The Government Said Stock Up. We Said: Broth.
The UK government wants every home to keep a few days’ worth of food and water in. Here’s what it actually suggests (no panic), and why bone broth powder, high in protein and collagen, with a minimum 12-month shelf life and no fridge needed, is the cupboard staple you’ll actually want.
In this guide
Have you seen the government’s advice about keeping an emergency kit at home? Did your first thought go to a cupboard full of beige tins you’d only eat if the world was actually ending?
Same. So here’s the calm, no-panic version: what’s actually being suggested, what’s worth having in, and the one cupboard staple that lasts for months, takes up next to no room and tastes like someone cares.
What the government actually recommends
The UK government’s Prepare campaign encourages every household to be ready to look after itself for a few days if something unexpected happens, like a power cut, a flood or a storm that knocks out the water supply. It’s not a prediction that anything will happen. It’s the same thinking as keeping plasters in the bathroom cabinet.
The suggestion is to keep at least three days’ worth of food and water for everyone in your home, plus a few useful bits:
- Bottled water. The government suggests 10 litres per person per day is most comfortable.
- Non-perishable food, including some that doesn’t need cooking, plus food for any pets.
- A battery-powered or wind-up torch and radio, with spare batteries.
- A power bank for your phone.
- A first aid kit, hand sanitiser and wet wipes.
- Any medication you need, plus baby supplies if you have little ones.
That’s it. Nobody is asking you to dig a bunker. Just to have a few days’ worth of the basics in.
The problem with most “emergency food”
Think about what usually ends up in the back of the cupboard. A tin of soup from two Christmases ago. A packet of crackers. Stock cubes that are mostly salt. All technically food. None of it anything you’d look forward to.
And tins are heavy and bulky. Three days of tinned soup for a family of four is a lot of tins, and most of them give you one bowl each. Open one and you’ve got a day or two in the fridge to finish it.
So what would actually make a few rough days better? Something warm. Something savoury. Something with real nutrition in it, not just salt and filler. And something that doesn’t take up the whole cupboard.
Why bone broth powder is made for stocking up
The whole point of a stockpile is food that waits patiently until you need it. That’s exactly what a pouch of Honest + Good bone broth powder does.
- A minimum 12-month shelf life. Pop it in the cupboard and forget about it. It’ll be there when you need it.
- No fridge needed. Ever. It lives in the cupboard, before you open it and after. If the power goes off, your broth doesn’t care.
- Still good after you open it. Reseal the pouch, keep it somewhere cool and dry, and you can keep using it right up to the best-before date. No “eat within 3 days” panic, no half-tin going furry at the back of the fridge.
- A warm mug without cooking anything. Boil the kettle, add one tablespoon, stir. A warm, savoury mug in under a minute. No pans, no recipe, no washing up.
- 30 servings in one slim pouch. Roughly the size of a bag of sugar, so it barely takes up any room.
Which means it never goes to waste. Use it on a cold Tuesday, top up with another pouch, and your cupboard is always ready.
Why it’s the nicest thing in the cupboard
Long-lasting is only half of it. There’s a lot of goodness packed into that spoonful.
- High in protein. 8g per tablespoon in Chicken + Vegetable, 7.7g in Beef Marrow and 9.6g in Pure Beef.
- High in collagen. 3,150mg per tablespoon in Chicken + Vegetable, 6,500mg in Beef Marrow and 8,500mg in Pure Beef.
- Nothing to hide. British free-range chicken or British grass-fed beef, slow-simmered for up to 16 hours. No fillers, no thickeners, no artificial ingredients.
- More than a drink. Swap it in for stock in soups, rice, pasta, gravy and stews, so your other cupboard staples taste like a proper meal.
- Every batch tested. Made in small batches in the UK.
Power cut? A gas hob, a camping stove or a flask you filled when the storm warning came in all do the job. A warm mug when the lights are out does wonders for morale.
Cupboard staples, compared
| H+G bone broth powder | Tin of soup | Stock cubes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fridge after opening? | No. Cupboard until its best-before | Yes, and eat within a day or two | No |
| Cooking needed? | No. Just boil the kettle | Heat in a pan | Needs something to go in |
| Servings | 30 mugs per 300g pouch | 1–2 bowls per 400g tin | Flavour only, not a meal |
| Protein | 77–96g per 100g of powder | Usually just a few grams per 100g | Mostly salt and flavourings |
| Collagen | 3,150–8,500mg per tablespoon | Not something you’ll see on the label | Not something you’ll see on the label |
| Cupboard space | One slim pouch | A tin for every meal | Small, but not much use alone |
| Would you actually want it? | Yes. Award-winning taste. | Depends how hungry you are | Not on its own |
Protein per 100g of powder
Collagen per tablespoon
What we’d actually put in the cupboard
A sensible, no-fuss three-day kit for a household, with a bit of comfort built in:
Bottled water for everyone, plus a full flask you can top up when there’s a storm warning.
Crackers, oatcakes, nut butter, tinned fish, dried fruit. Things you can eat straight from the packet.
30 warm, savoury mugs, high in protein and collagen, and stock for anything you do cook. No fridge, no cooking, minimum 12 months on the shelf.
Cooked in broth instead of water, they taste like dinner rather than survival.
A torch, a radio, spare batteries and a charged power bank.
Plasters, medication, hand sanitiser and wet wipes. And something for the dog.
The best part? None of it goes to waste. Use the broth whenever you fancy a mug, then pop another pouch in the cupboard. That’s the whole system.
Questions people ask
How long does bone broth powder last?
Honest + Good bone broth powder has a minimum shelf life of 12 months. Check the best-before date on your pouch.
How long does it last once opened?
Right up to the best-before date. Just reseal the pouch, keep it somewhere cool and dry, and always use a dry spoon.
Does bone broth powder need to go in the fridge?
No. Not before opening, and not after. The cupboard is all it needs.
Do I need to cook it?
No. Boil the kettle, stir a tablespoon into a mug of hot water, and it’s ready. You can also use it as stock if you are cooking.
How much food should I keep at home for an emergency?
The government suggests at least three days’ worth of non-perishable food and water for everyone in your home, including some food that doesn’t need cooking.
Is bone broth good emergency food?
It’s a brilliant cupboard staple: long-lasting, no fridge needed, no cooking, high in protein and collagen, and endlessly useful. Pair it with a few no-cook foods for times when you can’t heat water.
Do I need to panic buy?
No. The idea is to build up a few days’ worth of basics gradually, as part of your normal shop. Nobody needs a trolley full of tins.
Our pick
For the cupboard, we’d go for Chicken + Vegetable Bone Broth Powder. It’s the people pleaser: a Taste of the West Gold winner made with British free-range chicken, carrot, rosemary and thyme, with 8g of protein and 3,150mg of collagen per tablespoon, and no added salt. A minimum 12-month shelf life, no fridge, no cooking, and it’s comforting as a mug and just as good as stock for soups, rice and gravy. Want one for the beef lovers too? Add Beef Marrow, with 6,500mg of collagen per tablespoon. Mix and match any broths and save up to 15%.
Shop Chicken + Vegetable Bone Broth Powder →
Shop Beef Marrow Bone Broth Powder →
Related Reading
- How Much Bone Broth a Day?
- How Much Protein Do I Need?
- High-Protein Savoury Snacks
- Beef Marrow Broth
- Ten-Minute Broth Ramen
Sources & Further Reading
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