Food & Water
Emergency food supply list: two weeks of food your kids will actually eat
You don't need bulk buckets or a big budget. A two-week supply is mostly ordinary shelf-stable food your family already likes, bought a few items at a time and rotated into everyday meals.
On this page (11 sections)
- What belongs on an emergency food supply list
- A two-week emergency food supply list for a family of four
- How to build it on a small budget, trip by trip
- Babies, toddlers, special diets and pets
- Shelf life, storage and rotation
- Using the supply when the power goes out
- Troubleshooting your food supply
- When to get help
- Frequently asked questions
- Keep going
- Sources
If your grocery budget is tight and your kids won't touch beans, the emergency food supply list that works is the one built from shelf-stable foods your family already eats: cereal, peanut butter, crackers, canned fruit, canned chicken or tuna, shelf-stable milk and a few comfort foods. Ready.gov advises choosing foods your family will eat that need no refrigeration, cooking, water or special preparation, and the American Red Cross suggests working toward enough to last two weeks.
Most lists online are written for a pantry, not for children who throw food on the floor. This one starts from what kids eat, gives an illustrative two-week list for a family of four, and shows how to build it a few items per grocery trip. You do not need special "emergency food": the Red Cross notes that the canned goods, dry mixes and staples already on your shelves count.
Key takeaways
- Pick familiar foods your family already eats; the Red Cross says familiar foods lift morale in stressful times.
- Favor foods that need no refrigeration, cooking or water, and keep a manual can opener with them (Ready.gov).
- Aim for two weeks (American Red Cross), starting with the first 3 days.
- Build it over several grocery trips with a small fixed amount each time, and eat and replace it so nothing expires.
- Rotate first in, first out, and write the purchase date on each item (NDSU Extension, Red Cross).
- Discard bulging, leaking, deeply dented or heavily rusted cans (USDA FSIS).
On your next grocery trip
- Buy a manual can opener if you don't own one, plus three days of breakfasts your kids already like.
- Pick one shelf in a cool cupboard for the supply, and a marker for dating each item.
- Write down the next three items on the list below for the following trip.
What belongs on an emergency food supply list
Ready.gov's suggested emergency foods are ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables, protein or fruit bars, dry cereal or granola, peanut butter, dried fruit, canned juices, non-perishable pasteurized milk, high-energy foods, food for infants and comfort or stress foods. The Red Cross adds a useful filter: foods that are high in calories and nutrition and that need no refrigeration, water, special preparation or cooking are best.
If your kids refuse the usual prepper staples, swap them for something on the same shelf:
| If your kids won't eat | Try instead | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Canned beans | Canned chicken or tuna; peanut butter; canned pasta in sauce | Protein that eats straight from the can or jar |
| Canned vegetables | Canned fruit, applesauce cups, dried fruit, canned juices | Ready.gov lists canned fruits, dried fruit and canned juices |
| Rice and dried beans | Dry cereal, granola, crackers, pretzels | Ready-to-eat with no water or cooking |
| Powdered milk | Shelf-stable boxed milk | Ready.gov lists non-perishable pasteurized milk |
| Freeze-dried meals | Canned soups, ravioli, chili or stew | Commercially canned food can be eaten from the can without warming (Ready.gov) |
Water is a separate job, and it comes first: see the emergency water storage chart for how many gallons your household and pets need.
A two-week emergency food supply list for a family of four
The quantities below are a starting estimate, not a rule. They assume three meals and two snacks a day for two adults and two school-age children, mostly without cooking. Adjust up or down once you see how fast your family uses it.
| Meal | Foods | Example amount for 2 weeks |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Dry cereal or granola, shelf-stable boxed milk, fruit cups | About 6 to 8 boxes of cereal, 14 to 20 quart boxes of milk, 28 fruit cups |
| Lunch | Peanut butter (or a safe alternative), crackers, canned chicken or tuna, applesauce | 2 to 3 large jars of peanut butter, 8 to 10 boxes of crackers, 14 small cans of chicken or tuna, 28 applesauce cups |
| Dinner | Canned soup, canned pasta in sauce, canned stew or chili, canned fruit or vegetables | About 28 to 30 cans of main dishes plus 14 cans of fruit or vegetables |
| Snacks | Granola or protein bars, dried fruit, pretzels, nuts if no allergies | About 4 to 5 boxes of bars, 2 to 3 bags each of dried fruit and pretzels |
| Drinks and comfort | Canned or boxed juice, cocoa or tea, a favorite treat | A case of juice boxes, plus a few treats per child |
| Tools | Manual can opener, disposable plates, cups and utensils | One opener (two if you can), a pack of each |
If water is short, the Red Cross suggests avoiding salty foods, which make you thirsty, and choosing salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals and canned foods with a high liquid content. That is a reason to include canned fruit in juice and soups rather than only chips and jerky.
How to build it on a small budget, trip by trip
You do not have to buy two weeks at once. Decide on a small amount you can add on each grocery trip (for example, $10), buy the next items on the list until that amount is used, and stop. The order below gets the most important days covered first.
Trip 1: the tools and three breakfasts
A manual can opener, which Ready.gov says to include with your food, a marker for dates, and three days of cereal and shelf-stable milk.
Trips 2 and 3: three days of lunches and dinners
Peanut butter, crackers, canned chicken or tuna and a few canned dinners your family likes. Now you have a 3-day supply, the same goal as a basic kit on the 72-hour kit checklist.
Trips 4 to 6: stretch to one week
Add fruit cups, applesauce, snacks and more canned dinners. Fill gaps for anyone with a special diet before adding treats.
Trips 7 and later: stretch to two weeks
Repeat the one-week list. Buying what is on sale or the store brand keeps the cost down.
Eat it and replace it
Use the oldest items in everyday meals and buy replacements on your normal trips, so the supply pays for itself instead of expiring. The Red Cross calls this first in, first out.
A family of four sets aside a small fixed amount each week. On the first trip they buy a can opener, cereal and boxed milk. Over the next two weeks they add peanut butter, crackers, canned chicken and canned ravioli the kids already eat, so their first 3 days are covered by week three. They keep adding a few items per trip, write the purchase month on every can, and reach two weeks after a couple of months. When the power goes out one evening, dinner is canned soup and crackers with no need to open the fridge.
The Food and Water start-here page shows where this fits with water and the rest of your plan.
Babies, toddlers, special diets and pets
- Infants: Ready.gov advises using ready-to-feed formula; if you must mix formula, use bottled water, or boiled water as a last resort. The FDA suggests prepared, canned baby formula that requires no added water. The Red Cross notes that nursing mothers may need liquid formula in case they are unable to nurse.
- Toddlers and picky eaters: stock the familiar foods they already accept; an emergency is not the time to introduce new ones.
- Allergies and special diets: the Red Cross says these need particular attention, as do babies, toddlers and older adults. Read labels on every item you add, and keep a list of safe foods with the supply.
- Older or ill family members: the Red Cross suggests canned dietetic foods, juices and soups may help.
- Pets: don't forget non-perishable food for your pets (Red Cross). The pet emergency kit guide covers how much to store.
Shelf life, storage and rotation
USDA FSIS says dates on shelf-stable food are generally for quality, not safety, and its storage chart gives these times for unopened food kept in a cool, dry place. The Red Cross booklet gives shorter "replace by" times for some foods; using the shorter time keeps the supply at its best.
| Food | Shelf time (unopened) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Low-acid canned food: meat, poultry, stews, soups (not tomato), pasta products, corn, carrots, beans, peas | 2 to 5 years | USDA FSIS |
| High-acid canned food: juices, tomatoes, fruit such as pineapple, peaches and apples, pickles | 12 to 18 months | USDA FSIS |
| Canned fruits, juices and vegetables, cereal, peanut butter, jelly, canned nuts | Use within 1 year, or by the date on the label | American Red Cross |
| Boxed powdered milk, dried fruit, crisp crackers | Use within 6 months | American Red Cross |
| Home-canned food | About 1 year | USDA FSIS, NDSU Extension |
Where to keep it: FSIS says temperatures below 85 °F (29 °C) are best, and never above or beside the stove, under the sink, or in a damp garage or basement. It adds that temperatures over 100 °F are harmful to canned goods. The Red Cross suggests a dry, cool, dark spot and sealed containers for opened boxes of crackers or cereal.
How to rotate: write the purchase date on each package, as NDSU Extension advises, put new items at the back and older ones in front (Red Cross), and use the front items in everyday meals.
Cans to throw away
- Swollen, bulging or leaking cans, and cans that spurt liquid when opened (USDA FSIS).
- Deeply dented cans: FSIS describes a deep dent as one you can lay your finger into, and says to discard any can with a deep dent on a seam.
- Heavily rusted cans. FSIS says surface rust that wipes off with a finger or paper towel is not serious; rust inside the can is.
- Ready.gov is stricter and says not to eat from cans that are swollen, dented or corroded. When in doubt, throw it out. Never taste food to check it.
Using the supply when the power goes out
The Red Cross gives a simple order: eat the perishable food from the refrigerator first, then food from the freezer, and only then the non-perishable supply. Keep the fridge door shut in between; the fridge and freezer food safety guide explains the 4-hour and 48-hour rules.
Ready.gov notes that commercially canned food can be eaten right out of the can. If you want to heat food, charcoal grills and camp stoves are for outdoor use only, at least 20 feet from windows, doors and attached garages (Ready.gov). The CDC says never to burn charcoal or use a portable camp stove indoors, and to install battery-operated or battery backup carbon monoxide detectors near every sleeping area. More outage steps are in what to do during a power outage.
Troubleshooting your food supply
- If items keep expiring before you use them
- Your supply is bigger than your family eats in a year, or it is stored out of sight. Move it to an everyday cupboard and use the oldest items regularly in normal meals.
- If the kids refuse the supply during an outage
- Swap in what they actually eat next time, using the swap table above. Eating a supply meal now and then shows you what they will accept.
- If you only have a garage or a hot closet
- FSIS warns against damp garages and heat. Store a smaller supply indoors in a cooler spot instead.
- If a can looks fine but hisses loudly or spurts when opened
- Don't taste it. FSIS says to place the can and contents in a heavy garbage bag and throw it away.
When to get help
Call for help if
- Anyone has symptoms of food poisoning after eating from a damaged can, especially double vision, drooping eyelids or trouble swallowing or breathing, which FSIS lists for botulism: call 911.
- Your home has a carbon monoxide alarm sounding while cooking with a backup stove: get everyone outside first.
- A baby, older adult or family member has a medical diet: ask their health care provider what to store.
- Money is too tight to build any supply: a local food bank can help with everyday groceries.
Who to ask. In an emergency, call 911. If a carbon monoxide alarm sounds or anyone feels dizzy, sick or confused, get everyone outside into fresh air first, then call 911. For local hazards, shelters and alerts, contact your city or county emergency management office (start at Ready.gov). For home canning and garden questions, your county Cooperative Extension office can help (see the USDA Cooperative Extension System page), and the National Center for Home Food Preservation publishes tested canning methods. For a pet's health, call your veterinarian.
Frequently asked questions
What foods should be in a 2-week emergency food supply?
Foods your family already eats that need no refrigeration, cooking or water: canned meats, fruit and vegetables, protein or fruit bars, dry cereal or granola, peanut butter, dried fruit, canned juice, shelf-stable milk, food for infants and comfort foods, as Ready.gov suggests. Add a manual can opener and disposable utensils (Red Cross).
Do I need to buy bulk emergency food buckets?
No. The American Red Cross says you may not need to buy special foods at all, because the canned goods, dry mixes and staples on your shelves can make up the supply. Ordinary groceries your family likes are easier to rotate into everyday meals, so less goes to waste.
How long does canned food last?
USDA FSIS says unopened low-acid canned foods such as meat, poultry, soups and most vegetables keep 2 to 5 years, and high-acid foods such as tomatoes, fruit and juices keep 12 to 18 months, if the cans stay in good condition in a cool, dry place. The Red Cross suggests replacing many canned foods within a year for best quality.
Can my family eat canned food without heating it?
Yes. Ready.gov says commercially canned food can be eaten out of the can without warming. If you heat food in the can, Ready.gov says to remove the label, thoroughly wash and disinfect the can, and open it before heating. Any grill or camp stove stays outdoors.
Sources
- Food, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Power Outages, Ready.gov, FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Food and Water in an Emergency, American Red Cross and FEMA (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Shelf-Stable Food Safety, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (fact sheet copy hosted by Washington State University) (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Questions and Answers About Storing Canned and Packaged Food, NDSU Extension (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) Poisoning Basics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (accessed October 28, 2026).
- Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and Floods, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (accessed October 28, 2026).
Food and water, in the order that helps
Water comes first, then this two-week food supply. The start-here page puts the guides in order, with the outage and food safety pages next to them.