One of the great things about the Amish is that their way of life is simple and reliable. They focus on what they need daily and avoid keeping extra homesteading items the Amish never stockpile.
They’ve literally spent centuries mastering the art of living a simple life from what the land gives them. This goes beyond a secretly impressive skill set to include strategies for stocking supplies to help them weather just about any situation.
While getting stuck behind one of their horse-drawn carts can be frustrating on the highway, you shouldn’t let that trick you into thinking they’re unwise. You can learn a lot from them by interpreting what they keep stored and what they don’t.
Commercially Canned, Packaged, and Processed Foods 
The Amish never store canned, pre-packaged, or processed foods from stores. Yet this goes beyond them merely shunning modern technology and convenience. Processed foods and even canned meals have much lower nutrient value than the scratch cooking the Amish live by.
If you tried to live completely off canned and pre-processed foods, you’d gradually start to develop vitamin and mineral deficiencies that would impact your health. To prevent this, you’d need to include a daily multivitamin.
Canned and processed foods also tend to have insanely high sodium levels. Living off them would increase your risk of high blood pressure, kidney damage, and heart disease.
The Homesteading Alternative
Rather than storing processed foods, the Amish prefer to cook from scratch using fresh, homegrown vegetables, meats, and whole-food ingredients. That’s not to say they don’t stock food for storage. The Amish preserve their fruits, vegetables, and other foods through canning, drying/dehydrating, and an artisanal style of fermenting.
Natural fermentation, in particular, is worth learning from them. Not only does it preserve much of the original nutrient value of the food, but it also gives it probiotic qualities that improve gut health and boost the immune system.
I was curious to see what foods the Amish preserve and if the recipes are any different from the ones my grandma taught me, so I managed to grab a copy of the Amish Ways book. What I discovered was fascinating—these time-honored methods are still thriving, preserving not just food but also the knowledge of our ancestors.
These traditional preservation techniques are vital, especially when electricity isn’t an option. Many of the foods prepared this way have been forgotten with the convenience of modern technology, but they remain a cornerstone of Amish life. In the next crisis, when most of us might face a world without power, these methods and recipes will become invaluable.
So, instead of relying on expensive, unhealthy, and nutrient-deprived survival foods, wouldn’t you be better off building a blackout-proof food stockpile inspired by what our great-grandparents kept in their pantries?
Why The Amish Never Stockpile Chemical Cleaning Supplies 
Even if they were cheap and easily available, the Amish wouldn’t stockpile commercial cleaning products. This isn’t just about avoiding modernity but also about avoiding chemicals in their clean lifestyles.
Chemical residue can do more than just smell bad for a few minutes after cleaning. Some leave traces that transfer to food or affect respiratory health.
The Homesteading Alternative
Instead of commercial cleaning products, the Amish use natural options like vinegar and biodegradable homemade soaps.
They also use baking soda to clean grime and deodorize areas. Baking soda mixed with vinegar or water creates a paste that cleans effectively. Scientifically, the microscopic nucleation sites on baking soda granules trap bacteria and unwanted organic compounds, cleaning and deodorizing as well as many chemical-based products.
Why The Amish Never Stockpile Electronics and Digital Technology
The Amish abstain from electronics and don’t store digital technology or the batteries they run on. This goes beyond rejecting modernity and stems from their deeply rooted philosophy of “Gemeinschaft,” which values interpersonal relationships, community strength, and mutual support.
One could argue modern technology overemphasizes individualism, weakening community bonds.
The Homesteading Alternative
The Gemeinschaft philosophy reinforces the Amish community support network. If someone has a problem, neighbors are quick to help. They don’t need to make emergency calls because they’re never alone during a crisis.
Amish communities avoid distractions like internet memes or political outrage from afar. Instead, they focus on in-person connections, entertainment, and engagement.
Jewelry, Affectations, and Fashion AccessoriesÂ
The plain attire and lack of jewelry among the Amish aren’t due to finances but to their religious value of modesty. They avoid storing jewelry and high-fashion items to prevent fostering envy in others.
The Homesteading Alternative
By avoiding flashy items, they promote community harmony and save money for more important needs. If you applied this to your own life, think how much more you could invest in homesteading supplies and essentials by wearing simpler clothes and driving a basic car.
Why The Amish Never Stockpile OTC and Prescription Medications
The Amish use prescription medications only when absolutely necessary and don’t store OTC pharmaceuticals. They are selective about modern medicines but won’t refuse them in acute or severe health issues.
The Amish are cautious about overusing modern medicines, including OTC options like antibiotics and painkillers, due to side effects and dependency risks.
The Homesteading Alternative
One of the best things I learned from the Amish is how they brew their own version of ibuprofen. It’s a natural remedy made from a few backyard plants, and it works wonders for everything from headaches to sore muscles. The best part? These plants are probably growing right outside your door.
The Amish are all about using natural remedies, and they grow their own medicinal herbs to keep in stock. They also understand the power of fever, seeing it as a natural way for the body to fight off illness. Unlike modern methods that rush to reduce fevers and can weaken your immune system, the Amish let their bodies do the work, helping them avoid the cycle of relying on antibiotics.
Why The Amish Never Stockpile Electric Hand Tools
The Amish never stockpile power tools and their batteries, not just because of technology but due to religious and practical reasons. They find power tools imprecise and believe they weaken the relationship between the craftsman and their work.
A power drill might make an error that wastes a board, whereas Amish craftsmen carefully use hand tools, creating precise, lasting work with little waste.
The Homesteading Alternative
Some Amish communities use steam-powered tools for bulk work, but finer carpentry and home repairs rely on hand tools.
For homesteaders, it’s important to own and master high-quality hand tools. Waiting until batteries die in a prolonged disaster could set you back on critical projects.
Related:Â Homesteading Lessons I Learned from the Amish
When you look at what the Amish don’t store, it starts to make sense, especially if your homesteading strategy focuses on long-term survival.
The Amish never stockpile canned and processed foods. Instead, they keep pantries and root cellars filled with home-dried, fermented, and canned goods. These foods have more nutrition, and less sodium, and can sustain them indefinitely.
They also avoid storing electronics, power tools, and batteries, investing instead in community support systems and practical skills.
While the Amish use modern medicine when necessary, they don’t stockpile drugs. Instead, they rely on commonsense remedies that promote stronger immunity.
I’m not saying you need a straw hat and suspenders to live this way. But the next time a horse and buggy slow you down, remember that the driver isn’t backward. If you meet them at a fair or store, they might just share some wisdom worth learning.
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