Emergency Food Storage Basics: Pantry Rotation vs Freeze-Dried Kits
Ready.gov recommends keeping at least a several-day supply of non-perishable food (Ready.gov: Food). There are two ways to get there.
Option 1: Pantry rotation (cheapest)
- Buy extra of what your family already eats: canned beans, tuna, peanut butter, crackers, cereal, shelf-stable milk.
- First in, first out: put new cans in the back.
- Choose foods that need no cooking and little water.
Option 2: Freeze-dried or long-shelf-life kits
- Pros: long stated shelf life (often listed as many years by the maker), compact, grab-and-go.
- Cons: they need hot water, cost more per calorie, and some kits count servings in small portions. Check calories per day per person, not "servings".
- Check allergens and sodium. Taste-test one pouch before you buy a lot.
Brands we plan to compare once approved: ReadyWise emergency food [LINK-PENDING: ReadyWise (CJ)], Survival Frog food kits [LINK-PENDING: Survival Frog (Awin)].
Cooking without power, safely
Use camp stoves and grills outdoors only (carbon monoxide; see CO safety). Indoors, an electric kettle on a battery power station can heat water for freeze-dried meals if the station's inverter can handle the kettle's wattage. Check the label, because many kettles draw 1,000–1,500 W.