If you checked inside your cabinets now, how many weeks' worth of food would you own? And, if you do own that amount, how long would it last? The average person has less than a week's worth of food inside his or her home, and many of these items are perishable or require more than minimal preparation. When a storm or similar natural disaster is poised to hit an area, most rush out in a frenzy for basic supplies, including emergency food, tarps, and first aid supplies. Rather than fighting with the crowd and coming short with supplies, order an emergency food kit beforehand.

Mountain House, Lindon Farms, and Wise Food Storage are all popular brands of emergency food kits, and all are available through Survival Supply. While all three brands take different packaging strategies, the concept for good nutrition in times of disaster is similar. Allowing an individual to survive on 1,000 to 2,000 calories per day if serving suggestions are followed, these emergency food kits contain freeze-dried meals and foods. Water simply needs to be added to a serving, and within minutes, the food is ready to eat.

In terms of disaster types, however, packaging is crucial. Mountain House, for instance, commonly offers emergency food kits in #10 cans. Each holds multiple servings of a breakfast, lunch, or dinner, but after a serving or two or measured, what happens to the leftovers? A full #10 can should not be prepared all the way. Instead, the remainder of the servings must be stored for later use: frozen, resealed into the can with a commercial re-sealer, or kept in an airtight storage container.

Wise Food Storage and Lindon Farms, on the other hand, store freeze-dried meals in Mylar pouches, which are kept in portable containers with handles. This particular packaging is an asset to those who must leave an area during an emergency. The containers, each holding roughly a month's worth of food, can be grabbed, along with a water source, and taken to another location.

Mylar pouches have another convenience. Instead of storing leftovers, an individual can prepare a meal for two by simply adding water into the pouch, which holds two to four servings.

In general, emergency food kits have lifespans ranging from five to 30 years. Storage conditions, however, are crucial to maintaining this supply. Moisture and light deteriorate freeze-dried foods, and the area, to effectively preserve your supply, must be dry, dark, and cool. To prevent contamination, chemicals and cleaning products must be kept out of the space.