It's suggested that you store many types of whole grains in your storage, for the additional nutritional value. However, some types of whole grains, like brown rice, go rancid rather quickly. I think it's important to store a wide variety of grains, including whole grains.
Short grain and long grain are most common types. Brown rice is incredibly healthy, but don't plan on storing large amounts as it goes bad very quickly and should only be stored for as long as a year. Rice is widely consumed and can be used is a variety of dishes, so it's a very useful addition to food storage. Both unopened and opened containers of rice will last a very long time- up to 30 years! Just be sure to store it in an airtight container!
Pasta
Pasta is sold in all sorts of fun shapes and sizes. Storing a variety of types will instantly add variety to your meals. Larger pastas like penne or large shells are best suited for heartier dishes with maybe a meat sauce. Smaller, thinner pastas like angel hair are perfect for light sauces, or can even be tossed with oil, salt and seasonings. Unopened pastas will be good for 8-10 years. Once opened, plan on using them within 18 months to 2 years.
Oats
The most common types of oats in food storage are Rolled, or "Old Fashioned" and "Quick Cooking". Rolled oats are more nutritious, but the quick cooking variety is handy! Oats can be made into bread, cookies and used in breakfasts foods. You can also substitute oats for meat in some main dishes. When stored in ideal conditions, oats will last for 8-10 years. Once opened, plan on using it within a year.
Instant rolled oats in the little packets are a great addition to your 72-hour kit, but shouldn't be part of your long-term storage plan as they don't keep very well.
Corn
Different types of corn can be used to grind into corn meal to make grits, hominy and polenta. Yellow dent corn is the most widely available and it the suggested type to store for ease of use. You can purchase corn meal, but keep in mind it has a shelf life of only 5 years. Corn meal is a wonderful thickening agent in many soups and stews and can also be used in muffins, cakes and as a breading.
Popcorn is a great addition to your storage as it makes for an easy, inexpensive treat! Popcorn stores best when kept very dry, but pops better when it's slightly moist. Prior to popping, sprinkle a few drops of water and shake it around to help moisten it slightly.
Quinoa
Quinoa is a relatively new grain that is becoming available in most stores. I've found it at Costco! It's incredibly healthy and is a great grain alternative to wheat. You cook it on the stove and serve it like you would rice. It's also wonderful in salads.
When quinoa is cooked, the germ of the grain coils into a small "tail" that adds to the unique texture. Note that it should be thoroughly washed before cooking in order to prevent it from tasting bitter.
Wheat
Wheat comes in different varieties and each variety is more or less suitable for a given purpose, whether that be for grinding into flour and making yeast breads, quick breads, cookies, etc. The most common wheat varieties are spring or winter, hard or soft, red or white. Hard wheats have a higher gluten content, which helps the food item you make to be less dense. Hard red wheat yields higher rising, lighter bread, whereas a soft wheat would be better for a quick bread or pastas, that don't have to rise as much.
Unopened, properly stored wheat will keep for 12-15 years. Once opened, plan on using it within about 3 years. If you grind wheat, plan on using it within a week as it loses nutritional value very quickly.
Thanks to Survival Center and Food Storage Made Easy for some of this info.
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