Emergency food supply: long-life shopping list and medicines

A shopping list of long-life products. A guide based on official advice. The same text is in the free SurvivalZone app and works without internet.

Water and drinks

1. At least 3 litres of water per person per day for at least 3 days. For 4 people that is 36 litres.
2. If you have room, keep enough for 10 days. Remember water for pets.

Food you can eat without cooking

1. Tinned meat and fish, pâté, ready meals in jars.
2. Tinned vegetables and fruit, beans, chickpeas, sweetcorn.
3. Crispbread, rusks, crackers, oats and muesli.
4. Peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, energy bars, chocolate.
5. Long-life or powdered milk and juice in cartons.
6. With a camping stove: pasta, rice, grains and instant soups.

Medicines and first aid

1. At least two weeks of your regular medicines. Talk to your doctor about it.
2. Painkillers, fever reducers and remedies for diarrhoea and nausea.
3. Dressings, bandages, a tourniquet, gloves, disinfectant, thermometer, FFP3 masks and a foil blanket.

How to store it

1. Buy what you normally eat. Every few months use the oldest items and replace them.
2. Keep supplies somewhere dry, cool and dark. Note expiry dates on a list.
3. Don't forget a manual tin opener.

Watch out

• Don't panic-buy at the last minute. A supply built calmly over time is enough.
• Store prescription medicines as the leaflet says. Some, like insulin, need a fridge.

See also

• Food without power
• Home first aid kit
• My 72h plan

Frequently asked questions

How much water do I need for an emergency?

At least 3 litres per person per day for at least 3 days, according to the Polish government Safety Handbook. For a family of four that is 36 litres.

What food should I stock for an emergency?

Food you can eat without cooking: tinned food, tinned vegetables, crispbread, oats, nuts, dried fruit and long-life milk.

How long can I keep emergency supplies?

Check them every few months. Stock what you normally eat and keep rotating the oldest items.

Keep it on your phone

SurvivalZone is a free app for every emergency, with no account and no app store. It works without internet and shows the nearest shelters and help points, local radio, a 72-hour plan and a mountain trip planner.

Thank you for reading. If this could help someone, send it to the people you care about. Getting ready takes a moment, and in a crisis every minute counts.

Coming soon: the app’s permanent address will be survivalzone.app.

Other guides

• 💧 How to make water safe
• 🍲 Food without power
• ⛺ Shelter at home and outdoors
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Protecting your family and yourself
• 💊 Run out of medicine
• 🎒 Go bag checklist
• 🩹 Home first aid kit
• 🔦 Prepare your home for a blackout
• ✈️ Air travel: a safe trip
• 🏜️ Desert trip
• 🪢 Knots worth knowing
• 🔥 Campfire and outdoor cooking
• 🧭 Survival kit for your backpack
• 📞 Family communication plan
• 🧼 Hygiene in a crisis
• 📁 Documents and money in a crisis
• 🧰 Tools and equipment for a crisis
• 🧥 Clothing and warmth in a crisis
• 📻 Communication and navigation in a crisis

All scenarios →

Sources

• Ready.gov: Build a kit
• Safety Handbook 2025, Polish Government (PDF, English)
• Polish government Safety Handbook 2025 (PDF, Polish): home supplies, pp. 20–22
• BBK (Germany): food and drink supplies
• German government food preparedness and supply calculator

Official sources are checked automatically every day. Last check: 2026-10-23.

General guidance only; it does not replace the emergency services. If a life is in danger, call 112.