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Category: Preparing for Emergencies

Emergency Supplies


By Nikki Willhite


Storing Food and other Necessities

Before you begin planning your supplies, you must decide how big of a catastrophe you want to prepare for. Some people find it adequate to have enough supplies for a few weeks. Others prefer several months. I know many people that have a year's supply of food and other necessities on hand.

While a year's supply of provisions may seem a lot, I have to say that I've also known several families where the husband has lost his job, and the family was able to survive his period of unemployment because of their food storage and savings. It is up to you how prepared you want to be.

Sometimes a family is forced to hurriedly evacuate their home, either for an act of nature or a toxic spill on a road nearby, for instance. Many families keep a few days of supplies in a container that they can hurriedly grab should the necessity arise.

Anyone can store food for a few weeks without much thought. It is when you are storing food for longer periods of time that you have to give more attention to what you are storing, and the nutritional value. For that reason, I am concentrating on long term storage.

Here are some long term storage ideas:


Bread is the "staff of life". Unfortunately, white flour does not store well. For that reason, most people who are storing food for long periods of time store wheat. For more information on how to use wheat in your diet, see my link on storage tips.

Nonfat Dried/Powdered Milk

Obviously you cannot store whole milk. Yet you need the nutrients that milk provides. For this reason powdered milk is stored.

Sugar or Honey

Sugar is a necessary dietary ingredient, and a necessity for baking.


Salt is also necessary in the diet and in baking and cooking.

Some people think that the above 4 ingredients will combine to give you emergency food for one year. The wheat can be sprouted for vitamin C.

While this may be true, a much more palatable diet will be had by storing moreof the items you eat every day.  Here are some of the basics:


Vitamin Supplements
Vegetable Shortening and Oil
Grains, Rice, Oats, etc.
Dried Beans, peas, etc.
Peanut Butter
Canned Vegetables
Dried Potatoes
Fruit Juices
Gelatin, Puddings
Cakes and other dessert mixes
Powdered Eggs
Canned Meats

Be sure to read my link on storing foods when it comes to the amount of water you need to store. If you store dehydrated foods, you will need a lot more water.

Non-food Necessities


Water Purifier or tablets

Wheat and grain Grinder

Something to cook with if you lose power- such as camping equipment or a woodburning stove

Candles and lanterns, flashlights and batteries

A battery powered radio

An Axe for Cutting Wood

A Pick and Shovel

Sleeping Bags

A supply of wood, oil, kerosene, or other source of heat.


Ice Chest


Over-the-counter medications, such as aspirin

Sanitary Supplies, including toilet paper

Seeds and a spot prepared for gardening where possible, and gardening supplies

Personal supplies, such as shampoo and toothpaste

Kitchen supplies, such as aluminum foil and a manual can opener

Clothing, with special emphasis on work clothes

Laundry and other household necessities, such as blankets

Firearms (read about Hurricane Andrew)

As you can see, there are many items that we would feel "lost" without. Just how far you want to go in feeling secure is up to you.  For tips on how to store these items correctly, follow this link:

Storing Your Food and Supplies


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