20 Tips for a Better Hurricane Food Kit: Advice from Janet Keeler

Florida’s official hurricane season is June 1 to Nov. 30. But things really ramp up during peak season, which is between mid-August and late-October, according to the Florida State University’s Florida Climate Center.

So if your hurricane kit isn’t quite ready for a major storm, fear not. There’s still time to stock up on supplies. And when it comes to food, this week’s guest can help you think outside of the soup can.

Friend of the pod Janet Keeler is the former longtime food editor for the Tampa Bay Times and current current freelance editor for the personal finance website The Penny Hoarder. So she knows a thing or two about prepping your hurricane food kit on a budget. Here’s the cheat sheet:

1. Take this seriously.
2. Assess your household’s needs.
3. Start now.
4. Do some reconnaissance.
5. Ban together.
6. Buy what you’ll actually eat.
7. Lower the bar.
8. Prepare for a power outage.
9. Think like a camper.
10. Grill what you've got.
11. Figure out where you’ll get your protein.
12. Beware of salty-sweet snacks.
13. Buy more water than you think you’ll need.
14. Shop the aisles.
15. Buy some last-minute produce.
16. Respect the power of comfort foods.
17. Remember non-food items.
18. Preserve hand-written recipes.
19. Prep for the worst.
20. Hope for the best.

Related episodes:

• Cocktails for Hurricane Season
• How to Photograph Food Like a Pro
• Chef Judy Gallagher on the Lost Art of Hand-Written Recipes
• Summertime Grilling Tips for Your Best Barbecue Season Yet
• No Recipe? No Problem: How to Cook Using Your Intuition