Emergency/Disaster Prep for the Busy Mom: Stocking Up Without Stress
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If you’ve ever tried to make dinner while a toddler clings to your leg and a teenager dramatically declares starvation, you already have the skills needed to survive an emergency. The trick is preparation. But let’s be honest—some of us barely have time to prep dinner for Tuesday night, let alone for an extended power outage or unexpected crisis. Speaking of the former, I plan on writing about how we dealt with Hurricane Helene crisis, so stay tuned.
During the early days of COVID, my anxiety was at an all time high. I was convinced the grid was about to collapse, that a pandemic would decimate life as we know it, and that the grocery stores would be permanently barren. I wanted to garden, but spring had already started, so I started looking for other options.
That’s where ready-made emergency food comes in. No grinding wheat berries or canning beans here—just shelf-stable meals that you can tuck away and forget about until you need them. Simple, convenient, and one less thing to worry about. It really helped create a sense of security in an uncertain world. The first one I ever bought had just a little bit of everything.
The Ease of Use: Because No One Wants to Cook in a Crisis
When I think about disaster scenarios, I don’t picture myself whipping up gourmet meals from scratch while rationing the last of my patience. I want food that’s as easy as tearing open a bag and adding water—no complicated prep, no chopping, and certainly no worrying about whether my sourdough starter will make it through the apocalypse (tbh, it’s struggling to make it through spring rn)
Most of these meals are just-add-water, meaning if you can boil water, you can feed your family. There are options for everything from creamy potato soup to mac and cheese that tastes surprisingly close to the stuff your kids refuse to eat unless it comes from a blue box.
Even better? These meals are designed to keep you full and fueled, which is important when you’re trying to keep the peace between your feral children. After Hurricane Helene, the electricity and the internet were down. By the second day, having been forced to (gasp) entertain herself without wi-fi, tempers were short.
Delivery: The Future is Now, and It Includes 25-Pound Pails of Pancakes
One of the best parts of modern emergency food prep? You don’t even have to leave your house to get it. I’m the queen of grocery delivery orders. Instacart? Yes. Walmart delivery? Yes. Doordash? Yes. UberEats? Yes. ALL OF THE ABOVE!
Gone are the days when survivalists had to dig through military surplus stores for questionably labeled rations. Now, you can order a whole month’s worth of food online (like these via amazon Prime) and have it show up at your doorstep. No need to haul awkwardly shaped bulk items through the store or try to explain to a cashier why you need 50 pounds of rice (ma’am, I grew up in Miami…rice is life).
This is a major win for busy parents who don’t have the time (or the energy) to wander the aisles of the grocery store debating whether 12 cans of chili is an acceptable survival strategy. Just order online, wait a few days, and—voila!—you’ve got a supply of freeze-dried goodness ready to tuck away for a rainy day (or, you know, the day the power grid decides to take a vacation).
The hardest part of the process is finding space to store your newfound stash.
Storage: Where Do You Put All This Stuff?
Okay, so now you’ve got buckets of food arriving at your house like you’re opening a doomsday diner. Where do you put it all?
The good news is that ready-made emergency food is designed for long-term storage. We’re talking 20- to 30-year shelf life for a lot of these meals, which means you don’t need to constantly rotate stock like you would with canned goods. That alone is a major perk for busy moms who can barely keep track of expiration dates on the milk.
If you’re short on space, here are a few sneaky places to stash your emergency food:
Under the bed – Those big plastic storage bins? Perfect for sliding meal kits right underneath.
Behind the couch – If you have space between your couch and the wall, that’s prime real estate for food storage.
Closet corners – Stackable pails fit neatly in closet nooks without taking up valuable shoe space (priorities!). Here’s a picture of our pantry. Look at how well it fits at the bottom.
Garage or basement – Just be mindful of temperature fluctuations; most emergency food does best in cool, dry places.
-That random cabinet above the fridge – You know, the one you haven’t opened since 2016? Turns out, it’s the perfect hiding spot for freeze-dried stroganoff.
Even if you’re in a small home or apartment, a little creativity goes a long way. And remember—this food is insurance. Would you rather store an emergency supply now or have to explain to your kids why their dinner options are “air” and “whatever the neighbor hasn’t locked up yet”?
The Bottom Line: A Little Prep Now Saves a Lot of Stress Later
Prepping doesn’t have to be overwhelming, expensive, or require a backyard bunker. Ready-made emergency food takes the stress out of the process, ensuring you have a reliable, easy-to-use supply of meals without turning your pantry into an episode of *Doomsday Preppers*. Do I plan on growing my own food? Yes. Do I plan on learning how to can (and eventually blog about my attempts)? Yes. But I’m not above taking help where help can be given.
Having a stash of emergency mac and cheese is never a bad idea, whether you’re facing a winter storm, a long-term power outage, or just another weeknight where you can’t deal with cooking dinner.
A little planning now means a lot less stress later. And honestly? That’s a win in any mom’s book.
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