National Preparedness month is celebrated every September in the United States.  It is sponsored by FEMA and encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools and communities.  For the next 3 weeks, I will do a series of news columns focusing on Emergency Preparedness in the home.  One of the many things that is essential to have on hand in case of an emergency is food.  We all have to eat and you can begin “stocking up” for as little as $5 a week over the course of a year.  Here’s the list of what to buy each week for the first half of the year:

Week 1:  6 lbs. salt

Week 2:  5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 3:  20 lbs. sugar

Week 4:  8 cans tomato soup

Week 5:  50 lbs. wheat

Week 6:  6 lbs. macaroni

Week 7:  20 lbs. sugar

Week 8:  8 cans tuna

Week 9:  6 lbs. yeast

Week 10:  50 lbs. wheat

Week 11:  8 cans tomato soup

Week 12:  20 lbs. sugar

Week 13:  10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 14:  7 boxes macaroni & cheese

Week 15:  50 lbs. wheat

Week 16:  5 cans cream of chicken soup

Week 17:  1 bottle 500 multi-vitamins

Week 18:  10 lbs. powdered milk

Week 19:  5 cans cream of mushroom soup

Week 20:  50 lbs. wheat

Week 21:  8 cans tomato soup

Week 22:  20 lbs. sugar

Week 23: 8 cans tuna

Week 24:  6 lbs. shortening

Week 25:  50 lbs. wheat

Week 26:  5 lbs. honey

Stay tuned next week for the second half of the list.  For more information about emergency/disaster preparedness, please call the Extension office at 325-646-0386 or visit our Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) website at http://texashelp.tamu.edu.