Food that needs no cooking

In a power outage you may have no refrigerator, stove or microwave. The food in your emergency kit should be safe to eat cold, straight from the can or package.

Start with food you already eat

The best emergency food is food your family actually likes. A stressful few days is not the time to find out nobody will eat what you bought. Look at what you already buy and choose the shelf-stable versions.

What to keep

• Canned meat and fish: tuna, salmon, chicken and ham. Pull-top cans are easiest.
• Canned vegetables, beans and soup: beans, corn, chili and most soups are fine cold.
• Ready-to-eat meals: check the label says they can be eaten without heating.
• Dried fruit, nuts, trail mix and granola bars: lots of energy in a small space, and popular with kids.
• Crackers and dry cereal: they keep for months once sealed.
• Shelf-stable milk: lasts for months unopened. Use it within a day once opened, because the fridge won't be cold.
• Peanut butter, honey and jelly: filling, and they keep well.
• Comfort food: a few treats really do help morale.

And don't forget a manual can opener. Without one, a pantry full of cans is no use.

How much

Aim for at least 3 days of meals and snacks for everyone at home. Count roughly three meals a day per person and add some snacks.

Dietary needs

Think about allergies, intolerances, diabetes, and anyone who needs soft or special food. If someone in your home has a medical diet, ask your doctor, dietitian or pharmacist what to keep in reserve.

Shelf life and rotating

Canned and dried food lasts a long time, but not forever. Check the dates when you buy.

The easy way to keep your supply fresh is to eat it and replace it. Every few months, use the oldest items in normal meals and put new ones at the back of the pantry. Check everything properly every six months.

Throw away any can that is bulging, deeply dented, rusty or leaking.

Food in the fridge and freezer

In an outage, eat food from the fridge first, then the freezer, and save your emergency food for last. Keep the doors closed as much as you can to hold the cold in. When in doubt, throw it out.