Do you know how much food you need to survive? It's an important question to ask, especially in the event of an emergency. The average person needs between 3 and 5 pounds of food a day to stay healthy and well-nourished. To ensure adequate nutrition, adults should consume at least 1,250 calories a day, along with half a gallon of water. It is recommended to store enough food for three weeks in case of an emergency.
In the event of a natural disaster or other emergency, you should have a minimum of 2000 calories and 1 gallon of water per person per day. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that you store at least 6000 calories and 3 gallons of water per person for a 72-hour emergency kit. Eating the right amount of food is just as important as eating the right kind of food if you want to maintain a healthy weight. Knowing how much food is enough for you and understanding the difference between a portion and a serving can help you make sure you're getting enough nutrition.
Canned goods are not the only way to get a supply of food, but they can give you an idea of how much food you need for a year. You can also add some staples to your short-term supply if you already have long-term food storage. Understanding how much food is necessary for survival can help you in many situations, such as if you ever need to ration your food or want to lose weight. Honey is not essential for human survival, but it has a longer shelf life than any other natural food product and can add some flavor to an otherwise bland meal.
Due to recent changes in the nutrition facts label, some portion sizes on food labels may be larger or smaller than before (see Figure 2 below). If you find yourself eating even when you're not hungry, like the person in the food tracker example, try distracting yourself with something else instead. When deciding if a food is suitable for storage, ask yourself some simple questions about each item you're considering. The food label will tell you how many calories and how much fat, protein, carbohydrates and other nutrients are in one serving of the food.