Food in the first 72 hours

Start with food that is ready to eat, familiar, and safe without refrigeration. Plan around dietary needs, infants, older adults, and medication schedules.

Use food in order

1. Eat perishable refrigerated food first only when it has stayed at a safe temperature and appears normal.
2. Then use shelf-stable food that needs little water or fuel.
3. Keep an inventory before opening extra packages.

Food safety

When refrigeration fails, keep the refrigerator and freezer closed as much as possible. Do not taste food to decide whether it is safe. Discard food that is unsafe, contaminated by floodwater, swollen, leaking, or smells unusual. Use clean utensils and keep raw food separate from ready-to-eat food.

Conserve resources

Choose meals that require little water, fuel, cookware, and cleanup. Keep a manual can opener with stored food.