How to Survive During the Food-Stamp Shutdown: What to Stock and What to Cook

If the government’s still shut down and SNAP benefits are frozen, you’ve got to switch gears fast and work with what you can store, stretch, and cook from scratch. You don’t need fancy ingredients—you need the right ones. Here’s what to grab now and how each one can keep you going.

Flour

Flour is the backbone of survival cooking.
You can turn it into:

Breads, pancakes, waffles, biscuits, tortillas, crackers, cookies, pastries, muffins, dumplings, and pie crusts.
A few pounds of flour, water, oil, and salt can keep your family fed for weeks if you know how to mix and fry.

Beans

Dry or canned, beans are gold.
They make:

Burritos, tacos, bean-and-rice bowls, beans and cornbread, bean dips, hummus, quesadillas, veggie burgers, or even bean soups.
Add a little seasoning and oil, and you’ve got protein that sticks to your ribs.

Rice

Rice stretches every meal and fills every belly.
Use it for:

Sushi, casseroles, breakfast rice with milk and sugar, grain bowls, fried rice, or mixed with beans.
You can flavor it hundreds of ways with bouillon, herbs, or canned broth.

Powdered Milk

A must-have when fresh milk is off the shelves.
You can:

Mix it for babies in emergencies (only if nothing else is available),
Use it in recipes, sauces, or baking,
Stir it into hot cereals and coffee,
Whip it into mashed potatoes or pancake batter.

Oatmeal & Grains

Hot cereals keep you going and cost next to nothing.
They can become:

Breakfast oats, granola, oat bars, oat pancakes, oat flour for baking, or even savory oat casseroles.
Don’t toss those old-fashioned oats—they’re pure survival food.

Sugar

It’s not just for sweet tooths—it’s for sanity.
You’ll need it for:

Baking, coffee, tea, syrups, jams, sauces, and quick energy boosts.
Even a spoonful stirred into oatmeal can make rough mornings bearable.

Frozen Fruits

If power holds out, frozen fruit keeps nutrition and flavor in your diet.
Use them for:

Smoothies, smoothie bowls, baking, fruit spreads, cobblers, and snacks.
They thaw fast and turn into jams with nothing but a little sugar and heat.

Spices & Herbs

Seasoning makes survival taste like a meal again.
Stock salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, basil, thyme, rosemary, cinnamon, and whatever else you can.
You can make plain rice or beans taste different every day just by changing the seasonings.

Other Smart Add-Ons

Cooking oil or shortening: Keeps food from sticking and adds calories you’ll need.
Yeast or baking powder: So you can make bread rise.
Vinegar: Cleans, preserves, and adds flavor.
Canned tomatoes & tomato paste: Build soups, sauces, stews, or pasta meals.
Canned meat or fish: Tuna, chicken, or Spam make quick protein.
Salt: Never skip it—good for flavor, food storage, and electrolyte balance.
Water: Stock extra. You’ll need it for drinking, cooking, and washing.

Stretch Every Bit

Mix ingredients smart:

Rice + Beans + Spices = endless meal combos.
Flour + Oil + Water = flatbreads or crackers.
Oats + Sugar + Milk = breakfast or dessert.
Canned goods + grains = stews and casseroles.

You can survive longer than you think if you know how to work with basics and flavor them right.

Bottom Line

You don’t need to panic—just prepare.
If you stock flour, beans, rice, powdered milk, oats, sugar, frozen fruit, and a solid rack of spices, you can make hundreds of meals without setting foot in a grocery store.
This isn’t gourmet living—it’s staying alive and keeping your family fed when the system fails.