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One-year emergency food supply: cost & quantity

Take a look at the emergency food supplies for one year including the amount and cost of shelf-stable canned foods, dry foods, and professionally packaged emergency food kits. Let’s see what it would cost to feed one person for a year.

It costs $5215.83 to feed one person for a year with canned meat, fruit, vegetables, and other shelf-stable foods to attain 962,880 annual calories or 2,638 calories daily. Well above the FDA minimum requirement of 730,000 or 2000 calories per day.  

Ready to start stockpiling emergency food? Read on.

Chart #1 Canned & dry packaged emergency food supplies

Chart #1 is an essential list of shelf-stable food for one person. The list is mostly canned items and dried foods you can pick up at the grocery store or a big box store like Sam’s Club or Costco. I’m not saying these are the foods you should stockpile but it will give you an idea of the general cost and what it looks like. Let’s take a look at the chart.

Shelf-stable
Food Type
# Of Containers
Needed
Container Size Calories
Per Container
Total
Calories
Publix CostWalmart
Cost
Winn-Dixie Cost Average CostTotal Cost
Dak Canned Ham 3616oz can 80028,800NA*$11.77NA*$11.77423.72
Dinty Moore Beef Stew36 15oz can2007,200$2.49$2.12$2.69$ 2.43$ 87.48
Hormel Corned Beef Hash3614oz can 114041,040$ 2.79 $2.74 $3.31 $2.94 $105.84
Progresso Beef Pot Roast Soup3618.5oz can 220 7920$2.99$1.68$3.49$2.72$97.92
Spam Classic3612oz can 1,08038,880$2.87$3.38$4.09$3.44$123.94
Hormel Hot Chili With Beans3615oz can 70025,200$2.79$2.74$2.99$2.84$102.24
Keystone All Natural Beef3628oz can 98035,280NA$8.12 NA$8.12$292.32
Keystone All Natural Pork3628oz can 980 35,280 NA$7.48NA$7.48$269.28
Keystone All Natural Turkey3628oz can 980 35,280 NA$6.88NA$6.88$247.68
Nabisco Saltine Crackers3616oz box 196070,560$3.35$2.88$4.09$3.44$123.84
Ritz Crackers36 11.8oz box168060,480$5.95$3.56$5.29$4.93$177.48
Jif Peanut Butter3616oz 266095,760$2.872.28$2.99$2.71$97.56
Cliff Builder Protein Bar1801 bar 29052,200NA$2.62$1.99$2.30$414.00
Pop-Tarts Breakfast Pastries18013.5oz box740133,200$2.582.08$2.69$2.45$441.00
Power Bar Protein Plus1801 bar 21037,800N/A$1.16$1.19$1.17$210.60
DelMonte Canned Sliced Peaches
(heavy syrup)
12015.25oz can35042,000$1.91$1.76$2.39$2.02$242.40
DelMonte Fruit Cocktail
(heavy syrup)
12015.25oz can35042,000$1.91$1.76$1.99$1.88$225.60
DelMonte Canned Pears12015.25oz can35042,000$1.91$1.76$1.99$1.88$225.60
DelMonte Canned Corn12015.25oz can21025,200$1.91$1.76$1.99$1.88$225.60
DelMonte Green Beans12014.5oz can 708,400$1.43$1.18$1.59$1.40$168.00
DelMonte Mixed Vegetables12014.5oz can15718,840$1.79$1.18$1.59$1.52$182.40
Ocean Spray Craisins3624oz bag221079,560$8.585.889.59$8.01$288.36
Daily Multi-Vitamin365365 Tabs
four 100-tab bottles
$43.16
$43.88
$37.56
$41.53$41.53
Fresh Potable Water 365gl 1gl$1.15$.98$1.19$1.10$401.50
Total Annual Cost962,880$5,215.83
CaloriesTaken From Manufacturer Packaging, Prices From online retailers.

Next up, total costs from chart #1.

Chart #2 Cost and calorie breakdown from chart #1

Total Annual Calories Provided Chart #1962,880
FDA Suggested Minimum Annual Calories730,000
Chart #1 Daily Calories Provided2,638
FDA Suggested Minimum Daily Calories2000
Total Cost$5215.83
CaloriesTaken From Manufacturer Packaging, Prices From online retailers and do not include shipping or taxes.

For an in-depth look at calorie counts and long-term food storage, check out the Ready Squirrel article, “How Much Food To Stockpile Per Person.”

Up next, are dry staple foods, the cornerstone of long-term food storage.

Dry staple foods (one year supply)

Dry Foods are, in my opinion, the cheapest, most effective emergency food for long-term storage. They are excellent for maximum shelf-life and nutrition, and they have proven, over thousands of years, that they can keep folks alive during hard times.

If you choose to stockpile dry emergency foods I suggest supplementing with canned meat, fruit, and vegetables to improve nutrition, and daily calorie count and to meet the need for short-term emergency food for a 72-hour to 2-week emergency kit.

Scott, Ready Squirrel

Let’s take a look at Chart #3, which includes enough dry staple foods for one year.

Chart #3 Dry staple food quantity and cost

The list of foods in charts #3 and #4 will provide 2000 calories per day for one person for 365 days. I suggest going over the 2000 calories because in a survival scenario or food shortage you may be using more than 2000 calories per day to do tasks like gardening and splitting firewood.

Dry Staple Emergency
Food For One Year
Amount For one year supply for one personWalmart.com
Cost Per Pound
Amazon.com
Cost Per Pound
LDS
Online Store

#10 cans
Cost Per Pound
Cost Per Pound AverageTotal Cost
Hard White Wheat Berries132 lbs$1.95$1.63$1.10$1.56$205.92
Long Grain White Rice65 lbs.72$1.16$1.47$1.12$72.80
Rolled Oats29 lbs$1.70$1.57$2.05$1.77$51.33
Pasta (macaroni)21 lbs.82$1.09$1.79$1.23 $25.83
Legumes
(Navy Beans)
(Beans, Split peas, Lentils)
62 lbs$1.78$1.95$1.65$1.80$111.60
Milk
Powdered Nonfat-Dry
62 lbs$5.00$8.49$5.07$6.18$383.16
White Table Sugar70 lbs$1.95.80$1.65$1.46$102.20
Dried Apple Slices6 lbs$9.49$9.39$11.67$10.18$61.08
Dried Carrots 8 lbs$8.88$4.62$6.75$54.00
Potato Flakes22 lbs$3.60$3.07$4.51$3.72$81.84
Dried Onions 2.1 lbs$7.19$4.32$4.35$5.28$11.10
Iodized Salt8 lbs$1.01.95.98$7.84
Baking Soda1 lb.92.77.85.85
Baking Powder4 lb$2.24$3.64$2.94$11.76
Vitamin C tablet (90 mg)365 Tablets$26.99$26.99$26.99$26.99
Total Cost$1208.36
Information Compliments of BYU Education, Prices are from online retailers and do not include shipping, sales tax, or additional fees.

Learn how to package dry foods for long-term storage. Check out the Ready Squirrel article “Mylar Bags For Food Storage: Beginner’s Guide.”

It would be nice if all of the emergency food supplies we need come with a 25 to 30-year shelf life but they don’t. You will have to store and rotate emergency food with a shorter shelf-life. Up next, short-life foods you need to stockpile.

Chart #4 Short shelf-life foods (emergency food supplies)

Include these short-term food items in your pantry, along with the list of dry staples from chart #3 above. Storing emergency food supplies with a short shelf-life is a necessary evil of long-term storage because you need the following items to make exciting recipes with dry staples like wheat, white rice, and dry beans. As you look at the chart keep in mind you can substitute for any of these items. Let’s look at the chart.

Short-term food items with a short shelf-life
Amount Per Person Per Year Store 1
Cost Per Pound
Store 2
Cost Per Pound
Cost Per Pound Average Total Cost
Walmart.com Amazon.com
Olive Oil2 gallons $11.90 $14.72$13.31$26.62
Shortening 3 lbs$2.96$2.37$2.66$8.88
Butter (freeze)6 lbs$3.76$3.69$3.72$22.32
Mayonnaise and Salad Dressing3 quarts$3.48$3.79$3.63$10.89
Peanut Butter And Nut Butter6 lbs$2.89$3.44$3.16$18.96
Dry Drink Mixes (Tang)18 lbs $9.21$8.96$9.08$163.44
Spices (estimate)$100.00
Powdered Eggs for baking 6 lbs$21.99$25.24$23.61$141.66
Yeast or Make Levain
For Free
2 lbs $18.50$10.99$14.74$29.48
Sweeteners (Honey) 10 lbs$6.33$9.65$7.99$79.90
Canned Fruit Preserves8 lbs$10.24$11.07$10.65$85.20
Dried Fruit Mix (Baker’s)1 lb$21.95$39.68$30.81$30.81
Short-term Food Cost$718.16
Dry Staple Cost
See Chart 3
$1208.36
Total Cost For One Year$ 1926.52
Information Compliments of BYU Education Prices from Amazon and Walmart.com do not include shipping, sales tax, or additional fees.

Survival food kits (emergency food supplies)

Survival or emergency food kits are professionally packaged food kits sold by the number of days they will supply nutrition. Check the actual daily calories count to ensure you are getting enough calories because calories provided by the different companies vary.

How Much Does It Cost To Feed One Person For A Year With An Emergency Food Kit?

It costs, on average, $4661.80 to feed one person for a year with a professionally packaged emergency food kit(s).

Storage tip: Purchase meals and test them before buying in bulk.

Chart #4 Survival food kits: calories and cost

Professionally packaged emergency food like Mountain House freeze-dried meals are outstanding for emergencies where weight is a concern. Consider purchasing small quantities for bugging out on foot or in a vehicle and rely on dry staples and canned foods for the bulk of your stockpile.

Company NameCost of One Year Emergency Food SupplyDaily CaloriesKit Calories*
Mountain House$7,829.001,724629,260
A-Pac MRE Self-heating
ReadyStore.com
$4,095.361,700549,325
4Patriots Supply$2,987.002,000730,000+
My Patriot Supply.com
Ready Hour
$2,987.002,000730,000+
Readywise.com$5,159.99N/AN/A
Valley Food Storage$5,599.001551566,400
Costco Wholesale
Mountain House 1 year
$4,999.991,985724,525
Walmart
Augason Farms Deluxe
$1,290.001,700620,500
ThriveLife.com$7,059.48 (one month kit $588.29 x12)N/AN/A
BePrepared.com
Emergency Essentials
$3,468.002,011724,080
Rainy Day Foods$2330.991,214443,110
Legacy Food Storage$5,299.002,365863,280
Readystore.com$7,499.001,938707,512
*Minimum calories for a year supply for one person according to the FDA 730,000 Per year and 365 gallons of water

Thanks for dropping by Ready Squirrel. If you have any thoughts or questions please leave them in the comments section.

Keep on prepping!

Kind Regards, Scott

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