Food Considerations

You'd have to be a fool to not have food on hand with a storm approaching!  You should keep enough food and supplies on hand to last at least 72 hours.  And even after 72 hours, if you're looking for someone else to come to your rescue, expect to be eating peanut butter sandwiches and water for quite awhile!  If you really want to prepare for the storm, have at least one week of food and water on hand for your family.

As the Navy has discovered, food is a great morale booster.  That's why the men and women on submarines get the best food in the armed services.  So buy high-quality food for your emergency supply, and rotate it periodically.  A good meal while everything else around you is discouraging can go a long way toward lifting your spirits.  Be sure to take into consideration special dietary requirements, such as lactose intolerance or for diabetics.  And like all of your hurricane supplies, test the food to ensure you like it before being stuck with it in an emergency!

Be sure to Stock foods that don’t require refrigeration.  Even if you have a generator, if the generator fails, you'll soon be stuck with a refrigerator full of unusable food.   Be cautious of refrigerated or frozen food that have thawed or become warm.  Be especially wary of foods containing mayonnaise and eggs.

You should store your food in watertight containers, and up as high as possible. Don’t eat foods—including canned foods—that have come in contact with flood waters.  You can never be sure if you've gotten the food containers completely clean of bacteria.

Don’t forget to have at least one manual can opener available! Also, by using paper plates and plastic utensils you won't have to waste water washing them.

If you have an electric stove, consider buying a Coleman camp stove as a backup (for outdoor use only!)  As an alternative, stock up on charcoal and lighter fluid for a grill.

Food Checklist

Useful Links

Hurricane Preparation and Food Safety Tips