It's that time of year...

....to rotate our 72-hour kits.  This is our food kits.  We used to do this just once a year, but we've found some of the items got a little to crisp for our liking, so we upped it to twice a year.  We all gather our backpacks (which came from unused school pile because they found a cooler one, or you can purchase them cheap at the D.I.) and dump everything into a huge bowl and eat the snacks throughout watching the 2-hour increments of church leaders speaking, or save some for the pantry rotation for after school snacks or ball games. We also have learned to store things we are used to or like eating. You may make changes to your liking, for instance you may have a peanut allergy in your household, but I do think chocolate is a must!

suggested food-type items for kits:
2 instant oatmeal
3 hot chocolate
1 hot cider
1 ramen noodles
3 granola bars
2 fruit snacks or fruit roll-ups
2 jerky
2 pkgs peanut butter crackers
1 pkg raisins
2 capri sun
1 vienna sausage
3 pkg crackers
1 pkg trail mix
1 chex mix bar
1 pkg gum
few tootsie rolls
few pieces hard candy
plastic spoon
ziploc bag to hold foods

 Menu:
Day One
B: oatmeal, hot chocolate
L: trail mix, capri sun
D:1/2 pkg ramen noodles, jerky, fruit snacks

Day Two
B: oatmeal, hot chocolate
L: 2 pkg peanut butter crackers, raisins, capri sun
D: 2 granola bars, jerky, hot cider

Day Three
B: granola bar, hot chocolate
L: 1/2 pkg ramen noodles, chex mix bar
D: vienna sausage, 3 pkg crackers, fruit snacks

Snacks: gum, tootsie rolls, hard candy

*Note: You will need at least 2 liters water (to mix food and to drink), cups, a heat source and small pan
for heating water.  Food kits should be rotated yearly to keep food fresh, but we've found 6 months works best for our family. I usually spend around $50-$60 for my family of 6 for the food kits.

We also have 1 set of clothes for each person in our backpacks. The adults usually stay, but since children grow like weeds, it is also a good time to rotate their clothes as well. We keep a pair of underwear, socks, long pants, t-shirt, long sleeve shirt or hoodie in them, and our camping shoes are in the garage for a quick grab.
For additional items we have 1 solar or crank radio, 1 roll of toilet paper, a small first aid kit, waterproof matches, a heat source, and extra water in the adult bags. In all of them we have a mess kit, disposable poncho, emergency sleeping bag & blanket, shaker flashlight, an all-in-one compass-whistle-mirror, activity books and crayons, small toy or comfort item, travel size toothpaste & toothbrush, any medication that person may need, and hand sanitizer.
For the little ones in your family, you may want to pack some children's motrin, and their medication in your bag just to be safe.
I just thought of this one to add this year; a wallet size family pic, (in case you get seperated, hopefully you won't).
Always better to be safe than sorry! It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark! Hoping we never have to use these, but knowing I am prepared brings my mind more peaceful bliss!