Disasters come in different forms. Some are human-made while others are natural. However, one thing is common among all calamities –we can’t tell when they’ll happen. Moreover, they can occur in any part of the world. Examples of emergencies include terror attacks, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. In all these situations, you need to survive. So, you should have the necessary supplies to keep you going. That’s why you require emergency water and food.
Before you begin stocking up these supplies, you need to understand that you might not access electricity, gas, water, and foodstuffs during emergencies. Preparing for a crisis is something we shouldn’t take lightly as the survival of our loved ones may depend on it. So how much food is enough for emergency situations? The American National Red Cross recommends at least a 2-week food and water supply. You can double or triple this amount if you have the means.
You shouldn’t expect to have everything at once when you begin storing your food and water. It might take some time, but it will be worth it in the end. To start off, look for foods that don’t need refrigeration. These kinds of foodstuffs include canned goods, dried fruits, foods bars and dry mixes that you can buy from online stores like My Patriot Supply. Be sure to stock up food that you like because the last thing you want during a disaster is a meal you don’t like. It’s important to consider special diets and allergies that you or your family might have. Also, avoid foods with lots of sugar or salt because they cause dehydration.
When you start buying and storing your emergency food supplies, you must check the expiration dates on all the food packages. Go for foods with a long shelf-life. If you’re storing the food in a pantry, arrange the supplies by expiration. Place the ones that will expire early in front so that you can consume them first. It’s recommended that you store newer supplies at the back of your storage unit. Remember you’re dealing with food, which is susceptible to food poisoning. Therefore, make sure that the packaging is air-tight and ensure that you store is pest-free.
Aside from dried fruits and canned goods, you can also store freeze-dried foods. You won’t need to refrigerate free-dried meals. They last longer than other emergency food supplies. In fact, some of these foods take 20 years to expire. Freeze-dried foods from My Patriot Supply come in re-sealable pouches. So, you can use them bit by bit, and they won’t go bad because you’ll put the seal back after taking out the amount you need. These meals are easy to prepare. All you need is boiled water and a cooking pot.
Although most emergency food supplies don’t require a refrigerator, they need certain storage conditions. Store your foods in a cool, dry place. It’s also imperative to take into account the location of your store. You don’t want to stock up your food in a room that’s likely to be affected by a disaster.
