"Be prepared" are two words that should be taken to heart in these uncertain times.  When purchasing survival supplies, here are a few things that should be considered.  Whether it is a few extra bottles of water in case the water is shut off temporarily or enough food to last weeks in the event of a huge disaster choose the freshest and best quality survival supplies.  To begin with check the expiration date that is printed on each item that you store.  Products that are consumable from water to medicines will be dated for use and expiration.  Choose the items with the longest amount of time on them so they will be usable for an emergency.

Stock supplies that you already use.  Fill the pantry with a months supply of canned and packaged foods in case you are not able to get to a store.  Use the items in your daily life and replace them, keep the longest expiration dates at the back.  Some items are good for one or two years, but check them to stay current with your needs.  It's tempting to buy pre-packaged survival supplies, but you may not need them for years and they could expire.  It's best to keep supplies that you use regularly and are familiar with because they will be replaced often and the dates will be safe.

Be prepared for the worst situations.  Be sure to have a radio included in your survival supplies, store extra batteries, using and replacing them to keep them strong.  It will be important for you to hear emergency broadcasts, if disaster strikes, to keep your family safe.  There are hand cranked radios that will work without batteries that might be worth looking into and could be more valuable than one that is battery operated.  

Buy top grade supplies.  Any small tools to be included with your survival supplies should be of good quality and durable as well as rust proof.  Can openers or knives that are stored, get damp and then rust won't do any good when an emergency hits. Keep a small kit at hand with necessary tools that can be picked up easily and carried with you when needed.

Choose long lasting survival supplies.  The hand cranked radio will be of more value in case of an emergency that lasts for days and any other supplies chosen that will be usable after several days will be better to have than the ones that fail in a short time.