At some point, the power went out in your house—it happens. Sometimes, it’s just a quick flicker and you hardly notice, and sometimes you sit in the dark wondering if this is your life now. And the truth is? You never really know what is coming. It could be a storm, a blown transformer, a wildfire a couple of towns over, or—sure, why not—a zombie apocalypse.
The point is, stuff happens. And when it does you don’t want to be the one sweating bullets and tearing through drawers looking for the flashlight that last worked in 2009. It really won’t take you much to be prepared, just a little bit to tuck away for a time when shit happens. Here is a great list of things you should have around for when if things do get weird.
1. Water
This is the most important item of this entire list. Water is pertinent for survival, and is usually the first item that sells out when an emergency or natural disaster strikes. Aim to have a few large jugs of water stored somewhere in your home, or as many as you are able to fit comfortably.
2. Canned Soup
The easiest, quickest thing to eat when there’s a loss of power? Canned soup, noodles, chili, etc. These cans take up very little room, so stock up on as many as possible.
3. Canned Fish
Grab some canned fish in case of an emergency. It’s a simple, quick way to get a lot of protein into your diet when other options are scarce.
4. Granola/Protein Bars
Granola and protein bars provide a quick dose of sugar, protein, and carbohydrates, not to mention they keep for a very long time. An extremely good thing to have lying around!
5. Baby Food
Obviously, this one depends on whether or not you have any babies in your family. If so, stocking up on sealed jars of baby food and baby formula is an absolute must.
6. Peanut Butter
Every survival food surplus should include a jar or two of peanut butter. It can be used for a ton of different purposes, and it provides healthy fats and protein.
7. Canned Vegetables
Canned vegetables are a great addition to lunch or dinner, they keep forever, and they can be eaten right out of the can. Definitely stock up on different types of canned veggies.
8. Crackers
Crackers are a simple carbohydrate and can be eaten as a snack at any time. Stock up on a few boxes with lengthy expiration dates, just in case.
9. Oats
It’s always a good idea to have a bag of oats on-hand. As long as you have water, you can easily make oatmeal for a quick and filling meal.
10. Trail Mix
A mixture of nuts, dried fruit, and salty snacks is the perfect snack to have in case of emergency. Plus, these ingredients stay good for quite a long time.
11. Powdered Milk
When the power goes out or some other sort of emergency occurs, milk is the first thing in your fridge to spoil. Have a few cans of powdered milk in the back of your pantry.
12. Healthy Cereal
Another good reason to have powdered milk lying around? So that in the event of a power outage, you can still enjoy a bowl of (healthy!) cereal for breakfast.
13. Sports Drinks
It never hurts to have a pack of Gatorade or a similar drink stored in your pantry. These drinks will provide an instant boost of electrolytes and energy, both of which may be hard to come by in the event of an emergency.
