UK RESILIENCE MAN

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Food for 72 Hours

A simple, realistic food plan for the first three days of an emergency.
You don’t need special gear, long-term rations, or American-style prepper food.
Everything here is normal supermarket items. You probably have most of this, the point is to make sure you always keep a small buffer.

The goal:
Eat normally. Stay calm. No stress. No cooking required.

How much food do I need?

You don’t need to measure calories or portion sizes.

Think in simple, everyday terms:

3 days × 3 meals per day = 9 meals per person
Add a few snacks and drinks

Cost: Around £12–£18 per person

What to store

Buy what you eat normally, including making allowances for special diets, allergies etc.

1. Ready-to-Eat Tins

Choose a mix of:

  • Baked beans
  • Tinned soup (ready-to-eat styles)
  • Tinned pasta shapes
  • Tinned chilli/curry/stew
  • Tinned fish (tuna, sardines, mackerel)

Aim for:
3–4 tins per person
No heating required (but nicer warm)

Make sure you have at least one manual tin opener. I’ve never used an electric tin opener, but I’m assured there are some households that don’t own a manual tin opener. Don’t be in this position as you might be without power. This isn’t the time to be messing about trying to improvise a way of opening tins.

2. “Easy Meals” (No Cooking Needed)

These are things you can eat straight from the packet:

  • Microwave rice (can be eaten cold)
  • Instant noodles (only need hot water, cold works in a pinch)
  • Filled pasta/ravioli
  • Cereal bars
  • Instant porridge pots
  • Crackers, oatcakes, tortilla wraps

Aim for:
3–4 items per person

3. Snacks & Quick Energy

These keep morale up and stop hunger between meals.

  • Crisps
  • Chocolate
  • Nuts
  • Dried fruit
  • Biscuits

Aim for:
A handful of snacks per person

4. Drinks

In a stressful situation, small comforts matter.

  • Bottled water
  • Tea bags
  • Instant coffee
  • Squash
  • Hot chocolate
  • Any soft drink you like

Aim for:
Plenty to keep everyone happy and hydrated

What about pets?

Keep a few extra days’ worth of whatever your pet normally eats. Pets can be a huge morale boost during difficult situations, and maintaining their routine helps everyone stay calm. Payment for this is usually in snacks.

Do I need a camping stove?

No.
A 72-hour plan does not require any special equipment.
If you already own a stove it makes things easier. You may or may not have access to your normal cooking facilities, depending on the nature of the event you are experiencing.
But the plan here assumes zero gear.

Rotation and maintenance

Use what you store and store what you use.
These are normal foods you already eat. Just keep a small buffer, use the oldest first, and replace items as they run low.

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