EU food stockpile: What to include in three days of food

It says the state of the world at the moment, containing as it does issues ranging from “geopolitical tensions and conflicts, hybrid and cybersecurity threats, foreign information manipulation and interference, to climate change and increasing natural disasters” means that citizens should be prepared.

The EU Commission and High Representative have launched the Preparedness Union Strategy “to support Member States and enhance Europe's capability to prevent and respond to emerging threats” which it says will “protect its citizens and the key societal functions that are crucial for democracy and daily life.”

The strategy includes 30 key actions and an action plan.

President Ursula von der Leyen said: “New realities require a new level of preparedness in Europe. Our citizens, our Member States, and our businesses need the right tools to act both to prevent crises and to react swiftly when a disaster hits. Families living in flood zones should know what to do when the waters rise. Early warning systems can prevent regions hit by wildfires from losing precious time. Europe stands ready to support Member States and trusted partners in the neighbourhood to save lives and livelihoods.”

The aims of the strategy include:

• Develop minimum preparedness criteria for essential services such as hospitals, schools, transport, and telecommunications.
• Enhance the stockpiling of critical equipment and materials.
• Enhance climate adaptation and availability of critical natural resources such as water.
• Encourage the public to adopt practical measures, such as maintaining essential supplies for a minimum of 72 hours in emergencies.
• Integrate preparedness lessons into school curricula and introduce an EU Preparedness Day.
• Establish an EU Crisis Hub to improve integration among existing EU crisis structures.
• Conduct regular EU-wide preparedness exercises, uniting armed forces, civil protection, police, security, healthcare workers, and firefighters.
• Facilitate dual-use investments.
• Develop a comprehensive risk and threat assessment at EU level, helping prevent crises such as natural disasters or hybrid threats.
• Create a public-private Preparedness Taskforce.
• Formulate emergency protocols with businesses to ensure rapid availability of essential materials, goods, and services, and secure critical production lines.
• Work with strategic partners like NATO on military mobility, climate and security, emerging technologies, cyber, space, and the defence industry.

What to stockpile for three days?

The College of Family and Consumer Sciences at the University of Georgia has previously given advice on what to include in a food stockpile.

A paper by professors Elizabeth Andress and Judy Harrison, two extension food safety specialists, says: “A three-day emergency preparedness kit will be useful for most disasters. Gathering the essential items that could be needed and putting them in one location will help you and your household through the worst days of an emergency.

“This short-term preparedness kit should of course include food in addition to water, personal hygiene items, flashlights, blankets and other essentials recommended for emergencies. This food supply needs to be non-perishable; select foods that require no refrigeration, minimal or no preparation or cooking, and little or no water. If you will have to heat food you have put away before eating it, pack a grill, camping cookstove and fuel also.”

Among the foods they recommend are

• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
• Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
• Staples " sugar, salt, pepper
• High energy foods " peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
• Foods for infants, elderly persons or persons on special diets (for example, diabetics or those with allergies)
• Comfort/stress foods " cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags
• Vitamins

They also issued a reminder to have a can opener, scissors or knife handy, and disposable plates, cups and utensils. They add: “Pack all these items in plastic bags (zipper closures work well) to keep them dry and as airtight as possible. Keep a list of dates when food items need to be inspected and possibly rotated (used and then replaced with newly purchased items).”