Emergency Food Supply

How much food do you need?

Write the plan down in a short list on the inside of a pantry door: how many people, how many days, and what you hold. Update it when someone joins the household or when a child grows into bigger meals. A written count keeps you from guessing in stressful moments.

Start by deciding how long you want to be covered. Many emergency agencies recommend at least a few days of supplies as a base, and extra time is a bonus where roads, ice or floods can cut you off. Rural households often plan for longer because help may take time to arrive.

Count people, then think about differences: babies, older relatives, people with allergies or medical diets, and appetites that change in stress. Plan for foods that need little or no cooking, since you may have no power.

• Count people and days
• List special diets and allergies
• Plan for no power and limited water

What should you stock?

Do not forget infants, older adults and pets. Baby formula, soft foods, special dietary items and pet food each need their own check. Stock salt, spices and a few cooking basics so simple meals still taste like food, and keep a small supply of paper plates and utensils if water is limited.

Choose shelf-stable foods your family likes: canned foods, dried beans, rice, pasta, peanut butter, shelf-stable milk, crackers, dried fruit, cereal and similar items. Pick things that need little water and cooking fuel. Add a manual can opener, since electric ones fail with power.

Include comfort foods and anything that makes meals easier on kids. Familiar food is calming, and people eat better when they like what is on the plate. Avoid buying large amounts of something nobody likes.

How should you store it?

Keep food in a cool, dry, dark place away from heat sources, pests and moisture. Use sealed containers or tubs to keep out mice and insects, and store food off the floor. Basements that flood and attics that get hot are poor choices. Check regularly for damaged cans, bulging, dents on seams and signs of pests.

Never use food from cans that are bulging, leaking or severely damaged. When in doubt, throw it out and do not taste it.

How do you rotate your supply?

If you find a lot of unused food approaching its date, donate it to a food pantry before it goes bad rather than waiting. That keeps the supply fresh, helps neighbors and makes space for new items. Keep notes on what your family actually ate, so that next time you stock more of the right things.

Rotation means using older food first and replacing it, so nothing sits until it goes bad. Write the purchase date on each item, and put new items behind old ones. Use the supply in normal cooking and restock when you shop.

Pick a regular day twice a year to check the whole supply, along with other emergency items like batteries and medications. Move foods that are nearing their best-by dates into the kitchen first.

• Label with the date
• Put new behind old
• Eat from the supply and restock

What about home-preserved food?

Home-preserved food can be part of an emergency supply, but only if it was made with a current, tested recipe and process. Use the National Center for Home Food Preservation, the USDA Complete Guide to Home Canning or your extension office. Do not rely on untested or old recipes, since some failures cannot be seen or smelled.

If you are not sure how a jar was made or stored, do not eat from it. Botulism is rare but serious, and it can occur without warning signs. Ask your extension office about safe preservation and storage.

How do you cook without power?

Know in advance how you will heat food. Outdoor grills and camp stoves are made for outdoor use only. Never use them indoors, in a garage or near an open window, because carbon monoxide can kill. Keep the fuel stored safely and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

Plan to eat perishable food first, then the freezer, then shelf-stable items. Keep a thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer so you can judge food safety by temperature. Follow USDA guidance on which foods to keep or discard after an outage.

What about feed for animals?

Animals eat every day, too. Keep a reserve of feed and hay stored dry and safe from pests, and rotate it just like your own food. Ask your extension office or veterinarian how much reserve makes sense for your species and your area, and how long different feeds keep.

Include pet food in the household supply. Think about water for animals as well, because feed does little good without it.

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.