Emergency and Disaster Survival Guide

Emergency Food and Cooking

The following are things to consider when putting together your food supplies:

Avoid foods that will make you thirsty. Choose salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with high liquid content.

Stock canned foods, dry mixes, and other staples that do not require refrigeration, cooking, water, or special preparation. You may already have many of these on hand.
Note: Be sure to include a manual can opener.
Include special dietary needs.

MANAGING FOOD SUPPLIES

Safety and Sanitation
Do:
Keep food in covered containers
Keep cooking and eating utensils clean
Keep garbage in closed containers and dispose outside,
burying garbage if necessary

Keep your hands clean by washing them frequently with soap
and water that has been boiled or disinfected

Use only pre-prepared canned baby formula for infants

Discard any food that has come into contact with
contaminated floodwater

Discard any food that has been at room temperature
for two hours or more. If the power is out for less than 2
hours, then the food in your refrigerator and freezer will be
safe to consume.

While the power is out, keep the refrigerator and freezer
doors closed as much as possible to keep food cold for longer.

If the power is out for longer than 2 hours, follow the
guidelines below:

For the Freezer section: A freezer that is half full will hold
food safely for up to 24 hours. A full freezer will
hold food safely for 48 hours. Do not open the freezer
door if you can avoid it.

For the Refrigerated section: Pack milk, other dairy products,
 meat, fish, eggs, gravy, and spoilable leftovers
into a cooler surrounded by ice. Inexpensive Styrofoam coolers
 are fine for this purpose.

Use a digital quick-response thermometer to check the
temperature of your food right before you cook or eat it.
Throw away any food that has a temperature of more than
40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Discard any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture

Don't
Eat foods from cans that are swollen, dented, or corroded,
 even though the product may look safe to eat

Eat any food that looks or smells abnormal, even if the can
looks normal

Use powdered formulas with treated water

Let garbage accumulate inside, both for fire and sanitation
reasons Note: Thawed food usually can be eaten if it is still
 “refrigerator cold.” It can be re-frozen if it still contains ice
crystals. To be safe, remember, “When in doubt, throw it out.”

MANAGING WITHOUT POWER IF THE ELECTRICITY GOES OFF FIRST

Use perishable food and foods from the refrigerator.
THEN, use the foods from the freezer. To minimize the
number of times you open the freezer door, post a list
of freezer contents on it. In a well-filled, well-insulated
freezer, foods will usually still have ice crystals in their
centers (meaning foods are safe to eat) for at least three days.

FINALLY, begin to use non-perishable foods and staples.
Here are two options for keeping food safe if you are without
 power for a long period:

Look for alternate storage space for your perishable food.
Use dry ice. Twenty-five pounds of dry ice will keep a 10-cubic-foot freezer below freezing for 3-4 days. Use care when handling dry ice, and wear dry, heavy gloves to avoid injury.

HOW TO COOK IF THE POWER GOES OUT:
Alternative cooking sources in times of emergency include
candle warmers, chafing dishes, fondue pots, or a
fireplace.

Charcoal grills and camp stoves are for outdoor use only.

Commercially canned food may be eaten out of the can without
 warming.

To heat food in a can: Remove the label Thoroughly wash and
disinfect the can. (Use a diluted solution of one part bleach to
ten parts water.) Open the can before heating.


SHELF-LIFE OF FOODS FOR STORAGE:
Here are some general guidelines for rotating common emergency foods.


Use within six months:

Powdered milk (boxed)

Dried fruit (in metal container)

Dry, crisp crackers (in metal container)

Potatoes



Use within one year:

Canned condensed meat and vegetable soups

Canned fruits, fruit juices and vegetables

Ready-to-eat cereals and uncooked instant cereals (in metal containers)

Peanut butter

Jelly

Hard candy and canned nuts

Vitamin C,


May be stored indefinitely
(in proper containers and conditions):

Wheat

Vegetable oils

Dried corn

Baking powder

Soybeans

Instant coffee, tea and cocoa

Salt

Non-carbonated soft drinks

White rice

Bouillon products

Dry pasta

Powdered milk (in nitrogen-packed cans)

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