It started with an anecdote from a Cooking editor: A relative had bought four bottles of Cognac in anticipation of higher tariffs on imported goods. The story got us wondering. With inflation rising again in January and the Trump administration’s ongoing threat of tariffs, what might Food and Cooking readers be stocking up on?
More than 250 readers responded to our query, many mentioning the same products and expressing at least some anxiety about their long-term availability or cost. Here are the items that came up again and again.
Coffee
“The day after Colombia was threatened with tariffs, I went to Costco and bought 16 pounds of coffee. I call it my strategic coffee reserve. I like looking at it. It makes me feel safe.” — Mary Corbett, San Diego
Whether you believe America runs on Dunkin or oat milk lattes, coffee was the most frequently mentioned item overall. (No surprise there: Consumption in the United States hit a 20-year high in 2024.) Linda Wheeler in Dayton, Ohio, said she had bought “six pounds of coffee beans and vacuum containers to store it,” while Josh Orter in Brooklyn said he had begun stocking up on another key element of their coffee-making ritual: Minor Figures barista blend oat milk “because it’s made in Canada, as many/most premium oat milks are.”
“Maple syrup. Life has no meaning without maple syrup.” — Geoffrey Wren, Portland, Ore.
Despite an 11th-hour deal to delay 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, more than 30 respondents said they were still stocking up on maple syrup from our neighbors to the north, which, according to the Maple Syrup Producers association of Quebec, can last for years if unopened, especially if bottled in glass containers. Freezing an opened container of maple syrup can also extend its shelf life.
Olive oil
“I have started buying olive oil, we are retired and it’s just my husband and myself, but the price keeps going up, I must have about five full bottles at this point.” — Denise Adams, East Northport, N.Y.
In December, Julia Moskin reported on how tariffs might affect the price of olive oil, 97 percent of which is imported, and has already grown more expensive in recent years. (Americans are second only to Italians in consumption.) Once opened, olive oil declines in quality after three to four weeks. To get the most out of each purchase, Marsha Gelt, a reader in Oakland, Calif., said she’d “started buying it up, checking the expiration dates and getting it in smaller bottles, not in huge containers.”
“Beans, beans, beans — including dried beans. My intent is to stock each week with canned goods, and beans!” — Kathy Rohlman, Muskegon, Mich.
In a move that is as practical as it is economical, dozens of readers listed beans (kidney, garbanzo, pinto, navy and Lima varietals) and lentils among their tariff-related purchases. (It’s worth noting, though, that the United States is among the world’s top dry bean producers, exporting 20 percent to international markets, according to the U.S. Dry Bean Council.)
Avocados
“I used to buy a couple at a time. Now, I plan to buy them rock hard and in bulk, storing them in the refrigerator before transferring to the counter to ripen.” — Rebecca Lawton, Fort Worth, Texas
As with Canadian items, 25 percent tariffs on Mexican products were delayed until at least early March, but remain a looming threat. Many readers expressed dismay over the effects that tariffs would have on Mexican agricultural products: The United States buys about 92 percent of Mexican agricultural exports, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Avocados were the most frequently mentioned Mexican product. “I did buy a bunch of avocados, but you can only keep them so long,” lamented one reader, Bani M. Azari in Glen Head, N.Y., adding “I thought about stocking up on frozen guacamole, but it’s not the same.”
Pantry staples
“Staples. Pantry and shelf stable items like imported dried beans and legumes, some domestic grown flours, rice, grains and peanut butter. Canned items like tomatoes. Jarred, preserved foods like salsas and fruit. Budget friendly items that can be relied on when the prices rise.” — Karen Evans, Dallas
Numerous readers confessed to feeling overwhelmed by the uncertainty surrounding tariffs. In response, they plan to simply stock up on pantry products that could last months or years. Georgia Owens in Albuquerque said she was storing “oatmeal, quinoa, dried fruits, spices, coffee and nuts in the pantry. Then stockpiling frozen fruit and frozen chicken and pork.”
Lauren Anderson of Brooklyn, who is Mexican American, said she had started buying more of her favorite Mexican pantry items: “chiles, ground corn for masa, sauces, mole paste, et cetera.” Other frequently mentioned staples included items from China like doubanjiang and black vinegar and products from Europe, including D.O.P. San Marzano tomatoes from Italy, Irish butter and Spanish-grown olives.
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