N.C. Cooperative Extension - Brunswick County Center offers the Hurricane Meal Kits program in-person and virtually! This program provides participants with more detailed information on nutritious foods to include in a hurricane preparedness food kit. Read more about hurricane food kits below and contact Avery Ashley, FCS Agent, to schedule Hurricane Meal Kits for your community.

---

North Carolina, especially the Southeast region, typically experiences adverse weather, tropical storms, or a hurricane between the months of June and October. These occurrences can be hard to predict, so the best way to handle hurricane season is to be prepared with a hurricane kit! A typical hurricane kit includes flashlights, batteries, gas for a generator, water, etc. Some essential items people often forget to prepare are shelf-stable and nutritious food items.

Watch

• Hurricane Meal Preparation class presented by the N.C. Cooperative Extension - Brunswick County Center last week at Barbee Library, here's a recording of the event you can watch anytime!
  • Hurricane Meal Preparation done by Extension Master Food Volunteers at Barbee Library in Oak Island.
• Thanks to Star Communications and the N.C. Cooperative Extension- Sampson County Center for this YouTube video! View Sydney, Sampson FCS Agent, and Meghan, Brunswick FCS Agent, demonstrating some of their favorite Hurricane Cookbook recipes.

Foods to Consider

• Canned or packaged fruits, no sugar added.
• 100% fruit juices.
• Canned vegetables and beans, no salt added or reduced-sodium.
• Canned tuna, packed in water.
• Shelf-stable milk
• Unsalted nuts and seeds

Recipes and Sample Meal Plan

• Recipes from N.C. Cooperative Extension - Brunswick County Center
• Hurricane Cookbook from Florida International University
• Example Shopping List & Meal Plan
• Safe Plates Handouts
• Customize these to fit your family's needs and preferences 

Helpful Tips

• Buying a little each trip can also help spread the cost over a couple of months.
• Once you have the menus and shopping lists written, they can be stored from year to year, and you won’t have to do that work each year.
• Having nutritious foods on hand and having a meal plan can help reduce stress and anxiety when it is a genuine emergency.

Resources
NC State Extension Preparedness Factsheets 
University of Florida IFAS Extension: Think Nutrition Safe Plates- Food Safety Information Center