Food & cooking · Emergency preparedness
Emergency supplies replacement dates.
Enter when you filled your water, bought your food and last reviewed your kit, and see when each is due and how many days are left.
Inputs
Due dates
Enter the numbers above.
When to replace emergency water and food
Ready.gov says water that has not been commercially bottled should be replaced every six months, and to re-think your needs every year and update your kit as your family changes. Health Canada says to replace emergency food supplies every year or as indicated by the date on their label. The tool adds six or twelve months to the dates you enter.
Worked example. Today is 8 October 2026. You filled your water containers on 31 March 2026, so the six-month date is 30 September 2026 (the month has no 31st, so the last day is used), which is 8 days overdue. You stocked the food on 1 December 2025, so it is due 1 December 2026, 54 days from today.
Commercially bottled water and canned or packaged food carry their own date: if the label date comes sooner than the date this tool shows, go by the label.
Frequently asked questions
How often should I replace stored emergency water?
Ready.gov says water that has not been commercially bottled should be replaced every six months. Commercially bottled water stays in its sealed original container in a cool, dark place; check the date on the label.
How often should I replace emergency food?
Health Canada says every year or as indicated by the date on the label, whichever comes first.
How often should I review my emergency kit?
Ready.gov says to re-think your needs every year and update the kit as your family’s needs change, and to replace expired items as needed.
Where should I keep the kit?
Public Safety Canada suggests a backpack, duffle bag or wheeled suitcase in an easy-to-reach place such as a front-hall closet, so everyone in the household knows where it is.
Sources
Checked
- Ready.gov, "Water", opened 8 October 2026. replace water that has not been commercially bottled every six months
- Ready.gov, "Build A Kit", opened 8 October 2026. re-think your needs every year, replace expired items
- Health Canada, "Food and drinking water safety in an emergency" (page dated 8 May 2026), opened 8 October 2026. replace emergency food every year or as indicated by the label
- Public Safety Canada, Get Prepared, "Emergency kits", opened 8 October 2026. where to keep the kit
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Scope
The six and twelve month intervals are the published guidance for home supplies; product labels, manufacturers and local authorities may set shorter dates, and those take priority.