Your local store (supermarket) stocks food items inside of plastic, glass, paper, and metal containers. This food is made for quick consumption- not long term storage. Many of these temporary containers let in oxygen, moisture, and harmful bugs, and eventually the food will spoil over a period of time. But you can store a lot of it for at least one year safely if you have to.
As you stock food, take into account your family's unique needs and tastes. Try to include foods that they will enjoy and that are also high in calories and nutrition. Foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking are best.
For longer-term needs, and where permitted, gradually build a supply of food that will last a long time and that you can use to stay alive, such as wheat, white rice, white granulated cane sugar, dry yellow corn, dry instant nonfat milk, salt, baking soda (good for soaking beans), vitamin C in tablet form, and pinto beans.
Use up all of your store bought food first as soon as you can following an emergency. Then fall back on your long term food supplies in storage (if necessary).
Here are some foods you should NOT place into long term storage: