Reserving food is a good idea, in part because it not only protects you from a disaster but also from a "personal-finance disaster."
Myself, I've stored a lot of basic foodstuffs and eat them. The Mountain House food, I bought specifically for the test. Basic food, although sometimes blah-ey, is cheap and many kinds store well.
Beans make for a nice ingredient. I've added beans, canned vegetables, and a single cut-up wiener to cooked rice in a frying pan. With some butter and a bit of salt, it makes for a good meal.
Another way to use beans is "beans pizza."