Checking the cupboard first: three days of food without a speciality shop

Official UK resilience messaging is clear: see what you already have, then build gradually on ordinary shops. You do not need a speciality survival store.

Inventory before shopping

Open the cupboard and fridge store. Note tins, dried fruit, nuts, crackers, long-life milk alternatives, and anything your household already eats that needs no fridge or cooking. Check you have a tin opener. Include baby formula (ready-to-feed is safer if you cannot boil water) and pet food if needed.

Quantities that match guidance

Plan for about three days. Official checklists emphasise non-perishable food you would usually eat. Pair food planning with drinking water of about 3 litres per person per day for drinking, plus more for hygiene and cooking if required—confirm the current wording on the Be Ready checklist when you review.

Spread the cost

Pick up one or two missing items on normal trips. Set a six-month reminder to rotate stock and check dates. This is household logistics, not stockpiling for an imagined deadline.