Quarantine Food Calculator — Emergency Food Storage Estimator
Find out exactly how much food and water your household needs to weather a quarantine, lockdown or emergency — broken down by grains, protein, fruits and vegetables, and fats.
days
kcal
gal
For all people over the full quarantine period
- 1
Calories per person for full period
2,000 kcal × 14 days = 28,000 - 2
Total calories for all people
28,000 × 2 people = 56,000Total energy that must be stored for the full quarantine period.
How does this calculator work?
Multiply people × days × 2,000 kcal to get total calories to store. Split that roughly 50% grains, 25% protein, 15% fruits/veg, 10% fats — dividing each portion by its calorie density gives the weight to buy. Add 1 gallon of water per person per day (FEMA minimum). Adjust calories for age and activity level.
Formula
How this is calculated
The calculator multiplies the number of people by the duration in days and by the daily calorie target to get the total calories that must be stored. The daily target defaults to 2,000 kcal per adult — raise it for physically active members or reduce it slightly for small children.
Those total calories are then split across four food groups using proportions recommended by FEMA and Red Cross emergency-preparedness guidelines: roughly 50% from grains and starches (rice, pasta, oats), 25% from protein (canned beans, lentils, tuna, peanut butter), 15% from fruits and vegetables (canned or freeze-dried), and 10% from fats and oils (cooking oil, nut butter). Each category is divided by a typical calorie density — 1,600 kcal/lb for grains, 600 kcal/lb for canned protein, 200 kcal/lb for fruits and vegetables, and 3,500 kcal/lb for fats — to give an approximate weight to purchase.
Pound-weight estimates are rough because calorie density varies widely within each group; treat them as a starting guide and cross-check against nutrition labels. Water is calculated at your entered rate (FEMA minimum: 1 gallon per person per day for drinking and sanitation). The calculator does not account for special dietary needs, the difference between children and adults, or additional water needed for cooking dry goods.
Frequently asked questions
FEMA and the Red Cross suggest planning around 2,000 kcal per adult per day for a sedentary emergency period. Adjust upward for active adults or cold climates (up to 2,500 kcal) and downward for young children (roughly 1,200–1,600 kcal).
Calorie density varies a lot by food type. Dry rice and pasta are very energy-dense (~1,600 kcal/lb), so a relatively small weight covers a large calorie share. Canned vegetables are mostly water, so they weigh far more per calorie.
FEMA recommends a minimum of 1 gallon per person per day for drinking and basic sanitation. Hot climates, physical activity, illness, or the need to cook dry goods can easily double or triple that requirement.
Also known as
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. (2026). Quarantine Food Calculator — Emergency Food Storage Estimator [Online calculator]. TG we-Calculate. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/quarantine-food-calculator
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team. "Quarantine Food Calculator — Emergency Food Storage Estimator." TG we-Calculate. 2026. https://we-calculate.com/calculator/quarantine-food-calculator.
TG we-Calculate Editorial Team, "Quarantine Food Calculator — Emergency Food Storage Estimator," TG we-Calculate, 2026. [Online]. Available: https://we-calculate.com/calculator/quarantine-food-calculator
@misc{wecalculate_quarantine_food_calculator, title = {Quarantine Food Calculator — Emergency Food Storage Estimator}, author = {{TG we-Calculate Editorial Team}}, howpublished = {\url{https://we-calculate.com/calculator/quarantine-food-calculator}}, year = {2026}, note = {TG we-Calculate} }
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