Even though you do not know what the future holds, you fail to plan for an emergency. It is hard to prepare for unforeseen. If you could predict the future, you would never be caught unawares. Well, it is not wise to think about what is not in your control.
Emergencies never give you prior notice before knocking at your door. A wise person is one who truly believes in being prudent. As you create an emergency cushion to meet unexpected expenses, the same way you may need to build an emergency food kit.
Emergency food kit is nothing but stockpiling food and water during calamities. Disasters can occur anytime, and there is a possibility that your entire family may not have access to food at all. Therefore, you should store food in your pantry. Such menu predominantly includes oats, meat and canned beans.
During the event of a disaster like hurricanes, flood, this food will help your entire family to survive until the help comes or the lousy condition lets up. Having an emergency food kit ensures that you can nourish yourself without panicking. You will be able to stay calm during a natural disaster, which is paramount to think about how to tackle it. Here are some tips on how you can start by building an emergency food kit:
Set a goal
First off, you need to identify the needs that will give you an idea of the quantity of food you need to store. You may need to stretch it for a week or a month depending on the location and the number of days you stay cut off the food supplies.
A basic emergency food kit should have supplies of food and water for each member of your household for at least three days (72 hours). Besides, the package must include flashlight, first-aid medical kit etc.
Hitting the goal for the basic kit, you need to identify the necessities for each member of your family. If you have a baby, you may need milk or formula. Make sure that you do not include any food that you or your family members are allergic to.
Once you have hit the goal of stockpiling for a bare minimum of three days, you can move it to a week or two. Keep it up until you reach your goal.
Consider nutritional values
Do not be impetuous while stocking upon edible items. You should store food that does not require cooking and has excellent nutritional values.
It must be delicious enough so that all members of your household can enjoy it at the time of disaster. Have the following items in your store:
- Whole wheat crackers
- Peanut butter
- Nuts
- Cereals
- Granola bars
- Powdered milk
- Sugar, salt and pepper
- Dried fruit
- Canned meat, vegetables, soup
- Sports drink with no sugar
- Tea, coffee, chocolates
Food with a higher nutritional value will maintain your energy during the tough time.
Be careful with water storage
The minimum water per person for each day you need to store is 1 gallon. Unopened commercially bottled water is the most reliable water supply during an emergency. You can also store tap water in your bottles and containers. Human body quickly dehydrates, so make sure that you have stashed away enough water for your household.
Store fresh items that could last long
If you think that you are going to get into a problem and you have some item to stock up on fresh food, you should focus on buying things that could last long. Apples, citrus fruits, potatoes, yarns and squashes can satisfy your hunger as well as thirst.
Nuts and grains are also an excellent choice to buy in bulk. They are healthy as well as affordable. It is likely that you do not have money to stock up on food items for an emergency.
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It is crucial to building an emergency food kit if your location is vulnerable to natural disasters. Brace yourself so that you do not panic when it strikes. Tips mentioned above can help you create a stockpile for food in case of calamities.