Back to stockpiling. We do not call it stockpiling, preferring instead to call it enlarging the pantry. Each week, grocery stores have "leader" items at just above cost to lure you in. Start by buying a case of something you eat regularly rather than just 3 or 4 cans. Each week, check the adds and coupons, pay attention to prices, and add a case of something you eat regularly. It won't take long until you have seen your grocery bill drop drastically while buying more than you are consuming. Don't buy anything that is not part of your normal diet. Don't buy cheaper brands if you don't like that brand. Learn to use hard staples and incorporate them into your diet now. Rice and beans etc can be bought in 25 lb bags for just a few dollars. But they are worthless if you don't use them. Most important, keep a log of when each store has big discounts on items. Even if you didn't buy at that time. You will find that certain stores have sales on certain items about the same time each year and you will find which stores have the better deal. There is no "best store". Each seems to have the best deals on certain items.
Space in a home is precious, but a pantry room becomes precious too. Find that space now and plan for the enlarged pantry. This is not only about a community disaster. Twice in our 40 years, economic problems hit hard and we survived by living off our storage, averting foreclosure on property that has since appreciated greatly. For us, the sacrifice of building a reserve has paid handsome dividends.