How to Store Food & Water for Emergency
The best way to ensure that your family has food and water during an emergency is to plan ahead and store rations on which you can draw if the power is out, municipal water is inaccessible or you cannot get to a store to shop, according to emergency management agencies. Aim for emergency food and water supplies to support your family's needs for at least 2 weeks, advises the Federal Emergency Management Agency Web site. Storing emergency food is more manageable if you incorporate your emergency purchases into your regular shopping routine and store emergency rations along with your daily food supplies. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Permanent marker
- Airtight containers
- Nonperishable food items
- Quart-size canning jars and rings
- Commercial bottled water
- Food-grade plastic storage or soda bottles
- Dish soap
- Unscented household chlorine bleach
- Vitamin supplements
- Nonperishable pet food
Instructions
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Storing Food
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Choose nonperishable foods for emergency rations, including canned goods, dried fruits, beans, rice, peanut butter, jelly and jerky. Include a variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and treats that your family can consume without cooking.
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2
Keep foods your family enjoys eating on hand in case of emergency. Familiar foods can help ease stress during an emergency. Don't forget favorite spices, gravies and sauces to add variety to soups, noodles and rice dishes.
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3
Store dry mixes, flours and cereals in airtight containers, each containing sufficient food to feed your family for 1 or 2 meals. Use airtight quart canning jars to store instant soups, potato flakes, powdered milk and dehydrated fruits and vegetables. Mark all containers and jars with food contents and storage dates.
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4
Select a dry and easily accessible location to store your emergency food rations. Pantry shelves and kitchen cupboards are ideal. Rotate foods after each shopping trip to keep older foods in front.
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Monitor food shelf life and package expiration dates. Consume oldest items first.
Storing Water
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Keep cases of bottled water on hand in case of emergency. Plan to consume at least 2 gallons per day, per person for drinking, mixing with food and instant drink mixes, and personal hygiene.
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Store tap water for drinking and cooking up to 6 months in clean 2-litre soda bottles that you have washed in hot, soapy water and rinsed clean. Sanitize bottles first by cleaning them thoroughly in a mixture of 4 tsp. unscented household chlorine bleach to a gallon of water.
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Rinse the bleach mixture out of each bottle with fresh water. Refill with fresh tap water. For well water, add up to 4 drops of unscented household chlorine bleach to each bottle.
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Cap stored water tightly. Mark each cap with the date prepared. Store water in a dry, cool location for up to 6 months.
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Tips & Warnings
Store extra water for young children, pregnant women and the elderly or ill.
Keep extra vegetable oil, shortening and canned butter on hand to use in cooking.
Stock vitamins and diet supplements in case of emergency.
Count family pets among family members for purposes of planning how much food and water to store.
Don't ration water if your supplies run low. Look for additional water sources, such as your hot water heater or swimming pool.
Avoid fatty or salty foods in an emergency. These tend to make you crave liquids.
References
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