Emergency Food Storage Tips

Follow these tips to learn about safe storage of emergency food and water.

Storage

Keep food in a dry, cool, dark area if possible.
Replace expired food. Check expiration dates regularly and keep track of when food will expire. Find ways to use food that is about to expire.
Open food boxes and other resealable containers carefully so that you can close them tightly after each use.
Wrap perishable foods, such as crackers, in plastic bags and keep them in sealed containers.
Check all food for spoilage before eating.
If you have opened packages of nuts and dried fruits, put the food in screw-top jars or air-tight canisters to keep pests away.
Throw out canned food that is swollen, dented, or damaged.
Eat the food before it expires and replace all expired food with fresh food, dated with a pen or a marker. Place new food in the back of the storage area and older food in front.

Eat within six months:
- Powdered milk (boxed)
- Dried fruit
- Crackers
- Instant potatoes
Eat within one year or before the expiration date on the label:
- Canned soups
- Canned fruits, fruit juices, and vegetables
- Ready-to-eat cereals and uncooked instant cereals
- Peanut butter and other nut butters
- Jelly
- Canned nuts
May be stored forever in proper containers and conditions:
- Wheat
- Dried corn
- Baking powder
- Soybeans
- Instant coffee, tea, and cocoa
- White rice
- Dry pasta
- Powdered milk in nitrogen-packed cans