What kinds of scenarios require a person to be prepared and have proper food storage protect or wait out a problem or situation? There could be a severe tornado and thunder warning or watch in your local area, an earthquake, or flooding, either way you look at it mother nature can trigger a very catastrophic level of emergency; however, there are also levels of emergency like power outages, or long camping trips in which one should be prepared for the worst type situation, as a precautionary measure.
You will want water proof containers, with a secure lid and top, to hold some of your items that can be damaged in moist conditions. You will also want to keep an inventory of your items, maybe a check list to keep track of everything you will need or be using be sure to include expiration dates so you know when/if your items will go bad, or be no longer in use. You want to make sure you store all your supplies in a nice dry place, so they will always be ready when you have emergency needs. Dry foods and cans are a great source of food, and first aid kits are a must for any survival situation. Wet matches for fires to keep warm, generators are a good source of heat and electricity too. I would have on hand batteries and a radio to pick up any signals that may try and reach different people in the same situation as you and your family. Barrels and large paint buckets are great sources of long term storage, they are sealed tight and hold a large amount of items.
You should always have an overabundance of water stored away, because that is the one things people cannot go more than 3 days without. Food is an average of one week, but water is essential for daily living, to avoid dehydration and other fatal problems that come from lack of hydration in the bodies system. There are all types of dried food one can purchase online in bulk, or pick up at any local convenient store. Good types of dried food for long term storage include: dried vegetable, dried meat, dried fruits, dried ground beef, freeze dried pork, dried sausage crumbles and so much more. The possibilities are endless of the amour of safe dried food that one can keep in storage for emergency survival uses. There are also pre-made meals available for purchase that require no cooking.
Grains and fortified milk are also available but the key to survival is rationing and having enough stocked up to last for the long winter, or until rescue is there. Rice, grains, and beans are sure to last the longest and be easiest to ration. There are so many different techniques and survival guides out there offered to anyone and everyone in the world, we should all take advantage of the information out there, if a survival situation arises your family will be more than prepared.