Prep3 day emergency food list
Three days is what the UK government's Be Ready campaign asks households to plan for. This list needs no fridge and no cooking, so it works in a power cut.
Who's at home?
Saved in this browser for the other tools.
Pets aren't counted here, so add their food yourself.
What should it cover?
Use government figures by age and sex
Public Health England's estimated energy needs. Enter how many people in each group. This replaces the household above for calories, and they're averages, so individual needs vary.
| Age | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Age 1765 / 717 kcal | ||
| 2 to 31,088 / 1,004 kcal | ||
| 4 to 61,482 / 1,378 kcal | ||
| 7 to 101,817 / 1,703 kcal | ||
| 11 to 182,500 / 2,000 kcal | ||
| 19 to 642,500 / 2,000 kcal | ||
| 65 to 742,342 / 1,912 kcal | ||
| 75 and over2,294 / 1,840 kcal |
Your shopping list
Beans, fish and meat
- 3 ×Baked beans400 g tin
Vegetables and soup
- 2 ×Sweetcorn198 g tin
Fruit
- 2 ×Peaches in juice410 g tin
Crackers, bars and crispbread
- 5 ×Cream crackers200 g pack
Nuts, peanut butter and dried fruit
- 2 ×Peanut butter340 g jar
Milk
- 1 ×UHT whole milk1 L carton
Treats
- 3 ×Milk chocolate100 g bar
Rice, pasta and lentils need water and a way to cook them, which isn't counted here. Tins of beans, fish and vegetables can be eaten cold if you have to.
Example: a family of 4 for 3 days
Two adults and two children at 7,200 kcal a day is 21,600 kcal. This is the no-cooking list.
| Food | Pack | How many |
|---|---|---|
| Baked beans | 400 g tin | 3 |
| Tuna in water | 145 g tin | 3 |
| Sweetcorn | 198 g tin | 2 |
| Vegetable soup | 400 g tin | 2 |
| Peaches in juice | 410 g tin | 2 |
| Pineapple in juice | 432 g tin | 2 |
| Cream crackers | 200 g pack | 5 |
| Cereal bars | 5 pack, 125 g | 8 |
| Peanut butter | 340 g jar | 1 |
| Mixed nuts | 200 g bag | 3 |
| UHT whole milk | 1 L carton | 2 |
| Milk chocolate | 100 g bar | 3 |
| Biscuits | 300 g pack | 1 |
From preppantry.app. Checked 2 November 2026. Independent tool, not official advice.
How it works
Be Ready asks for non-perishable food for 3 days, with a long shelf life and no need for refrigeration or cooking. It suggests tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, and says it's best to buy food you'd usually eat.
For 3 days we've set the list to no cooking. Two adults and two children need 7,200 kcal a day at our planning figures, or 21,600 kcal in all.
Before you buy: look in your cupboards. You may be most of the way there. Keep a tin opener that doesn't need power with the food.
What to expect: this is enough to eat, not a varied diet. For 3 days that's fine. If someone in your household has a medical diet or an allergy, plan for that first.
The list has two parts. Tins of beans, fish, vegetables and fruit are set per person, so meals have some variety. Staples such as rice, pasta and peanut butter make up the remaining calories. That mix is our own. It isn't official, and it isn't a diet plan.
Pack sizes are typical ones we chose, and calories come from USDA FoodData Central, so your labels will differ a little. We round up to whole packs, so the list comes to slightly more than the target.
Common questions
What food should I keep for 3 days?
Be Ready suggests food that doesn't need a fridge or cooking, such as tinned meat, fish or vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. It's best to buy food you'd usually eat.
Do I need to buy it all at once?
No. Be Ready says to build up gradually and pick up an extra item or two when you can, on your regular shop.
How often should I check it?
Be Ready says to set a reminder every six months to check dates and swap out anything that needs replacing.
Can I eat tinned food cold?
Yes, most tinned food is already cooked. This list only uses food we've marked as fine to eat as it comes or cold.
Sources
- Be Ready checklist
- NHS: understanding calories
- Public Health England: government dietary recommendations (energy by age and sex)
- Food Standards Agency: food fact checker (use by and best before)
- USDA FoodData Central (energy per 100 g)
- USDA FoodKeeper data (storage times)
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Checked on 2 November 2026. This is an independent tool and not official advice. See sources and method.