Hurricane season is here: The best non-perishable food kits for emergencies
When a hurricane hits, you need to be ready with all your essentials -- including food. Hurricane season is in full swing, with dangerous storms battering the coasts. FEMA suggests having at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food on hand to prepare for a hurricane. Luckily, there are companies that sell non-perishable food kits for emergencies such as these.
- Related: How we select our products
While emergency food supplies might not strike you as gourmet, the food kits we've found earn high marks from Amazon reviewers in terms of taste. Find reviewer-loved options from a 30-day food supply to meal replacement shakes below. Brands such as Augason Farms and Soylent are here to help.
And be sure to check out our guides to more hurricane essentials you should have on hand, and the best home generators in 2023.
The best non-perishable food kits for emergencies
Stock up ahead of a major weather event with non-perishable food. We've found highly rated options from Amazon and Walmart.
Augason Farms deluxe 30-day emergency food supply
This 30-day, freeze-dried emergency food supply bucket includes cheesy broccoli rice, vegetable chicken-flavored soup, maple brown sugar oatmeal, buttermilk pancakes and more, offering 1,236 calories per day for 30 days. It comes with a 30-day meal planner to help you pace out the food rations.
That's right -- You're paying only $105 for a month's worth of food. You'll be hard-pressed to find a better deal. And if stored properly, this food has a 30-year shelf life. The pail it comes in is conveniently watertight.
"Nice sealed bucket and the best price per calorie for freeze-dried food that I found," a Walmart reviewer says. "I tried a couple of the packets and found them to be very good tasting."
Pros: You're getting great bang for your buck, this kit offers the most food of all and it comes with a meal planner so you can pace yourself.
Cons: This may be more food than you're looking for, and you may not be partial to all 11 meals included.
Mountain House Expedition Bucket
Find 30 servings of freeze-dried backpacking and camping food in this bucket. That's five days' worth of food.
Included are meals such as beef stroganoff, a chicken fajita bowl, chicken fried rice and more. Just add boiling water. You can eat these meals straight from the pouch. They promise a 30-year shelf life.
This food may be pricier than the option above, but reviewers swear by it, offering a 4.7-star rating.
"When you see that they have a shelf life of 30 years, you think 'hopefully I will at least be able to tolerate the taste,'" says one Amazon reviewer. "But I was shocked when I cooked up my first meal and found that the taste was really good -- seriously good. I can see why these are a bit pricey, because this is quality food."
Pros: People are impressed by the flavors of this food. Plus, you can't beat its shelf life.
Cons: This option is pricier and lasts for fewer days.
ReadyWise emergency freeze-dried food supply
If you just want to go with the FEMA-recommended three-day supply, pick up this 72-hour freeze-dried emergency food kit for under $40. It offers 32 servings of food and boasts a 25-year shelf-life.
Find three entree options (cheesy macaroni, teriyaki rice and tortilla soup), one breakfast option (brown sugar and maple multi-grain) and one drink option (whey milk alternative). You can add hot or cold water.
"I've bought many ReadyWise meals," an Amazon reviewer says. "They're among the best options of their kind on the market. Tastes good. Easy to make. Reasonably priced."
Pros: This kit offers a solution under $40, and you don't need hot water to make the food.
Cons: You may find yourself needing more food, and this supply doesn't come in a waterproof tub.
Grizzly Gear emergency food rations
Add these 4.3-star-rated vanilla pound cake bars with a five-year shelf life to your kit. This pack contains 3,600 calories (enough for three days). The bars have vitamins A, C, E, B6, D and E in them, plus they promise to not be thirst-provoking, as you might imagine a bar like this would be.
"I was expecting these bars to be mildly palatable and innocuous, nothing more," an Amazon reviewer says. "But, these bars are delicious!"
These bars that are easy to grab and go are on sale now at $19, reduced from $25.
Pros: You're getting a lot of calories in a small package with these, and many reviewers say their flavor is inoffensive.
Cons: You likely want more options on hand than just these bars for three days, and they're only good for five years.
