3 Day Emergency Food Supply for a Family of 2
Supply Plans · Targets follow FEMA and Ready.gov guidance · Prices checked July 2026
Quick answer
A family of 2 needs about 12,000 calories and 6 gallons of water to cover 3 days. The checklist below hits those targets with regular grocery store items for roughly $25 at current prices, and stores in about one large tote plus the water.
Targets: 2,000 calories and 1 gallon of water per person per day
Every combination has its own page, so the numbers are always exact and the link you share always shows the right plan.
12,000
Calories to cover
6 gal
Water
≈ $25
Est. cost, July 2026
1 tote
Storage space
The shopping checklist
| Item | Quantity for 2 | ≈ Calories | Lasts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grains and staples | ||||
| White rice | 2 lb | 3,300 | 4 to 5 yrs | |
| Rolled oats | 1 lb | 1,700 | 1 to 2 yrs | |
| Pasta | 1 lb | 1,700 | 2 to 3 yrs | |
| Crackers | 1 box | 1,600 | 6 to 9 mo | |
| Proteins | ||||
| Canned chicken | 2 cans | 450 | 2 to 5 yrs | |
| Canned tuna | 1 can | 200 | 2 to 5 yrs | |
| Canned beans | 2 cans | 800 | 2 to 5 yrs | |
| Peanut butter | 1 large jar | 6,600 | 1 to 2 yrs | |
| Fruits and vegetables | ||||
| Canned vegetables | 3 cans | 450 | 2 to 5 yrs | |
| Canned fruit | 2 cans | 600 | 1 to 2 yrs | |
| Dried fruit and nuts | 1 lb | 2,500 | 6 to 12 mo | |
| Fats, dairy, and extras | ||||
| Cooking oil | 1 qt | 7,700 | 1 to 2 yrs | |
| Shelf stable milk | 1 qt | 600 | 6 to 12 mo | |
| Honey and sugar | 1 lb | 1,750 | Indefinite | |
| Salt, spices, coffee, cocoa | 1 set | 200 | Varies | |
| Water: 6 gallons total | ||||
| Bottled water, 24 packs | 1 case | n/a | 2 yrs | |
| 5 gallon jugs | 1 jug | n/a | 1 to 2 yrs | |
Totals land slightly above the 12,000 calorie target on purpose: quantities are rounded up, and appetite goes up in a real emergency. Swap freely inside each category to match what your family actually eats. to take it shopping. No email required.
In the app
Turn this list into your family's number
Add these items once and Provision Planner counts it for you: how many days you are covered, what expires when, and what to restock. About 2 minutes, and the free plan is enough to start.
See how many days you haveDays covered
3 days
Cooking oil, 1 qt
+1.9 days
Peanut butter, 1 large jar
+1.6 days
White rice, 2 lb
+0.8 days
3 days goal reached · 17 items tracked · expiry warnings on
What three days actually looks like
Day 1
AM Oatmeal with dried fruit and honey
Noon Tuna and crackers
PM Rice and beans with canned vegetables
Day 2
AM Peanut butter on crackers, canned fruit
Noon Chicken and rice bowl
PM Pasta with canned vegetables and oil
Day 3
AM Oatmeal with peanut butter
Noon Bean and vegetable stew
PM Chicken, pasta, and canned fruit
Frequently asked questions
Is 2,000 calories per person per day enough?
It is the standard planning baseline, and it is what this page uses: 12,000 calories total for 2 people over three days. Young children need less, teenagers and adults doing physical work need more. If your household skews either way, size up or down one step with the selector above, or let Provision Planner calculate it per person.
Why so much water?
One gallon per person per day is the FEMA minimum for drinking and basic hygiene, which is where the 6 gallons comes from. Plan for more in hot climates, for pregnant or nursing family members, and for pets. Water is the item families most often undershoot.
How do I keep all this from expiring?
Buy foods your family already eats, store the newest purchases at the back, and eat from the front. The Lasts column above shows how long each item keeps. Provision Planner tracks the dates for you and warns you before anything expires.
Related plans
Go deeper: How to Build a 72-Hour Kit · Does Bottled Water Expire?
Calorie and water targets follow FEMA and Ready.gov emergency planning guidance. Cost estimate reflects typical U.S. grocery prices for July 2026 from our monthly price check. This is general planning guidance: adjust for allergies, medical needs, and what your household actually eats.