Prices and specs last checked by Look Into on 23 October 2026 · next check 18 December 2026 · how we picked
The short answer
The government's Be Ready checklist asks for "non-perishable food that needs no refrigeration or cooking, ideally food you normally eat", for three days.
- Our three-day basket for one adult cost £7.18 at Sainsbury's on 23 October 2026 and gives 6,986kcal, more than three days at the 2,000kcal reference intake printed on UK food labels. That is £1.03 per 1,000kcal.
- A UK lifeboat ration (Seven Oceans) works out at £3.75 per 1,000kcal on the price we read, about 3.6 times the basket. Unbranded "20-year" ration tins worked out at £4.46 to £5.80.
- Most "72-hour" freeze-dried kits fail the Be Ready test. All three we read need water and, in two cases, boiling water. One, Patriot Pantry, needs 1.4 US gallons (about 5.3 litres) to make up, which is 59% of one person's 9 litres of three-day drinking water.
- The cheapest calories we found: Sainsbury's Digestives at 34p per 1,000kcal and Sainsbury's Cream Crackers at 36p.
The three-day basket (one adult)
Priced at Sainsbury's on 23 October 2026. Energy is the per-100g figure on each product page × pack weight.
| Item | Qty | Price | Energy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stamford Street Co. Crunchy Peanut Butter 340g | 1 | £1.00 | 2,156kcal |
| Sainsbury's Digestives 400g | 1 | £0.65 | 1,900kcal |
| Sainsbury's Cream Crackers 300g | 1 | £0.49 | 1,344kcal |
| Stamford Street Co. Baked Beans 400g | 2 | £0.60 | 640kcal |
| Sainsbury's Mackerel Fillets in Tomato Sauce 125g | 2 | £2.90 | 405kcal |
| Stamford Street Co. Rice Pudding 400g | 1 | £0.39 | 344kcal |
| Sainsbury's Peach Slices in Fruit Juice 411g | 1 | £1.15 | 197kcal |
| Total | 9 items | £7.18 | 6,986kcal |
Working: 6,986 ÷ 3 days = 2,329kcal a day. £7.18 ÷ 6,986 × 1,000 = £1.03 per 1,000kcal, or £2.06 for a 2,000kcal day.
It is not a balanced diet, and it is not meant to be: it is three days of food that needs no fridge, no hob and no microwave. Swap in what your household normally eats, which is what Be Ready recommends, because you will rotate it into normal meals before it goes out of date. If anyone is allergic to peanuts, replace the peanut butter (2,156kcal) with extra crackers and tinned fish.
A household of four needs four baskets: £28.72 for 27,944kcal. Add a manual can opener if your tins are not ring-pull (Sainsbury's Home stainless steel, £3.50).
Cost per 1,000 calories
| Food | Where | Price basis, 23 Oct 2026 | Cost per 1,000kcal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sainsbury's Digestives 400g | Sainsbury's | £0.65 | £0.34 |
| Sainsbury's Cream Crackers 300g | Sainsbury's | £0.49 | £0.36 |
| Stamford Street Co. Crunchy Peanut Butter 340g | Sainsbury's | £1.00 | £0.46 |
| Stamford Street Co. Salted Peanuts 200g | Sainsbury's | £0.59 | £0.47 |
| Sainsbury's Cornflakes 500g (needs milk) | Sainsbury's | £0.99 | £0.52 |
| Stamford Street Co. Baked Beans 400g | Sainsbury's | £0.30 | £0.94 |
| Stamford Street Co. Rice Pudding 400g | Sainsbury's | £0.39 | £1.13 |
| Sainsbury's Rough Oatcakes 250g | Sainsbury's | £1.35 | £1.21 |
| Sainsbury's Raisins 500g | Sainsbury's | £2.35 | £1.58 |
| Sainsbury's Long Life Semi Skimmed Milk 1L | Sainsbury's | £1.35 | £2.87 |
| Seven Oceans emergency ration 500g (2,400kcal) | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | £3.75 |
| High energy biscuits 20-pack tin (18,400kcal) | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | £4.46 |
| Emergency food rations, chocolate (6,840kcal) | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | £5.05 to £5.18 |
| High energy biscuits 6-pack tin (5,520kcal) | Amazon | Check the live price on Amazon | £5.80 |
| Sainsbury's Peach Slices in Juice 411g | Sainsbury's | £1.15 | £5.83 |
| Sainsbury's Mackerel Fillets in Tomato Sauce 125g | Sainsbury's | £1.45 | £7.16 |
Mackerel and peaches are the dearest calories in the table, but they are in the basket for protein and fruit, not energy.
Rations: when they make sense
Ration bars cost three to six times more per calorie than supermarket food, but they last longer and take less space.
- Seven Oceans (2,400kcal per 500g pack) states a shelf life of 2.5 to 4.5 years from manufacture, says no preparation is needed, and gives a NATO stock number.
- Unbranded high-energy biscuit tins claim up to 20 years. One listing says that once the original packaging is opened, the bars should be used within six months, or within two months if the inner film is removed.
A ration pack suits a car, an office drawer or a home where nobody will rotate tinned food. For a household that shops weekly, the supermarket basket is cheaper and easier to keep fresh.
Freeze-dried "72-hour" kits: the water problem
| Kit (Amazon UK, read 23 Oct 2026) | What the listing says | Meets "no cooking"? |
|---|---|---|
| Patriot Pantry 72-Hour Emergency Food Kit | "requiring 1.4 gallons of water to prepare the entire kit" | No: needs 1.4 US gallons (about 5.3 litres) |
| 4Patriots 72-Hour Emergency Food Supply | "just add boiling water, let simmer"; about 1,600 calories a day | No: needs boiling water |
| ReadyWise 60 servings | "a pouch, some water, a quick stir, and 15 minutes" | No: needs water |
Working: 1.4 US gallons × 3.785 litres = 5.3 litres. 5.3 ÷ 9 litres = 59% of one person's Be Ready drinking water for three days.
In a power cut you may have no way to boil water, and any water used for cooking comes out of your drinking supply.
Live Amazon prices
The table below pulls live prices from Amazon's own feed, which can differ from the Amazon buy box.
Prices in this table come from Amazon and are refreshed at least once a day, with the date of the last update under the table. The cost-per-use and running-cost figures on this page use prices Look Into read on 23 October 2026, so they can differ from today's price.
As an Amazon Associate, Look Into earns from qualifying purchases. Product prices and availability are accurate as of 23 October 2026 and are subject to change.
Questions people ask
What food should I keep for an emergency in the UK? Be Ready says non-perishable food that needs no fridge or cooking, ideally food you normally eat.
How many calories do I need a day in an emergency? UK food labels use 2,000kcal as the reference intake for an average adult. Needs vary with age, size and activity.
Can you eat tinned food cold? Check each tin's label for serving instructions. We did not confirm cold-serving advice on every product.
How long does emergency food last? Rations state shelf lives of 2.5 years to 20 years. Supermarket food carries a best-before date; check it every six months, as Be Ready advises.
Sources
- Be Ready checklist (GOV.UK campaign), read 23 October 2026.
- Sainsbury's product pages for 16 foods (price and per-100g energy), read 23 October 2026 (URLs in the source register).
- Amazon UK listings for 5 ration products and 3 freeze-dried kits, read 23 October 2026.
What this guide could not check
- Best-before dates on supermarket items.
- Whether each tin's label advises it can be eaten cold.
- Nutritional balance beyond energy.
- Ration manufacture dates; listings state shelf lives, not production dates.
- Dietary needs for children, older people, pregnancy or medical conditions; seek advice for those.