TAKE STOCK – WEEK 12

When a disaster strikes, (hurricanes, tornados, and ice storms are the most common in this area) it takes time for emergency responders to locate and assist those affected. In such a situation, you and your family will need to rely on yourselves, and the resources you have prepared, to take care of your needs. To do this, we have been counseled to keep an emergency kit ready that can last a person for at least three days.

There’s a lot to address regarding 72-hour kits but this week let’s Take Stock of the Food in our kits.

The recommended criteria for food in a 72-hour kit is that it should:

be light-weight

have a fairly long shelf life

be grab-and-go with little to no preparation

have enough calories

be food that would actually be eaten and enjoyed

If you add in the recommendations that these food items should not require cooking or additional water, all the “rules” can become overwhelming.

The food lists found on-line to make your own food kit usually suggest items like jerky, dried fruit, instant oatmeal, candy, granola bars, trail mix, and such things. There are also pre-made food kits you can order that you have no control over the contents. These options do not account for food allergies and other dietary accommodations. Often, they are heavy in salt- and sugar-content. They are pricey, especially since you need to rotate them every six months or a year. If your kit includes items that require cooking or re-hydrating (like MREs or dehydrated and freeze-dried foods), you must add additional water and the means of preparing them, which means extra weight.

Personally, this is an area of preparedness I have struggled with. Almost every food suggested is something my household dislikes and/or cannot physically tolerate. Having to survive out of the limited number and types of food in my 72-hour kit would be a miserable experience.

So, after you Take Stock of the food in your own family’s 72-hour kit, contribute to the discussion. How have you handled food in your 72-hour kits?

Please make a comment!