The Brief · January 1, 2026
The American number is still three days minimum, two weeks to aim for
What happened
Ready.gov continues to set the basic emergency supply kit at a minimum of three days of water at one gallon per person per day, and several days of non perishable food. FEMA asks households to build toward two weeks where they can, particularly in areas that have seen major disaster declarations.
What it means for your household
The gap between three days and two weeks is where a lot of American households give up, because two weeks sounds like a garage full of buckets. It is not. It is the food you already eat, one shelf deeper.
What to do
Add one extra of something you already buy, on each shop, until you get there. No special trip, ever.