# Emergency food for 72 hours and beyond > What food to keep in a 72-hour kit: non-perishable, easy to prepare, foods your family eats, enough meals for 3 days or 2 weeks, stored and rotated properly. - Canonical URL: https://72hourkit.com/emergency-food-supply/ - Source: [American Red Cross, survival kit supplies](https://redcross.org/kit) - Checked: 2026-10-25 This page includes a free interactive tool that runs in the browser and sends no data. The figures and rules it uses are the ones stated on this page, with their sources. ## What counts as emergency food The Red Cross asks for non-perishable, easy-to-prepare items: 3 days' worth for a go-bag, 2 weeks for home ([Red Cross](https://redcross.org/kit)). Ready.gov adds a manual can opener and asks you to keep canned food cool and dry and boxed food in sealed plastic or metal containers ([Ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/kit)). ## Choosing food - **Ready to eat:** canned meat, fish, beans, fruit and vegetables; peanut butter; crackers; granola and protein bars; dried fruit; shelf-stable milk. - **Little or no water:** avoid dried foods that need a lot of water to prepare, since water is the scarcer supply. - **Foods you already eat:** stress is not the time for unfamiliar food; rotating food you normally eat also keeps it fresh. - **Special diets:** allergies, diabetes, infants and older relatives need their own supplies. ## How many meals Three meals a day per person: a family of four needs 36 meals for 3 days and 168 for 2 weeks. The calculator does this for your household, and the kit builder adds it to your checklist. ## Storage and rotation Store in a cool, dry place, off the floor. Write the best-by date on the outside of each box, eat and replace food before it expires, and review the whole kit once a year ([Ready.gov](https://www.ready.gov/kit)). The reminder tool can put the earliest date in your calendar. ## Ready-made options Long-shelf-life emergency food (pouches or ration bars) saves planning and lasts years, but your family's usual canned and boxed food is cheaper and easier to rotate. Many households combine both: everyday food for the home supply, compact rations for the go-bag. --- 72 Hour Kit ยท Contact: contact@72hourkit.com