Stock Up For Survival: Essential Food Storage Tips For Emergencies

Authored by Emma Suttie, D. Ac, AP via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Imagine this scenario: You have just arrived home from work. You sit down to watch the news and see that a massive storm with torrential rains is heading your way. The authorities advise everyone to stay indoors and off the roads for the next 72 hours because of high winds and the risk of flooding.

Illustration by The Epoch Times, Shutterstock

Situations like these occur more frequently than most people realize. While no one likes pondering worst-case scenarios, advance preparation can save your life—and significantly ease your stress during emergencies.

Whether facing natural disasters like flooding, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, or chemical spills—or personal emergencies—such as illnesses, accidents, or losing your job, having food, cash, and other necessities tucked away can mean the difference between thriving and surviving.

Considerations When Preparing for Emergencies

Most of us have become accustomed to conveniences like running water and grocery stores for our basic needs. However, in an emergency, these conveniences may disappear. Planning ahead can significantly increase your resilience and may be vital to your survival if things go sideways.

While everyone’s needs during an emergency differ, food and water are universal necessities. Most experts advise having at least three days’ worth of food and water for everyone in your household, including pets. This should be enough for you to survive until the emergency has passed and help can get to you. Be prepared for extended emergencies by gathering enough food and water to last up to two weeks or even a month if your budget and storage allow.

The American Red Cross recommends maintaining a three-day emergency supply for evacuation and a two-week supply at home.

When preparing, consider the following:

The number of people and pets in your household who need food and water.
Dietary restrictions (allergies, diabetics), preferences, and whether certain foods require cooking or water.
The shelf life of the food you choose, ensuring you rotate supplies every few months for freshness.
Your ability to cook without power, such as having a camp stove or gas barbeque.
Make sure you have the necessary utensils and storage options, such as cool, dry areas for keeping food and water. Disposable plates and cutlery don’t require water for washing.
Because you may not have electricity, plan meals in single portions as you may be unable to refrigerate leftovers.
Make sure you have lighters, matches, candles, flashlights, batteries, knives, zip lock bags, bleach (to disinfect and purify water), and other essentials that you keep in sealed plastic bags.

Water Needs

Conventional wisdom suggests people can live for about three weeks without food. However, they can only survive for three days without water—making it essential to have plenty in your emergency stores.

The Prepared, a highly regarded resource focused on practical prepping, recommends at least one gallon of water per day for each person. Remember to consider additional water for cooking, cleaning, and your pets.

They also suggest including a way to treat dirty water, like a portable water filter or countertop filter.

One way to keep the water aside for emergencies is in a deep freezer, Nellie Oehler, a food safety specialist and coordinator with Oregon State University Extension Service, a statewide outreach program, told The Epoch Times.

“I keep my deep freezes full,” she said. “Number one, if it’s not full of food, it’s full of bottled water. Then I’ve got an emergency water supply, plus it keeps my freezer cold. It cuts down on the cost of running your freezer, and I’ve got water,” she added.

Food Selection

A key rule of storing food for emergencies is to “store what you eat” and “eat what you store.” One of the easiest ways to build up your survival food supply is to buy extra non-perishable, shelf-stable items every time you buy groceries. This practice will also ensure that you have food you enjoy.

You can also buy pre-packaged emergency foods like MREs (Meals-Ready-to-Eat), which need little to no preparation and last extended periods. Survival food tends to be more compact and lasts longer than the food you buy at the supermarket, but it is typically more expensive. A combination of both works well for a robust emergency food pantry.

Preserving your food at home through canning, pickling, curing, fermenting, or dehydrating is also an option.

You still have options if you don’t know how to preserve your own food, Oehler said. Inexpensive options are plentiful at supermarkets. Waiting until items go on sale to stock up can help you save money and collect the food you need to be prepared when the time comes.

Be aware of expiration dates on foods you buy, and choose foods that have a long shelf life and come in sturdy packaging. Look for nutrient-dense, shelf-stable foods like dried beans, canned meat and fish, peanut butter, and grains, as they take up the least amount of space. Also, when buying food, consider if it needs cooking, reheating, or can be eaten right out of the package.

Recommended Emergency Food Items

While not exhaustive, the list below will give you an idea of foods that store well and make an excellent addition to your emergency food pantry.

Protein Sources

Peanut butter and other nut butters
Canned meat and fish (spam, chicken, tuna, salmon, sardines)
Beef jerky and dried meats
Canned beans and legumes (including refried beans)

Ready-to-Eat Meals

Canned soups, stews, and chili
Instant meals (macaroni and cheese, ramen)
Instant mashed potatoes

Grains and Staples

Rice and pasta
Oatmeal and breakfast cereals
Crackers and chips
Dried beans, lentils, and chickpeas

Fruits and Vegetables

Canned fruits and vegetables
Dried fruits
Canned tomatoes and tomato sauce

Beverages and Condiments

Powdered milk
Fruit juice (bottled, canned, or powdered)
Coffee, tea, hot chocolate
Salt, pepper, spices, hot sauce

Comfort Foods

Honey and jam
Trail mix and granola bars
Chocolate, candies, and other favorite snacks (to improve morale)

Some foods are not ideal for storing in an emergency, Tracey Brigman, associate director of the National Center for Home Food Preservation, told The Epoch Times via email.

“Foods that should be avoided are foods that are overly salty (they can make you more thirsty and can thus deplete your water supply), caffeinated sodas (they offer little nutrients and can contribute to dehydration), and fresh items like fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy and leftovers since they spoil rapidly without proper refrigeration,” she said.

Storage Strategies

Oehler suggests diversifying for effective food storage.

“Don’t put all your stuff in freeze-dried foods or dry foods because then you have to have a ton of water—so have a variety of foods on hand,” she said.

For convenience and minimal effort, commercially canned foods from the grocery store are a great option. Make sure your emergency food is well-packaged, sealed, and has a date to prevent spoilage. If you have the budget, consider storing dry goods like beans, rice, and flour in food-grade buckets with oxygen absorbers to make them last longer. This can extend their shelf life for up to 25 years, Oehler said.

“Home-preserved foods only last in proper storage for up to 1 year, so they need to be inspected and replaced in a timely manner,” she said. “Additionally, a home-canned food that is damaged, shows signs of swelling, rust, dents, or leaks, or has been exposed to floodwater should not be consumed. If there are any doubts about your home canned foods after a disaster, throw them out,” Oehler added.

Improperly preserved food, especially if it has moisture, can lead to foodborne illness. Learn proper food preservation techniques from reputable sources like the National Center for Home Food Preservation, which has resources on preserving foods safely.

Where to Store It

Store food in a cool, dry place, ideally between 32 and 70 degrees F, as food will last longer in colder temperatures. Ideally, the space should be well-ventilated, clean, isolated from other items such as cleaning products or chemicals, and kept off the floor.

If you live in a city with limited space, consider using under-the-bed storage, as it’s dark, and the bedroom is usually one of the coldest rooms in the house, according to Oehler.

Don’t keep all supplies in one location—diversifying storage places can protect your food from emergencies. If a fire destroys your house, having some food in a shed or barn can be life-saving, Oehler said. She also recommends having containers with wheels on hand, like coolers or garbage cans, so you can take some supplies with you if you have to leave.

Keeping food, water, and other emergency supplies in your car is advisable, as you never know where you will be when trouble strikes (being mindful that cars get very hot in summer months), she added.

Cooking Without Electricity

If you’re facing a power outage, you’ll need to think about how to cook or warm up your food without electricity. Keep this in mind when choosing foods, especially if you don’t have an alternative cooking source.

Alternative Cooking Sources

If you have a camping stove or barbeque, make sure you have the right fuel and extra water. Always cook outside for safety. A butane stove is a great, portable option for cooking and boiling water, especially indoors during severe weather, according to Oehler. It’s efficient, safe, and affordable.

A butane stove is an excellent alternate cooking source when there is no electricity. Afanasiev Andrii/Shutterstock

If you don’t have an alternative cooking source, stock up on ready-to-eat foods. Don’t forget a can opener!

For warming up food indoors, candles, fondue pots, or chafing dishes can be used. Try to use a well-ventilated area if possible.

Food Spoilage

Stored food can deteriorate over time, losing its color, texture, taste, and smell. Some nutrients, like vitamin C, are also lost over time. If not stored correctly, insects and rodents can get into stored food, making it inedible. Use food-grade buckets, glass jars, or other airtight containers to keep food fresh and safe.

Keep food items in sturdy, air-tight containers to protect them from rodents, insects, and other animals.  Landshark1/Shutterstock

Don’t get too caught up in expiration dates. Commercial foods’ “use by” and “sell by” dates should be taken with a grain of salt, Oehler said, adding that the dates have nothing to do with food safety. “You know, if you have a can of green beans that’s two years old that you bought in the store—if it’s not bulging, if it’s not leaking on the seams, it’s perfectly safe to eat. If it’s five years old, it’s safe to eat,” she said.

A lot of the quality of your food will depend on how you store it, Oehler said. Keeping the temperature from fluctuating, preventing light and moisture from getting to food so cans don’t rust, and ensuring things don’t freeze are ways to ensure your emergency stores last, she noted.

Before eating, check for any signs of damage, like cracks, holes, or broken seals. Throw away anything that looks suspicious.

Common Mistakes

Mistakes made when preparing for an emergency can be costly when the emergency arrives. Brigman shares some common pitfalls:

Storing foods that are difficult to prepare or are not well-liked
Not closing foods tightly after each use
Not placing them in airtight food containers to protect them from spoilage
Not checking the dates and having expired/bad food in your emergency kit
Storing too many comfort foods and not enough nutrient-dense foods

“Your body’s nutritional needs don’t change during an emergency so you still need to plan for nutritional adequacy,” Brigman said.

Resources

Extension services are an excellent resource for emergency preparedness and are available in every state. Extension services were established in 1914 to provide research-based education to the public. They offer a wide range of programs on topics that include farming, livestock management, gardening, and food production.

Many universities also have extension programs, which “extend” the university and its resources to members of the community through educational programs.

Resources from the University of Georgia and the Extension Disaster Education Network can provide vital information and assistance.

Final Thoughts

Emergency preparedness can feel daunting, but taking small steps can make a difference. By adding extra groceries and assessing your current supplies, you’ll be better equipped for any situation. Planning calmly for potential emergencies safeguards you and your loved ones. While preparation requires time and effort, it could be key to navigating future challenges.