Emergency Food Supply List: Feed Your Family for 14 Days

Why 14 Days Is the Right Target

FEMA recommends a minimum 72-hour food supply. That is a good starting point, but recent events -- including extended power outages, supply chain disruptions, and severe weather events lasting well beyond three days -- show that a 14-day supply offers much stronger protection.

The good news: building a 14-day food supply for your family does not require expensive specialty products or a massive upfront investment. Regular grocery items, chosen wisely, will keep your household well-fed through an extended emergency.

The Calorie Math

Before building your list, it helps to understand the numbers:

Daily calorie targets by age group:

For a family of four (two adults, two school-age children), the daily target is approximately 7,600-8,800 calories. Over 14 days, that totals roughly 106,400-123,200 calories.

This sounds like a lot, but shelf-stable foods are calorie-dense. A single jar of peanut butter contains approximately 2,600 calories.

The Complete 14-Day Food Supply List

This list is designed for a family of four. Scale the quantities up or down based on your household size. Every item on this list requires no refrigeration and most need no cooking.

Grains and Starches

• Rice (10 lbs) -- white rice stores longer than brown
• Pasta (5 lbs) -- various shapes for variety
• Instant oatmeal packets (2 boxes, 20 packets)
• Crackers (4 boxes)
• Flour tortillas (2 packs)
• Cereal (2 boxes, low-sugar varieties last longer)

Proteins

• Canned beans (14 cans -- black, kidney, chickpeas)
• Canned tuna or chicken (10 cans)
• Peanut butter (3 jars, 16 oz each) -- or sunflower butter for nut allergies
• Canned chili (6 cans)
• Beef jerky or protein bars (14 servings)
• Dried lentils (2 lbs)

Canned Vegetables and Fruits

• Canned vegetables (14 cans -- corn, green beans, carrots, peas, mixed)
• Canned tomatoes (6 cans -- diced, whole, or sauce)
• Canned fruit (8 cans -- peaches, pears, mixed fruit in juice, not syrup)
• Applesauce cups (12 individual cups)

Fats and Cooking Essentials

• Cooking oil (1 bottle, 32 oz)
• Powdered milk (2 lbs)
• Honey (1 bottle -- indefinite shelf life)
• Salt and pepper
• Basic spices (garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, oregano)

Snacks and Comfort Foods

• Trail mix (2 lbs)
• Granola bars (24 bars)
• Dried fruit (1 lb -- raisins, cranberries, apricots)
• Hard candy (1 bag)
• Instant coffee or tea bags (if your household drinks them)
• Hot chocolate packets (12)

Beverages and Hydration

• Electrolyte packets (14)
• Powdered drink mix (2 canisters)
• Juice boxes (24)

Meal Planning: Sample Days

Here are three sample days to show how these ingredients come together into actual meals:

Day 1

• Breakfast: Instant oatmeal with dried fruit and honey
• Lunch: Peanut butter on crackers, applesauce cup, trail mix
• Dinner: Canned chili over rice, canned corn on the side
• Snacks: Granola bars, hard candy

Day 5

• Breakfast: Cereal with powdered milk, juice box
• Lunch: Canned chicken on tortillas with canned tomatoes
• Dinner: Pasta with canned tomato sauce and canned vegetables
• Snacks: Trail mix, dried fruit

Day 10

• Breakfast: Oatmeal with peanut butter stirred in, hot chocolate
• Lunch: Bean salad (canned beans, canned corn, a splash of oil and spices)
• Dinner: Rice and lentils with spices, canned fruit for dessert
• Snacks: Beef jerky, granola bar

Dietary Accommodations

Gluten-Free Households

Replace pasta with additional rice, and substitute crackers with gluten-free options or rice cakes. Verify that canned soups and chili are gluten-free (many are, but check labels).

Vegetarian or Vegan

Replace canned meats with additional canned beans, lentils, and nut butters. Add canned coconut milk as a substitute for powdered dairy milk.

Food Allergies

For nut allergies, substitute peanut butter with sunflower seed butter or soy nut butter. For dairy allergies, skip powdered milk and add more juice and electrolyte packets.

Prevna's [personalized plan](/wizard) adjusts your food supply list based on the dietary needs you specify for each household member.

Storage Tips for Maximum Shelf Life

• Store in a cool, dry, dark location -- ideally below 75 degrees Fahrenheit
• Keep items off the ground -- use shelves or pallets to protect against moisture
• Use the FIFO method -- put newer items behind older ones, use oldest first (see our [FIFO guide](/blog/fifo-method-30-day-food-supply))
• Check expiration dates when purchasing -- choose items with the longest dates available
• Write the purchase date on items with a marker for easy rotation tracking

Typical Shelf Life of Common Items

The Budget: What This Actually Costs

Here is the cost breakdown for this complete 14-day supply for a family of four:

That works out to roughly $2.25-3.25 per person per day. And if you build your supply gradually using the [FIFO method](/blog/fifo-method-30-day-food-supply), the impact on your weekly grocery budget is minimal.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Buying food your family will not eat. If nobody likes canned sardines, do not stock canned sardines. During a stressful situation, familiar and enjoyable food makes a real difference for morale.

Forgetting a can opener. If your kit relies on canned goods, include a manual can opener. Better yet, include two.

Ignoring water. You need water to prepare rice, pasta, and oatmeal. Make sure your water supply accounts for cooking, not just drinking. See our [water storage guide](/blog/water-storage-guide-how-much-water-per-person) for the full calculation.

Not planning for special needs. Baby formula, infant food, and specific medical dietary requirements need separate planning. These items have shorter shelf lives, so rotate them more frequently.

Buying everything at once and forgetting about it. A one-time purchase that sits in a closet for three years will be expired and unusable. The FIFO rotation method ensures your supply stays fresh and ready.

Track Your Supply in Prevna

Prevna's Pantry Tracker lets you log every item, track expiration dates, and see your total supply days in real time. As you build your 14-day supply, your Pantry Score rises -- and with it, your overall Readiness Score.

Most families can assemble this entire list in a single grocery trip. It takes about 30 minutes of shopping and 15 minutes of organizing at home.

Ready to get your personalized food supply list? [Create your personalized plan](/wizard) and Prevna will calculate exact quantities based on your family's size, ages, dietary needs, and budget.