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Ready.gov baseline: 1 gallon per person per day

Kit Calculator

Household × days = how much water to store and the cheapest way to cover 2,000 calories a person a day at today's prices. Shareable and printable.

Water: Ready.gov says Store at least one gallon of water per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation. Children, nursing mothers, sick people and hot climates may need more (source). Food: 2,000 kcal per person per day, the Nutrition Facts reference amount. Adjust for your family.

Loading the calculator… (it needs JavaScript). The cheapest foods today are on the Bunker Index.

Planning for four? See food storage for a family of 4, from 3 days to a year.

Brand-store buttons go straight to the brand's own page, with no affiliate tag. Rankings are pure math.

Questions people ask

How much water does a family of 4 need for 2 weeks?

At Ready.gov's baseline of one gallon per person per day: 4 × 14 = 56 gallons. Hot weather, nursing mothers, children and sick people may need more.

How many calories should I plan per person?

We plan 2,000 calories per person per day, the reference amount used for Daily Values on US Nutrition Facts labels (FDA). Active adults may need more, small children less.

Is my information saved?

No. The calculator runs in your browser. Your numbers only go into the page address so you can share or bookmark the result.

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