My father, son, and I watched him as his head completely disappeared into a hole he had obviously dug long ago, in which he stored treats to be found and savored at a later date. We watched as he finished one acorn and then sniffed around for where he had buried another. Some of them had rotted, so he threw them across the lawn with his tiny "hands". But he found enough to satisfy himself, finally sending him on his way content and full. And I realized that there was wisdom to be gleaned from what I was watching.
There are certain items that it is wise to always keep on hand. Start with your favorite spices. Mine take up 3 small shelves in my kitchen and include Turmeric, Indian Curry Powder, Coriander, Mango Powder, Saffron, as well as all the common ones like Garlic Powder, Oregano, Paprika, and Chili Powder.
A container of Basmati Rice, a box of Brown Rice (quick-cooking has all the nutrients of the longer-cooking variety), a box of spaghetti, some cans or cartons of broth, tomato sauce and paste, diced tomatoes, a jar or two of your favorite pasta sauce, and a variety of canned beans is a nice start for the pantry. Across the kitchen, in a separate cupboard, I keep my flours, olive oil, baking soda and powder, vinegars, honey, agave nectar, and sugar.
For the freezer, always make sure you have a variety of frozen vegetables, as well as some "foods" that you might enjoy in a pinch. I try to always keep Trader Joe's Spanakopita and a few packages of their frozen Steel Cut Oats on hand.
I guess the "rule" should be - make sure that you have what you need to make a meal or two (or three) in an emergency or if you know you won't be hitting the market for a while. Life gets crazy sometimes and we just can't find the time. But like the little brown squirrel above, it is wise to always have certain staples around - just in case....
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