How much survival food you need depends on the type of emergency or scenario you are most likely to encounter, the number of people in your survival group, and each individual’s age, sex, and activity level.
You need enough survival food to provide a minimum of 2000 calories per person and one gallon of potable water daily for personal hygiene and drinking water.
FEMA suggests storing a 72-hour emergency food supply, including 6000 calories and 3 gallons of water per person. In my opinion, this isn’t enough. I suggest you stockpile at least a two-week food supply, including 28,000 calories and 14 gallons of water per person. Let’s take a look at food calculators.
Food Calculators
Use the Mayo Clinic calorie calculator and the USDA nutrition calculator to plan food storage.
The Mayo Clinic calorie calculator daily determines the daily requirements for each person in your survival group. MayoClinic.org
USDA Nutrition Calculator determines the daily nutritional requirements for each individual in your survival group. USDA.gov
If you are ready to start hoarding emergency food, let’s get to some real-life examples of how much survival food to store.
Up next, emergency food for one person.
Chart #1 Daily Emergency Food For One Person
Chart #1 below illustrates how much food to store for one person’s one-day emergency food supply.
The foods in the chart are based on FEMA-suggested short-term emergency foods that are ready to eat, nonperishable, and don’t require special preparation, water, or refrigeration. This type of food stockpile is vital for short-term emergencies when there is no access to food, clean water, or electricity.
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Serving Size | Calories | Calories Per Package |
Spam Classic | 1 | 12oz can | 12oz | 1080 | 1080 |
Dinty Moore Beef Stew | 1 | 15oz can | 15oz | 200 | 200 |
Del Monte, Sliced Peaches In Heavy Syrup | 1 | 15.25oz can | 15.25oz | 350 | 350 |
Ritz Crackers | 1 | 11.8oz box | Eight crackers | 80 | 1680 |
Jif Peanut Butter Creamy | 1 | 16oz Jar | 2 Tbsp | 190 | 2660 |
Nature Valley Crunchy Granola Bars Oats ‘N Honey | 1 | Pack of 6 | 42g (2 bars) | 190 | 1,140 |
Sun-Maid Natural California Raisins | 1 | 13oz canister | 1/4 cup | 120 | 1080 |
DelMonte French Style Green Beans | 1 | 14.5oz can | 14.5oz can | 70 | 70 |
1 Gallon of Drinking Water | 1 | – | – | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | 2,280 | 8,260 |
Up next, daily food for two people.
Chart #2 Daily Emergency Food For Two People
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Serving Size | Calories Per Serving | Group Calories | Calories Per Package |
Pop-Tarts Breakfast Toaster Pastries | 2 | 13.5oz box | Two pastries ea | 370 | 740 | 1,480 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 2 | Two 19oz cans | 19oz ea | 270 | 540 | 540 |
Hormel Corned Beef Hash | 2 | Two 15 oz cans | 15 oz ea | 760 | 1520 | 760 |
Del Monte Fruit Cocktail | 2 | Two 15.25oz cans | 15 oz ea | 350 | 700 | 700 |
Ocean Spray Craisins | 1 | 24oz bag | 1/4 cup ea | 130 | 260 | 2,210 |
Jif Peanut Butter Creamy | 1 | 16oz Jar | 2 Tbsp ea | 190 | 380 | 2,660 |
Nabisco Saltine Crackers | 1 | 16oz Box | 5Fivecrackers ea | 70 | 140 | 1,960 |
DelMonte Sweet Corn | 2 | 15.25oz can | 15.25oz can | 210 | 420 | 210 |
2 Gallons of Drinking Water | 2 | – | 1-gallon ea | – | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | 2,350 | 4,700 | 10,310 |
Chart #3 Daily Emergency Food For Three People
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Serving Size | Calories Per Serving | Group Calories | Calories Per Package |
Cliff Builder Protein Bars | 1 | 12 bars | 1 bar ea | 290 | 870 | 3,480 |
Progresso Beef Pot Roast Soup | 3 | 18.5oz can | 18.5oz can ea | 220 | 660 | 220 |
DAK Canned Ham | 3 | 16oz can | 16oz can ea | 800 | 2400 | 800 |
Nabisco Triscuit Crackers | 1 | 8.5oz | 6Sixcrackers ea | 120 | 360 | 1080 |
Dole Canned Pineapple Chunks Heavy Syrup | 3 | 20oz can | 20oz can ea | 495 | 1485 | 495 |
Jif Peanut Butter Creamy | 1 | 16oz Jar | 2 tbsp ea | 190 | 570 | 2,660 |
DelMonte Canned Peas | 3 | 15oz can | 15oz | 280 | 840 | 280 |
3 Gallons of Drinking Water | 3 | – | 1-gallon ea | – | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | – | 2,395 | 7,185 | 9,015 |
Chart #4 Daily Emergency Food For Four People
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Serving Size | Calories Per Serving | Group Calories | Calories Per Package(s) |
Power Bar Protein Plus | 15 bars | 15 bars | 1 bar | 210 | 840 | 3,150 |
Hormel Beef Tamales | 4 | 15oz can | 15oz can | 380 | 1520 | 1520 |
Keystone All Natural Ground Beef | 4 | 28oz | 28oz can | 980 | 3920 | 3920 |
DelMonte Sliced Pears | 4 | 15.25oz | 15.25oz can | 350 | 1400 | 1400 |
Jiff Peanut Butter | 1 | 16oz Jar | 2 tbsp ea | 190 | 760 | 2,660 |
Ritz Crackers | 1 | 11.8oz box | 8Eightcrackers | 80 | 320 | 1,680 |
DelMonte Mixed Veg | 4 | 14.5oz can | 14.5oz can | 157 | 628 | 628 |
4 Gallons of Drinking Water | 4 | – | – | – | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | 2,347 | 9,388 | 14,958 |
As you stock emergency food, take into account your family’s unique needs and tastes. Familiar foods are important. They lift morale and give a feeling of security in times of stress. Focus on foods that are high in calories and nutrition. That require no refrigeration, water, special preparation, or cooking.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
Chart #5 One Week Emergency Food Supply
A one-week food supply provides a minimum of 14,000 calories and 7 gallons of water per person.
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Calories Per Package | Total Calories |
Dak Canned Ham | 2 | 16oz can | 800 | 1600 |
Spam Classic | 2 | 12oz can | 1080 | 2,160 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 2 | 19oz can | 270 | 540 |
Keystone All Natural Ground Beef | 2 | 28oz can | 980 | 1960 |
Cliff Builder Protein Bars | 7 Bars | 1 Bar | 290 | 2030 |
Dole Canned Pineapple Chunks In Heavy Syrup | 2 | 20oz | 495 | 1,180 |
DelMonte Sliced Pears | 2 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 700 |
DelMonte Fruit Cocktail | 2 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 700 |
Ocean Spray Craisins | 1 | 24oz bag | 2210 | 2210 |
Ritz Crackers | 1 | 11.8oz box | 1680 | 1680 |
Del Monte Mixed Veg | 2 | 14.5oz can | 157 | 314 |
DelMonte Canned Peas | 2 | 14.5oz can | 280 | 560 |
DelMonte Sweet Corn | 2 | 14.5oz can | 210 | 420 |
Nabisco Saltine Crackers | 1 | 16oz box | 1960 | 1960 |
Jif Peanut Butter | 1 | 16oz jar | 2660 | 2660 |
1 Gallon Potable Water | 7 | 1gl | – | – |
Total Calories | – | 20,674 |
Chart #6 Emergency Food For One Month
For A one-month (30 days) emergency food supply store, a minimum of 60,000 calories and 30 gallons of water per person equals 2000 calories and one gallon of water per day.
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Calories Per Package | Total Calories |
Hormel Canned Tamales | 3 | 15oz can | 380 | 1,140 |
Dak Canned Ham | 3 | 16oz can | 800 | 2.400 |
Dinty Moore Beef Stew | 3 | 15oz can | 200 | 600 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 3 | 19oz can | 270 | 810 |
Progresso Beef Pot Roast Soup | 3 | 18.5oz can | 220 | 660 |
Spam Classic | 3 | 12oz can | 1,080 | 3.240 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 3 | 19oz can | 270 | 810 |
Keystone All Natural Beef | 3 | 28oz can | 980 | 2,940 |
Keystone All Natural Pork | 3 | 28oz can | 980 | 2.940 |
Keystone All Natural Turkey | 3 | 28oz can | 980 | 2.940 |
Nabisco Saltine Crackers | 4 | 16oz box | 1,960 | 7,840 |
Ritz Crackers | 4 | 11.8oz box | 1,680 | 6.720 |
Jif Peanut Butter | 4 | 16oz | 2,660 | 10,640 |
Cliff Builder Protein Bar | 10 | 1 bar | 290 | 2.900 |
Pop-Tarts Breakfast Pastries | 10 | 13.5oz box | 740 | 7.400 |
Power Bar Protein Plus | 10 | 1 bar | 210 | 2.100 |
DelMonte Canned Sliced Peaches (heavy syrup) | 10 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 3.500 |
DelMonte Fruit Cocktail (heavy syrup) | 10 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 3.500 |
DelMonte Canned Pears | 10 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 3.500 |
DelMonte Canned Corn | 10 | 15.25oz can | 210 | 2.100 |
DelMonte Green Beans | 10 | 14.5oz can | 70 | 700 |
DelMonte Mixed Vegetables | 10 | 14.5oz can | 157 | 570 |
Ocean Sprays Craisins | 3 | 24oz bag | 2,210 | 6.630 |
Daily Multi-Vitamin | – | – | – | – |
Fresh Potable Water | 30 | 1gl | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | 76,580 |
Chart #7 Three-Month Emergency Food Supply
Food to survive three months provides 180,000 calories and 90 gallons of water per person, equal to 2000 calories and 1 gallon of water per day for 90 days.
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Calories Per Package | Total Calories |
Hormel Canned Tamales | 9 | 15oz can | 380 | 3,420 |
Dak Canned Ham | 9 | 16oz can | 800 | 7,200 |
Dinty Moore Beef Stew | 9 | 15oz can | 200 | 1,800 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 9 | 19oz can | 270 | 2,430 |
Progresso Beef Pot Roast Soup | 9 | 18.5oz can | 220 | 1,980 |
Spam Classic | 9 | 12oz can | 1,080 | 9,720 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 9 | 19oz can | 270 | 2,430 |
Keystone All Natural Beef | 9 | 28oz can | 980 | 8,820 |
Keystone All Natural Pork | 9 | 28oz can | 980 | 8,820 |
Keystone All Natural Turkey | 9 | 28oz can | 980 | 8,820 |
Nabisco Saltine Crackers | 9 | 16oz box | 1,960 | 17,640 |
Ritz Crackers | 9 | 11.8oz box | 1,680 | 15,120 |
Jif Peanut Butter | 9 | 16oz | 2,660 | 23,940 |
Cliff Builder Protein Bar | 45 | 1 bar | 290 | 13,050 |
Pop-Tarts Breakfast Pastries | 45 | 13.5oz box | 740 | 33,300 |
Power Bar Protein Plus | 45 | 1 bar | 210 | 9,450 |
DelMonte Canned Sliced Peaches (heavy syrup) | 30 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 10,500 |
DelMonte Fruit Cocktail (heavy syrup) | 30 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 10,500 |
DelMonte Canned Pears | 30 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 10,500 |
DelMonte Canned Corn | 30 | 15.25oz can | 210 | 6,300 |
DelMonte Green Beans | 30 | 14.5oz can | 70 | 2,100 |
DelMonte Mixed Vegetables | 30 | 14.5oz can | 157 | 4,710 |
Ocean Sprays Craisins | 9 | 24oz bag | 2,210 | 19,890 |
Daily Multi-Vitamin | – | 90 Tabs | – | – |
Fresh Potable Water | 90 | 1gl | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | 254,310 |
Chart #8 Six-Month Emergency Food Supply
To survive six months, stockpile 360,000 calories and 90 gallons of water per person, equal to 2000 calories per day and 1 gallon of water for 180 days.
Food Type | # Of Containers | Container Size | Calories Per Package | Calories |
Hormel Canned Tamales | 18 | 15oz can | 380 | 6,840 |
Dak Canned Ham | 18 | 16oz can | 800 | 14,400 |
Dinty Moore Beef Stew | 18 | 15oz can | 200 | 3,600 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 18 | 19oz can | 270 | 4,860 |
Progresso Beef Pot Roast Soup | 18 | 18.5oz can | 220 | 3,960 |
Spam Classic | 18 | 12oz can | 1,080 | 19,440 |
Hormel Chili With Beans | 18 | 19oz can | 270 | 4,860 |
Keystone All Natural Beef | 18 | 28oz can | 980 | 17,640 |
Keystone All Natural Pork | 18 | 28oz can | 980 | 17,640 |
Keystone All Natural Turkey | 18 | 28oz can | 980 | 17,640 |
Nabisco Saltine Crackers | 18 | 16oz box | 1,960 | 35,280 |
Ritz Crackers | 18 | 11.8oz box | 1,680 | 30,240 |
Jif Peanut Butter | 18 | 16oz | 2,660 | 47,880 |
Cliff Builder Protein Bar | 90 | 1 bar | 290 | 26,100 |
Pop-Tarts Breakfast Pastries | 90 | 13.5oz box | 740 | 66,600 |
Power Bar Protein Plus | 90 | 1 bar | 210 | 18,900 |
DelMonte Canned Sliced Peaches (heavy syrup) | 60 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 21,000 |
DelMonte Fruit Cocktail (heavy syrup) | 60 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 21,000 |
DelMonte Canned Pears | 60 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 21,000 |
DelMonte Canned Corn | 60 | 15.25oz can | 210 | 12,600 |
DelMonte Green Beans | 60 | 14.5oz can | 70 | 4,200 |
DelMonte Mixed Vegetables | 60 | 14.5oz can | 157 | 9,420 |
Ocean Sprays Craisins | 18 | 24oz bag | 2,210 | 39,780 |
Daily Multi-Vitamin | – | 180 Tabs | – | – |
Fresh Potable Water | – | 1gl | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | – | 464,880 |
Chart #9 One-Year Emergency Food Supply
To survive one year, store a minimum of 730,000 calories and 365 gallons of water per person. This amount of food storage is equivalent to 2000 calories and one gallon of water per person for 365 days.
Food Type | # Of Containers Needed | Container Size | Calories Per Package | Calories |
Hormel Canned Tamales | 36 | 15oz can | 380 | 13,680 |
Dak Canned Ham | 36 | 16oz can | 800 | 28,800 |
Dinty Moore Beef Stew | 36 | 15oz can | 200 | 7,200 |
Hormel Corned Beef Hash | 36 | 14oz can | 760 | 27,360 |
Progresso Beef Pot Roast Soup | 36 | 18.5oz can | 220 | 7,920 |
Spam Classic | 36 | 12oz can | 1,080 | 38,880 |
Hormel Hot Chili With Beans | 36 | 19oz can | 270 | 9,720 |
Keystone All Natural Beef | 36 | 28oz can | 980 | 35,280 |
Keystone All Natural Pork | 36 | 28oz can | 980 | 35,280 |
Keystone All Natural Turkey | 36 | 28oz can | 980 | 35,280 |
Nabisco Saltine Crackers | 36 | 16oz box | 1,960 | 70,560 |
Ritz Crackers | 36 | 11.8oz box | 1,680 | 60,480 |
Jif Peanut Butter | 36 | 16oz | 2,660 | 95,760 |
Cliff Builder Protein Bar | 180 | 1 bar | 290 | 52,200 |
Pop-Tarts Breakfast Pastries | 180 | 13.5oz box | 740 | 133,200 |
Power Bar Protein Plus | 180 | 1 bar | 210 | 37,800 |
DelMonte Canned Sliced Peaches (heavy syrup) | 120 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 42,000 |
DelMonte Fruit Cocktail (heavy syrup) | 120 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 42,000 |
DelMonte Canned Pears | 120 | 15.25oz can | 350 | 42,000 |
DelMonte Canned Corn | 120 | 15.25oz can | 210 | 25,200 |
DelMonte Green Beans | 120 | 14.5oz can | 70 | 8,400 |
DelMonte Mixed Vegetables | 120 | 14.5oz can | 157 | 18,840 |
Ocean Sprays Craisins | 36 | 24oz bag | 2,210 | 76,560 |
Daily Multi-Vitamin | 365 | 365 Tabs | – | – |
Fresh Potable Water | 365gl | 1gl | – | – |
Total Calories | – | – | – | 944,400 |
Chart #10 One-year Dry-staple Emergency Food
For a one-year supply of dry staples, stockpile 400 lbs of wheat, 60 lbs of dry beans, 60 lbs of sugar, 16 lbs of powdered milk, 10 quarts of cooking oil, and 8lbs of salt.
Long-term food items with a 30 Year Shelf Life (Unless Otherwise Stated) | Approximate Storage Weight |
(Types of grain are interchangeable depending on preference, i.e., 1 case of rice for 1 point of wheat) | – |
Wheat | 132 lbs |
White Rice | 65 lbs |
Rolled Oats | 29 lbs |
Pasta | 21 lbs |
Legumes (Beans, Split peas, Lentils) | 62 lbs |
Milk Powdered Nonfat-Dry | 62 lbs |
White Table Sugar | 70 lbs |
Dried Apple Slices | 6 lbs |
Dried Carrots | 8 lbs |
Potato Flakes | 22 lbs |
Dried Onions | 40 |
Iodized Salt | 8 lbs |
Baking Soda | 1 lb |
Baking Powder | 4 lb |
Vitamin C tablet (90 mg) | 365 Tablets |
Storing dry staple foods like, wheat, white rice and beans, in oxygen-free containers is the cheapest, most effective method of storing the bulk of my emergency foods for a 30- plus year shelf-life.
Scott, Ready Squirrel
If you are interested in storing the bulk of your emergency food as dry staples like dry beans, polished white rice, and hard and soft grains, read the Ready Squirrel article, “How Much Food To Stockpile Per Person.”
Chart #11 One-year Short shelf-life foods
Stockpile and rotate these foods if the bulk of your long-term food storage is dry staples. Unfortunately, fatty foods have a short shelf-life, but we need them to survive. Let’s look at the list of short-shelf-life foods you need to store.
Short-term food items with a short shelf-life | Amount Per Person Per Year |
Fats and Oils | 2 gallons |
Shortening | 3 lbs |
Butter | 6 lbs |
Mayonnaise and Salad Dressing | 3 quarts |
Peanut Butter And Nut Butter | 6 lbs |
Dry Drink Mixes (Augason Farms Orange Delight) | 18 lbs |
(Nonfat-Dry, 15 yr shelf life) | 62 lbs |
Spices | – |
Powdered Eggs for baking | 6 lbs |
Yeast or Make Levain | 2 lbs |
Sweeteners | |
Canned fruit | 40 |
Canned Fruit Preserves | 8 lbs |
Dried Fruit | 1 lb |
Canned Vegetables | 4 lb |
Canned Meat | 365 Tablets |
3 Major considerations for emergency food storage
There are many ways to store enough daily calories for daily survival food calories. Here are a few other things to consider as you build your daily survival calorie count.
#1 Water
It is challenging to store enough water for a one-year supply, but you must have access to clean potable water. To ensure you have enough water, reserve at least 14 gallons per person for a two-week supply and look into purifying natural water sources for extended catastrophes.
#2 Shelf-life of food
Dry Staple Foods like beans, rice, wheat, and rolled oats stored in oxygen-free containers will be acceptable to eat for at least 30 years. For maximum shelf life, keep these foods in the dark, cexcellentlocation. Avoid storing food in hot storage areas like outdoor sheds or a garage.
Freezing these foods is as bad as storing them in hot conditions, and heat and freezing temperatures drastically reduce the shelf life of survival food.
#3 Short-term food items
Foods with a shorter shelf-life must be rotated into your regular diet or replaced.
Sources
Basic Disaster Supplies Kit, Federal Emergency Management Agency Ready.gov
Thanks for visiting Ready Squirrel. If you have any thoughts or questions, please leave them in the comments.
Keep on prepping!
Kind Regards, Scott