An emergency food supply can help you survive a disaster.
Whether it is a hurricane, a flood or a tornado, a natural disaster can knock out power and transportation in an area and leave you in an emergency situation. If you have an emergency food supply, you can survive without needing to go to the grocery store. A well-rounded emergency food supply can help you to get through a natural disaster safely and effectively.
Nonperishable
Your emergency food supplies should all be foods that are long-lasting. Foods that spoil quickly are not good choices. Fresh fruits, vegetables and bread will go bad quickly. Instead, store canned fruits and vegetables, canned beans, crackers and canned meats or fish such as tuna. Be sure to store a manual can opener along with your food. Check your emergency stockpile every six months and replace any food that is close to its expiration date.
Ready to Eat
In an emergency you may not have access to heat or water for cooking. This means that your emergency storage foods should be ready to eat. Canned soup and beans will work as long if you are willing to eat them at room temperature. Jarred applesauce or foods that have been home canned are also good choices. Dry pasta, beans and rice are not good choices since these need to be cooked before they are eaten.
Nutrient Dense
In order to get the most bang for your buck from your emergency food supply, focus on foods that are healthy and nutrient-dense. Granola, peanut butter and jelly, trail mix and dry cereal are all excellent choices. These are foods that keep well and that have relatively high amounts of fat and calories. In a true emergency you may be more worried about getting enough food than about eating as healthily as you normally do.
Easy to Store
When you are building your emergency stockpile, focus on foods that are easy to store. Instead of trying to keep extra milk on hand, purchase a container of powdered milk and store bottled water. Use instant oatmeal, jerky, canned juices and packaged cookies. Try to purchase amounts that a person or family can eat in one sitting so that you do not have to worry about refrigerating leftover food.
Specialty Foods
Be sure to stockpile any necessary specialty foods. For example, if you have a baby, stockpile powdered formula or jarred baby food. If you have a family member who has allergies, stockpile food that he can eat. If someone in your family is a coffee or tea drinker, stock instant coffee and tea bags. Don't forget to store some sugar, salt and pepper. If you have a pet, stockpile pet food, too. And It's a good idea to include multivitamin tablets to compensate for any nutritional deficiencies in your diet.
Tags: emergency food, emergency food supply, food supply, foods that, good choices