2.3 Food for two weeks
In this section (4)
Rules for choosing
- It shouldn't need cooking or refrigeration. Without power, your electric stove is useless, and cooking with fire indoors is off limits because of the risk of carbon monoxide and fire.
- It should be food you already eat. A crisis is not the time to try food nobody tolerates. Buy long-shelf-life versions of what you eat.
- It shouldn't make you very thirsty. Avoid too much salt; choose tuna in water and low-sodium soups when you can.
- Energy-dense. Peanut butter, nuts, bars, and oatmeal give lots of calories in little space.
- Small cans that get finished in one meal: without a refrigerator, whatever is opened spoils.
- A manual can opener. Two, in fact.
Order of consumption when the power goes out
- Refrigerator first. According to the USDA, without power and with the door closed it stays cold about 4 hours.
- Then the freezer. Full and closed, it lasts about 48 hours; half full, about 24 hours.
- Last, the emergency pantry. That way you stretch the reserve. For food safety during outages, see chapter 9.
How much food
Nutrition labels in the U.S. use 2,000 calories a day as a general reference. For each person over 14 days that is 14 person-days, or about 28,000 calories and 42 meals; multiply by the number of people in your household. Adjust upward if your household includes large people, very active people, or people who will do physical work (hauling water, cleaning up); downward if they are small-framed. In an emergency it is acceptable to eat somewhat less for a few days; what you don't ration is water.
Example pantry per person, 14 days
Approximate values to guide your shopping; confirm with your brand's label. The idea is to mix food groups, not to hit the exact figure.
| Food | Amount | Approx. total calories | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peanut butter (40 oz / 1.13 kg jar) | 1 jar | ~26,000 | The most calorie-dense. If there is an allergy, sunflower butter |
| Crackers (16 oz / 454 g box) | 2 boxes | ~16,000 | Base for cold meals |
| Oatmeal (42 oz / 1.19 kg container) | 3 | ~13,500 | Can be soaked in cold water |
| Ready-to-eat soups, chili, or stews (15 oz can) | 7 cans | ~11,000 | Can be eaten cold if necessary |
| Granola or protein bars | 14 bars | ~11,000 | Also go in the bags |
| Ready-to-eat canned beans (15 oz can) | 7 cans | ~10,000 | Protein and fiber |
| Nuts and trail mix | 0.75 lb (0.34 kg) | ~8,000 | Rotate: they go rancid |
| Powdered milk or boxed UHT milk | 0.75 lb powdered or equivalent | ~5,000 | UHT needs no extra water |
| Canned fruit in juice (15 oz can) | 3 to 4 cans | ~3,500 | The liquid hydrates too |
| Canned tuna, chicken, or salmon (5 oz can) | 7 cans | ~3,400 | Prefer water-packed and easy-open |
| Dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, mango) | 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | ~2,600 | Quick energy |
| Canned vegetables | 3 to 4 cans | ~1,400 | Vitamins and variety |
| Total | ~28,000 | Enough for 2,000 kcal/ person/day |
Extras: instant coffee or tea, sugar, salt, bouillon cubes, powdered electrolyte drinks (useful in heat), chocolate or candy for morale, special foods for medical diets or allergies.
