How Much Food Should I Really Store for Emergencies?

[TeaTimeTalisman]

There's so much conflicting advice out there—some say three months, others a year. For those of you storing for a family of two, what's your realistic target in pounds or calories per person? Curious how folks factor in garden harvests or home-canned goods in their total.

 

[PrepperLinda65]

For two people, I always plan for at least 3 months of food, which usually comes to around 90 days x 2,000 calories per person (so about 360,000 calories total). That’s just a ballpark, but it covers most situations. I do a mix—store-bought staples (rice, beans, oats, pasta) and then rotate in home-canned veggies, jams, stews, and pressure-canned meats. Garden harvests are great, but I only count what I’ve already canned/dehydrated/frozen as “real” storage, since you never know what the next season