NEWSROOM
Everyone
recommends it, but just what is a 3-day emergency food supply?
May
28, 2008
Anyone who
has heard disaster preparedness recommendations probably knows
a three-day emergency food supply is on the list.
But just what
does that mean? LSU AgCenter nutritionist and food safety expert
Dr. Beth Reames has the answers.
“On
top of having ample food and water on hand to last the first few
days after a storm or other emergency, you also need to have some
way to prepare the food or keep what you’re eating safe
to consume,” Reames says. “When making your plans,
you have to keep in mind the conditions you’ll be operating
under.
“You
may be without power, which means you may not have a way to heat
things up or refrigerate them.”
That means
the foods you have on hand will need to be adapted to those conditions,
Reames stresses.
Some of the
potential foods you could include are single-serving cereal packages,
crackers, granola bars, canned fruit, canned juice, packaged drink
mixes, raisins, apple sauce, canned vegetables, canned soups or
chili, tuna, canned chicken, beef jerky, peanut butter, canned
milk or other shelf-stable milk, shelf-stable cheese, hard candy
and chocolate.
Reames also
says you’re going to need at least two quarts – and
preferably a gallon – of water for each person per day.
“Choose
commercially bottled water or store water from your household
system in clean containers for brief time periods when you think
you might need it,” she says.
The LSU AgCenter
nutritionist also offers these tips to keep in mind when choosing
the foods:
- Choose
nonperishable foods that require little or no cooking and no
refrigeration.
- Can or
jar sizes should be appropriate for one meal with no leftovers.
Once opened or prepared, many foods lose their shelf-stable
character and will go bad.
- Select
foods you like and normally eat.
- If you
don’t have a way to boil water when the power is off,
do not include instant foods that will require hot water. Keep
in mind foods that require water also will consume your water
supply quickly.
- Keep a
supply of disposable plates, bowls, cups and utensils on hand.
Otherwise, you could use far too much of your water supply washing
dishes.
- Don’t
forget baby food, special dietary requirements and food for
your pets.
The LSU AgCenter
expert says to buy – and practice using – a hand-crank
can opener if you don’t have one already. “You’ll
need it to open that can of tuna when the power goes off,”
she says.
As you assemble
your food and other disaster supplies, keep them in a central
location – above potential flood level.
“You
also want to store food in the coolest cabinets or a pantry away
from appliances that produce heat,” she says, adding, “Store
food that comes in cardboard boxes, thin plastic or paper in metal,
glass or rigid plastic containers to avoid insect and rodent damage.”
The LSU AgCenter
nutritionist also stresses that you can acquire and store your
three-day food supply early but that you want to rotate and use
food and water every six to 12 months – or as recommended
on the food labels.
For more information
on emergency preparedness and a variety of other topics related
to health and nutrition, visit www.lsuagcenter.com.
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