“Preparing an Emergency Food Storage,” Emergency Preparedness (2023)

Preparing an Emergency Food Storage

Introduction

In the scriptures, we’ve been taught to organize ourselves and “prepare every needful thing” (Doctrine and Covenants 109:8). You can prepare for hard times by storing emergency foods and other essentials to help you get through unexpected challenging times. We recognize that everyone around the world lives in a different situation, and we may not all be able to buy or store the same amount of food. Use these food storage suggestions to make goals for your own situation to help you be as prepared as possible.

What Is the Importance of Food Storage?

Members of the Church are encouraged to prepare for emergencies by having a basic supply of food, water, and other necessities. We never know when a natural disaster, economic crisis, or other emergency may come our way. Through storing emergency foods and other essentials with faith in Jesus Christ, we can stay resilient in the face of adversity.

There are two main components of food storage:

Food supply (short-term and long-term)
Water supply

By clicking on the links above, you can find more information about each component.

What Food Should I Store?

For short-term food storage, store foods that are a part of your normal diet. Buy foods from different food groups to ensure proper nutrition and rotate these items regularly to avoid spoilage.

For long-term food storage, focus on foods such as wheat, rice, pasta, oats, dry beans, potato flakes, and other survival foods that can last 30 years or more when properly packaged and stored in a cool, dry place. For more information on long-term food storage, please refer to our long-term food storage guide.

It is important to remember that you should not go to extremes when establishing your food storage. For example, it is not wise to go into debt to establish your food storage supply all at once. Develop it gradually so that it does not become a financial burden. For a checklist of what kind of food items you should store, download the “An Approach to Long Term Food Storage” checklist.

As you consider what emergency foods you need to store, also consider basic necessities such as a vitamin C source, hygiene supplies, medication, important documents, clothing, and so on. It is important to also include water storage and a financial reserve with your emergency supplies. Learn about what to store for your area’s specific needs in the temporal preparedness guide for your area.

How Much Food Storage Do I Need Per Person?

The amount of food you store for your household depends on your situation. As a general guideline, follow these food storage recommendations.

For short-term food storage, begin by storing enough food to feed your family for one day. Multiply that amount of food by seven to build a one-week supply. Once you have a week’s food storage supply, you can gradually expand it to a month, and so on.

For longer-term storage, gradually build a supply of food that will last a long time and that you can use to stay alive for a long period of time. Purchase these food storage items over time to avoid putting yourself into debt. For more information on how much food you should store for long-term storage, refer to our long-term food storage guide.

For specific tips on how much of each type of food you should store per person in your household, use this food storage calculator guide.

Refer to the temporal preparedness guide for your area for more information about food preparedness.

Where Should I Store Emergency Foods?

Some of the best places to store your long-term food storage are in basements, cellars, crawl spaces, and other places that are cool, dark, and dry. Garages and attics may also work but are often hot and could impact the quality of the food at a faster rate. If storing in a hot place, be sure to rotate the food more frequently. You can also store your emergency food supply in coat closets, on high closet shelves, underneath a bed, in furniture with storage, in kitchen cabinets, or in other vertical spaces. If you find that you don’t have space for food storage, or you are prohibited by law from storing large amounts of food, just store as much as your circumstances allow.

When looking for a place to store your emergency food, keep the following storage tips in mind:

Make sure your food storage is properly packaged in an airtight container. Store items packaged in plastic bags or boxes in a container with a lid or a sealed box that rodents and bugs cannot get into.
Store food items in a cool, dry, and dark place. Exposure to heat, moisture, or light damages the shelf life of food storage.
If storing food on the floor, do not store food on concrete. Concrete can cause cans to rust and plastic bottles to absorb moisture from the floor. Place a barrier between the food and the floor to protect the food from moisture.
Keep a list of where your food is stored to help you remember where it is and what foods you have.

Where Can I Buy Food Storage?

There are many places you can buy food storage. The easiest way to buy food storage is from your local grocery store. When you go grocery shopping, purchase some canned food items and other long-lasting foods to add to your emergency food storage. You can also create your own food storage through preserving food as outlined in the long-term food storage guide.

If you are interested in buying food storage online, there are many resources and kits available. If you are in the United States, you can find some long-term food storage items for purchase in the Church’s online store.

Home Storage Centers

If you are in the United States or Canada, home storage centers are another great resource for gathering food storage items. At home storage centers, you can find many pre-packaged basic foods for long-term storage, such as wheat, dry beans, and rice. You can find more information about home storage centers here.

How Much Does Food Storage Cost?

Costs may vary depending on where and how you purchase your food storage. It is important to remember that you should not go to extremes; for instance, do not go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. Develop it gradually to spread out the overall cost over time so that it will not become a financial burden.

Food storage can be expensive. You can lower the cost of your food storage by preserving your own food through drying, bottling, and freezing. Consider planting a garden as a supplement to your food storage.