Starting Out Food Preparedness

When the power blinks off and the house goes quiet, food becomes more than calories. It’s routine, morale, and a little bit of control. This guide to Starting Out Food Preparedness shows you how much to store, what actually gets eaten, and how to match meals to the fuel and water you’ll really have on hand.

A quick word before we dive in: some links are affiliates. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. We make picks the same way we shop for our own families—looking past “servings” to calories per day, protein, water needed, cook time, shelf life, and real value. The links never change our recommendations.

Start where it counts: water first

Every serious source, from agencies to prepper forums, starts here: one gallon per person, per day. That covers drinking and basic hygiene; plan extra if it’s hot, you’ll be cooking more, you’ve got little kids, or anyone has medical needs. 

Once water’s handled, food is your next lever. The goal isn’t a bunker pantry you’ll never touch; it’s reasonable meals you rotate so nothing gathers dust.

The ladder: 72 hours → 7 days → then decide

Don’t try to build a month of storage overnight. Cover 72 hours first—enough for blackouts, storms, boil-water advisories. Then stretch to 7 days. A solid week is where most families finally exhale and think, we can ride this out.

Want deeper insurance? Build toward 30 days—a family month fits in a closet, not a warehouse. Past that you’re moving into what preppers call collapse territory, where community, gardens, preserving, repair skills, and barter matter more than anything in a bucket.

If you want to use a starter kit as a base check out our Guide to Best Emergency Food Kits.  Use a starter kit as a base, then pad it with your own staples. It’s a quick on-ramp, not the whole highway.

You Need to Know your Calories:  Calorie beat “servings” every time

Packaging loves “servings.”

Ignore it. What matters is daily calories.

For most adults, ~1,850–2,000 kcal/day is a fair baseline; bump it up for cold weather or hard work, nudge down for kids and older adults. Use calories/day to compare kits so you’re not surprised by tiny portions.

Kits + staples: the hybrid approach that actually works

Emergency buckets do what they promise: they keep everyone fed with minimal fuss.

The catch? Many lean heavily on fast carbs— white rice, pasta. That’s cheap and shelf-stable, and it’s perfectly OK for a few days. Over a week, though, meals can feel same-y and light on protein.

Fix it like a pro: treat a bucket as a base and round it out with things you already like to eat:

• Slower-burn carbs (oats, lentils, quinoa)

• Real protein (freeze-dried meats, powdered eggs, canned tuna/chicken)

• Actual fats (ghee, cooking oil, nut butters)

• Flavor (dehydrated veg, bouillon, spices)

The difference in energy and mood over a week is night and day.

And yes—always ask the one question that matters: would my family eat this for a week?

Cooking and fuel: Make sure you have enough to Cook

On paper, every meal looks easy. In practice, some entrees want a rolling boil and a long simmer.  That's great on a home stove, expensive if you’re burning through canisters. Freeze-dried pouches flip the script: fast and fuel-light, but they do need water.

In the U.S., the common backup is a 20-lb propane tank (your grill cylinder). Used thoughtfully, one tank can last four to six weeks or longer of light cooking if you’re mostly boiling water for pouches and quick staples; daily simmering cuts that to roughly two to three weeks. It pays to have a spare on hand.

Best money you’ll ever spend? A weekend trial. Cook your actual emergency meals on your actual stove with your actual pot. Write down water used and minutes of flame per meal. That little exercise might change your shopping list.

Blackout food safety refresher: eat perishables first. A closed fridge keeps food safe for approximately 4 hours; a full freezer approcimately 48 hours (24 if half-full). If you’re unsure, don’t taste test dodgy food. Just tossit.

Building toward a month (without turning your house into a warehouse)

Label everything. Rotate it usinf first-in, first-out.

Keep a simple shelf list with dates and label items with expiry dates. Heat is the silent killer of shelf life, so stash food in a cool, dry, dark spot. Some freeze-dried brands back their cans with 30-year taste guarantees.  That is handy for long horizons, but always check the specific product page and packaging.

If someone in the house has special dietary needs add that into the plan.  Dedicate a section and label it clearly. Do the same for kid-friendly items. And while you’re planning, ask your prescriber about a buffer of essential meds; tuck a printed list of doses into a zip bag in the pantry.

Small supplements that earn shelf space

No pill replaces real food, but a few light, cheap items pull their weight:

Protein powder stops meals turning into a pasta parade and mixes into oats or a quick shake.

Electrolyte packets are tiny morale savers—great after hauling water, physical exertion, or in the heat.  

A plain multivitamin smooths out a carb-heavy week when veggies are mostly dried.

None of this is medical advice—if you’ve got conditions or prescriptions, double-check with your clinician.

Macros, without the drama

Internet debates love carbs vs fat vs protein. Real life is kinder. For the first 72 hours, macros don’t matter much: if you’re hydrated and eating something you tolerate, you’ll be fine.

As you push toward a week or more, a little balance helps. Keep quick carbs on hand (oats, pasta, rice), make sure every meal has real protein, and don’t forget fats for calories and flavor.

If you know you’ll be doing physical work, many preppers nudge protein up for a bit (often cited: ~1.4–2.0 g/kg during demanding weeks).

Stock food your family will actually eat.  

What prepers are saying about building a food store (and they’re right)

Kits are a fine starting point and a tidy safety net, especially for that first 72 hours to 7 days. But they’re carb-heavy and pricey per calorie, so most experienced preppers go hybrid: keep a kit or two for convenience, then build the backbone with everyday staples you already eat. That mix gives you calories, protein, and comfort—without paying bucket prices for every meal.

Quick answers to the questions everyone asks

Do I need Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers on day one?
No. Two weeks of canned and dry groceries you already eat will carry you further than a perfect Mylar setup you never use. Add bulk grains later if you want.

Bucket or DIY pantry?
Both can work. Buckets are fast and tidy; DIY wins on price and flexibility. Most folks land in the middle: one kit as a base, staples for balance.

Which brands actually taste okay?
Mountain House is the safe bet. Peak Refuel is higher protein/calories. Backpacker’s Pantry and Good-To-Go bring global flavors. Augason is great for bulk cans, less so for single pouches.

Can I build 30 days quickly?
Yes—by buying more of what you already eat. But pause at 7 days and ask if you truly need a full month.

Do I really need to sample?
If you want to avoid pricey mistakes, yes. Cook three different pouches on your actual stove and take notes on flavor, water, and cleanup.

How much fuel and water should I expect?
Plan on a gallon of water per person per day, and remember: a 20-lb propane tank can last weeks of light cooking. Your weekend test will give you real numbers.

Special diets or kids?
Make a clearly labeled shelf. In an emergency, you’ll be grateful it’s obvious and accessible.

How do I handle food during a blackout?
Perishables first, then freezer, then shelf-stable. When in doubt, don’t taste—toss.

Single biggest mistake?
Stocking food you never rotate and nobody wants to eat. Store what you eat, eat what you store.

One smart next step

If you only do one thing this weekend, try a three-pouch taste test. Buy three single pouches from different brands, cook them on your actual stove with your actual pot, and see what your crew will truly eat. Take notes on flavor, water per serving, and cleanup. Fifteen minutes now can save you hundreds later.

Check out of three pouch taste test article.