Emergencies and disasters are always unexpected, and unfortunately, most people are usually unprepared!
However, the best way you can be more prepared is to create an at-home emergency food kit. It’s inexpensive, simple, and is guaranteed to give you a large degree of peace of mind.
In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to go about compiling your DIY emergency kit and everything you need to make it! We’ll cover:
- The steps you need to take to make your DIY emergency food kit
- A sample 1-month food kit for two people
- Knowing how many months of food you should store.
Let’s get into it!
Steps to Make Your DIY Emergency Food Supply
Before you get to work putting together your DIY emergency food kit, you’ll want to get a few things planned out first to ensure your kit will last and that it has all the necessary items.
This includes determining what specific foods you will need, ensuring they are fit to last in an emergency kit, and knowing to keep your emergency kit well-maintained. Let’s go over each step you need to take in more detail!
1. Determine your basic needs
In order to get to work compiling supplies for your kit, it’s important that you first think about any specific needs you and your family may have.
Perhaps someone in your family has a dietary intolerance or allergy or other specific dietary requirements. You may also have a baby in the family, in which case you will need to ensure you have the appropriate baby formula or baby food!
You will also need to consider your nutritional needs throughout the day; perhaps you are someone who is particularly active and requires more calories.
You will also need to consider ensuring you get enough nutrients such as protein and vitamins. Once you have determined your and your family’s needs, you will be ready to select the specific food items for your kit.
2. Choose your food items
When it comes to selecting your food items, you need to ensure you have all the major food groups covered.
Your kit should also contain foods that have a long shelf life, are nutritionally dense, and are easy to prepare in emergency situations.
You may include frozen food in your kit, but these will need to be the first eaten when the emergency occurs. Remember to include in your kit a can opener, and equipment such as a gas cooker to heat food!
Some great options for protein are canned tuna or fish, canned beef, canned beans or lentils, dried beans or lentils, beef jerky, peanut butter, and powdered milk.
Fruit and vegetables can be accounted for through canned options. For example, you can stock up on canned beetroot, corn, beans, peas, and mushrooms when it comes to vegetables. Canned fruits can include pineapple, peaches, apricots, and cherries.
Don’t forget other essential items such as coffee, tea, sugar, salt, and condiments! You will also need enough water to last at least 3 days.
3. Store your food properly
To get the best shelf life out of your kit, you need to ensure that it is stored properly. This involves ensuring that the kit is stored in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight. Dried goods should be in airtight containers.
Once opened, canned goods need to be transferred to another non-metallic container and should not be kept for more than a few days refrigerated. If there is no method of refrigeration, then the goods need to be eaten immediately.
4. Keep your emergency kit up to date
To ensure your emergency kit stays up-to-date and safe to consume, there are a couple of things you can do periodically.
The first is to check all cans for any signs of rusting, bulging, or leaking which will compromise the safety of the food. Additionally, ensure that all food is still within its best-before date – and replace those that are not!
Sample 1-month Emergency Food Kit for Two People
Now that you have a basic understanding of how to put together an emergency food kit, let’s take a look at what a sample food kit would look like.
Here’s an example of what could be found in an emergency food kit for two people that would last approximately one month:
| Food Item | Quantity | People | Single Serving Size | Calories Per Serving | Nutrients |
| Powdered milk | 2 kg | 2 | 250ml | 155 | Protein, calcium |
| Protein Bars | 4 packets | 2 | 1 bar | 150 | Protein, carbohydrates |
| Peanut Butter | 2 jars | 2 | 1 tbsp | 120 | Protein, fats |
| Crackers | 4 packs | 2 | 4 crackers | 120 | Carbohydrates |
| Oats | 2 packs | 2 | 1 cup | 300 | Protein, carbohydrates |
| Canned Fruit | 30 cans | 2 | 1 cup | 75 | Vitamins, carbohydrates |
| Rice | 8 kg | 2 | 1 cup | 360 | Carbohydrates |
| Pasta | 8 kg | 2 | 1 cup | 360 | Carbohydrates, protein |
| Tomato Pasta Sauce | 8 jars | 2 | 100g | 45 | Vitamins |
| Canned Beans | 20 | 2 | 75g | 50 | Protein, Vitamins and Minerals |
| Dried Lentils | 2 kg | 2 | 50g | 200 | Protein, Vitamins and Minerals |
| Canned Tuna | 20 cans | 2 | 95g | 80 | Protein, Minerals |
| Canned Chicken | 20 cans | 2 | 95g | 100 | Protein, Minerals |
| Cookies | 4 packets | 2 | 25g | 120 | Carbohydrates |
| Soup packets | 30 packets | 2 | 300g | 200 | Vitamins, Minerals |
| Canned stew | 20 cans | 2 | 250g | 120 | Vitamins, Minerals |
| Canned Vegetables | 30 cans | 2 | 75g | 50 | Vitamins |
| Milo | 1 kg | 2 | 20g | 80 | Carbohydrates |
How Many Months of Food Items Should I Store?
At this point, you might be wondering how many weeks or months your emergency food kit should last you.
Everyone should have an emergency kit for at least 3 days, though a 2-week kit is even better!
Essentially: the more well-stocked you can manage to make an emergency kit, the more prepared you will be in an emergency or natural disaster.