Houston winter storm: Budget-friendly power outage shopping list

HOUSTON - Now is the time to make sure you have emergency supplies in case you lose power during the incoming winter storm, but we know times are tight for many households. We’ve put together a shopping list to build an emergency kit for a family of four for under $100.

Winter storm watch: Emergency essentials

Big picture view:

As FOX 26 meteorologist John Dawson always says, we need five essentials in a power outage: 

1. Food 
2. Water 
3. Light
4. Power source to charge cell phones
5. First aid kit

What you can do:

Real Simple magazine offers a shopping list for healthy foods to keep you feeling good through stress: First, buy non-perishables:  peanut butter, crackers, nuts, trail mix, granola, dried fruit, canned tuna, salmon, chicken or turkey, canned veggies, canned beans, condensed milk.

You can also buy some perishables that will last a few days if they have to sit out at room temperature:  apples, citrus fruit, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, bread, and tortillas.   

You’ll need one gallon of water per person per day.  The cost of a gallon jug of water is about the same as buying it in smaller bottles, so you can choose what works best for you. 

You can find small kits with a few flashlights, small lanterns, and batteries for about $10–$12.

If you already have a cell phone charger in your car, you’re ahead of the game.  Or you can buy a charger for as low as $6 and plug into your car’s battery to recharge cell phones.

By the numbers:

Here’s what we bought:

• $75 on food and water 
• $10 box of small lights with batteries
• $6 car cell phone charger 
• $7 first aid kit

We spent a rota of $98 plus tax for the essentials to help a family of four get through a power outage for up to three days. 

Click here for the latest on Houston's winter storm watch.