Emergency Food Storage - What Do I Store for Short Term Emergencies When I Must Leave Home

For the beginner, starting a food storage program can be rather daunting.  Most people do not know which foods are best to sustain their families in an emergency situation, the quantities of food necessary or how to overcome the cost factor involved.  Often people believe that they should have food storage but when it gets right down to purchasing it, they are so frustrated that they put it off until another day.

The most important factor in building food storage is determination.  You must:

1. Believe that it is an important thing to do
2. Investigate what foods are best to store for your family’s needs and the quantities you will need  
3. Check your budget to see how much money you can put toward food storage each week or month
4. Make a plan of what you will buy and the schedule you will follow to accomplish your goal
5. Proceed to build your storage on a regular basis
6. Evaluate your progress
7. Be determined

 There are two types of emergency situations you must consider:

• Emergencies where you must leave your home (prepare for  72 hours to 2 weeks)
• Emergencies where you can remain in your home (prepare for 2 weeks to 2 years)

 For Emergencies where you must leave home:

• Food must be light-weight and easy to carry
• Food must be of the type that require little or no preparation
• Food and supplies should be packed up and ready to go.  You may not have time to gather it together at the time of the emergency.  Make sure that all necessary items for preparation are packed together
• Choose food that your family enjoys to reduce stress
• Purchase food in packages that contain all ingredients or that only need to have water added.

Examples of suitable food for this type of situation:

• Canned Meats
• Beef Stew
• Chili
• Soups
• Energy Bars
• Canned pasta dishes
• Applesauce or fruit cups
• Dried fruits
• Nuts
• Trail Mix
• Crackers
• Small packages of Cereal
• Juice Boxes
• Bottled Water
• Hard Candy
• Granola Bars
• Freeze-dried prepared meals or MREs (light and easy to carry)

Shelf Reliance carries a variety of freeze-dried foods that come in convenient pouches.  These freeze-dried foods would make a highly desirable addition to your 72 to 2 week emergency food storage.  They have also recently come out with a line of Express Meals that only require the addition of boiling water.  These meals are delicious to use at home but could also be used in this type of emergency situation.  For more information or to purchase any of these products, please visit my website at:

susansakurai.shelfreliance.com