How to Make a 72 Hour Kit

Posted on June 13th, 2008 by Admin

72 Hour Kit Instructions

Step 1 – Make sure you have saved 1 milk jug and 3 2-liter bottles per person. Wash them all out with soap and let dry.
Step 2 – Multiply the number of kits you want by the items listed in the shopping list and purchase the food items from Walmart or your neighborhood grocery store. All the food will cost around $8-10.
Step 3 – Purchase a wing stove and fuel pellets from an emergency preparedness store such as Emergency Essentials or if one isn’t available in your area follow the links below to order online. Only one stove is NECESSARY per family, but they are pretty cheap so if you’d like to have one per kit that is fine too. It will make it much more convenient in a true emergency.
Step 4 – Cut straight down the middle of a milk jug diagonal from the handle. Go about 1/3 of the way down. At the bottom of that cut, make a horizontal slice coming from each side but leave about 2 inches of the jug intact. This should make a sort hatch that you can pull open and insert the items in. Watch our video below if you are having trouble visualizing how to do this.
Step 5 – Place the necessary items into each milk jug according to the contents list. Put the Tang and cocoa servings into small zip-lock bags (1/4 c. per serving). If you have extra food left over, stick it in as space permits. Tape the milk jug up. Tape the contents list to the outside of the jug and record today’s date and the family member who will use that kit. VOILA!
Step 6 – Fill your 2 liter bottles with water and store all of the items in an easily accessible place (your car trunk is the ideal place if you have room). Check out our Step 2: Water page for more information on how to properly store the water.

Resources
Printable Shopping List
Printable Contents List
Video Instructions
Purchase Wing Stoves Online
Purchase Fuel Pellets Online

Technorati Tags: 72 hour kit, 72 Hour Kits, making a 72 hour kit, milk jug 72 hour kit

Filed under: 72 Hour Kits, Getting Started

« Added Getting Started to Main Topics! Jodi’s Food Storage Summary – Month 1 »
  • Allison
    Do you have any suggestions for canadian suppliers for the wing stoves and fuel?
  • Mickey Adams
    Great idea. Just wondering though, if you have actually tried to live on that amount of food for 3 days. I think that power bars instead of granola bars would be an alternative. especially for a grown ups, men especially. Also another question. what if you are in a church cultural hall, school etc. where you can't have a fire??? That is going to add to the stress level, to have to go outside to cook. And finally, I have had experience with mint gum ruining the whole #10 tin of food that I sealed in it. It was so gross. Inedible. So fruit flavored gum may not make such a disaster. Thanks again.
  • Mickey, these are all great considerations. Honestly when we first made these we were just happy to have SOMETHING in place and it was nice to have detailed instructions how to do it. During the seven day challenge we may discover that it is just NOT a feasible solution. That's the point of the challenge! And we're excited (and nervous) for it :)
  • lucetlady
    Hello! A quick question after watching (and ejoying!) the video - if you're using and re-using the beenie-weenie can for cooking, how are you cleaning it between uses?
  • This looks like an awsome site. I have been trying to figure this stuff out for my self and for church. I am so glad that you have the 72 hour kit instructions. Thanks for all the hard work.
  • Enjoy
  • Nicia
    Thanks so much for posting this! Last night around 10 pm I had car trouble right on the WY border (without my hubby...just me and the 2 year old), and kept thinking about how I should have made this kit to have in the back of my car. Now I know! I'm also putting together the heat source. Thanks so much!
  • Holly
    I found that 1 gal. ice cream cartons work really well for the 72 hr kits. They are sturdy and have a great handle. I also found the small stoves for less price ($3.50) on REI website. http://www.rei.com/product/785006
    Thanks for all you guys are doing, it really is helping me get my act together.
  • Jessica
    flips, how about having a small can of mandarin oranges with the first meal and using that can the rest of the time. I've seen them as pop-tops and they're small enough to work.
  • I wanted to bring Lisa's comment to attention:

    "Just wanted to let you know about some info I found while getting stuff for my 72 hr kits. Mint gum and strong soaps can flavor your other food. Some hard candy, like jolley ranchers, can melt. Also, the “pop-top” lids are not as strong and some people have found they’ve exploded."

    These warnings are on almost every 72-hour kit preparation article I have found. You should revise your shopping list not to include them.
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    We haven't had any trouble with our pop-top lids exploding, and for me personally I loved not having to worry about a can opener and they are very small-sized cans. Some of my candies did melt a bit but they were still edible. And the gum didn't spread it's flavor throughout my kit. Everything is packaged separately so it's not much of an issue. We try to keep reiterating that this is just one sample of a kit, please feel free to modify it to suit your family's needs. This contents list came directly from a handout we received at our church and we thought it was a fun idea to share that might help some people.
  • Shannon
    It's me again! :)

    I purchased several wing stoves(not from where you suggested) and they arrived today. I tried them out, not lit of course. I cannot get an 10 oz can to sit on it properly like in your video. What would be your advice?

    Thank you!
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    Shannon, I would try a few different small cans and see if they fit. Then just include that item in your kit and make sure to use it the first day so that you can use it for the other food items!
  • Katie, St Helier
    I live on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands and came across your website a month or so ago after a friend saw it on 'Facebook' Love the site but would like some more specific information for those saints in other areas...although we are pretty good at adapting your great ideas!

    Here in Jersey we don't have the huge supermarkets that you have in the US or UK, and the ones that we do have don't all have warehousing on the island, which menas we are very vulnerable if the cargo ships don't get in for some reason.

    To this end our Food Storage rep has bought some UK military ration packs. You can get these in various sizes and for our 72hr kits we have 3 each. The food in these kits can be eaten cold or hot, and there is enough to sustain one person for one day, with each kit having two hot and one cold meal - including a dessert. They also contain tissues, sweets and chocolate, tea and coffee for those that drink it and waterproof matches. The food is 'boil in the bag' so the only extras you need are a stove and water.

    I would recommend these or similar US kits to anyone. Although they are more expensive than putting it all together yourself it is a quick way of starting your 72hour kits.

    Katie
  • Rosie
    Is there any way to make these kits more nutritious for a person with diabetes?
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    This is just one sample of a possible kit you can use. You are always able to swap it out for things that work better for your particular situation. Hopefully we will be offering some other examples of kits soon.
  • Angie Winward
    Here I am on babystep #1. We cleaned out our 72 hr. kits to find that everything expires April of 2009 not bad timing. The pants I had put in there are happily still two sizes too big. Phew, I'm glad they didn't fit. Now it's time to add more clothes for the young twins, diapers, baby food etc. I hope to rotate more than every two years. Thanks Jodi for moving me forward, it really does feel good to be making some progress. I guess Julie gets credit too. Thank you!
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    Angie, we did a post a few weeks back on 72 hour kits/ disaster kits for babies/toddlers. You might be able to get some good ideas for your boys in there. p.s. Hope Talmage is doing ok!
  • flips
    I was looking at the 72 hour kit contents list and noticed that on the first morning you have oatmeal for breakfast. But in your video you mentioned that you use the beenie weenies can to cook everything else. The only problem would be that you don't have your beenie weenies until lunch on the first day. So how do you cook your oatmeal if you don't have the can yet?
  • Todd
    Hi Annie,
    I have put together about 36 - 72 hour kits for friends & family. I have mainly used backpacks also. But I have also put them together in Fanny Packs & I had a couple of hunters ask me to put them together two kits & put them in 2 1/2" PVC pipe, with fittings on the ends that you screw the caps on.
    I thought that was interesting. Then they put a strap on them so they could put them on their shoulder. They were 24" long.
    They had enough food in them to last 2 weeks with the lifecaps & protein bars.
    They could place these by camp & cover them with leaves or soil & not have to worry about bugs or moisture.

    If they needed to get water from the stream they would empty the pipe, fill it with water & bring it back to camp.
    Just an Idea, I thought was interesting.
    Anyway, like Jodi says...
    "Doing SOMETHING is better than NOTHING!"
    Godspeed
  • Todd
    A couple things to add...
    Ipecac, just in case someone eats or drinks something potentially harmful.
    Hydrogen peroxide, even small cuts can get infected & cause illness, cause loss of a limb or even death.
    Don't forget Life caps, they can keep you healthy & even sustain life in an emergency or under stress. lifecaps.net use coupon code "healthcap" to save 33%

    All these items should be in your food storage also.
  • Annie
    This may be a dumb question but do i absolutly have to use the milk jug? I had already started to put a seventy two hour kit together and was using my favorite backpack. Also my husband and I never ever buy milk in one gallon milk jugs so IDK how we'd get them.
    I really like the step by step directions, especially the food list. I had gotten all hung up on that part and couldn't decide what to put in mine. also i love that cute little stove.
    Thanks
    I
  • Jodi -- Food Storage Made Easy
    No need for the milk jug. It's just one option. I like them cuz you can just grab 'em by the handles, and they are nice and sturdy to keep in the car if you choose to keep a kit in the car. Plus for most people they have them on hand anyway, so it's convenient. I would recommend at least putting in some kind of tupperware or harder container as some of the foods might get squished. Julie keeps all three of her kits in a large animal cracker container from Costco. It's just your personal preference, and the contents are modifiable too. Don't get hung up, just find something that will work for your family. Doing SOMETHING is better than NOTHING!
  • suggested minimum requirement water per person is 2 liters per day
  • I forgot to mention that if you wrap your gum in aluminum foil it will prevent the gum's smell from spreading to the other foods. (No one liked the year we had to eat mint-scented beef jerky!) It will also keep your gum soft.
  • Judi
    I am putting together some 72 hour kits for some friends, as gifts. The only problem I have is both are in the 70's & 80 and have false teeth. Jerky and gum is hard for them to eat. Any other suggestions for protient source. I can replace the gum with more hard candy; so no problem there.

    Thanks to taking the time to share and do the videos
    Judi
  • Ron G
    My wife and my experience with 72 hour kits containing the gum taught us that the gum was not a good item to include. The essence of the gum penetrated all of the other food stuffs except the canned items. If you really wanted the gum, perhaps double sealing it in zip-locked bags might help.
  • Todd
    I am looking into different infant & young childrens foods. I came across a few receipes to make your own baby food. Anyway you got me curious & I am researching. I like to fully look into nutrition & make sure the products are only top of the line before I pass them on. I do not want to give bad info.
    Cristyn, on March 3rd, 2009 at 5:53 pm Said:

    I’ve been wanting to put together emergency kits and store food for quite awhile…thank you so much for your ideas!

    My only question is: do you (or anyone) have ideas for emergency kits for infants/young children.

    Give me 10 days or so & send me an email. todd@ekillerdeals.com
    I will give you the list I have once I research the products fully. I like companies that make their own products completely & not getting peanut butter from.... well you get the Idea. I look forward to conversing about Toddler food.
  • I have a 3 year old and a 6 month old. I'm thinking that the 3 year old could eat most of the things listed, except for beef jerky. That might be too tough.

    Stage 3 jarred baby food would be easy enough to add for toddlers, and they have quite a variety in plastic so they're not too heavy. You might want to keep formula and a sippy cup for toddlers, even those who have outgrown regular use of formula, since it's a complete source of nutrition. Cheerios would be a good addition for the little ones as well, although not as compact as some other options.
  • jweiss08
    It is cheap, free and easy. I actually have mine in a big sturdy plastic Tupperware now though. Anything that holds it should work.
  • Cairen
    Why did you choose to put the kit into a milk jug?
  • Lawrence Querin
    Suggest that you include Toilet Paper in your 72 Hr Kit
    LQ
  • We like to use non-perishable, "no cooking required" foods in our 72 hour kits. So we have breakfast bars and Tang for breakfasts, Beef jerky, granola bars and apple cider to lunches and for dinner we have protein bars, V8 and hot cocoa. Fruit leather, hard candy and gum are included for fun. Granted it would be nice to have the cocoa "hot" but it's still edible if we have to eat it cold in case we're on-the-go. It may cost a little more, but we have less fuss when we eat it every 6 months to replenish with the new stuff. This fits inside a freezer gallon-size ziploc bag.
  • Cristyn
    I've been wanting to put together emergency kits and store food for quite awhile...thank you so much for your ideas!

    My only question is: do you (or anyone) have ideas for emergency kits for infants/young children. We are due this May and she won't be able to eat any of the stuff for awhile. I understand that I can just breastfeed/formula for awhile, but I mean that in between time...after formula but before protein bars?? I can think of some basics...diapers, wipes, etc. but there are always things people don't think of.
  • Todd
    Bug out bag. Try to take foods that do not take water to prepare, I see so many 72 hour kits with things like, instant oatmeal, hot chocolate & soups. The water should be for
    drinking & take vitamins & protein bars. I also take a bottle of fiber, not only is
    fiber needed but it also swells for a full feeling. I came across what is called
    Lifecaps. They are a capsule that has everything needed to survive without food with
    the exception of water. It is full of vitamins & minerals plus Iodine. Anyway, you take
    three of them a day & drink water. I can actually take enough food in one backpack to
    las 6 months because of these little Lifecaps, protein bars, fiber & water. I will run
    out of water in a week so I do carry a small filter & a couple of those straw water
    filters that filter the water as you suck.
    You do not always have the ability or time to heat water to make soup or oatmeal. Anyway,
    after I bought 25 bottles I found a coupon code & bought 75 bottles more. The coupon code
    is... healthcap It will get you 33% off. There are also sites that have those filter straws
    that are cheaper than any of the stores around here. (SLC) I think they are a really good
    idea along with some purification pills. I cannot remember the sites off the top of my head
    but you can Google for aquamira filter straw. Aquamira is the manufacture but do not buy
    off there site because I have found them for almost 1/2 what they want on their own site
    on other sites. Good luck, Gods speed & get serious about your bug out bag!
    Todd in SLC
  • Lisa
    Just wanted to let you know about some info I found while getting stuff for my 72 hr kits. Mint gum and strong soaps can flavor your other food. Some hard candy, like jolley ranchers, can melt. Also, the "pop-top" lids are not as strong and some people have found they've exploded.
    LOVE your site. Thanks for helping me get organized!
  • Jodi
    Tracy, We recommend these tiny ones because they fit so nicely into the kit and were only $3-4. This kit was based off of a handout we received at church and we loved how everything fit all in one carton and was fairly inexpensive to get started.

    Vera, I've kept mine in the same milk cartons for about 3 years now. I'm too lazy to clean and cut new ones. I live in Utah so it's not as hot as Arizona, but the only problem I had was some of my jolly ranchers melting to the sides.
  • Vera
    Is there a problem with the milk cartons breaking down? We live in Arizona and i know heat causes the plastic to deteriorate. How long have you had yours?
  • Tracy
    I've been looking for compact stoves and narrowed it down to one at REI that's on clearance. And then I found this information about the wing stoves. Why, other than being teensy weensy, do you recommend those rather than others? You'll learn that I have to weigh and REweigh EVERY option before spending the money. Drives me crazy sometimes.

    Thanks sweeties!
  • sarah
    I just went to order 4 wing stoves and noticed that just from when I went to site earlier today to just now..... the price has increased!! ($4.37)so must be high demand....hmmmmm
  • Jodi
    Hey Bethany, Your comment slipped through the cracks somehow. Thanks for letting us know! We found the same stove available on the Shelf Reliance website at http://www.shelfreliance.com/product/view/p209 and we have modified the link above. On sale for $3.73 including 3 fuel pellets. Awesome deal!
  • Great idea! I have linked to this idea on my blog...http://giveldsgifts.com/2008/12/gifts-for-the-food-storage-junkie/

    I love your blog! Thanks for all the great tips.
  • Bethany
    Hello! Thank you for this very useful site. I put my 72 hr kits together finally and I am excited to get working on my 3 month supply. I just wanted to let you know that I clicked on the place you said to buy the wing stove and that website is no longer carrying them. I have found them on ebay for about $13 with shipping.
  • Thanks so much for all of the specific details. It may seem small and insignificant to have to mention but for those of us who become overwhelmed easily by the idea of food storage, it certainly is helpful. Thanks for your hard work and efforts and sharing it with us.
  • jweiss08
    Yes, this is the FOOD part of the plan. Make sure to check out the getting started page and print out the emergency plan checklist. That has the non- food items, like flashlights, blankets, change of clothes etc.
  • Terri-Ann Martin Gawthroupe
    Thank you for posting the food shopping list...and the storage idea. Our kits have been complete minus a real food plan for a long time, because I was at a loss at how to really accomplish this part.
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