Preparedness / Food types
Emergency food at home: choose food types by water and resources
Start with food the household eats and can prepare. Compare resources before preparation and storage after opening before filling the supplies.
Read the guide
Choose emergency food with four questions: does the household eat it, how is it prepared, how is it stored and who will eat? Useful supplies contain several food types that can work with the available resources.
Four questions before choosing
- Do we eat it? Choose food that can be used and rotated in everyday life.
- How is it prepared? Read water, heat and utensils for the exact product.
- How is it stored? Distinguish unopened, opened and prepared food.
- Who will eat? Check ingredients, habits and special needs separately.
This is a selection method for food types. The menu guide plans the week and the shopping list calculates what needs buying. Choosing food does not itself solve the drinking-water question.
Food types on the same resource basis
| Food type | Preparation water | Heat | Opener / utensils | After opening |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready to eat according to the label | Not always added water; read the product. | Not if the actual product is ready to eat. | An opener or other utensil may be needed. | Read storage after opening separately. |
| Dry goods | Depends on the actual item and cooking. | Depends on the instructions. | Containers and utensils according to the dish. | Read storage when opened and for the prepared dish. |
| Simple hot options | According to the dish's instructions. | Arrange when instructions require it. | Containers, utensils and fuel. | Before and after cooking are different. |
| Powder / Krismat | Clean water according to the exact label. | Cold shakes and hot porridge have different requirements. | Clean mixing container or porridge container. | Dry and prepared need their own checks. |
A can may contain ready-to-eat food, but read the actual product. Neither canned format nor a long date answers every ingredient requirement or storage question after opening. The same principle applies to dry and powdered options.
Selection case 1: no electricity but clean water available
Review food eaten directly and food that can be prepared cold according to its own instructions. For hot dishes, arrange a suitable heat source, utensils and fuel. Also check how washing up and opened packages will be handled.
Have more than one possible food type. A cold option may provide backup if heat fails, but only if its labelling and the household's own requirements work.
Selection case 2: preparation water is limited
Start with food whose label allows eating without added water or cooking. Powder and dishes needing water require that resource to be arranged. This does not mean drinking and hygiene can be removed from the water plan.
Water already included in a packaged dish should not be added again as carried mixing water. Review the whole resource picture, and use the adult reference and menu to keep components clear.
The label and household needs
Check serving basis, ingredients, preparation method, date and storage. Unknown information is a gap to fill. We give no shelf-life years or allergy guarantees for an entire category.
MCF describes the basics of home preparedness. Also follow equipment safety instructions if the menu requires heat. A blog need not improvise a cooking method.
When Krismat can be a complement
ComFoo is the commercial publisher and sells the product. MCF's advice is not a recommendation of Krismat. Krismat's separate data describes a 1 kg bag and flavour-dependent serving weights. Preparation may be porridge with about 200 ml hot water or a shake with about 400 ml cold water according to current instructions.
The original packaging was transcribed on 21 September 2026 and has not been checked against a physical bag in this review. Read Krismat's product information and the same packaging you use. Powder needs clean water and its product name does not make it the household's entire supply.
From selection to menu and purchases
Choose food types that work, write actual dishes into the menu and count usable items at home. Practise a meal with the right utensils before assuming preparation works during an outage. The older article's preparedness intention is collected in this resource selection.
Questions about food types
Are all canned foods ready to eat cold?
No. Read the actual product's intended use, preparation and storage.
Is powder a solution without clean water?
No. Water and a suitable container need arranging before preparation.
Does a match mean the supplies are complete?
No. The selection shows practical questions and possible food types. Menu, quantities, water and special needs require separate planning.
Sources and supporting information
- MCF: basics of home preparedness – official preparedness advice.
- Krismat: its own product data – separate label and preparation information.
The sources were checked on 30 September 2026. Product information applies to the specified version; always check the pack you are using.