• Flavorings may vary depending on availability, location, cost and what meals you will cook or store in your pantry.

• Focus on personal dietary requirements. The recommended meals should contain options for low protein, low-sodium, peanutfree diets and others. These are only some suggestions to help you get started. You need to plan early particularly if your family’s diet is restricted since there will be no assurance that specific foods will be available when there is a shortage.

• If you have infants in your family, you need to plan ahead. Normally, they require either milk formula or breast milk. You can stock up milk formula with longer expiry dates for a breastfeeding baby.

• You also need to plan for children 4 years old and below. They need the right amount of protein, calories and vital nutrients, since their developing bodies will not develop properly without these minerals and nutrients. Vitamin A, vitamin D and thiamine are also essential nutrients a child requires to grow. One particularly good source of these minerals and nutrients is a multivitamin pill.

Choose one that can be easily absorbed by their bodies.

This could be more costly as compared to some cheaper vitamins available but it is worth the extra cost. Make sure that they have enough protein in the form of powdered milk, peanut or other nut butter, powdered or canned cheese. It is important that these nutrients are available in foods that young children will eat and like.

• Generally, these items are available at regular grocery stores, but for best nutrition and quality, it is best to purchase these items from trusted retailers.