Spoon Simple · Emergency food planning
Power out? Be ready with food your family can actually eat.
Build a power outage grocery list in minutes. Pick your family size and 3, 7 or 14 days of supplies. Get water, ready-to-eat food and the basics without guessing quantities.
Build my emergency kitFree checklist · Adjust quantities · Shop missing items with Instacart
Start with 3 days
A useful baseline for food and water in an emergency.
No stove required
Shelf-stable, ready-to-eat options first.
Shop only what’s missing
Check your pantry and review products on Instacart.
Build your emergency grocery list
Who are you preparing for?
Pick your household size and how many days of supplies you want. Quantities update automatically.
12 gallons of water for 4 people over 3 days
Based on the Ready.gov minimum of one gallon per person per day. More may be needed in hot weather or for medical needs, infants, and pets.
Your emergency checklist
Tap the foods you already own. Only missing foods go to your shopping list.
Water first
For drinking and basic sanitation
Ready-to-eat meals
No stove, microwave, or refrigeration needed
Easy breakfasts & snacks
Portable foods for energy between meals
Optional outage essentials
Check what you already own before adding
Check your family’s special needs
These are starter shopping quantities, not a complete personalized nutrition plan. Add enough calories, infant formula or baby food, allergy-safe foods, medication, pet food and pet water as your household requires. Rotate food before its best-by date and follow package storage instructions.
Prepared from Spoon Simple emergency kit suggestions · 19 possible items including optional supplies.
No-cook emergency meal ideas
Three simple meals without electricity
Cereal + shelf-stable milk
Use a single-serve unopened carton and eat immediately after opening.
Chicken + crackers + fruit
Mix ready-to-eat canned chicken with crackers; add fruit for variety.
Chili + beans + vegetables
Pick fully cooked, ready-to-eat cans. Warm them only if you have a safe cooking setup.
These are flexible combinations, not a complete meal plan. Portion sizes and calorie needs vary by person.
Keep your family safe during an outage
Never run a generator, grill or camping stove indoors or near open windows and vents. A closed refrigerator keeps perishables cold for about four hours; a full unopened freezer for around 48 hours. Use a thermometer and follow official food-safety guidance before eating perishable food.
Sources: Ready.gov emergency kit, FoodSafety.gov, CDC carbon monoxide safety.
FAQ
Power outage grocery list questions
What groceries should I buy before a power outage?
Start with bottled water and shelf-stable foods that require no cooking or refrigeration: ready-to-eat canned meals, beans, canned chicken, fruit, vegetables, crackers, nut butter and packaged snacks. Add a manual can opener, flashlight, batteries and any infant or pet supplies you need.
How much water do I need for three days?
Ready.gov recommends at least one gallon of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation. For four people over three days that is 12 gallons. People who are pregnant or nursing, hot weather, medical needs, and pets may require more.
How many days of emergency food should a family store?
FoodSafety.gov advises keeping at least a three-day supply of nonperishable food. A seven- or fourteen-day pantry provides an additional buffer where storage, budget and household needs allow. Rotate supplies regularly.
What can I eat during a power outage without a stove?
Try cereal with unopened shelf-stable milk, crackers with peanut butter or ready-to-eat canned chicken, canned beans with vegetables, fruit cups, or fully cooked ready-to-eat chili. Follow package directions and do not eat food labeled as needing cooking without cooking it.
How long is refrigerator food safe when power goes out?
A closed refrigerator generally keeps food safe for about four hours. A full, unopened freezer stays cold around 48 hours (24 hours if half full). Check actual temperatures and food safety guidance; when in doubt, discard unsafe perishables.
Can I use a camping stove or grill inside when the power is out?
No. Never use charcoal or gas grills, camp stoves or generators indoors, in garages, or near doors and windows. These can cause deadly carbon monoxide poisoning. Choose ready-to-eat foods when safe outdoor cooking is unavailable.
Does this emergency kit cover every medical or dietary need?
No. It is a convenient grocery starting point, not a complete nutrition or disaster response plan. Adjust foods, calories, water and medical supplies for infants, older adults, allergies, disabilities, health conditions and pets.
Prepared for an outage? Make everyday dinner simpler, too.
See Spoon Simple’s everyday beginner grocery list and easy dinner ideas.