Bare shelves underscore why you need a food EF

Washington, D.C.-area residents are encountering long lines and bare shelves at their local groceries as the snow delays shipments and encourages hoarding.

Jim Wang of Bargaineering (@bargainr) tweeted:

wife just went to the local grocery store (Giant) and they’re sold out of everything. no meat, no produce, nothing left. snow wins, we dead

I’m sure the situation there will ease soon, but there’s nothing like a well-stocked pantry to give you some piece of mind and help you through a disaster, natural or otherwise, as I wrote in “The emergency fund you can eat.” Having lived in earthquake country my whole life–and being the daughter of a woman born during the Depression–I’ve always felt more comfortable when we have at least a two-week supply of food in the house.

You can follow the link above to read my whole game plan for creating a two-week food emergency fund, but here are some highlights:

Stock food you’ll actually eat. Forget the C rations. Think about the meals you usually prepare and what goes into them, and stock up on those foods. Consider substitutes for perishables, such as canned fruit for fresh, but again–ONLY BUY WHAT YOU’LL EAT. If nobody will touch dried milk, you’re wasting money by buying it. Better to freeze a couple of gallons of milk instead.

Stock up on sale. Trying to create a well-stocked pantry in one visit to the grocery store will cost a fortune. Instead, build your food EF over time, taking advantage of grocery sales and coupons.

Don’t forget water. One gallon per person per day should be stocked somewhere in your house.

Rotate. Don’t let your food EF go bad. Patrol your pantry and freezer so you can use up your supplies before they expire and replace them with newer items. There are charts in the column showing you how long various foods will last on the shelf and in the freezer.