Your definition of "medium-term" may be constrained by storage space or money. The money issue can somewhat be addressed by buying food when it's on sale every time you go to the store, or buying just a bit more than you need for that shopping. Space issues take a bit more effort and creativity, but can be overcome to an extent.

As you consider where you'll store food, also start thinking about what foods you want to have on hand. Make a list of all the food stuffs, pet food and pet supplies, nutritional items, and medical needs. In short, everything you'll need if forced to stay home for many weeks or months. Determine how you'll store food, whether by kind or period of time too. Stock rotation is an important aspect of your plan and your storage areas may help you determine the best way to organize your supplies.

Our research and discussion helped us come up with a list of food stuffs that would store well, be easy to prepare, and be nutritious. We have chosen to not stock up on unhealthy snacks or foods. We are going with foods that have as little factory-processing as possible involved. We personally are also trying to be as environmentally sensitive as we can, avoiding plastic containers as much as possible. You'll do what feels right to you with your approach to your larder.

Stock foods that are part of your normal routine and diet. Below is a general list of the foods or food types to consider. A basic list, as discussed in the short-term food storage article, to work with for medium-term supplies include:

* canned food items -
    Protein: meats, consider those packed in water like tuna and chicken, and those that are "as is" like liverwurst and ham spread
    Fruits: consider those in natural juices not in heavy syrup; peaches, pears, pineapple, apple sauce, fruit cocktail ..
    Vegetables: corn, beans, peas, tomato (whole, pureed and sauce), carrots, yams hominy, etc
    Meals: stew, chowder, chili, ravioli, spaghetti, chow mein, ...

* frozen food items -
    the same as you would for canned

* dehydrated items -
    pasta, like spaghetti, macaroni and cheese, lasagna
    mashed potatoes and stuffing
    soups and soup mixes
    bread and muffin mixes
    cheese
    fruit like raisins, blueberries, cranberries and bananas
    salami and jerky

* canned or shelf-stabilized liquids -
    juices; orange, cranberry, grape, apple, grapefruit, tomato, ...
    milk: powdered, evaporated or shelf-stable, and consider soy and rice milks, especially if calcium fortified (add a calcium citrate vitamin supplement to your list otherwise)

* staples -
    flour, sugar, cocoa, corn meal, powdered milk
    salt, pepper, seasonings and spices
    rice, uncooked cereals (oatmeal, cream of wheat, farina are good examples)
    breakfast cereal
    vinegar, baking soda,
    cooking oil
    bouillon (cubes or granules)
    condiments
    high energy foods like peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars and trail mix, jello
    comfort foods like cookies, candy, hard candy, nuts
    instant beverages like coffee, tea, cider and hot chocolate
    crackers

* extras
    vitamins
    simple medical supplies like pain killers, antiseptics, bandaids, allergy medicines, anti-diarrhea drugs, ...
    special diet foods for infants, elderly, diabetic, and those with allergies
    can opener, scissors, knife
    flashlight and batteries (maybe the hand-crank type to recharge batteries)
    paper plates, cups, utensils, and trash bags.
    pet supplies as appropriate
    hygiene items like soap, shampoo
    cleaning supplies like dish soap, bathroom cleaners
    disinfectants like unscented chlorine or iodine
    thermometer
    alcohol-based hand cleaner

Write the purchase date on the packages with an indelible pen and put them in your storage area. Be sure to rotate your stock according to a general rule.
     * every six months - dried fruits, crackers, nuts, cooking oil, powdered milk and potatoes
     * annually - canned meats, vegetables, fruit, juices, soup, uncooked cereal, peanut butter, jelly, candy

Some food items can be stored almost indefinitely, if in proper containers and conditions, such as wheat, corn, baking powder, sugar, salt, instant beverages, white rice, bouillon products, dry pasta, powdered milk that's in nitrogen-packed cans, and vitamin C.

So how much do you need to stockpile? Start with this list designed for one month of storage for two people. The increase the basic supplies with items like rice, dry milk, and grains. Augment these short-term supplies with more shelf-stabilized juice and milk, crackers or melba toast, cereals, dried fruits, nuts, jerky, dried soups and bouillon cubes or powder, and instant potatoes. Depending on your style, maybe adding some comfort foods like candy bars would be a good addition. Modify the list to suit your needs and to account for differently sized containers than suggested here.
     * Canned Meat: 30 - 6 oz cans
     * Canned Vegetables: 60 - 15 oz cans
     * Canned Fruit: 60 - 20 oz cans
     * Canned Meal: 30 - 15-20 oz cans
     * Starch: 10 - 1# pkg
     * Breakfast: 3 boxes of cereal, or breakfast bars and breakfast drinks
    * Canned Milk: 20 - 12 oz can
     * Canned Juice: 60 - 10 oz bottles
     * Soup: 15 - 11 1/2 oz can
     * Water: 60 gallons

A three day supply of these foods cost me $50.40 in March 2007, from a Kroger's food store. The food supply, minus the water, fits into a paper case. I bought Kroger's brands when it didn't matter to me, but I didn't scrimp in some areas either. I tried to stick to my environmental convictions of no plastic as much as possible. And I tried to buy healthy and foods options as much as possible too. If you can extrapolate the three-days of food to a month, you'd need 10 fruit or paper-case boxes. Consider plastic bins to increase the air-tightness.

It's cheaper to buy for longer periods of time because you can buy more easily catch sales as they happen. So that I could have the diversity I like in my food choices, I made different choices than my research had suggested to me; you'll probably do the same as well.

Watch the expiration dates as you buy; some stores carry food items close to their expiration dates. Not all foods go bad on that date, but it's good to hedge your bets and buy food with expiration dates out as far as you can.

A medium-term supply of food seems like the minimum larder to create just because you don't know what could happen. Fresh foods are much better for you and tastier too, but when you can't get food supplies at all, these supplies will be perfect. Do what you can, a little at a time, and move toward that self-reliance that will make you feel better about what the future could bring.