5 Food Essentials for Surviving a Storm With millions of people along the East Coast out of power, and even more expected to lose it, getting power back after a serious storm can sometimes take more than a few days. We talked to food safety expert Katie Burns to find out what families have on-hand and what they need to do during the coming week. Burns recommends planning ahead for at least three days or more. For more food safety and emergency resources from the International Food Information Council Foundation, visit their website. Get plenty of bottled water. You need at least a gallon of water per person per day. Make sure you have an old-fashioned, non-electric, can opener. Load up on canned or pouched food. At least two cans per person per day. Soup is okay because gas stove-tops will still work with matches. Don't forget about your grill. Outdoor gas grills can even be used to boil water. Keep non-perishables on hand. Foods like peanut butter, granola bars and dried fruit last long and work as snacks. Also, fruits like banana and apples are good options, too.