Food Storage Kit

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Illustration: a storage shelf stocked with canned food, freeze-dried food buckets, boxes, and water containers, with a manual can opener and a wall thermometer

Start simple: at least several days of non-perishable food your family already eats, plus a manual can opener (Ready.gov). Then, if you want a long-shelf-life backup, add freeze-dried meals.

Two tiers

Food storage in two tiers. Tier 1, pantry basics for 3 to 7 days: canned foods, peanut butter, crackers, cereal, shelf-stable milk, no-cook foods, a manual can opener, and rotation. Tier 2, freeze-dried backup: Mountain House lists a 30-year shelf life (ice cream 3 years) if kept unopened and not above 75 degrees Fahrenheit for long, and works with cold water in 20 to 30 minutes; My Patriot Supply lists up to 25 years at ideally 55 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit
Sources: Ready.gov (Build a Kit); Mountain House shelf-life guarantee, FAQ, and #10 can guide; My Patriot Supply FAQ. Shelf-life figures are maker claims.

Shelf-life figures are the makers’ own: Mountain House (FAQ, cold water) and My Patriot Supply.

Our picks: Mountain House Essential Meal Assortment Bucket (12 pouches, 22 servings) · Ready Hour 120-Serving Emergency Entrée Bucket (Ready Hour is My Patriot Supply’s food brand; 22 pouches, 120 servings). Details on our Gear page.

Related: Emergency food storage for a family of 4 → · Keeping fridge food safe in an outage → · Fridge and freezer thermometer picks →

Shelf-life figures are manufacturer claims; we haven’t taste-tested or stored these long-term ourselves.