VashonBePrepared: Building emergency food storage

How — and why — to prepare for three weeks of meals.

August 10, 2024 1:30 am
Canned goods are excellent additions to your food stash. They last for years. However, do remember to include a few can openers with your emergency food supplies (especially if food is stored in multiple locations). Not electric openers, because you may not have electricity. There’s the old standby, a hand-cranked can opener (left). A multi-tool is a classic to include in your emergency kit, and most multi-tools have can-opener blades (upper right). Finally, there’s the lowly P-38 C-rations opener familiar to military veterans and backpackers (bottom right). Consider purchasing cans of food with pull tabs, requiring no can opener. Whatever you do, make sure whichever type you choose is workable for the people in your household who prepare food. (Courtesy photo)
Canned goods are excellent additions to your food stash. They last for years. However, do remember to include a few can openers with your emergency food supplies (especially if food is stored in multiple locations). Not electric openers, because you may not have electricity. There’s the old standby, a hand-cranked can opener (left). A multi-tool is a classic to include in your emergency kit, and most multi-tools have can-opener blades (upper right). Finally, there’s the lowly P-38 C-rations opener familiar to military veterans and backpackers (bottom right). Consider purchasing cans of food with pull tabs, requiring no can opener. Whatever you do, make sure whichever type you choose is workable for the people in your household who prepare food. (Courtesy photo)

Most of us can prepare a meal or two from the food in our pantry.

But could we put together three meals a day for three days? For three weeks in an extended emergency? Would those meals work well for all members of our household?

Your answers may inspire you to get more organized about creating or increasing your emergency food cache.

Starting this week and over the next few weeks, we’ll talk about:

• Building an emergency stock of food and medicine

• Rotating supplies so they don’t go bad

• Storing food and medicine safely

• Meeting the needs of our pets and livestock

Three Weeks of Food

VashonBePrepared recommends Vashon households store three weeks of food in case of a big emergency. (We recognize that it may take a while to work up to that amount.)

An online search would show you that the FEMA website Ready.gov suggests a smaller emergency cache — that everyone should aim to be “two weeks ready.” So, why do we recommend Vashon folks store three weeks of supplies?

It’s because Vashon’s ferry-only connection to mainland resources could be interrupted in a disaster.

In addition, during a regional emergency, the delivery of aid will be prioritized to do the most good for the largest number of people. This means that our small community will likely be a lower priority, resulting in a longer wait before help arrives — even if ferries are running.

The Washington Emergency Management Division has an easy-to-download booklet that describes the entire Prepare in a Year program, including info about putting aside a supply of food.

• English: tinyurl.com/EnglishPrepare

• Spanish: tinyurl.com/SpanishPrepare

• Additional Languages: mil.wa.gov/personal

But I’m overwhelmed, and it’s expensive!

We realize it takes time and money to stash away three weeks of food.

It helps to take the long view: just get started in a small way this month.

Start with what you have, then pick up an extra can or box of food each time you go grocery shopping. Each week, you will gradually expand your cache while spreading out the cost and effort.

Save money by collaborating with neighbors and family members on bulk buys of emergency food. Clip coupons and watch for sales around holidays. Some folks enjoy home canning or dehydration, which are great ways to add favorite seasonal foods to your emergency supplies.

Check out a video from the Washington Emergency Management Division that breaks down household preparation into a series of small, easy steps: tinyurl.com/foodpreparevideo.

What foods should I collect?

Select food that you and your housemates will want to eat, especially during the stress of an emergency. To help decide what food to put in your emergency stash, take a look at your grocery shopping lists and have a glance around your pantry. They are great starting points for deciding what food to put in your emergency stash.

When making choices, you’ll want to collect shelf-stable food, so it will be safe and tasty when you need it. Also, think about what you may need to be able to cook the food and whether the means for cooking will be available in an emergency. For example, remember that freeze-dried food requires hot water to make it ready to eat. In an emergency, you’ll be grateful for having some foods that can be eaten with little or no preparation!

Consider foods such as…

• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits, vegetables, and a can opener

• Protein or fruit bars

• Dry cereal or granola

• Peanut butter

• Dried fruit

• Canned juices

• Non-perishable pasteurized milk

• High-energy foods

• Food for infants

• Comfort foods

Every household has different needs, so customize your emergency food stash to include foods that suit the particular members of your household.

Include baby formula and jarred foods for infants and toddlers. Elders may need canned nutrition shakes or softer foods. Consider freeze-dried or ready-to-drink coffee drinks for those who like their coffee, plus tea for folks who prefer that hot beverage. Plan on having alternative ways to boil water, such as a cooking pot over a camp stove or barbeque.

The stress and increased physical work of responding to a disaster make added calories a good idea, so add some favorite treats to lift your family’s spirits and boost calories.

Next week, we’ll discuss keeping food safe and healthy for consumption, including tips on rotating food to keep it fresh and ready.