Food and water
Drinking water, storage and a pantry that lasts.
Food & Water
- Water
- 28 gallons
- Food
- 28 person-days
Top picks
- Our pick
Bottled water
Amazon Grocery (Happy Belly) purified water, 24 × 16.9 oz
A case of 24 half-liter bottles, about 3.2 gallons.
3-day emergency food supply
Datrex 3600 emergency food bars (3-day ration)
A sealed 3-day ration of food bars. No cooking, no water to mix.
Shelf-stable milk
Horizon Organic shelf-stable whole milk, 12 × 8 oz
Milk boxes that need no fridge until opened.
Water storage container
Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7-gallon water container
A 7-gallon jug with a spigot for storing your own tap water.
- Our pick
Canned soups and stews
Campbell's Chunky chicken and dumplings soup, 12 × 18.8 oz
Ready-to-serve cans: no water to add, better heated.
Kids' water bottles
CamelBak Eddy+ Kids 14 oz stainless steel bottle
A 14-ounce steel bottle for kids, with a flip-up straw.
- Our pick
Personal water filter
LifeStraw personal water filter
A light straw filter for a go-bag or a hike.
Canned vegetables
Del Monte green beans and corn, 6 cans
Ready-to-eat vegetables in a mixed pack.
Kits
All kits →Budget, our pick, upgrade
Canned tuna or chicken
Canned beans
Everything (125)
More filters
64 items
Water (9)
- Must-haveOur pick
Bottled water
Amazon Grocery (Happy Belly) purified water, 24 × 16.9 oz
A case of 24 half-liter bottles, about 3.2 gallons.
Good for: Drinking water
3 bottles per person per day
Our rule: about three 16.9 oz bottles per person per day out and about.
- Also good: DASANI purified water, 24 × 16.9 oz ↗The same amount from a name brand.
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
- Must-have
Drinking and cleaning water
1 gallon per person per day is the Red Cross and Ready.gov amount. Hot weather, nursing and illness can need more.
1 gallon per person per day
Amazon search: “gallon drinking water”
Water storage container
Reliance Aqua-Tainer 7-gallon water container
A 7-gallon jug with a spigot for storing your own tap water.
Good for: Water at home
2 containers for the group
Empty until you fill it. Two 7-gallon containers hold 14 gallons of tap water; refill every 6 months.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
- Our pick
Personal water filter
LifeStraw personal water filter
A light straw filter for a go-bag or a hike.
Good for: Go-bags and hiking
Our rule: one backup filter per four people. Check what a filter removes before relying on it.
- Also good: Sawyer Mini water filter ↗A small filter with a squeeze pouch and a straw.
- Upgrade: Sawyer Squeeze SP302 water filter with 1-liter bottle ↗The Squeeze filter with a 1-liter bottle to fill and squeeze through it.
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Water purification tablets
Aquatabs 49 mg water purification tablets, 30-pack
Chlorine tablets for clear water you aren't sure of. Not for fuel or chemicals.
Good for: Backup treatment
1 pack for the group
CDC lists tablets and bleach for making water safe. Follow the label.
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Reusable water bottles
Nalgene Sustain 32 oz wide-mouth bottle
A tough 32-ounce bottle with a wide mouth for ice or a filter.
Good for: Hikes, trips and kits
1 bottle each
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Food (47)
- Must-have
Non-perishable food
One person-day is a day of food for one person. Pick food your household already eats.
1 person-day per person per day
Amazon search: “non perishable food”
3-day emergency food supply
Datrex 3600 emergency food bars (3-day ration)
A sealed 3-day ration of food bars. No cooking, no water to mix.
Good for: Go-bag, car or a short outage
1 kit each
A backup ration, not a full diet. Check the calories on the label.
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
- Our pick
Canned soups and stews
Campbell's Chunky chicken and dumplings soup, 12 × 18.8 oz
Ready-to-serve cans: no water to add, better heated.
Good for: Canned meals
Our rule: half a can per person per day.
- Also good: Campbell's Chunky savory vegetable soup, 12 × 18.8 oz ↗A meatless ready-to-serve choice.
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Canned vegetables
Del Monte green beans and corn, 6 cans
Ready-to-eat vegetables in a mixed pack.
Good for: Vegetables
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Canned fruit
Del Monte fruit cocktail in 100% juice, 12 × 15 oz
Mixed fruit in juice rather than heavy syrup.
Good for: Fruit
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
- Our pick
Canned tuna or chicken
StarKist chunk light tuna in water, 12 × 5 oz
Small cans of protein, ready to eat.
Good for: Proteins
- Also good: StarKist chunk light tuna in water, 48 × 5 oz ↗The same cans in a pantry case of 48.
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Drinks (8)
Shelf-stable milk
Horizon Organic shelf-stable whole milk, 12 × 8 oz
Milk boxes that need no fridge until opened.
Good for: Kids and cereal
1 8-oz box per person per day
No fridge until opened.
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Kids' water bottles
CamelBak Eddy+ Kids 14 oz stainless steel bottle
A 14-ounce steel bottle for kids, with a flip-up straw.
Good for: School and sports
1 bottle per kid
Product link checked Oct 31, 2026
Juice boxes
2 juice boxes per kid per day
Soda or sparkling water
Our rule: two cans each for a few hours.
2 cans each
Amazon search: “sparkling water variety pack”
Coffee
Our rule: a 12-ounce bag covers about 25 person-days.
Amazon search: “ground coffee”
Milk
Amazon search: “shelf stable milk”
Ice
Our rule: about a pound per person per day for drinks; more if the cooler holds food.
1 pound per person per day
Amazon search: “bagged ice”
5-gallon water jug
Shows up often in Amazon searches next to emergency prep.
2 jugs for the group
Amazon search: “5 gallon water jug”
As an Amazon Associate, PleaseBeReady earns from qualifying purchases. “Search Amazon” opens search results, not one chosen product.