Which emergency food kit should I actually buy?
If you want emergency food you can buy once and keep for years, you do not need to compare 37 different buckets. We've narrowed the decision down to three types of buyer.
Wait. Is a storm coming in the next few days?
Then you probably don't need an emergency food kit. Ordinary grocery-store food is usually cheaper, familiar and immediately available.
We've already made the short shopping list for exactly that situation.
Just tell me what to buy at the grocery store →Want something you can store for years?
Then a purpose-built emergency food kit starts making sense. We'd narrow it to these three approaches.
ReadyWise 72-Hour Kit
I just want one small emergency supply and I'm done.
This is the easiest entry point of the three. It provides roughly three days of food for one person without requiring you to build a menu yourself.
6,780 total calories • more than 2,200 calories per day • up to 25-year shelf life • just-add-water preparation
Why we'd choose it: simplicity. If your goal is “put three days of food in the closet and stop thinking about it,” this solves that problem.
See current ReadyWise kit →Augason Farms
I want to build a larger supply without spending a fortune.
Augason Farms makes more sense when cost and quantity matter more than having the most premium individual meals.
Multiple 72-hour, 2-week and longer-term options • up to 25-year shelf life on many products • broad mix of meals and pantry staples
Why we'd choose it: value. It is particularly useful for gradually building a larger home reserve instead of buying one expensive premium system all at once.
See current Augason Farms options →Mountain House
Meal quality matters to me and I'm willing to spend more.
Mountain House is the option we'd look at when somebody wants freeze-dried meals that also make sense for camping, travel and regular outdoor use instead of food that may sit untouched until an emergency.
3-day, 14-day and 30-day emergency kits • freeze-dried meals • just-add-water preparation • long-term storage
Why we'd choose it: versatility. You can rotate some of the meals through camping and travel instead of treating the entire purchase as untouchable disaster food.
See current Mountain House kits →Still can't decide? Make it this simple.
| If you're thinking... | Start here |
|---|---|
| “I just want a small emergency kit.” | ReadyWise |
| “I need more food for less money.” | Augason Farms |
| “I'll pay more for the option I'd rather eat.” | Mountain House |
| “A storm is literally coming tomorrow.” | Skip all three and go to the grocery store. |
Don't compare kits by “servings” alone.
Emergency-food companies do not all define a serving the same way. A giant serving count can look impressive while providing less actual food than you expected.
Then look at how much water the food requires, whether you need a way to heat it, how long it stores and whether the people in your house will actually eat it.
The catch nobody should hide: these meals need water.
Most freeze-dried emergency meals need water for preparation. That means buying a month of emergency food without planning your emergency water supply creates another problem.
Before buying a large food kit, make sure your water plan can support it.
See how much water I need →Do you even need emergency food kits?
No.
For many households, a rotating pantry of ordinary shelf-stable food is cheaper and more useful. You buy extra food you already eat, use the oldest items first and replace them as you go.
Emergency kits become useful when you specifically value long shelf life, compact storage and convenience.
If ordinary grocery food solves your problem, buy ordinary grocery food. If long-term emergency food makes your life easier, buy that instead.
Want to build the whole food plan?
Our emergency food supply guide shows how to build from 3 days to 7 days and eventually 2 weeks.
If you're preparing for an immediate storm, use the simple storm grocery list instead.