How much food should I store for emergencies?

FEMA and Ready.gov recommend at least a 3-day supply of food that requires no cooking or refrigeration. For meaningful security, build toward a 14-day supply. Focus on calorie-dense, shelf-stable foods your household actually eats. A 2,000-calorie-per-day target per person is a practical baseline.

What foods last the longest for emergency storage?

Commercially canned goods (meat, vegetables, fruit, soup) last 2 to 5 years or longer. Dried beans, rice, oats, and pasta last 8 to 10 years when stored properly in sealed containers. Freeze-dried foods can last 25 to 30 years. Honey, salt, sugar, and white vinegar last indefinitely. Peanut butter, dried fruit, and jerky are calorie-dense with moderate shelf life.

How do I rotate my food storage?

Use the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method: place new items behind older ones. Label everything with the purchase date. Build your storage from foods you normally eat and cook with them regularly. Replace what you use. A deep pantry that rotates naturally is more reliable than a stockpile you never touch.

Can I cook indoors with a camp stove during a power outage?

No. Camp stoves, charcoal grills, and propane burners produce carbon monoxide and must be used outdoors only. Never use combustion-based cooking equipment inside your home, garage, or any enclosed space. The CPSC reports multiple CO deaths each year from indoor use of outdoor cooking equipment during power outages.

How do I know if food is safe after a power outage?

The USDA recommends using a food thermometer. Discard any perishable food that has been above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than 2 hours. A closed refrigerator keeps food safe for about 4 hours. A full freezer maintains temperature for about 48 hours (24 if half full). When in doubt, throw it out — you cannot detect most foodborne contamination by smell or taste.

Food Preparedness Checklist — Build Your Household Food Supply

Step 1

Build your deep pantry. Store what you eat. Eat what you store.

The best emergency food supply is a deeper version of what you already cook with. Build it gradually, rotate naturally, and you will always be ready.

Getting Started

Start with a 3-day supply of food that requires no cooking or refrigeration. Build toward 14 days
Target 2,000 calories per person per day as a practical baseline
Build from foods your household actually eats (peanut butter, canned soup, rice, pasta, oats, crackers, dried fruit)
Keep a manual can opener (do not rely on electric)

Long-Term Staples

Grains: white rice, oats, pasta, flour (sealed in food-grade containers, cool and dry)
Proteins: canned meat, beans, peanut butter, jerky, powdered milk
Fats and calories: cooking oil, honey, sugar, dark chocolate, nuts
Vitamins: canned or dried fruit, multivitamins, powdered drink mixes with vitamin C

Rotation

Use first-in, first-out (FIFO): new items go behind older ones
Label everything with the purchase date
Cook from your pantry regularly — a supply you never use is a supply you cannot trust
Replace what you use. A rolling pantry is better than a forgotten stockpile

Cooking Without Power

Have at least one outdoor backup cooking method (camp stove, charcoal grill, or rocket stove)
Never cook with combustion fuels indoors — camp stoves, grills, and charcoal produce carbon monoxide
Stock extra fuel (propane canisters, charcoal, stove fuel). Know how many meals your fuel supply covers
Practice cooking a full meal on your backup setup before you need to rely on it

Step 2

Food safety during outages. When in doubt, throw it out.

You cannot smell or taste most foodborne contamination. A food thermometer and clear rules keep your household safe during a power outage.

Keep a food thermometer with your supplies (the USDA considers it essential, not optional)
A closed fridge keeps food safe for about 4 hours. A full freezer holds for about 48 hours (24 if half full)
Discard any perishable food above 40 degrees F for more than 2 hours
Eat perishables first, then open canned and shelf-stable supplies
Keep a cooler and know where to get ice quickly (gas stations, convenience stores)
After power returns: check all refrigerated and frozen food with a thermometer before eating

Gear

Food essentials. Start here.

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Food Preparedness Checklist. Stock it. Rotate it. Cook without power.

Build your deep pantry. Store what you eat. Eat what you store.

Getting Started

Long-Term Staples

Rotation

Cooking Without Power

Food safety during outages. When in doubt, throw it out.

Food essentials. Start here.

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