How Much Food Should You Store for Emergencies?

A simple method to estimate how much food your household needs for short and longer-term disruptions.

Quick answer

Plan for ~2,000 calories per person per day as a baseline. Active adults or those doing physical work may need 2,500–3,000 calories. Children over 5 can be planned at the adult rate for simplicity. Infants and toddlers need formula or age-appropriate food rather than adult emergency supplies.

Total calories by household size and timeframe

People	3 Days	7 Days	14 Days	30 Days
1	6,000	14,000	28,000	60,000
2	12,000	28,000	56,000	120,000
3	18,000	42,000	84,000	180,000
4	24,000	56,000	112,000	240,000
5	30,000	70,000	140,000	300,000

Track your stockpile and rotation dates with the 30-Day Food Storage Tracker (printable).

What 2,000 calories per day actually looks like in food

Calories by themselves are abstract. Here's how common emergency pantry staples translate into real quantities, and how many calories they provide per practical unit:

White rice (dry): ~1,700 calories per lb. One lb of dry rice produces about 3 lbs of cooked rice. A 25 lb bag = roughly 40,000–45,000 calories. A 5 lb bag covers one person for 2 weeks.
Pasta (dry): ~1,700 calories per lb. Similar to rice, 1 lb dry produces about 2 lbs cooked. Easy to cook, familiar, long shelf life (2–5+ years).
Canned beans (15 oz): ~350–400 calories per can. Protein and fiber, pair with rice for complete meals. A case of 12 cans = ~4,800 calories (about 2.5 person-days).
Canned soups/stew (15 oz): ~200–450 calories per can. Very convenient, ready to heat and eat, or eat cold. Variable calorie density; heartier soups and stews are more calorie-efficient.
Peanut butter (16 oz jar): ~2,700 calories per jar. One of the most calorie-dense, shelf-stable, no-cook foods available. Two tablespoons = ~190 calories. An excellent cornerstone of any emergency food supply.
Oats (rolled, dry): ~1,700 calories per lb. Breakfast staple that requires only boiling water. Can also be eaten as overnight oats (soaked in cold water). A 5 lb canister covers about 4–5 days of breakfast for one person.
Crackers: ~500–600 calories per sleeve. Easy to eat without cooking. Pair with peanut butter, canned fish, or canned cheese spread for complete snacks.
Canned fish (tuna, salmon, sardines): ~150–250 calories per can, plus protein. Sardines in oil are particularly calorie-dense (~200 cal per can). A case of 24 small cans provides meaningful protein variety.
Cooking oil: ~4,000 calories per pound (oil is the most calorie-dense food). Even a quart of oil adds ~8,000 calories to your supply and has a 1–2 year shelf life. Add oil to cooking to significantly boost calorie density when portions are limited.

What 7 days of food physically looks like for one person

A practical 7-day supply for one adult (~14,000 calories) using mostly shelf-stable items:

2 lbs dry rice or pasta (breakfast, dinner base): 3,400 calories
1 jar peanut butter (lunches, snacks): 2,700 calories
6 cans beans, soup, or stew (dinners, lunches): 2,400–2,700 calories
2 boxes crackers, 1,200 calories
2 lbs oats (breakfasts): 3,400 calories
Canned fruit, nuts, trail mix for variety: ~1,000 calories

Total: roughly 14,000–15,000 calories. This fits in a single medium cardboard box (about 12" × 18" × 12"), weighs approximately 12–15 lbs, and would cost $30–$60 depending on brands and prices. Multiply by household size.

How to plan food storage around your actual diet

The most common mistake in emergency food planning is buying unfamiliar items that sit in storage until they expire, then get thrown out. Instead:

Build around what you already cook: If you regularly eat pasta, add extra pasta to your pantry. If your family loves rice and beans, stock more of those. You'll actually use it and rotate it naturally.
Use the "store what you eat, eat what you store" principle: Rather than buying a separate emergency stash, expand your regular pantry and rotate through it. Older items get used in everyday cooking; new purchases go to the back of the shelf.
Check dietary restrictions before buying: Gluten intolerance, food allergies, religious dietary requirements, and strong preferences all matter, especially in a stressful situation where food morale makes a real difference.
Comfort foods matter: A small supply of familiar, comforting foods, coffee, tea, chocolate, candy, favorite crackers, significantly improves morale during a prolonged outage. These are not frivolous; they're a legitimate part of your plan.

Cooking methods matter as much as the food

Most emergency food supplies assume you can cook. If you lose power and don't have an alternative cooking method, your stockpile of rice, pasta, and dry beans is largely inaccessible.

Propane camp stove: The most practical and affordable option. A standard two-burner camp stove and a few 16 oz propane canisters can cook for 2–3 weeks at normal meal frequency. Keep extra canisters.
Portable butane stove: Similar to propane, compact and efficient. Good for boiling water and simple cooking.
Generator + electric hot plate: Works if you have generator power. Electric pressure cookers and Instant Pots cook dried beans and grains quickly and efficiently.
No-cook alternatives: Canned goods, peanut butter, crackers, granola bars, dried fruit, and nuts all require no cooking. Build enough no-cook food into your supply that you could eat reasonably well for several days without any heat source.
Water for cooking: Pasta and rice require about 2 quarts of water per pound during cooking (some is absorbed, some evaporates). A 7-day food supply using dried staples can require an additional 3–5 gallons of water specifically for cooking.

Shelf life by food category

Canned goods (commercially sealed): 2–5 years typically, with safety beyond the "best by" date for most items. Inspect for rust, dents, or swelling before using.
Dry rice and pasta: 4–8 years in sealed original packaging; 10–30+ years in airtight oxygen-free containers (Mylar bags with oxygen absorbers).
Rolled oats: 1–2 years in original packaging; 20–30 years in sealed oxygen-free storage.
Peanut butter: 1–2 years unopened at room temperature. Natural peanut butter has a shorter shelf life than processed varieties.
Cooking oil: 1–4 years depending on type (coconut oil lasts longer; vegetable oil shorter). Store in a cool, dark location.
Crackers and packaged snacks: 6–12 months typically, the shortest shelf life in a standard emergency pantry. Rotate frequently.

Simple planning method

Decide on your target (3, 7, or 14 days)
Calculate total calories (2,000/person/day × people × days)
Plan at least 2 weeks of no-cook options alongside items that require cooking
Check you have a cooking method that doesn't require grid power
Verify water storage is sufficient (drinking + cooking)
Label and rotate, date everything, use oldest first

Simple takeaway

Start with 3 days and work toward 7, then 14. Two thousand calories per person per day is the planning baseline, translate that into real foods you know how to cook and will actually eat. Stock a cooking method that works without grid power, make sure water accounts for cooking as well as drinking, and rotate your supply so nothing expires unused.