Healthy 72 Hour Backpacks

In case of an emergency, it’s smart to plan ahead so you will have some basic supplies available to you and your family. You may decide you want more than just a 72 hour backpack, but the backpack is still a great way to help you get started with some emergency preparedness essentials.

You can buy your own 72 hour backpack that has most everything in it, but a lot of them come with unhealthy food (lots of sodium, sugar, etc.), so I have come up with a list of items you may want to include for you and your family.

The items listed below are meant for one adult.

Water

This is one of the most important things you can have in any emergency kit. You can survive up to three weeks without food, but you can only survive three days without water. Because you never know what you will need your 72 hour backpack for, it’s important that you prepare the best you can.

Plan on needing at least 8 cups (64 ounces) of water each day. Since this is for a 72 hour backpack (3 days), you should pack 24 cups (192 ounces) of water. If you can carry more water, that would be ideal.

Food

In the event of an emergency, you need to provide your body with as much nutrients as possible, versus loading up on sugar and sodium. Here are some ideas on what you may want to consider packing in your own 72 Hour Backpack.

• Fruit such as Raisins and Fruit Leathers that have no added sugars.

• Food Bars such as LaraBar® or CLIF® Bar

• Protein such as Jerky, Nutrition Bites, or unsalted mixed Nuts or seeds.

• Gum and/or Mints.

I have a reminder set for every six months so that I can rotate my food out before it expires. Buy food that you already eat and enjoy!

First Aid

You never know what you will need, so plan for the worst and hope for the very best. In addition to supplies, it would be helpful to have safety instruction as well, such as CPR training.

• Standard First Aid Kit

• Prescription Medications and Vitamins

Helpful Supplies

In addition to having a sturdy backpack that can carry everything, there are some supplies that you may want to consider packing in your 72 Hour Backpack, depending on space available and how heavy the items are.

• Flashlight

• Radio (battery operated )

• Batteries

• Flares

• Water-Proof Matches

• Whistle

• Dust mask

• Swiss Army knife

• Toothbrush and toothpaste

• Sturdy shoes, a change of clothes, and a warm hat

• Emergency Blanket

• Extra prescription eye glasses, hearing aid, or other vital personal items

Special Circumstances

If you have a child that is too young to carry their own backpack, make sure you include their food and water in your own 72 hour backpack.

Very young baby’s may need a formula and a bottle, or baby food available to them in case of an emergency. Plan ahead, and update your backpack to fit the needs of your families.

Get Started Today

You can start putting your 72 Hour Backpack together today. There are plenty of resources that can help you learn about what additional items you will want to add to your 72 Hour Backpacks. I just touched on mainly the food and water portion of the backpack, but there is so much more than is involved with putting your backpack together. Start small, and work your way up.

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