Cooking during an emergency situation is possible in a number of ways. From heating your meal to food preparation on a larger scale in emergency situations, this article covers it all.

Before we start, it’s important to note that it is not recommended to use an emergency generator to power an electric stove or microwave if you are not experienced in the preparation process. Gas, wood, or charcoal are the most effective types of fuel for cooking.

Stoves and microwaves consume a lot of Watts of power in a short duration. It’s better to use different methods of cooking or heating foods. Stoves made of gas are usually fitted with electronic ignition. So, they will not operate as planned in the lack of power.

1 – Hot Meals/Portable Cooking Bags

The simplest way to cook food that doesn’t require electricity is by using food containers that have integrated heating components. A snap or twist causes a chemical reaction in certain regions of the container (for instance, a twist over one of the sides of the bowl). The chemical reaction creates enough heat to heat the contents of the container.

2 – Minicamp Stoves

The tiny cooktops can fold up flat for storage and are designed to give you an extra cooking area that can be placed on top of the tiny, circular tank of fuel (Sterno and the liquid bottle that contains gasoline).

The output of heating isn’t as great, so it’s the best option for warming up or reheating food, instead of making a complete meal from scratch,

3 A mobile Butane Stove

Like a more powerful laptop (but more durable), the portable butane stoves are able to be carried almost everywhere. They produce enough heat to enable “real” cooking. However, the butane pots are costly and can only accommodate a small amount of gas. These are ideal for cooking emergencies in the kitchen, for those with small space.

4 – Propane Grill

The propane cooker you already own can serve as a primary source of heat for summer events and can also be used as an emergency stove. The good aspect is that many homeowners have stoves and already know the proper use of these stoves.

The drawback could be that these aren’t suited for indoor use. It can be extremely difficult, or even impossible, to use during extreme weather conditions like hurricanes and snowstorms. Have a spare propane tank in your inventory.

5 – Charcoal Grill 

Grills made of charcoal aren’t as well-known as they used to be, but they’re still being used by a small number of people. They come with the same restrictions as propane grills. They are not suitable for smaller amounts of cooking or long-term slow cooking.

If you have one, purchase a chimney starter to keep your briquettes burning with no starter liquid.

6 – Open Fire

Be aware that there is some skill needed for cooking over open flames. There is no knob to turn or button that you press to change temperatures.