Rice Is the King of Long-Term Food Storage If I could only stockpile one food for long term storage, it’d be white rice. No question about it. And I say that not because I’m some rice evangelist — I say it because the math is overwhelmingly in favor of long term storage. White rice stored properly lasts 25-30 years. It’s about 1,600 calories per pound. It costs roughly $0.80 per pound in bulk. It pairs with literally anything and it’s almost a staple fo