Guides

Plain answers to one question at a time, with sources.

• How much water should you store per person?Store at least 1 gallon per person per day, for 3 days, and 2 weeks if you can. What a gallon covers, and how to store it safely.
• Emergency prep for beginners: the first hourA one-hour plan for getting started. Count your water and food, set up alerts, pick a contact and make a short list, before you buy anything.
• How long does canned food really last?USDA says high-acid cans last 12 to 18 months and low-acid cans 2 to 5 years, for quality. What the date means, and when to throw a can away.
• How much food to storeStart with 3 days of food that needs no cooking, then build toward 2 weeks. Calorie targets and real examples for US families, with sources.
• 3 days of food with no cookingA 3-day emergency food list with no stove or refrigerator. A sample day at about 2,000 calories, and a shopping list for a family of four.
• What to stock up on if you're worried about warThe same basics as any emergency: water, food, a radio, a flashlight, cash and medicine. What Ready.gov and the CDC say, and what you can skip.
• How long does a freezer stay cold?A full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours in an outage, a half-full one for 24. How to check food and what you can refreeze.
• Best by, use by and sell byExcept for infant formula, US food dates are about quality, not safety. What each phrase means, and how to treat canned goods past their date.
• First in, first outRotate food storage by using the oldest cans first and shelving new ones behind them. How often to check, and how to store cans so they last.
• Emergency supplies in an apartmentYou can fit 3 days of food and water in a small apartment. How much room it takes, where to put it, and what doesn't make sense to buy.
• Food storage without panic buyingBuild an emergency food and water supply one grocery trip at a time. A low-cost plan, what to buy first, and why you don't need to buy it all at once.
• 72-hour kit vs 2-week supplyA 72-hour kit is for leaving home. A 2-week supply is for staying put. What the CDC and Red Cross say, and how to build both from the same start.
• Hurricane food and water listWhat food and water to keep for a hurricane, how much per person, what to do when a watch is issued, and what to throw out after a flood or outage.
• What two foods never expire?The usual answer is honey and salt. What USDA data actually says about both, and which pantry foods come closest to lasting forever.
• Foods to stock up onThe best non-perishable foods to stock up on for emergencies, with calories per pack and how long each lasts unopened. Start with no-cook food.