I think you're right, Marlelar, and I've been working on trying to increase our stockpile.
Some people are opposed to "prepping" because they think it's crazy to be "obsessing" about the end of the world. But prepping is good for things a lot less serious than "the great chastisement" or a total breakdown of the government. Things like a bad ice storm or blizzard(in my part of the world), a bad flood, or a hurricane, have in recent years resulted in severe shortages in localized areas for weeks.
I'd much rather not have to rely on the Red Cross or FEMA under such circuмstances.
I've got a good gravity filter for water in emergency, and have started building up food. Good point about toilet paper, feminine hygiene products, et al.
If things ever really got bad, such items could be worth more than gold as bartering materials too. I seem to recall reading that in Wiemar Republic Germany when there was hyper inflation, cigarettes and alcohol were the best "currency".
I don't know about in the US but in Canada people seem to drink (Tim Horton's) coffee like crazy. I imagine having a stockpile of coffee could be very valuable too.