Lishah Smith, eHow.com
I want to do this! What's This? ...Natural disasters, such as earthquakes and hurricanes, remind us to keep emergency food supplies on hand. Stockpiling emergency food supplies enables you to provide for your family, in the event the community cannot. Resources are limited and restricted in a time of crisis. Your time preparing ahead for such events gives peace of mind and security. Remember to always check the expiration dates, rotate items and replace items as needed.
Water
According to the Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA), each person in your household needs a minimum of 1/2 gallon of water to drink daily. Pregnant or nursing women, young children, the elderly and those on special diets will require additional daily drinking water. FEMA recommends storing 1 gallon of water per person per day. For example, a 2 person household would need 2 gallons of water for 365 days. Ideally, you store 1,460 gallons of water for a year's supply.
Dry Goods
Dry goods that do not need special cooking are important for your emergency food supplies for one year. For example, store unsalted crackers, nuts, granola bars and cereals. These provide energy, calories and nutrition. Unsalted items lower the chances of becoming thirsty or dehydrated to minimize water intake.
Staples and Cooking Ingredients
Include cooking ingredients in your emergency food supply. Flour, powdered milk, rice, wheat, salt, pepper, other cooking spices, coffee, tea, sugar substitutes and sugar are good to store. Instant foods are simple to fix, filling and often nutritious. You should store instant foods that require a small amount of water to prepare. For example stockpile instant potatoes, grits and oatmeal.
Comfort Foods and Special Diets
According to FEMA, it's important to include foods your family enjoys. These foods will bolster moral and provide comfort. Additionally, keep in mind special diets of family members. Be certain to include foods that meet dietary restrictions. For example, infants and toddlers need finger foods, high carbohydrate energy foods and high-protein foods. Pregnant and nursing women need high-calorie nutritious foods and larger servings. Stockpile multi-vitamins and nutritional supplements to maintain energy and health during a crisis..
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