Emergency Food Without Cooking: Simple Options for 72 Hours

Emergency food does not need to be unusual. For the first 72 hours, the most useful options are foods your household already understands, can store safely and can eat without cooking.

Useful no-cook options

Consider a mix of:

• canned beans, tuna, sardines or vegetables;
• crackers, crispbread or long-life bread;
• nut butter or spreads;
• dried fruit and nuts;
• cereal or oat bars;
• UHT milk or plant-based drinks;
• baby food where relevant.

Choose foods that match allergies, dietary rules and medical needs. Include a manual can opener if you store cans.

Plan meals, not piles

Think in simple meals rather than random items. For example: breakfast bars and UHT milk, lunch with crackers and canned fish, dinner with beans and vegetables.

Store food in a cool, dry place and rotate it into normal meals before expiry. This keeps the kit affordable and reduces waste.

Be careful with cooking indoors

Do not use outdoor grills, charcoal burners or camping stoves indoors unless the device is explicitly designed and approved for safe indoor use. Carbon monoxide is a serious risk.