What to Stock by Calories, No Fridge Needed

Counting cans does not tell you how long your food will last. Counting calories does.

Step 1: pick a daily number

FDA uses 2,000 calories a day as a general guide, and notes that needs vary with age, sex, height, weight and activity. Health Canada publishes equations for estimating an individual’s energy needs. Use 2,000 for a typical adult. Children and smaller or less active adults usually need less. Someone doing hard physical work usually needs more.

Household	3 days	7 days	14 days	30 days
1 adult	6,000	14,000	28,000	60,000
2 adults	12,000	28,000	56,000	120,000
4 adults	24,000	56,000	112,000	240,000

Step 2: add up your shelf

On each package, multiply calories per serving by servings per container.

Example only, so check your own labels: a jar labelled 190 calories per serving with 14 servings holds 2,660 calories. Five jars like that would be 13,300 calories.

Write the total on a sheet of paper taped inside the pantry door.

Step 3: balance it

Calories alone are not a diet. Ready.gov suggests:

• Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
• Protein or fruit bars
• Dry cereal or granola
• Peanut butter
• Dried fruit
• Canned juice
• Non-perishable pasteurized milk
• Comfort foods

Choose foods your household already eats, and plan for allergies, diabetes, baby food and any special diet.

What lasts without a fridge

USDA FSIS gives these storage times for food kept cool and dry:

• Low-acid canned goods (meat, poultry, stews, beans, corn, peas): 2 to 5 years
• High-acid canned goods (tomatoes, most fruits, juice, pickles): 12 to 18 months

For keeping it fresh, see pantry rotation. Once a can is open without refrigeration, finish it within 2 hours, or 1 hour if it is hotter than 90°F (32°C).