Emergency food supplies
In recent years, the government has repeatedly called for people to stock up on home supplies in case of an emergency. People have done this for years, but as extreme weather events, cyber attacks, and unstable energy markets become more commonplace, the Defence Secretary is once again encouraging households to be prepared.
In October 2026, the government published their National Resilience checklist, which includes three days' worth of water, non-perishable food, as well as first aid supplies and other items.
On a basic level, emergency food consists of meals or ingredients which can be stored or delivered when an emergency arises. It is generally long-lasting and does not need refrigeration.
Firepot meals have up to five years in shelf-life. They are made using fresh, all-natural ingredients, which are then preserved using dehydration rather than relying on chemicals or preservatives to guarantee longevity. Firepot was designed for people surviving off dried meals for days, weeks or months at a time, so the nutritional value and the taste of each meal are important in maintaining the real taste of home-cooking.
Why would you need emergency food?
Emergencies are generally unexpected, leaving little time for preparation. Natural disasters (storms or flooding) are a good example of emergency situations, but there are many other scenarios where you might be grateful for an emergency supply of food — they could involve financial or political difficulties, or widespread public health scares (such as viral outbreaks). In any of these situations, having a stock of emergency food relieves some of the immediate pressures felt by a rapid change in circumstances.
What is a Firepot meal?
Firepot has a broad menu based on much loved recipes from around the world. Firepot meals are slow-cooked using fresh, quality ingredients, and only contain the sort of thing you would find in your kitchen at home — no chemicals or additives. Once each recipe is cooked in our kitchen, it is then placed straight into a drying cabinet for 12-16 hours, where it is dehydrated. Then, is placed into a food-grade waterproof pouch, where it can be stored for up to five years until needed.
Home delivery is available for all Firepot meals. Orders are typically packed and shipped within 24 hours of receipt, and sent on a next day service. Various delivery options are available; there are more details of this on our shipping page.
How do you make a Firepot meal?
To eat your Firepot meal, follow these steps:
- Tear open the pouch and remove the oxygen scavenger sachet.
- Pour in boiling water up to the level indicated on the packet.
- Stir and the seal the pouch using the zip-lock strip.
- Let sit for 15 minutes*. Stir again and eat.
*They can also be prepared using cold water if required, but please note that rehydration will take closer to an hour.
Firepot Nutritional Value
All of our food is nutritious, delicious and simple. You’ll recognise all the ingredients and you won’t find any artificial additives, flavourings or preservatives. We only add salt as you would at home - for flavour.
Nutritionally, our meals will provide you with everything you need. For example, our Chilli con Carne provides…
60% of your recommended protein
30% of your recommended carbohydrate
35% of your recommended fibre
...and only 18% of your recommended salt intake
(Based on the recommended daily intake for a UK male)
* Average statistics taken from a range of competitors with same menu item in Sept 2019.
** From an actual competitor’s Chilli Con Carne ingredients.
Firepot Quality
Dehydrated meals are slightly different to the freeze-dried food you will find on the market. Freeze-dried food is based on ingredients which are dried separately and then mixed together later in the process, meaning that the only time the flavours meet is when you add your water to the pouch. It means the taste 'lacks' something.
Our rule of thumb is we only use familiar ingredients you would find in a kitchen cupboard, not a mass-market corporate kitchen. Take a look at how we compare.
