My great-grandmother was a force of nature.
She was born before women could vote, and she raised her babies during the Great Depression. But she didn’t just survive it… she thrived in a way that’s hard to explain unless you’ve witnessed that kind of power up close. She was strong, but soft. Fierce, but fair. A woman with her hands in the soil and her heart in the future.
She was a suffragette. A homemaker. A garden witch.
And she taught my grandmother – who was born in 1930, right in the heart of the Depression – how to weather hard times with grace, grit, and homemade biscuits.
So I asked my mama, “What lessons would she teach us now?” Her first answer was “Work on your pantry.”
Everything I’m doing now to prepare for uncertainty comes from my lineage of wild, strong, witchy women. Not fear. Not scarcity. Just deep, rooted knowing.
I’m not prepping like a doomsday bro.
I’m preparing like a woman who believes in her own resilience.
And it starts with food. Because if you can’t eat, you can’t think. And if you can’t think, you can’t build anything better.
This is part one of my Rooted & Ready series.
We’re starting in the pantry… where the magic (and the meals) begin.
Start Where You Are, With What You Actually Eat
Before you fill your shelves with buckets of beans and a year’s worth of oats – pause.
Let’s get practical.
Every family is different.
What works for me might not work for you.
What feels nourishing to one person might feel stressful to another.
And none of us are well-fed if we’re overwhelmed, burnt out, and staring at a pantry full of food we don’t know how to cook.
So start with what you eat right now.
What meals show up on your table week after week?
What foods do your people love?
That’s your base.
Build It in Layers
You don’t have to stock three months overnight. Here’s a more sustainable rhythm:
- Step 1: Build two weeks of meals you’re familiar with
- Step 2: Expand to one month, using ingredients that stretch and overlap
- Step 3: Move to two months, adding more variety + backstock of essentials
- Step 4: Reach for three months, with bulk items, flavor builders, and backups
It’s not about panic. It’s about pace.
Why Three Months?
Three months is a powerful threshold.
It’s long enough to ride out a supply chain disruption, a job loss, or a steep rise in grocery prices.
It’s long enough to catch your breath.
It’s long enough to start growing your own food – even if it’s just in containers on a porch or tucked between flowers in the front yard.
You can grow greens, herbs, radishes, and even potatoes in that time.
You can learn to bake a loaf of bread, stretch leftovers, or make your own broth.
Three months gives you space to pivot, not panic.
And more than anything?
Not worrying about food is a next-level kind of peace.
It’s a calm that money can’t really buy…. because it’s not about what you have, it’s about what you know.
You know you’re fed.
You know you’re ready.
And that kind of knowing changes everything.
Balance Scratch + Ease
If you’re used to convenience foods, going straight to scratch cooking will wreck your nervous system and your schedule. You need a bridge.
Stock:
- Jarred sauces for quick pasta nights
- Instant mashed potatoes for backup meals
- Soup mixes or canned chili for easy days
- Frozen bread dough or biscuit mix if you’re not ready to bake from scratch
Because yes, scratch cooking is powerful.
But so is survival.
So is mental health.
So is being able to throw dinner together in ten minutes on a hard day and still feel okay about it.
This is not about perfection.
This is about preparing with grace.
The Core Pantry Essentials (And Why They Matter)
Start with the basics that create meals, not just ingredients.
(And don’t worry, there is a printable version of this list at the bottom of the post)
We’re looking for foods that are:
- Shelf-stable
- Budget-friendly
- Easy to cook
- Comforting
- And most importantly… familiar
Here’s what I consider essential:
Dry Goods
- Rice + beans – Because they’re filling, versatile, and last forever
- Flour, cornmeal, oats – For baking, breading, and breakfast
- Pasta – Quick, comforting, kid-approved
- Sugar + salt – For seasoning, preserving, and baking
- Yeast, baking powder, baking soda – Small but mighty for scratch cooking
Canned + Jarred
- Tomatoes (sauce, diced, paste) – Foundation for dozens of meals
- Vegetables – Corn, green beans, peas, potatoes—whatever you’ll actually eat
- Canned fruit – In juice or water, for comfort and energy
- Canned meats – Chicken, tuna, salmon, or spam if you’re brave
- Beans – Great backup when there’s no time to soak dry ones
- Soup + chili – These save you when you’re tired and out of ideas
Flavor Builders
- Spices – Garlic, onion, chili, cumin, cinnamon, etc.
- Broth/bouillon – Turns hot water into real food
- Vinegar + oil – For cooking, preserving, dressing, and cleaning
- Honey or syrup – Shelf-stable sweeteners that do double duty
Shelf-Stable Extras
- Powdered milk or boxed milk – For baking, coffee, and peace of mind
- Peanut butter – Protein + comfort in one jar
- Crackers, granola bars, instant oatmeal – Snacks that store well
- Jarred pasta sauce or curry – Quick meals, no brainpower required
Don’t Forget These…
These might not feel essential now, but you’ll be so glad you have them later:
- Coffee + tea – Yes, they count. This is survival with dignity.
- Spices + sweeteners – They keep your food from tasting like sadness
- Parchment paper, foil, zip bags, can opener – Tiny things that make big difference
- Comfort foods – One box of brownie mix or instant mac can be a lifeline on a rough day
- Medicinal teas + herbs – Chamomile, peppermint, elderberry, and mullein are staples in mine
This isn’t just about calories.
It’s about comfort. Energy. Familiarity.
And trust me… when the world feels hard, the little things are everything.
One More Thing: Prep with Enough to Share
If you’re in a position to do so, build a little margin – not just for yourself, but for others.
A few extra jars of soup mix.
An extra bag of beans.
An extra box of tea.
Because when the world gets heavy, a well-stocked pantry becomes a gift you can give.
Whether it’s a neighbor going through a hard time, a friend who’s struggling, or someone who just needs a little comfort, being able to quietly show up with food is sacred.
This is how communities hold each other.
This is how we rebuild.
One pot of soup at a time.
To make it easier for you to be prepared, I made a printable version of this list for you. Just click on it to enlarge, then save it to your device.
Thank you so much.
Good idea. My mom taught me to do this to some extent as she lived through the depression. So in some ways, I’ve got it covered but saw a couple areas where you had good ideas.
Thank you! Hopefully it won’t get to us needing all this but best to be prepared.
Take care!
Thank you. I just moved and I have a lot of groceries that previously lived in a pantry. In this home I have storage that is more visible. I can see what I have, and can better stay on top of what needs to be used first. I am going to be able to move forward and focus on what we actually eat, rather than just preserving what is available at the moment at the farmers market. (I grew plenty of collards over 2 seasons so that is at the bottom of the list this year). I started canning water in empty jars last year so that is high on the priority list to replace my depleted supply.
Hi, Gina, this is a lovely list…but it is not diabetic-friendly. As an unmedicated (due to rx allergies) diabetic, most of the dry goods are off my list. I’m putting my mind to it – choosing which “poison” is the better one in the long haul. Flour and beans would be that. Maybe cornmeal. This is going to be an interesting exercise for me! And yes, all the grace we can muster. Thank you <3
If you create a diabetic-friendly one, I’d love to share it! I’m not sure what the needs would be, but I’m sure it would help a lot of folks!
Thank you for this. The printable list and guidance are great. And just reading this post nourished my soul and put a little peace back in my heart. Feeling the world change, and change so rapidly, is scary. ❤️ from
Thank you so appreciate this. Is there any way you can email me the list so it’s easier for me to print?
if you sign up for the newsletter, I’m going to send it out tomorrow 🙂 https://theartofmakinglifemagical.com/
Thank you very much. I appreciate you, your posts and your supporting spirit that always glows. Looking forward to more…
Thank you for your gift of grace and tenderness in a tumultuous time. I look forward to your instagram posts daily. You have introduced a calm space that has educated and guided those of us trying to know better to do better. I appreciate your vulnerability, honestly and bravery! Wishing you continued magic along your journey
Thank you so much for this Gina. I look forward to your posts on IG. You are a balm to my witchy soul. I love the print option too, so thank you for doing that.
Thank you SO MUCH for this. Your posts, words and this message is so nourishing and calming. I was planning on googling “how to prep for a Depression” when your IG post popped up! Thank you for all you are doing.
Thank you so much for this post. I was just talking to my husband today about stocking up. This gives us an accessible, less overwhelming place to start.
As someone with Celiac Disease, I learned the hard way during the beginning of the Covid pandemic, when I couldn’t find basics like gluten free flour or any gluten free mixes. I’m definitely more prepared now, and we are readying the garden for planting. Your list is extremely helpful. Thank you for all the work you’ve put into helping us prepare for an uncertain future.
Thank you!!
Thanks for BEING comfort to us all!!! Great elder wisdom coming through!
Thanks Gina! I love the keep calm and carry on mentality.
Thank you Gina!
Thank you for your newsletter. I am grateful for your warm, supportive, and caring words. I look forward to future posts.
Thank you for Rooted and urging Nick Saban to run for Governor. Since he has a house here in Florida, I might have to arm wrestle you for him to run to replace DeSatan.
Thank you, Gina! It’s people like you who are making this bearable one day at a time! We’re all here for each other.
This is exactly what I needed. Thank you for sharing some light❤️
I am new to this space. No one else in my family is as freaked out about what is going on as I am. I don’t wish to become a doomsday bro, but this guide is helpful and more mindful.
I was wondering about the “how”. Are you placing these items separately from your every-day items. In a separate part of your home? Are we meant to store these things in a vacuum sealed container?
Thanks!!!
Thank you Gina. I never liked to word “prepper” as it seems selfish. I really enjoy the slow pace and ease of this system.
I just want to thank you for this. We were, and in some ways still are, struggling when you posted it. I felt a little discouraged at first, but I did go ahead and start stocking up in small ways. For example, I found Knorr pasta and rice mixes on sale for 99 cents, and even brand-name canned whole potatoes, which my grandmother used to roast with onions, pepper, and butter. She always said the sliced ones were not the same, too “tinny,” ha.
I added things here and there, and while I considered nutrition, I also thought about comfort and what could be stored if power was lost. I was stunned to see that our local Dollar Tree carried boxed milk, the same kind I used to get in France, so I picked up a few. Even though we do not drink milk, I knew it could stand in for half-and-half or be used for baking. At first it felt disheartening because it did not seem like much, but over the months my pantry grew. Then, when people lost SNAP benefits, which we make too much to qualify for, I realized I had a lot to share during those weeks when people were panicking. It felt incredibly good to stock our neighborhood church’s Little Free Pantry regularly with items I already had and had enough of to share.
I also felt so grateful that even in our struggles, we can buy food. Maybe not all the pasture-raised and organic items I took for granted a few years ago, but we have more than enough to eat.
I hesitate to say we are “blessed” because it can imply that others are not, but I do feel we have received many blessings, and being able to share them feels deeply meaningful.
So thank you for what you helped start here. When I received your most recent email about this post, I was reminded just how much it helped me help others last fall.