The short answer
A 72-hour emergency kit needs food that requires no fridge or cooker, lasts months while sealed and comes in single portions: tinned food with ring pulls, nuts, packaged crackers or toast and dried fruit. Born's 40 g fruit pouches tick all three boxes: they need no fridge, last up to 12 months with the pack sealed and each one is a portion for one person.
Why 72 hours
The European Commission encourages people to keep "essential supplies for a minimum of 72 hours in emergencies", according to its Preparedness Union Strategy of March 2025. In Catalonia, the Generalitat campaign "Prepara't. Protegeix-te. El teu kit sempre a punt!" asks people to keep the kit at home, close to the door.
These are three days when the power, the fridge, the cooker or the chance to go shopping may be gone: a long blackout, a road cut off by a flood or a lockdown at home.
What food to choose
Five conditions for a food to go in the kit:
- No fridge. If it spoils without cold, it is no use.
- No cooking. There may be no power or gas.
- Long shelf life. Months while sealed, so you do not have to swap it every week.
- Single portions. You open what you eat and the rest stays sealed.
- Light weight. If you have to leave home, the backpack has to be carryable.
The list
| Food | Why it goes in | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Water | The first thing in the kit | The Generalitat recommends a minimum of 1.5 litres per person per day |
| Tinned food with ring pulls | Protein without cooking | Heavier; choose small tins |
| Nuts | A lot of food for little weight | Allergens: check who is going to eat it |
| Packaged crackers or toast | A base for any meal | Better in small packs |
| Dried fruit in pouches | Fruit without a fridge, in a sealed portion | One 40 g pouch per person and meal |
How much fruit per person
One pouch a day per person is a simple way to count. For 72 hours:
| People at home | Pouches for 3 days | Packs of 6 × 40 g |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 1 (3 left over) |
| 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 4 | 12 | 2 |
Each pack has 6 pouches of 40 g, 240 g in total. A mango pouch has 130 kcal and a pineapple one has 137 kcal, calculated from the values per 100 g on each pack.
Evidence
- European recommendation: essential supplies for a minimum of 72 hours, according to the European Commission note of 26 March 2025 on the Preparedness Union Strategy.
- Water: the Generalitat de Catalunya campaign recommends a minimum of 1.5 litres per person per day.
- Fruit storage: "No fridge needed. Shelf life: up to 12 months with the pack sealed", according to the Born product pages.
- Format: pack of 6 pouches of 40 g of mango, pineapple, coconut or black cherries, according to the Born product pages.
- Ingredients: mango, pineapple, coconut and black cherries have a single ingredient, the fruit, according to their packs.
Example
A family of four in Barcelona packs the kit in a backpack by the door: 18 litres of water, four tins of tuna and four of pulses with ring pulls, two packs of toast, a bag of nuts and two packs of fruit pouches, one mango and one pineapple. Twelve pouches: one per person per day for three days.
On the label of each pack they write the best-before date. When two months are left, they eat them as snacks and replace them.
Limits
- Fruit is not the kit's food, it is one part. Born's pouches give you fruit without a fridge; the base is water, tinned food and the rest of the list.
- Born is not certified emergency food. It is soft dried fruit that needs no fridge.
- Shelf life applies with the pack sealed. Once opened, the pouch is eaten that day.
- Allergens: the packs warn that they may contain traces of nuts and peanut.
- Every home is different. Medication, babies, older people or pets change the list: follow the guidance of Civil Protection and your autonomous community.
Next step
- Packs of single pouches: mango, pineapple, coconut and black cherries.
- All the fruit in pouches: pure fruit.
- What it is and how to store it: dried, soft dried or freeze-dried fruit.
Related questions
What food needs no fridge for an emergency kit?
Tinned food with ring pulls, nuts, packaged crackers or toast and dried fruit. Born's fruit pouches need no fridge and last up to 12 months sealed, according to their product pages.
What should I eat in a blackout with no power or fridge?
What needs no cooking or chilling: tinned food, toast, nuts and dried fruit. First the fridge food that could spoil; the kit is for when that runs out.
How often should the kit's food be replaced?
Check the dates every few months. Born's fruit lasts up to 12 months with the pack sealed: when the date gets close, eat it and replace the pack.
How much dried fruit should I pack per person?
One 40 g pouch per person per day is a simple count: 3 per person for 72 hours.
Is dried fruit good for the emergency backpack?
Yes, if it comes in sealed portions and needs no fridge. Each Born pouch weighs 40 g and stays sealed until opened.