3) Food
You’ll need food for eating, just like you normally do, but you’ll also need to try to get other supplies whilst you’re down the shop. You need to get on it ASAP though, people will sell out of stuff straight away.
First off nip to a cash point and get your cash out, cash machines will empty and not be refilled so withdraw as much as you can.
The items listed below are the sorts of things you need to be heading for. You won’t be able to get all of it but it’s good to aim high…
- Ready-to-eat foods – granola/energy/protein bars, raisins, cheese (don’t go for blue cheese, that stuff will stink out the shelter and attract rats from miles away)
- Canned goods (soups, chilli, vegetables, fruit, tuna, meats, beans, as much as you can carry)
- Plenty of Multi-Vitamins, Vit C, aspirin, paracetamol, etc.
- Largest bags of rice, beans, flour, potatoes, pasta, quick oats and other grains
- Butt loads of dried milk
- Large bag of sugar and jar of honey
- Cooking oil
- Bottled water (especially if home supplies not secured yet)
- Paper or plastic plates/bowls/cups/utensils and paper towels
- Quality manual can opener (the last thing you want is tins of food and no way to get into the buggers)
- Kitchen matches and disposable lighters (lots of)
- Plastic rubbish bins and liner bags (water storage and waste storage including turds)
- Toilet paper and, for the ladies, sanitary bits and bobs
- Baby wipes (saves water for personal hygiene use)
- Flashlights (ideally LED) and more than one portable radio (don’t forget the batteries you plum)
- Bleach
- Alcohol, Hydrogen Peroxide and hand sanitizer
- First aid kits
- Fire extinguishers
- Plenty of cheap plastic hooded rain ponchos for everyone
- Water filters and all other camping type supplies, such as portable camp toilet, cooking stove and fuel
The likelihood of being able to find all of the above is pretty slim, but do your best. Rob what you can’t afford.
