Are there potential food shortages coming? As grocery prices continue to fluctuate and new tariffs take effect (especially with China, Canada and Mexico), many are wondering how this will impact their family’s food budget and how to deal with food scarcity and supply issues. Check out these emergency preparedness food storage tips to help you with your emergency food supply and how to combat rising prices for grocery budgeting.
Are Potential Foods Shortages Coming?
While some foods—like fresh produce, meat, and dairy (and more, see below) — may see price increases, widespread shortages are currently unlikely.
However, it’s always a good idea to stay informed and plan ahead, especially if you’re already operating on a tight family budget for groceries.
This doesn’t mean panic-buying or hoarding, but rather making thoughtful choices to help you save money and have the food you need starting TODAY.
Stock up on non-perishable essentials, shop smarter with more savings or cutting out extras, and explore local alternatives like local farmers, local markets, and garden centers with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Being prepared can help ease the strain on your wallet while ensuring your family continues to have access to healthy, affordable meals, even if you have to stretch the budget to more frugal living due to job loss or changing economic situations.
ABOUT EMERGENCY PLANNING AND PREPARATION
This post is an ongoing series on emergency planning for family. I include posts like this because I believe they are important topics to cover with your kids and talk about in your family. Emergency situations happen regularly — from prolonged power outages to weather-related emergencies to economic emergencies and more.
What Foods and Goods Are Imported That May Affect Prices and Availability?
According to statistics, Canada and Mexico are both top suppliers of food and beverages to the United States. Add that in with imports from China, and you have a surprising amount of perishable and non-perishable items that the U.S. gets from just these three countries.
It’s good to keep an eye on current events so that you know how to adjust your emergency preparedness food storage.
Some of the biggest shortages, either due to high prices or high demands because of supply chain issues, could affect:
- Fresh red meat
- Poultry
- Diary products (cheese, milk, and butter)
- Processed meats (cured ham and smoked sausage)
- Seafood, especially shellfish
- Avocados (this one hurts personally)
- Nuts
- Gluten-free flour alternatives
- Grains
- *Canned legumes
- Beans
- Lentils
- Fresh fruits
- Fruit juices
- Fresh vegetables
- Maple syrup
- Raw sugar
- Cocoa
- Coffee
- Tea
- Canned soft drinks
- Spices
- Some vitamins
*All canned goods, including soft drinks, could be affected due to aluminum tariffs.
“Mexico is half of U.S. fresh fruit and vegetable imports,” said Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Budget Lab at Yale University. -MarketWatch
Why are these food shortages expected?
Fast Food Facts About Impending Shortages:
- More than half of the U.S. supply of red meat comes from Canada.
- Mexico is the #2 supplier of nuts to the U.S. (Vietnam is #1)
- 90% of avocados in the U.S. come from Mexico
- Almost all imported lettuce and tomatoes come from Mexico
- Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, and Canada are America’s largest suppliers of legumes.
- Mexico is the largest exporter of fruit to the U.S.
- 78% of U.S. vitamin imports are from China
- Both Mexico and Canada play large roles in supplying vegetables to the U.S.
- If there’s an aluminum tariff, it could cause price increases for all canned products.
How To Prepare For Food Shortages and Frugal Cooking with a Well Stocked Pantry During Scarcity: Easy Pantry Food Recipes For Emergencies Or Power Outage Cooking
Practical Steps to Prepare for Grocery Price Increases and Possible Shortages
1. Stock Up on Non-Perishable Essentials Now (As Much As You Can)
- Buy shelf-stable foods like rice, pasta, canned goods, beans, and dried fruits.
- Store extra cooking essentials like flour, sugar, and cooking oils.
- Switch to generic brands or buying in bulk to save money.
- Invest in a vacuum sealer like this and seal bags of beans, rice, and other dried foods to extend their shelf life by years.
2. Freeze Perishable Foods To Store For Later Use
- Buy meat, poultry, and seafood in bulk when you see it on sale right now and freeze in portion sizes.
- Freeze fresh fruits and vegetables to use later.
- Store butter, cheese, and even milk in the freezer in ziploc bags in freezer storage.
EMERGENCY PREPPING TIP: Store powdered milk to have in emergency situations.
3. Diversify Protein Sources
- Incorporate more proteins like lentils and beans, which you can buy and store in bulk and can be adequate substitutes for meat.
- Consider frozen or canned meats and canned seafood like tuna as purchases now to store in preparation for price increases.
4. Invest in Shelf-Stable Protein Sources and Foods
- Stock up on peanut butter (or even peanut butter powder like this), canned tuna, bulk canned chicken like this, and nuts now.
- Buy powdered or shelf-stable milk for cooking and emergencies.
- Ask trusted friends or family members if they want to go in and buy bulk to share the costs — whether it be bulk non-perishables or bulk meat from a local farm.
Check out how to start a Victory garden / survival garden!
5. Consider Growing Food… Either As an Outdoor Garden, Indoor Container Gardening, or Sourcing Food Locally
- Start a small vegetable or herb garden, even in containers on a balcony, window sill, or indoors.
- From a trusted local source, learn about wild food foraging.
- Research community gardens or food co-ops in your area to prepare (or join now!).
- Visit farmers’ markets in your area and get to know what local farmers offer.
- Look for community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs in your area for bulk produce.
If you’re new to gardening DIY projects and it seems intimidating, start with a fun theme container garden like this.
MORE FAMILY EMERGENCY PREPPING: Family Emergency Supplies We Swear By (What We Use During Emergencies)
Sources:
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- New York Times
- CNN
- MarketWatch
- Observatory of Economic Complexity
- BBC
- Trading Economics
- American Feed Association
- Bureau of Industry and Security
Being prepared with sustainable practices is important in today’s climate!
Whether you’re planning a homestead survival list or just getting into disaster preparedness for your family, I hope you use this list of potential food shortages for your family emergency prepping and planning!
STARTING HOME SCHOOL? CHECK OUT OUR HOW TO HOMESCHOOL GUIDE
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