Food in Emergencies
What to store, what is safe after a power cut, and how to feed babies safely.
What to store (at least 3 days, 2 weeks if possible)
- ☐ Canned meat, fish, beans
- ☐ Canned fruit and vegetables
- ☐ Peanut butter, nuts
- ☐ Crackers, biscuits, bread
- ☐ Dried fruit
- ☐ Rice, pasta, oats (if you can cook)
- ☐ Powdered or long-life milk
- ☐ Sugar, salt, oil
- ☐ Baby food and formula if needed
- ☐ Food for special diets
- ☐ Manual can opener
- ☐ Pet food
Choose food your family already eats and that needs little water or cooking. Use the oldest first and replace it.
After a power cut
| Keep doors closed. Food stays safe for about: | |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator (closed) | 4 hours |
| Full freezer (closed) | 48 hours |
| Half-full freezer (closed) | 24 hours |
- Throw away meat, fish, milk, eggs and leftovers that have been above 4 °C for more than 2 hours.
- Throw away cans that are swollen, leaking, deeply dented or rusty.
- Throw away food that touched flood water, unless it is in undamaged commercial cans (wash and disinfect the can first).
- When in doubt, throw it out. Never taste food to check if it is safe.
Feeding babies and young children
- Breastfeeding is the safest way to feed a baby in an emergency. It protects against infection and needs no water or fuel. Keep breastfeeding; stress does not usually stop milk.
- Mothers who are breastfeeding need extra water and food, and support.
- If a baby needs formula: ready-to-feed liquid is safest. With powder, use water boiled and cooled for no more than 30 minutes (still hot, at least 70 °C), and prepare each feed fresh.
- Use a clean cup instead of a bottle. Cups are easier to clean.
- Ask health or nutrition workers for help. Do not accept or share donated formula without their guidance.
Special diets
Plan ahead for diabetes, allergies, kidney disease, elderly people and anyone who cannot chew. Keep medicines with food that suits them.
Wild food
Important: Never eat a wild plant or mushroom unless you are 100% certain what it is. Many deadly plants look like safe ones.
Free printable guides and the HAVEN offline survival app: havensurvival.com