Dry Macaroni- skip making macaroni and cheese out of the box for the holiday! Grab a few boxes of dry macaroni and you are ready to make the perfect mac and cheese for your guests. Don’t forget to grab some canned evaporated milk while you are at it. Both will store for up to a year in the original containers too.
Instant Coffee- after a long couple of days prepping and cooking, do you really want to mess with making coffee? Instant coffee will be a perfect substitute for regular coffee for serving with dessert. As a bonus, instant freeze dried coffee will store for up to a year in the fridge, after it’s opened. So maybe grab 2 containers and never run out of coffee again?
Canned Sweet Corn– This is the ultimate side dish to make that traditional Thanksgiving meal, sweet corn. Add a bit of black pepper and salt, and you have deliciousness ready for a spoon. Just like canned green beans, they will store up to a year in the can. You can also give extra away if you’d like.
Cornbread Mix- This is a perfectly acceptable substitute for homemade cornbread. Add a few boxes of this to your pantry for the holidays and you’ll be ready for cornbread stuffing, corn muffins and more for any holiday meal. In the original container, this will store in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. You can also take it out of the cardboard, store in a ziplock bag in the back of your fridge for up to a year.
Stuffing- grab a couple extra boxes of stuffing mix for the holiday and beyond. Most Thanksgiving feast dinners won’t be the same without it. Don’t forget to grab a few cans of chicken stock to make it, too.
These non-perishable foods list is not all that you will need for the ultimate Thanksgiving holiday, for sure, but they are sure to be some of the top 10 to make any feast a memorable one. Which items would you add?
Need some delicious recipes for the holidays? Check these out:
