Two Week Family Meal Plan for Crisis & Disasters- With FREE Printable
My Homestead Life may earn a commission for purchases made after clicking links on this page. Learn More see Privacy Policy.
The crisis that we are world today has many of us in quarantine and more to come. They are calling for two weeks but some are facing months or longer. The empty store shelves are causing global panic and people are rushing to the stores in hopes to find food for their families in the coming weeks. After living through hurricanes for over two decades, we have learned a thing or two about meal planning. Use our free mal plan for crisis & disasters plus a printable to help your family survive the upcoming weeks without having to worry about what to cook.
Two Week Family Meal Plan for Crisis & Disasters- With FREE Printable
I created this meal plan after a hurricane hit our coast, I never thought I would need it again because a virus would spread throughout the world and change life as we knew it. Hurricanes always affected us but not the rest of the world. The Coronavirus knows no boundaries, it is not prejudiced against age, sex, or race.
It’s only been one year since we went through a hurricane here on the east coast. We were without power, any form of communication, and the use of bathroom facilities for a week- we were fortunate compared to most.
Banks closed early before the hurricane, store shelves were emptied, gas stations were out of gas and the National Guard closed the bridges coming to our home.
Let me tell you, meal planning was the last thing on my mind.
For this reason, I have made a Two Week Family Meal Plan for Disasters with a FREE Printable.
Two weeks’ worth of planned family meals you can cook without electricity or refrigeration!
No doubt some of you are saying ‘meal planning is easy, just get a case of spaghetti o’s” or “I live off-grid- we live every day without power’, however, not everyone is in the same boat.
In addition, you can use this list meal plan not just for disasters, but any time in your life.
You may think that cooking a big meal will be the last thing on your mind during a crisis or disaster, but in all honesty, it was the best part of our days.
The entire family pitched in and it helped us keep our minds off of all that was going on in the world and what we were facing.
I took this picture this week at our local store when shopping for dinner
What’s Special About This Crisis & Disaster Meal Plan?
Eating healthy is important to us, why should a disaster be any different?
If your body is accustom to healthy whole foods, how will it react to an influx of processed, chemical-laden foods?
The last thing you need during a disaster is to feel bad, or worse yet- a runny tummy! Trust me.
- Healthy Meals
- Can Cook Without Electricity
- Long Shelf Life
- No Refrigeration Required
- Variety
- No-Cook Options
How Much Food Do You Need?
This answer will depend largely on the disaster or emergency you are facing. Presently, we have only gone one week without access to modern-day conveniences so I am doubling our provisions this time.
Stores here are being wiped out as soon as the shelves are stocked. People are hording out of fear and compounding the situation. Now we are under quarantine and in many states they’ve already been asked not to leave their homes. The sooner you can get your food preps, the safer you will be.
However, I’ve had family lose everything during a hurricane and they went much longer. Ideally, if you can plan and stock three months’ worth for your family, you would be in a very good position. Unfortunately, when a natural disaster is less than a week away from impacting, that vast amount of planning may not be feasible.
Adjust this menu for your family’s needs. Do you have someone with allergies? Special diets? Take all these factors into consideration when shopping for your crisis & disaster preps.
Almost every state in the United States are experiencing the same thing, empty shelves
Two Week Meal Plan for Crisis & Disaster Menu
During the first three days of your disaster meal plan, you should eat anything in the fridge you have that may go bad.
After you have eaten fridge items, move to your freezer for things that are starting to thaw.
If you have food in the fridge or freezer that you can eat- that is awesome.
However, this Disaster Menu plan is one that does not require refrigeration.
It can also double as the perfect meal plan if you are moving off-grid and do not have a power supply.
When meal prepping, try to only make enough for that meal since there won’t be refrigeration to store leftovers.
Meal Plan Week One
- Breakfast: Cereal and Milk (powdered), Grapes
Lunch: Veggie Wrap & Chips
Dinner: Chicken Casserole & Canned Veggie of Choice
Snack: Popcorn - Breakfast: Oatmeal
Lunch: Tuna Fish Sandwich w/lettuce, Chips, Fruit of Choice
Dinner: Chicken Quesadilla, Chips and Salsa
Snack: Cinnamon Apples - Breakfast: Eggs on English Muffin, Fruit
Lunch: PB & Honey Sandwich
Dinner : Chili & Crackers
Snack: Cantaloupe - Breakfast: Cereal and Powdered Milk
Lunch: Cantaloupe (leftover from the previous day), hardboiled egg, 1/2 English Muffin with PB
Dinner: Loaded Potatoes: Add Chili and Cheese* optional
Snack: Loaded Banana - Breakfast: Scrambled Eggs, Fruit
Lunch: Cold Bean Salad (Find the recipe here), Pita Chips
Dinner: Breakfast For Dinner: Pancakes, Eggs, Fruit of Choice
Snack: S’mores (find the recipe to make your own healthy marshmallows here) - Breakfast: Grits & Eggs
Lunch: Sandwich with smoked meats & tomato, the fruit of choice
Dinner: BBQ Chicken Sandwich and French Fries
Snack: Popcorn - Breakfast: Fruit Salad and Hard-Boiled Egg
Lunch: Cold Bean Salad (Find the recipe here)
Dinner: Hashbrown Casserole & Canned Vegetable of Choice
Snack: S’mores (find the recipe to make your own healthy marshmallows here)
Disclaimer- Eggs from the store or eggs that have been washed, must be refrigerated. If you do not have farm-fresh eggs, use powdered eggs.
For the Full Two Week Menu Plan, Download This FREE Printable
Two Week Meal Plan for Crisis & Disaster Shopping List
So here’s the stitch, this menu planner is designed around our personal likes. Will you like all the meals I have listed? Probably not.
BUT- I know when disaster is looming, sometimes we have brain fog. Maybe your attention is focused elsewhere? Like boarding up the house or fixing a broken window?
Our Disaster Meal Plan is designed to help take the guesswork out of what to do, keep you fed, and offer healthy alternatives to spaghetti-o’s and chips ahoy.
Ultimately, you need to plan your meals around your family’s taste and dietary needs.
Planning for a disaster is not cheap, BUT it is better than the alternative.
Two Week Crisis & Disaster Menu Shopping List, Download This FREE Printable
Two Week Disaster Family Meal Plan Shopping List
Foods That Store Well Without Refrigeration
- Apples
- Bananas
- Oranges/Citrus
- Potatoes
- Sweet Potatoes
- Root Vegetables (store in sand buckets)
- Winter Squash
- Pumpkins
- Tomatoes
- Garlic (fresh or diced in a jar)
- Onions
- Avocados
- Melons
- Bread
- Peaches
- Pears
- Plums
- Nectarines
- Apricots
- Peppers
- Mangos
- Papayas
- Kiwi
- Pineapple
- Country Ham
- Beef Jerky
- Pastrami
- Smoked Meats
- Salt-Cured Meats
Cooking Must-Haves
Have you ever been camping? Think of this as one big camping trip! Most meals will be prepared over an open fire or on a grill.
- Dutch Oven
- Cooking Grate (you can use the rack out of your oven in a pinch)
- Propane
- Charcoal
- Lighter
- Fire Starter
- Pot Holders
- Stock Pot
- Fry Pan
- Whisk
- Mixing Spoons
- Spatulas
NO-Cook Options
If the rain, smoke or weather is preventing you from cooking outside, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT attempt to cook on the grill indoors.
There are plenty of meal options from this menu that you can make without the use of a fire.
For example, some of the no-cook options from the menu above are (but not limited to):
- PB&J or PB& Honey
- Cold Bean Salad – click here for the recipe
- Bean Burrito
- Chips and Mango Salsa- click here for the recipe
- Cereal
- Fruit Salad
- Cold Tuna Salad
- Cold Chicken Salad
- Hummus and Chips
- Tomato Sandwich with avocado
- Nachos (with cold chili, salsa)
- Beet Salad – click here for the recipe
For more No-Cook, healthy recipe ideas- search Raw Food Recipes.
Plan Ahead
Ultimately, the further in advance, you plan for crisis & disaster, the better off you will be.
After the hurricane hit us last year and we were without power for a week, I shared this list of things I wish we had.
https://commonsensehome.com/flash-flood-emergency/
[…] Plan meals you can cook without power […]
This is an excellent list. I’m not good at meal planning at the best of times, and this is a good way to be sure I have enough food in the house “just in case”. Thank you!
Thanks for commenting. I hope you never have to use it, lol