The good news is, if you’re stuck in a power outage due to a winter storm… take well packaged food and put it in a bin packed in snow outside… instant freezer. However, there are numerous events, like wind events that can take out power and leave your food spoiling for days (get it out of your house!). In these events, you’ll want a steady supply of high calorie meals that take up almost no room in the house. Open these up, heat up some water, boom you have a meal.

Ok. These are the best. Yes you could get a heavy duty Coleman Stove, or even an upgraded version of this stove that takes propane tanks as well. But this stove is great because it can be used directly on top of your kitchen table. Forget the disaster, fondue or nabe bowl here we come! We like items that can be used both in an emergency, or for regular day use. These are small, the butane cans last a long time, and it will help you heat food or water in minutes.

This amazing generator from Caterpillar is an all-in-one solution. We would suggest charging it up and leaving it in your trunk. It’s great for starting a car providing enough amps to charge household electronics. Simply bring it inside and charge away.

This should go without saying, matches provide so many features- if the portable stove doesn’t light, if you have a fireplace, if you’re in a power outage during a birthday party- get waterproof matches that allow you to reduce stress when you’re in an environment designed to stress you out.

Another obvious answer here… get some water. Now, others like to get the water pouches… what a waste. Water bottles are great because you can use them for a day hike, grab-and-go, or when you need water for a few days. The pouches just stay there, unused until a rare emergency happens. Buy water bottles and rotate as you get low on supply.

When the power goes out and you lose internet connectivity… you’re going to want to know why, for how long, what potential issues there may be out there (for example, a tornado event), getting answers from the National Weather Service will dramatically reduce your stress.

One of the major problems in a power shutdown is food spoiling. Prevent food from going bad by investing in a cooler. Pro tip- also great for medicines. If you have a medication that needs refrigeration- get this.

Extra batteries will make your life easier.

Simply plug this fan into your portable generator for some much needed cooling off.

For those who really want to mitigate a power outage, here is a whole house generator. Big caveat: Use an electrician to set up the port for your home. NEVER place inside. You will also need to have fuel ready, and gas stations may not be able to pump gas. All things to consider.

Now, you might be thinking you have plenty of blankets at home- and you’re probably right… but wool blankets can be used for a lot of different uses, other than covering you up when you’re cold. If you have to evacuate your home, you don’t want to drag that nice blanket on your bed… even worse, if it gets wet, it’s not useless. A wool blanket can provide warmth even when wet. So leaving in a hurry because a snow, ice, or rain storm? Get a blanket that doesn’t care. If you do need to stay at home, these can provide great insulation for an animal, either directly, or indirectly like on a cage. You can also use these blankets to keep items either warm or cold- depending on the need.

These are the best! Battery powered lanterns that expand to either provide a traditional lantern or collapse to provide a flashlight option! Even better… wait for it… they have magnetic bottoms! Because they are compact, you can just stick on on the fridge to access if the power goes out. Store one on the opposite end in the house, one in the car, and one in your camping bag- 4 lanterns for the win.

This is a backup to the backup…if you have the CAT portable generator, you’ll be ok… but that can only charge so many things at once. Having an extra battery pack per phone, makes life simpler. Keep it in a purse or backpack for those every day uses when phones are low on battery.

When the power goes out, so does the heat. Grabbing a couple of these can make life easier. Pro tip- cracking a window to help air flow can do a lot of good for your body. Do it during the day to help energize you and keep the house from keeping the cold in.

Time to put all of your supplies in the same place. Get a tub- will make it easy for you if you need to jump in the car.

Glowsticks are fun for camping and a great way to add some light during a power outage. Pro tip, place next to a corner of a wall or under a ceiling fan light bulb to add more reflective light.

Storing gas can be tricky. You also need enough gas to power that whole house generator, so you’ll need to consider consumption, as well. Remember gas stations may not be able to pump gas during a power outage.