Everyone thinks that a disaster or crisis will blow over, but the reality is that you can often find yourself in trouble within just a few hours. Supermarkets run empty, tap water can fail temporarily, and emergency services are overwhelmed. That’s why we’re starting this series with the most important step of all: a three-day emergency supply.
With such a supply, you’ll have peace of mind: whatever happens, you and your family will at least have food and drink.
🪖 Self-Sufficient in 52 Weeks
Each week a small, achievable tip that you can apply immediately. No expensive survival gadgets or unrealistic scenarios, but practical steps to better prepare your family for power cuts, chaos or unexpected crises.
Follow the series and discover how you can go from zero to completely prepared in one year. 52 weeks, 52 tips – and you’ll be stronger than 90% of the people around you.
Discover all the tips here!
Why 3 Days?
Most government emergency plans count on 72 hours as the critical period. It often takes that long before emergency services and supply chains are back up and running.
- Less than 3 days is too short: you’ll be empty-handed too quickly.
- Much more than 3 days is too ambitious in the beginning. Your supply must be achievable, cheap and manageable.
What Should Definitely Be in Your 3-Day Kit?
1. Water
- At least 2 litres of water per person per day (so 6 litres per person for three days).
- Choose bottled water (easy to stack and long shelf life).
- Optionally supplement with a small water filter or tablets for emergencies.
2. Food
Go for products that:
- Are long-lasting (tinned, jarred, dried food).
- Don’t need a fridge.
- Are easy to prepare, preferably without cooking.
Examples:
- Tinned soup, beans, lentils, vegetables
- Rice, pasta, instant noodles
- Crackers, rice cakes
- Peanut butter or nut butter
- Energy bars, chocolate, dried fruit
3. Extra Basics
- A few packs of candles or tea lights.
- Torch + batteries.
- Matches or lighter.
How Do You Start Without Stress?
- Make a list today for your family: number of people × 6 litres of water.
- Buy a basic supply at the supermarket or online straight away (water + 6-8 long-life products).
- Put it aside in a cupboard or crate with a label “Emergency Supply – not to be eaten casually”.
It’s very reassuring to simply have one crate with everything in it. You don’t have to think about it afterwards.
Week 1 Checklist
✅ 6 litres of water per person
✅ At least 6-8 long-life meals/snacks
✅ Light source + fire source
✅ Everything together in a fixed place in the house
Conclusion
With one shopping trip, you can take your first big step towards self-sufficiency today. You won’t immediately be a prepper with a bunker full of food, but you will have security for the first 72 hours. And believe me: that’s more than 90% of the people around you.
👀 Discover more from our series: Self-Sufficient in 52 Weeks? Discover the entire series here!