What do I need in my emergency food kit?

COVID-19, also known as Coronavirus, continues its spread across the globe, leaving hundreds of thousands of people sick and thousands dead. While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration promises to fast track any potential vaccine, a realistic release of it is still over a year away. With more cases being confirmed every single day, major cities are grappling with getting a handle on the unprecedented emergency.

California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a mandatory stay-at-home order for the state’s 40 million residents, limiting all non-essential activities. Governor Newsom issued an even more dire warning with a prediction that half of the state’s residents will be diagnosed with Coronavirus by May. 

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is telling New Yorkers to prepare for the worst as the Coronavirus spread is shutting down more and more sectors. Governor Cuomo is tightening restrictions by ordering all non-essential workers to stay at home in hopes of keeping the community spread at bay, or “flattening the curve.” While there is no indication of an impending interruption in food supply, now is a good time to examine what should be in your emergency food supply kit. This will allow you to be fully prepared for a pandemic or any weather emergency.

Emergency food kit preparation

The U.S Department of Homeland Security suggests the following when putting together an emergency food kit:

1. Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food

2. Choose foods your family will eat

3. Remember any special dietary needs

4. Avoid foods that will make you thirsty

What should be in my emergency food kit?

You may already have some of the items you need for your emergency food kit on hand. If not, your shopping list should include:

1. Water. A good rule-of-thumb is one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation

2. Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables and a can opener

3. Protein or fruit bars

4. Dry cereal or granola

5. Peanut butter

6. Dried fruit

7. Canned juices

8. Non-perishable pasteurized milk

9. High energy foods

10. Food for infants

11. Comfort/stress foods

Maintaining your emergency food kit

After assembling your emergency food kit, remember to maintain it so it is ready when you need it.

1. Keep canned food in a cool, dry place

2. Store boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers

3. Replace expired items as needed

4. Re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family’s needs change

Emergency food kit safety & sanitation

While the food in your emergency food kit should be non-perishable, it is still incredibly important to maintain the perishables you have in your refrigerator or freezer. What do you do if the electricity goes out? Food in your fridge or freezer can quickly become unsafe as bacteria can grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 140 °F. If these foods are consumed you can become very sick. Thawed food usually can be eaten if it is still “refrigerator cold.” It can be re-frozen if it still contains ice crystals. To be safe, remember, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

Do:

1. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible

2. Keep food in covered containers

3. Keep cooking and eating utensils clean

4. Throw away any food that has been at room temperature for two hours or more

5. Throw away any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture

6. Use a ready-to-feed formula. If you must mix infant formula use bottled water, or boiled as a last resort

Don’t:

1. Eat foods from cans that are swollen, dented or corroded, even though the product may look safe to eat

2. Eat any food that looks or smells abnormal, even if the can looks normal

3. Let garbage accumulate inside, both for fire and sanitation reasons

Now that you have your emergency food kit stocked, it’s important to know where to keep it. Make sure it is in a cool, dry place that can be easily accessed by every member of the family in case of an emergency.An emergency food kit is like insurance: we hope we never have to use it but are so glad it’s there when we need it. It’s important to be AccuWeather Ready for every scenario you may face. Check out these must-have items for your car’s emergency kit.

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