Water

• While water is not strictly speaking a food, it is essential for food preparation and good health. A healthy adult needs six to eight glasses of liquid per day; this can be in the form of water, moisture content of food or flavored beverages. Also, consider water for cooking, bathing, dish washing and other sanitary requirements. Pets and farm animals also require water. If you have a local power outage, your normal water supply may be interrupted. Store at least five gallons of potable water per person in tightly closed containers, plus appropriate amounts for each animal that is part of your household or homestead. Inspect it periodically to ensure it has not become contaminated. If it looks cloudy, its container bulges or has a bad odor when opened, discard it. Water filters and water purification tablets are essential when anticipating long-term service interruptions. Most camping suppliers stock good quality water containers, filters as well as purification tablets.
  
  

Short-Term Emergencies

• Nonperishable picnic or lunch foods are good items to stock for short-term emergencies. Sealed sandwich kits, nut butter spreads, prepared bread, crackers and nutritious cookies that contain lots of nuts or that have been made with protein powder or whole "keeper" fruits, such as apples, are good for short-term emergencies. Keep these items in your pantry, and use them as part of your regular diet. This allows the more perishable items to be rotated regularly and ensures that your emergency foods are items enjoyed by your family.
  
  

Emergencies Lasting One Month or Less

• Stock up on canned goods for longer emergencies. Purchase or prepare food your family eats on a regular basis. Buy oatmeal, instant rice and other grains that can be prepared primarily with soaking or with minimal cooking. Commercially canned meat is frequently very salty, but it can be added to rice or other grains to soak up some of the salt. Alternatively, you can pressure can your own meat in glass mason jars. Home-grown vegetables can also be pressure canned in glass jars. Freeze part of your emergency water supply in your home freezer. The sealed containers of ice will help keep frozen supplies from spoiling.
  
  

Long-term Planning

• Focus on foods that can be eaten year round by your family. Include flour or grains that can be ground into flour, as well as cereals such as barley, wheat and rice. Grains need to be stored in sealed containers in a cool, dry place and checked often for mold or insects. Meat can be dried, canned or frozen. Freezing requires a source of electricity to run the freezer; a solar or wind driven generator is ideal for keeping a freezer going. Home-canned meat can be safely kept in a cool, dry place for about six months; commercially canned meats can be kept longer, but the expiration dates still need to be checked. Never use meat from a can or jar where the top looks puffy or swollen. Vegetables can also be canned, dried or frozen. Some items, such as root vegetables can be stored in a bucket of sand or wrapped in paper and kept in a dark, dry place for seven or eight months. Apples keep well whole if stored away from light in a cool, dry place.
  
  

Sweeteners and Salt

• Honey may turn to sugar, but can be returned to its original state by placing the container in a warm water bath till the sugar crystals dissolve; or it can simply be used in its sugary form. Sugar needs to be kept dry, or it will pack into a hard lump. However, it is possible to grate a hardened sugar lump, returning it to usable form. Salt has a similar problem.
  
  

The Containers

• Plastic tubs of varying sizes, glass jars with sealing lids, or metal tins can be used to store food. Plastic needs to be in an area or in a larger container that will protect it from mice and insects. Popcorn tins make a good container for small amounts of food stuffs sealed into zip-lock plastic bags. The containers need to be labeled and organized in a secure area.
  
  

Pet and Farm Animal Food

• Keep a supply of pet or animal feed. Place kibbles and grain in sealed, animal proof containers to protect it from unauthorized consumption. Store straw and hay in a protected stack or unheated building.