Emergency Food List UK: 3 Days of Supplies
A UK emergency food supply list for 3 days with no cooking or fridge, following GOV.UK advice, plus how to store and rotate it.
GOV.UK advises keeping enough non-perishable food for 3 days: food with a long shelf life that needs no fridge and no cooking, such as tinned meat, fish and vegetables, dried fruit and nuts. Choose food your household already eats.
The NHS guide is around 2,000 calories a day for women and 2,500 for men, so plan for roughly that per adult.
Based on official GOV.UK Be Ready guidance.
Emergency food shopping list
- Tinned fish and meat: tuna, sardines, salmon, corned beef, chicken.
- Tinned beans, soups and vegetables that taste fine cold.
- Dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
- Cereal bars, oatcakes and crackers.
- Peanut butter or other nut butters.
- UHT milk in small cartons, or plant-based UHT alternatives.
- Long-life fruit juice and ready-to-eat fruit pots.
- Ready-to-feed baby formula if needed, and pet food.
- A manual tin opener, which GOV.UK specifically recommends.
Storing and rotating it
Keep your food somewhere cool and dry, with the oldest items at the front. Ring-pull tins are quicker in the dark and mean you are not relying on a tin opener.
Build it up slowly by adding one or two extra items to each weekly shop, as GOV.UK suggests, rather than buying everything at once. Every 6 months, use anything close to its date and replace it.
If you can heat food
A camping stove lets you boil water for hot drinks and make up powdered formula, but only use it outdoors or with plenty of ventilation because of the carbon monoxide risk. Your emergency food should never depend on cooking.
Frequently asked questions
What food should I keep for an emergency UK?
GOV.UK recommends non-perishable food that needs no fridge or cooking, such as tinned meat, fish and vegetables, dried fruit and nuts, chosen from food your household already eats.
How much emergency food should I store?
At least 3 days’ worth for everyone in your home, roughly 2,000–2,500 calories per adult per day.
Do I need a tin opener in my emergency kit?
Yes. GOV.UK’s power cut advice specifically mentions including a manual tin opener with your food.
Are emergency ration bars worth it?
They are useful in grab bags and car kits because they last around 5 years, but at home it’s better to store food you normally eat and rotate it.
If anyone is in immediate danger, call 999.