My Hurricane Food & Drink Essentials

For those of you non-Floridians, hurricane season is like playing cards. You never know what you're going to get dealt. Finding yourself in the potential path of a hurricane can be scary, anxiety-inducing, and all around exhausting. People are scrambling to get gas, water, bread, milk, and various canned goods and break-neck speeds, not even knowing if they will be impacted directly by the storm. While at least 3 days worth of non-perishable foods and water are essential for hurricane preparedness, I find that so many people go buck wild and buy foods that are high in sugar, sodium, and fat in extremely large quantities. The anxiety can also cause people to stress eat all these snacks, which in turn, can make you feel pretty crappy if you aren't used to it.

Most people don't really think about "healthier" options as they are prepping for a hurricane, and that's ok! Your safety is paramount. However, I just thought I'd drop a little note on some healthy hurricane options that you can keep in your pantry, or stock up on if you happen to find yourself in the "cone of uncertainty". Please note, I am not a health expert. These are just foods that I find to be delicious and a little bit better for you.


1) Dry/Canned Beans

 Any kind of dry or canned beans are great to keep around. They fill you up and are packed with protein, and can feed a lot of people with only a can or 2. I like to keep garbanzo beans on hand, as these can be roasted, eaten as is, or mashed to make hummus. If you can, try and make sure any canned beans you buy are low sodium.

2) Dried Fruits, Nuts, and Seeds

These make great snacks and are great for breakfast, as they provide vitamin C, potassium, protein, etc. You can also appease your sweet tooth without consuming a ton of refined sugar. 

3) Nut Butters

Of course, the common theme here is protein. You need protein to fuel your body, and unfortunately a lot of meat products will go bad if their is a power failure due to the storm. Nut butters are a great way to get plant-based protein, and can be used in a variety of ways. I try to pick up ones that are "natural" or do not have added sugars. 

4) Canned Fish and Chicken

I like to keep canned tuna, salmon, and chicken on hand as these are great to make into salads, or eat on bread and crackers. A little mustard, salt, and pepper is all you need to make a tasty lunch or snack. 

5) Pasta, Rice, and Oatmeal

These are year-round staples in my pantry and can make so many different meals. I look for organic, low sodium pasta sauces as well for a quick spaghetti dinner. You can also keep canned tomatoes and dry herbs around if you prefer to make your own sauce. 

6) Pickles 

My favorite food in the entire world is the pickle, and lucky for me this is a great non-perishable hurricane food! Other pickled veggies that I keep around are jalapeños and red onions. 

7) Sprouted Crackers / Breads

Perfect for sandwiches, snacks, salad toppings, etc. More people are likely to clean the shelves of processed white breads, so this is a great option that are usually around a little bit longer. 

8) Sparkling Water / Seltzer

I drink seltzer on a regular day, so I just get extra before a hurricane. Most people are looking for bottled water, so the seltzers get largely ignored. A great way to stay hydrated with a little bit of flavor- great for those who normally drink sodas too, as you still get the carbonation! (Be sure to get regular water too though).