Survival Food Calculator

⬛ Parameters

Daily Calories · per person How many calories per day do you want to have on hand for one person? Adults typically need 1,600–2,400 calories/day depending on age, sex, and activity level. Use the Mayo Clinic calorie calculator to personalize your number: mayoclinic.org/calorie-calculator

Number of People Total people you are planning for. Include everyone in your household, plus any dependents or neighbors you want to cover. Don't forget pets — their food is separate but should also be stockpiled.

Planning Period · days How many days of food do you want to have on hand? Use the quick buttons below or enter your own number. FEMA recommends a minimum of 72 hours (3 days). Most preparedness experts recommend 30–90 days for serious resilience.

Macronutrient Mix These three sliders must total exactly 100%. Adjust each to match your dietary preferences or goals. The calculator shows you exactly what each percentage means in ounces per day — hover each slider label for details.

Protein Set your parameters to see protein details. 40%

Carbohydrates Set your parameters to see carbohydrate details. 40%

Fats Set your parameters to see fat details. 20%

Total: 100%

⚠ Percentages must total 100% to calculate

▦ Food Storage Plan

Set your parameters above to calculate storage requirements

Macro	Cal / Day	Cal / Period	Oz / Day	Oz / Period	Lbs / Period

⚖ Customize Food Sources

Protein Sources · 0 lbs net protein total

Beans are 20% protein by weight — 5 lbs of beans replaces 1 lb of meat protein. Remaining % after chicken + beef goes to beans automatically.

Chicken % Chicken leg quarters (without backbone) are approximately 30% bone by weight. The purchase weight shown below is already adjusted upward to account for this — you need more pounds at the store than you'll actually eat. Ground beef has no bone adjustment needed. 50%

0.00

Chicken · Purchase Weight

incl. 30% bone · net meat: 0.00 lbs

Ground Beef % 50%

0.00

Ground Beef lbs

no bone adjustment needed

Beans (auto) Dry beans are about 20% protein and 80% carbohydrates by caloric content. To get the same protein as 1 lb of meat, you need approximately 5 lbs of dry beans. The carbohydrate contribution of these beans is automatically reflected in the Carbohydrate Sources section below. 0%

0.00

Beans lbs (dry, to buy)

carb contribution tracked below

⚠ Chicken + beef exceed 100% — values scaled proportionally

Carbohydrate Sources · 0 lbs total Auto-adjust beans from protein section When checked, the bean carb contribution is calculated automatically from your protein section bean selection (beans are ~80% carbs by weight). Uncheck to split carbs manually by percentage. In auto mode the Beans slider is disabled.

In auto mode, beans reflect carb contribution from protein-section beans (beans are ~80% carbs by weight). Potatoes are fresh/frozen only — not a shelf-stable long-term option. All dry weights are uncooked.

Rice %50%

0.00

Rice lbs (dry)

Pasta %25%

0.00

Pasta lbs (dry)

Potatoes %0%

0.00

Potatoes lbs 🧊

Beans % (auto)25%

0.00

Beans lbs (dry)

⚠ Carb sources exceed 100% — values scaled proportionally

All weights are uncooked dry weights except potatoes (raw whole).

📐 Storage Estimate · The Cubit

1 Cubit = 1.5 cubic feet of storage space

What is a Cubit?

1 Cubit = 1.5 cubic feet — roughly half a standard pantry shelf (18″ wide × 12″ deep × 12″ tall). We use Cubits as a single unit for both shelf storage and freezer space, so everything compares on the same scale.

📦 1 Cubit holds ~2 five-gallon buckets of dry grain
🥫 1 Cubit holds ~4 large (#10) cans
🫙 1 Cubit holds ~44 quart mason jars
❄️ Typical 5 cu ft chest freezer = 3.3 Cubits
❄️ Standard 20 cu ft upright freezer = 13.3 Cubits
🧊 ~52 lbs of raw meat per Cubit of freezer space

0.0

Cubits · Shelf Storage

dry goods + canned items

0.0

Cubits · Freezer Space

frozen meats (~52 lbs/Cubit)

Your Shelf · Visualized

Protein (meat/beans) Carbs (rice/pasta/beans) Fats (oils) Empty

Storage estimates assume bulk dry packaging (sealed bags/buckets) for grains and beans, standard 15 oz cans for proteins. Your actual containers may vary.

💰 Cost by Purchase Strategy

Prices pre-filled from Knoxville-area tracking · Jul 2026 · edit to match your market

Item	🛒 Fresh/Local $/lb	📦 Big Box Bulk $/lb dry	🥫 Canned Only $/lb equiv	Shelf Life
Chicken (leg qtrs) Price is per pound of purchase weight (including bone). The calculator automatically increases the quantity by 30% to account for bone in leg quarters — so the cost shown is what you will actually spend at the store.	$	$	$	Frozen 6–9 mo Canned 3–5 yr
Ground Beef (73/27)	$	$	$	Frozen 3–4 mo Canned 3–5 yr
Pinto Beans (dry)	—	$	$	Dry sealed 25–30 yr Canned 3–5 yr
White Rice	—	$	$	Dry sealed 25–30 yr Instant 1–2 yr
Pasta (dry)	—	$	no equiv	Dry sealed 25 yr
Potatoes 🧊 fresh/frozen	$	$	$	Fresh 2–3 mo Canned 3–5 yr
Cooking Oils	$	$	—	Sealed 1–4 yr

Total Estimated Cost · Your Plan

🛒 Fresh / Local

$0

$0 / day

Requires freezer power. Best for short-term rotation.

📦 Big Box Bulk · Best Value

$0

$0 / day

Longest shelf life. No power needed. Most economical.

🥫 Canned Only

$0

$0 / day

No prep. No power. Higher cost. 3–5 yr shelf life.

🌾 Sponsor a Cubit

Sponsorship amounts are based on Big Box Bulk dry goods pricing — the most economical shelf-stable option. Actual costs vary by location and market conditions. Prices last updated Jul 2026 from Knoxville-area stores.

0

Total Calories · Period

1

People

2,000

Cal / Person / Day

This is a "you won't starve" baseline. Add salt, spices, leavening agents, vitamins, comfort foods, and pet supplies to your full plan.
Read the full guide on what to buy and how to store it →

The CubitEmergency Food Calculator

⬛ Parameters

▦ Food Storage Plan

⚖ Customize Food Sources

📐 Storage Estimate · The Cubit

💰 Cost by Purchase Strategy

🌾 Sponsor a Cubit

The Cubit
Emergency Food Calculator