The emergency fund you can eat

Cash can help you survive an emergency, but saving as much as financial planners typically recommend — three to six months’ worth of expenses — can take years. You can build an edible emergency fund a lot quicker.

A well-stocked pantry can help you survive a natural disaster or extended blackout, get through a stretch of unemployment, ensure you always have something tasty for dinner, and save you money, if done correctly.

The key to doing it right: Store what you eat, and eat what you store.

In my latest for the Associated Press, how to create an edible emergency fund that will help you survive a variety of disasters, both big and small.