This is not a Valentine’s Day message, even though it may just be around the corner. But a sure-fire call to equip yourself when disaster strikes. Because of our quest for more wealth (of the useless kind called money), of cutting down forests, dumping lakes and rivers with toxins, and polluting the earth—there’s a retaliation from Mother Nature. And it’s packing a mighty punch. Storms, earthquakes, forest fires, tornados, hurricanes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, avalanches, floods, cyclones, typhoons and even drought could all be the result of man mismanaging all the God-given resources given to him to rule over, and prosper from. Natural disasters you will admit are becoming catastrophic. The reality is: are you ready when the D-day strikes? Nobody’s trying to scare anybody but here are some to-do’s if, when or what-if an unannounced winter storm occurs.

• Keep at least a couple of torches handy. Batteries should be included. It’s important to have matches, candles, and wood or coal as a back-up plan.

• It’s going to be cold. Make no bones about that. Before you hear the clatter (of the chattering of your teeth) stack up on the blankets, rugs, flannel clothing, jumpers, scarves, and quilts.

• Store plenty of water—they’re available in containers of up to 10 litres or even more. If there’s no space in the house, try stocking up in the garage. Unopened stored water lasts for over 6 months. Don’t bother about the soda or pop as these will only intensify thirst.

• Canned food is good—especially in today’s day and age of low sodium. Here are the must-haves: all kinds of beans: red, white, or black. Tins of mixed fruits, peaches, processed cheese, cheese whiz, peanut butter, chick peas, soups with less salt, sardines, tuna, salmon, corned beef, even spam, ham, chicken, oysters, clams, mushrooms, don’t be shy, all food is good food, and sometimes as hunger beckons, even the pickiest eater has to brave it strongly. There’s a famous British commercial for Antacid that depicts two travelers in a boat on a choppy sea. The camera keeps focusing on the sea-sick travelers, till it pulls back to show just one traveler left behind, and then he belches, and every viewer knows what he’s had for dinner.

• Nuts and dried fruits—almonds, walnuts, peanuts, cashewnuts, pinenuts, trail mixes, raisins, sultanas, dried figs, dates, apricots, pecans, pistachios, brazil nuts, macadamia, soy, pumpkin or sunflower seeds—you can never go wrong with all of these, come what may, rain, shine, cloudy weather or a thunderstorm.

• Health bars especially the store bought ones can pack a wallop of unnecessary fats, sugars and carbohydrates—so get the ones that go easy on all of the above, and also watch the sodium as the more salty the food as I mentioned earlier, the more likely you are to feel thirsty.

• Biscuits, crackers, or cookies—all of these have to have a lot more fibre because they’ll leave you feeling less hungry. Ditto for snacks like corn chips. Multigrain is better.

• Milk is good, but if your refrigerator, or freezer has no power supply it’s going to spoil or turn rancid. Stock an adequate supply of tinned milk—evaporated is great, so is milk powder that can just be stirred in water for a quick energy fix. Condensed milk is fine too but has to be heavily diluted with water or else it could feel like a sticky, liquidy dessert.

• Berries are great as food-fillers. And they can also keep your mind and heart healthy, which is exactly what you need when stuck indoors in a storm with the wind howling murder outdoors. Check these dried ones out: blueberries, cranberries, strawberries, sour cherries, gogi berries, bing cherries, blackberries.

• Most fruit juices needs to be refrigerated but there are some exceptions especially a South African brand that probably needs to be exported and transported Trans-Atlantic so it may store better and keep for a longer time.

• Dry pulses—lentils—yellow and orange, black-eyed peas, all kinds of beans, green peas and green, white, or black gram. All of these once hydrated can be wholly consumed.

• Chocolate and candy. Black chocolate with 70% cacao is the best. Candy should have dual therapeutic purpose—for coughs, or colds as well. Stock up on the peanut brittle, almond rock and sesame seed bars.

• Finally if you are South Asian and miss all the curries, and need a little bit of heat amass and store all the possible chivdas you can lay your hands on—the spicier the better. There are also tinned and packed varieties galore of sarson-da-saag, channa masalas, sambhars, pickles and pau-bhajis. Make sure you have a stockpile of toilet rolls on hand. Just in case.

Jude Paul Fernandes is the author of ‘Frost Bites’ and can be followed on twitter @JudePaulFerns