You don’t need to be a doomsday prepper to ensure you and your family can weather a storm, a period of self-isolation, or a quarantine. Having a ready stock of basic supplies will help you stay safe and comfortable until the trouble passes.

Consider the needs of everyone in your household – including pets – when putting together a list of items you’ll need during an extended stay at home. Here are some things you should have a supply of for a minimum of two weeks.

One Month Supply of Medications – Having a month’s supply of prescription and over-the-counter medications will greatly reduce your trips to the pharmacy. This should include pet prescriptions along with flea and tick meds.

Fresh Food – To limit trips to the grocery store, choose longer lasting fresh food items like squash, onions, potatoes, apples, and oranges.

Refrigerated Food – To avoid spoilage, choose longer lasting foods like yogurt, eggs, cheese, carrots, and deli meat. And consider switching to oat or almond milk which can last almost twice as long as dairy milk.

Frozen Food – Choose nutrient-dense foods like chicken, seafood, veggie burgers and other meat substitutes, as well some frozen vegetables and fruit.

Dry Staples – A good supply of dry staples will allow you to stretch your fresh food inventory. Make sure you have enough (but not too much!) flour, sugar, cooking oil, brown rice, dried beans, dried pasta, and spices.

Non-Perishable Items – If you have a baby in the house, stock up on baby food and infant formula if not nursing. Stock the snack cabinet or pantry with popcorn, crackers, granola bars, fruit leathers, as well as canned soup, vegetables, and fruits.

Pet Supplies – Have a two-week supply of pet food, treats, cat litter, pee-pads and anything else you might need to keep your pets happy and healthy.

Personal Hygiene Products – Sure, you might be forced to stay home for a while, but that doesn’t mean your hygiene routine can take a back seat. Check supplies of bath and shower essentials as well as toothpaste, deodorant, shaving supplies, and feminine hygiene products.

Cleaning Supplies – When dealing with a pandemic, it’s important to help stop the spread of germs and viruses. The first line of defense is frequent and thorough hand washing, so make sure you have enough soap. Also, keep a few containers of disinfectant wipes on hand, some hand sanitizer (or make your own), and disinfectant sprays.

At Now Security Systems, it’s our job and pleasure to help customers like you enjoy a heightened sense of security and preparedness.