EmERGENCY FOOD STORAGE BASICS
INTRODUCTION Earthquakes, fires, severe storms, and power outages are just some of the potential emergencies that can be encountered. Imagine that you have no electricity, no gas, no water, and no telephone service. What would happen if you were told to evacuate your home in the next 10 minutes? Imagine that all the businesses were closed and you were without any kind of emergency services. What would you do until help arrives? The 3-Day Emergency Food and Water Supply is meant to be a quickly accessed, portable source of food and water that
from 3 weeks to 3 months. You should not worry too much
can sustain you and your family for several days. It should be
about vitamin deficiencies since it will usually take more than 3
stored in one or two containers for quick portability. The foods
months to see symptoms. And, short-term vitamin deficiencies
chosen should be ready to eat without the need for cooking or
can be quickly reversed.
refrigeration (Eliason and Lloyd, 2005). Commercially canned foods are a good option because they don’t require cooking
The Long-Term Food Supply is emergency foods sufficient
or refrigeration. During short-term emergencies, you should
for one or more years. It would take quite a disaster to last this
be looking for calories and comfort foods. Don’t worry about
long, but many feel this type of event is worth preparing for.
vitamins or even nutritional content for such a short period
Long-term food storage emphasizes a mixture of canned goods
of time.
that can be safely stored for several years and low-moisture foods that can be safely stored for long periods (10-30 years).
The 3-Week/ 3-Month Emergency Food and Water Supply Kits
A year supply of basic food storage for one person is about
are meant for a disaster when food and water delivery may
400 lbs wheat, 60 lbs dry beans, 60 lbs sugar, 16 lbs powdered
be interrupted. Hurricane Katrina is a perfect example of the
milk, 10 qts oil, and 8 lbs salt (Eliason and Lloyd, 2005). This
normal delivery of food being interrupted. Build a small supply
supply will provide enough calories for one person for one
of food that is part of your normal, daily diet by purchasing a
year, but may be lacking in calcium and vitamins A, C, B12,
few extra items each week. Expand on this until you reach your
and E. Meeting complete nutritional needs in long-term food
goal. Not all of these foods will be ready to eat, and bulk foods
storage may require additional foods. For example vitamins A
must be added such as grains, beans, and dried milk. Plans
and C can be found in canned or bottled fruits and vegetables
must be made to store these foods and to provide the necessary
as well as in some fruit drink mixes. Vitamin B12 can be
means to prepare them. For medium-term emergencies you
found in canned meats and beef jerky. Calcium can be found
should look for calories and comfort foods like short-term
in powdered milks, hot cocoa, and pudding mixes. Vitamin E
emergency foods, but also make plans to sustain nutrition
can be found in fats, oils, and nuts. A typical long-term food EMERGENCY FOOD STORAGE
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