Two-week pantry
Food that keeps without a fridge and needs little or no cooking, for two weeks at home. Buy what your family already eats.
📖 Read the guide: emergency food: what to stock
Amounts below are for 4 people, 2 weeks. They are planning estimates; change any of them on your list.
Saves the 13 must-haves, 3 easy-to-forget items and 2 things to do to a list on this device. Upgrades are up to you. Then shop the list item by item and tick things off.
At a glance
- 🔎 Canned soups and stews28 cans
- 🔎 Canned vegetables28 cans
- 🔎 Canned fruit17 cans
- 🔎 Canned tuna or chicken17 cans
- 🔎 Canned beans17 cans
- 🔎 Peanut butter4 jars
- 🔎 Pretzels and crackers6 boxes
- 🔎 Granola or protein bars112 bars
- 🔎 Dried fruit9 bags
- 🔎 Nuts and seeds3 bags
- 🔎 Shelf-stable milk14 cartons
- 🔎 Breakfast cereal4 boxes
- 🛒 Manual can opener1 can opener
🛒 1 exact products we picked · 🔎 12 Amazon searches, so you choose the brand and size.
Must-haves (13)
Canned soups and stews
Our rule: half a can per person per day.
Get about 28 cans
4 people × 14 days × 0.5 = 28 cans
Canned vegetables
Get about 28 cans
4 people × 14 days × 0.5 = 28 cans
Canned fruit
Get about 17 cans
4 people × 14 days × 0.3 = 17 cans (rounded up)
Canned tuna or chicken
Get about 17 cans
4 people × 14 days × 0.3 = 17 cans (rounded up)
Canned beans
Get about 17 cans
4 people × 14 days × 0.3 = 17 cans (rounded up)
Peanut butter
Our rule: one jar per person every two weeks.
Get about 4 jars
4 people × 14 days × 0.07 = 4 jars (rounded up)
Pretzels and crackers
Get about 6 boxes
4 people × 14 days × 0.1 = 6 boxes (rounded up)
Granola or protein bars
Get about 112 bars (10 × 12-pack)
4 people × 14 days × 2 = 112 bars
Dried fruit
Get about 9 bags
4 people × 14 days × 0.15 = 9 bags (rounded up)
Nuts and seeds
Get about 3 bags
4 people × 14 days × 0.05 = 3 bags (rounded up)
Amazon search: “mixed nuts”
Shelf-stable milk
Get about 14 cartons
4 people × 14 days × 0.25 = 14 cartons
Amazon search: “shelf stable milk boxes”
Breakfast cereal
Our rule: a box serves about 14 bowls.
Get about 4 boxes
4 people × 14 days × 0.07 = 4 boxes (rounded up)
- Must-haveOur pick
Manual can opener
Mebotem heavy-duty manual can opener
Big handles and an easy-turn knob. No power needed.
Good for: Every pantry
Get about 1 can opener
1 can opener for the group
Ready.gov puts one in the basic kit.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Easy to forget (3)
- Must-have
Paper plates
Our rule: one and a half per person per meal; people grab seconds.
Get about 252 plates (3 × 100-pack)
4 people × 42 meals × 1.5 = 252 plates
- Must-have
Plastic utensils
Get about 252 sets (3 × 100-pack)
4 people × 42 meals × 1.5 = 252 sets
Amazon search: “disposable cutlery set”
Date labels for food
Get about 1 roll
1 roll for the group
Amazon search: “food date labels”
Upgrades (4)
- Our pick
30-day food supply
Augason Farms 30-day emergency food supply
A month of long-life food for one person in one bucket.
Good for: Long outages
Get about 4 kits
4 people × 1 = 4 kits
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
3-day emergency food supply
Mountain House 3-day emergency food supply kit
Freeze-dried meals for three days in one box. Add hot water.
Good for: Go-bag or a short outage
Get about 4 kits
4 people × 1 = 4 kits
A ready-made option; one kit per person.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
Freeze-dried meals
Mountain House Classic meal bucket
12 pouches of freeze-dried meals. Add water.
Good for: Pantry backup
Get about 56 pouches
4 people × 14 days × 1 = 56 pouches
Our rule: one pouch per person per day as a backup meal.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Can rotation rack
Get about 1 rack
1 rack for the group
Amazon search: “can organizer rack”
Spend less (1)
Instead of 30-day food supply:
Canned soups and stews
Our rule: half a can per person per day.
Get about 28 cans
4 people × 14 days × 0.5 = 28 cans
Things to do (2)
- ✅ Rotate stored food and waterCheck dates every six months.
- ✅ Plan meals for the tripCount meals before you shop; it keeps the list honest.
Official guide: Ready.gov: Food ↗
More in food and water
General planning information, not professional or medical advice. A list does not guarantee anyone’s safety. In any emergency, call your local emergency number and follow official guidance from local authorities.
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