Food in an Emergency

While planning emergency water might have seemed like a big task to tackle. Emergency food takes things to another level.

The type of emergency kit will help dictate just how much food you will have on hand and possibly the type. Read on to find out about different options to look at when you build your own kits.

How much food should be in an emergency kit?

There is no simple formula to stick to like when you talk about emergency water.

For grab and go / bugout kit. I would say having at least 3 days worth of food with you is a good start.

For a household kit, I would be looking at either 7 days or up to 2 weeks of food on hand.

Remember, you don’t know what type of emergency is coming. You don’t know how long it will last. You will also not know how much help or support will be out there during an emergency.

The more physical you are the more food you will need to consume to keep up the same sort of energy levels. But in an emergency you might have to go with what you can get. Especially if you run out of food you have on hand.

What types of food items can you store for an emergency?

Non-perishable food is what you want to aim for.

Examples of Non-Perishable Food

Canned food items
Freeze dried foods
Dehydrated foods
Most shelf stable food
Emergency food

Examples of Perishable Food

Fruits and vegetables
Bread
Most foods that require refrigeration
Frozen foods

Canned foods

Canned foods can offer a wide variety of food types ready to eat. All just by opening a can.

Positives

Wide variety of variety of food types come in cans
They can be cost effective
Most products come in a variety of sizes
They can have reasonable shelf life
They are easy to stack and store
Lots of items can either be eaten cold or heated

Negatives

They are bulky
They are heavy
Once opened it will need to be consumed or stored if possible
Might need a can opener to open

Freeze dried food

Positives

Really long shelf life
Lightweight
Range of different meals

Negatives

Lots of them are full meals
Can be expensive
Require some sort of heating or hot water added

Dehydrated food

Positives

Lightweight
Easy to prepare or ready to eat

Negatives

Could be high in sodium
Could be expensive

Shelf Stable Food

Positives

Wide variety of products available
Some items may require cooking
Usually food you are used to
Cost effective for a lot of items

Negatives

Shelf life might not be very long

Emergency Food Rations

Positives

Can have extremely long shelf life
Easy to prepare

Negatives

Can be expensive
Can be limited in food types or flavors

Look at Foods You Will Eat

No matter the type of food you have put aside for your emergency kit. Start with foods that you will want to eat. In a really bad emergency you will eat whatever you can no doubt.

But initially pick items that you and your household will eat. Having energy and not being hungry will benefit you.

Be mindful of anyone that is a picky eater in your immediate family.

Food you Have on Hand

As well as having food set aside for your emergency kit. If you are in your house initially during an emergency you will most likely have some food already on hand.

From your pantry to your fridge and freezer there could be food that makes more sense to consume first. Using it before it goes bad. Especially if you have no power.

Make sure to follow basic good food practices. Wash your hands or use sanitizer, cook foods that need to be cooked properly.

If items in your fridge and or freezer can’t be safely consumed it is best to leave it where it is. Don’t take the risk and stick with the emergency food you already have.

Considerations for Different Kit Types

Different types of food work better for different types of kits. For a grab and go bag you probably don’t want 5 cans of food. They are bulky which takes up space, and can weigh a lot. You don’t want to be carrying around extra weight if you can help it.

Household Kit – Food Types

As this is the biggest type of kit, almost anything goes.

Cans and tinned food
Shelf stable products
Freeze dried items
Dehydrated products

Grab and Go Kit – Food Types

Smaller quantity sizes and lighter options work well for this type of kit.

Shelf stable products
Freeze dried items
Dehydrated products

Car Kit – Food Types

Small sized and long shelf life work for a car kit. Anything that is OK with fluctuations in heat are a good option too.

Shelf stable products

Get Home Kit – Food Types

This kit might have a simple snack type food product just to give you energy to get home.

Shelf stable products
High protein snacks

Emergency Foods That Don’t Require Cooking

Go mainly with food items that can be eaten without needing to be cooked. You don’t want to me wasting energy and time on figuring out how to cook something. Ready to eat foods is the best option.

A hot meal can be comforting though. If you have the means of heating it and it’s not going to take all your time and energy, look into meals where you just need to add water.

Checking Expiry Dates of Food

Part of your emergency kit preparedness and maintenance over time is to make sure things don’t go bad. Note down expiry dates of any food item and make sure to check them as part of your kit checking procedure.

Anything that is coming up to its expiry date should be consumed and replaced when possible.

Nothing worse than wanting to eat something and find out it has gone bad. This is why food you already eat makes this process easier.

Storage of Food in an Emergency Kit

Like storage of the kit itself, cook and dark places out of direct sunlight will be great. Try to store things in the right orientation to help provide any potential spilling of product.

Keep things airtight and sealed. Especially after opening them. This will prolong the life of the product, and help keep any bugs like pantry moths out.

Cooking in an Emergency

A hot meal can do wonders in an emergency situation. What options do you have for either cooking or heating food?

Self heating

Some ready to eat meal kits can come with a self heating function. This will warm your food up in it’s pouch.

Using existing appliance’s

If you still have power available to you, and nothing is damaged you could use existing appliance’s. Depending on the emergency, be mindful that power may go out at any time.

Gas cooker

A simple gas cooker or a BBQ could be useful. You could cook food. Heat it up either directly or with boiling water. Also useful when treating water as well.

Fire

If all else fails you may need a fire. This could be within your standard fireplace you may have in your house. Or it could be an outside camp style fire. Make sure you have supplies on hand to start a fire.

Other items to think about when it comes to emergency food.

Seasonings

A simple selection of seasonings can take any bland type food and make it more palatable. They are light and don’t take up much room. Don’t forget salt and pepper.

Cutlery

You’ll need something to eat food with. Think about having some cutlery set aside for your emergency kits if needed. Ones made of plastic are lightweight, won’t break and make for easy transportation if needed.

Plates, bowls and cups

Some foods can be eaten out of their packaging. Other times you will want to eat out of something. Having a bowl, cup or plate available is a good idea. If you are wanting space saving ideas, look into different camping options out there.

Storage options

Will you need to store anything after you’ve opened it? Helping keep the item for another day, or to help keep away ants etc.

Ziplock bags are light weight, come in a variety of sizes and can help with storage of a wide range of items. I’d have a couple of bags for the different emergency kits.

Conclusion

In conclusion, having a well-prepared emergency kit is crucial for any unexpected situation. When it comes to food storage, it is important to consider foods that have a long shelf life and require little to no preparation.

Canned food is a great choice as it can last for several years and provides essential nutrients.

It is also important to have a sufficient water supply storage as water is crucial for survival. Furthermore, it is crucial to regularly check and rotate the food and water supply to ensure their freshness and reliability. Make this part of your checking routine.

Overall, being prepared with a well-stocked emergency food supply is essential for any unexpected event.