Emergency Food Supplies

Selecting Foods for Emergency Supply

• Foods that require little or no cooking or refrigeration.
• Foods that require little or no water for preparation.
• Foods that will not increase thirst (i.e. low in sodium).
• Foods that will meet the needs of family members requiring special diets.
• Choose portions that can be consumed by you or your family in one meal.
• Foods that are familiar to your family (comfort foods).

Suggested Foods to Store

• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fish, beans, fruits and vegetables
• Comfort foods, such as hard candy, sweetened cereals, candy bars and cookies
• Packaged juices, milk and soup
• Dried foods
• Peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars and trail mix
• Instant meals that don’t need cooking or water

Additional Items to Store

• Manual can opener
• Paper towels
• Utility knife
• Aluminium foil
• Bottle opener
• Charcoal grill & charcoal
• Camping stove & fuel
• Heavy duty plastic bags
• Waterproof matches
• Small Tool Kit
• Pots & pans
• Utensils

Storing Emergency Foods

• Keep food in covered containers, date, rotate into use 1 or 2 times a year and replace.
• Store foods in a cool, dry, dark place (i.e. a closet and package in opaque containers). High temperatures
  contribute to rapid deterioration of many food types.
• Protect food from rodents and insects by storing in metal containers or large, sealable hard-plastic garbage containers on wheels.

Using Emergency Food

• FIRST, use perishable foods in your refrigerator (if not contaminated by flooding).
• SECOND, use frozen foods in your freezer.
• LASTLY, use canned foods and dry mixes.

IMPORTANT TIPS

• Thawed food usually can be eaten if it is still “refrigerator cold.” It can be re-frozen if it still contains ice crystals. But remember: “If in doubt, throw it out.”
• Discard cans that bulge at the end or are leaking.
• Do not eat or drink anything that has been in open containers near shattered glass.