“You don’t want the water to get hot because chemicals can leach into it,” says Haman. Like your food supply, you’ll want to store your water in a cool, dry place. “Experts recommend storing one gallon of water per day, per person.” “I recommend storing at least seven days of water per person to start off with,” says Haman. In addition to this emergency food supply, you’ll also want an emergency water store. “Keep your food in a cool, dry space and away from fluctuating temperatures,” says Haman. You’ll also want to store your emergency food supply appropriately to ensure it won’t spoil prematurely.

“But ideally, if you are preparing for an emergency, you will want to start off with at least two weeks to a month of food storage as a goal and keep children in mind while preparing.”

“Most people already have a few days’ worth of food in their cupboard and fridge,” says Joel Haman, Nebraska Medicine Emergency Preparedness coordinator. Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend you keep at least a three-day supply of emergency food and water per person. If you’re ever in an emergency, having an emergency food and water supply is imperative. So, it’s likely half your neighbors aren’t as prepared as necessary in the case of a natural disaster or similar emergency. While this number marks an increase over previous years, it also means more than 50% of the population hasn’t developed an emergency plan. Only 48% of Americans have created emergency plans, according to a 2020 Federal Emergency Management Agency survey. Still, many of us are un- or underprepared if a natural disaster or other emergency stuck our home. “Hope for the best prepare for the worst.” It’s a common idiom we’ve all heard at one point or another.

Best foods to stock up on for emergency