How much food should I plan for?
Start from your household, not a generic number. Count people, including children, and consider needs such as special diets, allergies or medical conditions. Government preparedness sources suggest planning for several days at minimum, and rural households often plan for longer because help can take time to arrive.
Decide how long you want to be able to manage, then work backward to a list of foods. Review the plan each year as the household changes.
Write the plan down and share it with everyone in the household. In an emergency, people forget details, and a paper list in a known place helps.
What foods make good emergency supplies?
Choose foods your family will actually eat, that keep well and need little or no cooking. Canned goods, dry staples, shelf-stable items, dried fruit, nut butters and similar foods fit this. Include water, since it matters as much as food, and a manual can opener.
Think about foods that need no refrigeration and no heavy water use. Plan for infants, older adults and pets, and include any needed supplies.
Include comfort foods and familiar items. Stress is easier to handle when meals are familiar, especially for children and older adults.
- Foods your family will eat
- Little or no cooking required
- Water stored for drinking and basic hygiene
- Manual can opener and basic tools
- Include foods for infants, older adults and anyone on a special diet
- Store a few days of feed and water for each kind of animal
- Keep copies of vet and emergency contacts with the supplies
- Check dates on everything twice a year
What about the animals?
Livestock, poultry and pets need feed and water in an emergency too. Plan for feed storage that stays dry and pest-free, and for water if your supply depends on an electric pump. Know where you could move animals if you had to leave.
Local rules and disease control measures can affect animal movement during emergencies. Ask your county extension office, state veterinarian or emergency management office what plans exist for your area.
Keep a list of animal medical needs, vet contacts and feed suppliers. Ask your vet about emergency plans for your type of animals.
How do I handle food when the power goes out?
USDA food safety guidance covers refrigerators and freezers during outages. In general, keep doors closed, use a thermometer to check temperatures and follow the guidance on what to keep and what to discard. Do not taste food to decide if it is safe.
A full freezer keeps cold longer than a half-empty one. Consider how you would keep food cold, such as ice or a cooler, and plan for it ahead of time.
A cooler with ice can hold perishable food for a limited time. Check temperatures with a thermometer, and ask USDA guidance or your extension office when you are not sure.
How do I cook and stay safe?
Never use a charcoal grill, camp stove or generator indoors or in a closed garage, since carbon monoxide can kill. Follow manufacturer instructions, keep fuel stored safely and have working carbon monoxide detectors. Ask a licensed professional about generators and transfer switches.
Wash hands and use clean utensils even when water is limited. Plan for how you will handle waste and clean up.
How do I keep the supply fresh and affordable?
Buy a little extra on each shopping trip rather than all at once. Rotate stock by using older items and replacing them. Store in a cool, dry place and label everything with dates.
Build a budget from categories: food, water, containers, cooking fuel, lighting, a first aid kit and storage space. A written plan and a yearly review keep it manageable.
What other supplies belong with the food?
Pair the food with water, a manual can opener, cooking fuel used safely, lighting, a first aid kit, a battery or hand-crank radio and any medicines your household needs.
Keep important papers, phone numbers and a map in a waterproof container. Ask your county emergency management office about alerts, shelters and evacuation routes for your area.
Review the kit twice a year. Replace anything old, and update it when your household changes.
Key takeaways
- Plan supplies around your own household, including special needs and pets.
- Choose foods that keep, need little cooking and that your family will eat.
- Plan feed and water for animals and ask about local emergency plans.
- Follow USDA guidance on food in outages and never cook with fuel indoors.
- Rotate stock and review the plan every year.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Written by the Homestead & Small Farm Editorial Team. See our editorial policy.