Adults
Kids
Plan for
Build in layers
Start with 3 months of foods you already eat. Then add bulk staples and freeze-dried food toward a year.
1,274,000calories to store
182days for 4 people
525 lbof grains
The basics, by weight
A common long-term storage guideline, scaled to your household. Kids are counted at three quarters of an adult.
| Staple | Amount |
|---|---|
| Grains (rice, wheat, oats, pasta) | 525 lb |
| Beans and lentils | 105 lb |
| Sugar or honey | 105 lb |
| Powdered milk | 28 lb |
| Cooking oil | 18 qt |
| Salt | 14 lb |
| Baking soda | 2 lb |
| Baking powder | 2 lb |
| Yeast | 1 lb |
About 16 five-gallon buckets for the grains alone (roughly 33 lb of rice or wheat per bucket).
Don't forget
- Water: store at least 2 weeks (56 gallons), then have a way to collect and filter more.
- Cooking fuel: rice and beans need cooking. Plan about one 20-lb propane tank a month if you cook 1 to 1.5 hours a day on a camp stove.
- A multivitamin for each person, 182 days' worth.
- Variety: spices, bouillon, freeze-dried fruit, vegetables and meat keep people eating.
- A grain mill if you store whole wheat.
- Heirloom seeds, so the pantry can be refilled.