As per the title, western press is starting to doom post about mass shortages of food and fuel in the coming months if the Epstein Coalition doesn’t back down against Iran.
What if anything should we start stockpiling in anticipation of future shortages?
Everyone has mentioned beans and rice but I will add a few other things.
Water. While this current crisis may not threaten the water supply, having a safe water source is very important for an emergency kit. A flat of bottled water is sufficient for the 72-hour kit that many governments promote having. In case of disasters with enough warning for preparation time, having water storage methods is also good. For longer-term periods, a way to purify water is important (but much more expensive).
Food storage. Your stored rice will not help you if it is eaten by mice or if it becomes a breeding ground for moths. Large food-safe plastic bins are good for things you have in large volumes like rice and flour. For things you will have in smaller quantities, I recommend mason jars of varying sizes. In general, these will help your food last longer and they also are much easier to dig through in a cupboard than a bunch of half-used plastic and paper sleeves of stuff. You can write on the jars with a permanent marker (label what is in it, and when it was purchased) and wash it off later with alcohol.
Diversify. Just rice and beans will get old quickly. Also stock up on oats, vital wheat gluten, peanut butter, etc, and things that can add flavour. Canned tomato products, spices, salt. And most importantly, learn to cook recipes that you enjoy with these ingredients, preferably ones that require minimal tools to make. Instead of thinking of it as “hoarding” for a disaster, think of it as having a well-stocked pantry.