30 Day Emergency Food Supply List

‍The best way to be prepared for any emergency is to plan ahead by creating a 30-day supply of food that you can store in your home.

A 30-day emergency food supply list should contain the following items:

• Canned Food
• Canned Meals
• Protein and Granola Bars
• Dry Fruit
• Dry Meat
• Jarred Food
• Dry Dairy
• Dry Snacks
• Grains (Rice, Wheat, Barley, Quinoa)
• Dry Beans
• Pasta
• Instant Noodles & Mash
• Cooking Essentials

After researching food storage techniques and survival strategies, I have gathered enough information to determine which items you should include in an emergency food supply list. In this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the most important things you will need for a 30-day emergency.

‍How Much Food Do I Need for a 30-Day Emergency?

Before you drive down to the grocery store and start filling your cart with supplies, it’s important to consider exactly how much food you would need for a 30-day emergency.

Each person's food stockpile is quite different and you ultimately need to consider which items you want to include on your list based on your daily caloric intake. The average adult needs to eat between 2,000 and 2,400 calories per day. This is a rough breakdown of how many calories you should be eating per day for a 30-day emergency:

• Males - 2,400 calories per day
• Females - 2,000 calories per day
• Kids - 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day

That said, the body mass index of each person is different, and summing up the ideal daily calories for an individual is quite subjective. In general, if you tend to eat more than the average adult, you should account for this when shopping by buying some extra food.

30-Day Emergency Food Supply List

Food storage is becoming an increasingly popular trend around the country. When disaster strikes, getting access to the supplies you need can be challenging and often even impossible.

Regardless of whether you are preparing for a natural disaster or some other type of emergency, a 30-day supply of food will ensure that you and everyone in your household are safe until the situation improves.

There are a lot of different food items that are worth considering for a 30-day emergency. You want to select items that are going to be logical and convenient for survival. That does not mean that you can’t include comfort foods and some of your favorite snacks, but it does imply that you should focus on nutrients and caloric intake first. Any food item that you choose should have a minimum shelf life of 2 years (ideally more).

It’s also essential that you consider your caloric intake during an emergency. As mentioned above, calorie counting is mandatory when creating a stockpile, and you should use a 2,000-calorie daily intake as a base figure for every adult in the house. Food items can also be divided into two categories: ready-to-eat emergency food and cooking-required emergency food.

Ready-to-Eat Emergency Food Supply List

Cooking during an emergency is not always convenient, and in some situations, it may not even be an option. For a 30-day emergency, ready-to-eat food items should make up a reasonable amount of your total stock.

If you were planning for a long-term strategy of 1 year or more, I would advise prioritizing raw food items that require cooking, but for a 30-day supply list, ready-to-eat foods are fantastic. These are essentially any food items that do not need to be cooked or prepared before eating.

There are plenty of different items worth considering, but I would recommend choosing a selection of foods that offer a balanced nutritional intake. Keeping your body loaded with nutrients and complete calories is important for any diet, particularly during an emergency. Keep the following food items in mind for your 30-day food supply list.

1. Canned Foods

One of the most reliable things you can add to your stockpile is canned foods. This has traditionally been a go-to option among preppers, and it makes food storage incredibly easy, given that canned goods are contained, are shelf-stable foods, and do not need to be cooked before consumption.

There are plenty of different commercially canned foods that you can incorporate into your stockpile based on your tastes. I would suggest adding the following items to your list:

• Canned Beans
• Canned Fruits
• Canned Vegetables
• Canned Meats
• Canned Fish

The great thing about canned food is that you can either eat it right out of the can or you can choose to incorporate it into your cooking as well.

2. Canned Meals

A great addition to any stockpile is canned meals. Unlike standard canned food, canned meals are completely pre-made and loaded with flavor.

You can buy an assortment of canned meals to consume right out of the can, or you can choose to heat them up and cook them for a better eating experience. Regardless, these items do not need to be cooked or prepared in any way and are completely safe to consume. Keep the following canned meals in mind when shopping:

• Canned Chili
• Canned Soup
• Canned Pasta

3. Protein & Granola Bars

Quick snacks that are loaded with nutrients are perfect for emergency kits. The best thing about incorporating these items into your food supplies is that you can easily get the calories your body needs with a single protein or granola bar.

You really can’t go wrong with this item, but I would recommend reading the label for any product that you choose. Some brands focus more on flavor, whereas others prioritize nutrients. I recommend choosing a product that emphasizes nutrients and calories, as this will be much more beneficial during an emergency.

4. Dry Fruit

Ensuring your body is getting its daily dose of vitamins can be a struggle during an emergency. The best solution for this is to keep dried fruit inside your 30-day emergency supply.

There is a lot of different dried fruit worth considering, and you can ultimately choose something based on your tastes. I personally find that bags of mixed dried fruit are the most convenient for getting a variety of different fruits at once.

5. Dry Meat

Protein is perhaps the most essential nutrient that your body needs from food. Meat has traditionally been a key source of protein, and it’s still considered to be one of the best options among preppers and survivalists.

Naturally, you will want to go with a dry meat product like beef jerky for this, as fresh meat is a perishable food.

6. Jarred Food

Much like canned goods, jarred food items are an excellent addition to your stockpile. Just about any food item that has been jarred should have a solid shelf-life provided that preservatives have been used and the contents have been handled properly.

These generally tend to be the most reliable jarred food items for emergencies:

• Pickles
• Jams
• Peanut Butter
• Beets

7. Dry Dairy

Dairy products are a red flag for any long-term strategy given their short shelf-life. However, dry dairy can last for years or even decades, and it offers your stockpile a nice variety of flavors. These are the dry dairy products you should include on your list:

• Powdered Milk
• Powdered Cheese

8. Dry Snacks

Snacks are important, even during an emergency. You need to be able to quickly and efficiently get food into your system, especially if cooking is not an option.

Focusing on quality calories and nutrients should always take precedence. That said, including some of your favorite comfort foods in your 30-day stockpile is a great way to keep your sanity during an emergency. These are some of the most common dry snacks worth considering:

• Nuts
• Chips
• Crackers
• Cereal
• Rice Cakes
• Cookies
• Dark Chocolate

9. MRE (Optional)

The US Military knows all about survival strategies. That’s why the Department of Defense invented MREs (Made, Ready-to-Eat).

These are essentially pre-made meals that come in pouches and can be consumed without cooking. While these were not always the most appetizing meals during combat, they have been modernized and taste a lot better than they once did. You can buy MREs such as these to add to your 30-day stockpile:

• Beef Stew
• Chili n Mac
• Lentil Stew with Lamb
• Spaghetti with Italian Sauce
• Shredded BBQ Beef

Cooking-Required Emergency Food Supply List

While cooking food from scratch during an emergency may require a bit more effort, this approach is the most reliable for a long-term strategy. Cooking food with raw ingredients allows you to control portion sizes and caloric intake much more efficiently.

In addition, most of the food items that require cooking tend to have a prolonged shelf-life compared to ready-to-eat foods, including canned goods. Unfortunately, refrigerated or frozen foods are not going to be the best option for this. I suggest adding the following cooking-required emergency foods to your 30-day supply list.

1. Grains

Grains are one of the most important items to include in your stockpile. Your body will need energy during an emergency, and the carbohydrates provided by grains will be essential for your survival. These are the most common grains to consider:

• White or Wild Rice
• Wheat
• Barley
• Quinoa

You should prioritize grains that have a low fat and oil content. For example, while brown rice does have more nutrients and is better for your overall health, white rice contains hardly any fats and oils. This implies that the shelf-life will be much more stable and reliable for long-term storage.

2. Pasta

You really can’t go wrong with pasta. This is a crowd-favorite food item among preppers and survivalists, given how dynamic it is for cooking, as well as its impressive shelf-life.

Keep a reasonable supply of pasta in your food storage stockpile, but remember to buy products made with simple grains that are not rich in fats and oils.

3. Dry Beans

Dry beans are a key component of any emergency goods stockpile. These food items can be added to so many different meals and they contain essential nutrients like plant-based protein.

One of the best things about dry beans is that there are so many different options to choose from. You can pick any of the following dried beans to incorporate into your stockpile:

• Pinto Beans
• Black Beans
• Green Beans
• Garbanzo Beans
• Kidney Beans
• Lentils

4. Instant Noodles and Mash

You are not always going to be in the mood to cook a meal from scratch during an emergency. However, if you still want to eat a hot meal without putting in the work, opting for instant noodles and mash is a good solution.

5. Cooking Essentials (Oils, Salts, Herbs, and Spices)

It can be very easy to overlook the essential items you will need to cook during an emergency. Many of your meals will not be possible without oil, and they will probably taste very bland without salt, herbs, and spices.

If you want to be able to cook delicious meals during an emergency, make sure not to forget these essential items.

Additional Supplies for a 30-Day Emergency

A common mistake that I find many first-time preppers make is shopping for food items without including all of the necessary supplies they will need to survive a 30-day emergency. You need to consider that a natural disaster or another type of emergency is going to present many challenges aside from closing down your local grocery store.

It’s important to reflect on anything and everything that could go wrong during an emergency so that you can plan ahead and gather all necessary goods. These are some of the additional supplies you should consider for a 30-day emergency.

1. Water

Your home’s tap water may get cut temporarily or indefinitely during an emergency. You can choose to stock up on water bottles from your local grocery store for easy access to safe drinking water.

However, I would highly encourage you to keep a water tank or canisters on your property. You should have 1 gallon of water per person per day for an emergency.

Lastly, as a backup plan, keep some form of water purification in your emergency supply at all times. Water purification tablets will ensure that you always have a way to safely consume water from any source.

2. Plates, Bowls, Utensils, and Tools

Your 30-day emergency supplies should include plates, bowls, and utensils. Many preppers tend to use single-use plastic products for this, as they are convenient, affordable, and do not require cleaning.

However, if you want to take a sustainable approach, you can always opt for camping plates, bowls, and utensils, as they can be reused and repurposed for other activities. In addition, remember to include essential tools that you may need during an emergency, especially those related to cooking.

You can choose whichever tools you think you may need, but I always suggest keeping a can opener, a kitchen knife, and a Swiss Army Knife at the very least.

3. Cookware

Cooking is going to be mandatory during an emergency, even with an adequate supply of ready-to-eat meals in your stockpile. Many people like to rely on their home’s cookware, but this is not always the most practical approach for an emergency.

Ideally, emergency cookware should be lightweight and easy to transport. I would recommend choosing an appropriate sized camping cookware kit that is suitable for the number of people in your household.

4. Fuel and Stove

Your gas lines may get turned off during an emergency, and you may have to deal with power outages as well. As a backup, I always recommend keeping a transportable stove with your supplies with an adequate supply of fuel.

You can choose a stove based on your preferences, but I personally find that camping stoves tend to work the best during emergencies. Just make sure to have enough fuel stocked with your goods to last you 30 days. Lastly, don’t forget to buy a lighter or matches!

5. Baby Food

If you have a newborn in the house, it would be wise to have some additional baby food in your stockpile until they are old enough to eat regular food.

Baby food can be a hard thing to come by during an emergency, which is why it's best to have some ready in your stockpile just in case.

6. Pet Food

Don’t forget about your pup! Your four-legged friend needs to eat during an emergency too and it can be easy to forget to stay stocked with extra pet food at home.

Whether you own a cat, a dog, or both, buy an additional one-month supply of their food to include with your emergency goods.

7. Generator

You never know how an emergency is going to affect your access to power. Natural disasters in particular can interfere with power lines and power sources, resulting in your home being cut off from the grid.

This can pose serious issues for your safety and it can make coping with the situation much more difficult. If you want to guarantee that the power stays on during a 30-day emergency, I suggest investing in a generator that is suitable for supplying adequate power to your home.

Have You Considered a 30-Day Food Supply Kit?

Creating a sophisticated food storage system for a 30-day emergency requires quite a bit of work from your end. You need to consider the size of your household, your daily caloric intake, and so much more when planning for an emergency.

While going out to buy supplies is the best approach for building an ideal stockpile, many people simply do not have the time or patience to do this. If that sounds like you, have you considered a 30-day food supply kit?

Food storage and emergency preparedness are becoming very common practices. These days, there are plenty of pre-made food supply kits available that will essentially do all the work for you - supplying you with the necessary calories and nutrients your body needs to survive a 30-day emergency.

This kit will ensure that you get 1,854 calories per day and includes 307 meals. Don’t expect the most exciting or delicious meals when buying a pre-made kit, as they usually just contain the basic essentials you need to survive. Nonetheless, this is an excellent option for any prepper looking for a quick and easy solution.

Tips for Storing a 30-Day Emergency Food Supply

You can never predict when the next emergency will take place, but you can be prepared for it when it does. A 30-day supply of goods suitable for long-term food storage is the best way to combat natural disasters and other events.

That said, there are some additional tips you should be aware of to ensure that your stockpile is secured.

1. Inspect Your Emergency Food Supply

You should maintain a standard schedule for inspecting your 30-day stockpile. It’s easy to set up a food storage system and then completely neglect it.

To safeguard your food supply, check up on the condition of your stock regularly. Keep an eye out for leaks, rodent droppings, and any other signs of contamination.

2. Rotate your Stock

The best way to guarantee that you always have fresh goods in your supply is to rotate your stock. Food safety is imperative and you do not want to run the risk of consuming rancid or contaminated goods.

Simply replace your 30-day emergency goods with new products that you buy from the store periodically, and make a habit out of rotating your stock.

3. Pest Prevention

Keeping pests out is an essential component of maintaining a food storage stockpile. Rodents are notorious threats that can chew their way through a lot of packaging, which is why I recommend taking measures to prevent pests from getting into your goods.

Always inspect for rat and mouse droppings, and use traps and repellents when necessary. However, the best way to deal with pests is to keep them from ever getting in in the first place by rodent-proofing your home and stockpile.