Nail on the head. I suspect that a lot of people wouldn't think to count themselves as "preppers" or "survivalists" who have 30 days' or so of supplies on hand just as a matter of course.
There's a lucrative industry in selling MREs, but for most uses that's silly. If you live someplace where you're likely to encounter a blizzard, keep a couple in the trunk in case you're trapped in the car. At home, it's simple enough to be prepared for 99% of scenarios: just keep a supply of canned veggies, dry basics like beans, rice and ramen noodles, and a big bag of charcoal briquettes. Maybe some energy bars and multivitamins. A well-stocked freezer will hold you for the first few days.
The key is to remember that you're not stocking a Civil Defense shelter, where you stockpile food and forget about it for decades. Don't buy "survival food" that will go to waste if the world doesn't end in the next 3-5 years; buy food you'll actually eat, eat the cans closest to their expiration date, and replenish the supply as you go.
I am currently preparing Disaster Prep kits for my kids and a few friends.
Each kit contains:
#10 can of hulled barley
#10 can of popcorn
#10 can of instant potatoes
#10 can of quick cook oatmeal
Small can of dehydrated cheddar cheeze
Packed in vacuum sealed mylar bags with oxygen absorbers:
20 lbs. white rice
8 lbs. dehydrated pinto beans
1 lb. nonfat dry milk
Glass jar of sugar
Glass jar of salt
Assorted spices in small glass jars
The whole mess fits in a small ice chest which can be stored in the back of a closet. At normal indoor temps, most of this will still be good to eat in 20 years
I have eaten rice and beans before that I stored in less than optimal conditions after 15 years, and it was OK.
If you want to do something similar you need mylar food bags, oxygen absorbers (see Walton Feed below), a vacuum sealer (Food Saver), and bulk bags of food (try a restaurant supply). The only problem that I have had in the past was putting up food with too much moisture so it went moldy. This time I am drying my beans, etc. in opened jars in the front seat of my truck since it gets pretty hot sitting out in the sun.
waltonfeed.com is a great supplier. Buy a pallet at a time to save on shipping. Thanks to them I mill my own flour and make great bread at home with black strap molasses.
My greatest survival assets are my good neighbors. I have stored extra food to share with the needy. Every-man-for-himself does not work for me.