I'm not a prepper. I'm not an alarmist. But AIBU to be considering a small stockpile or supplies because of Corona?

[Hollyboba]

I've never done so in my life.

I usually have a wee snort at the preppers board when it pops up in general convos (sorry guys, no offence)

But reading about the Italian villages that have been put on lock down and families can't leave their homes has got me thinking...

Italy isn't a million miles away. Its not a 3rd world country. If its happened there...

Maybe just some bottles of water and some tinned goods? Medicines?

Am I going mad?

Just the more I read about the more sensible it seems. Even if it's not a case of being officially quarantined then it might be a good idea as it goes on not to have to go shopping as often as I do now?

Argh I don't know!

[FabulouslyElegantTits]

I could have written your post OP! .. I'm just going to make sure the cupboards, medicine drawer and freezer are all full 👍🏻

[RhymingRabbit3]

Well it can't hurt can it 🤷‍♀️
I had a small stockpile of things (full freezer, some tinned stuff, UHT milk and some treats) in case of a crash out no deal Brexit. I'm gradually working it down now but wouldn't feel happy in any case having an empty freezer and no back up. If you buys extras of things you like to eat anyway, if you dont need it for emergency you can just use it up later.

[TreesSandSea]

Preppers aren’t alarmist; they’re prepared.

They help because they are not rushing to the shops when everyone realises it would have been a good idea to have a few bits and pieces in ‘just in case’

[ButtWormHole]

I always have a mini stockpile. It makes me really uncomfortable being down to the last of anything, for any reason. I don’t think it will hurt to grab a few bits.

[GregoryGrainog]

I'm starting tomorrow.

[HairyFloppins]

YANBU I am stockpiling at the moment.

[RippleEffects]

I'm 45 and in my adult life there have been ocassions where having a cupboard of dry goods in has been a great benefit. Petrol strikes, deep freeze when living in rural Wales and the lorries couldn't get to town to restock between Christmas and New Year, bank system crashes when cards haven't worked, neighbours turning up on doorstep with bare cupboards, unexpected life events like illness or family drama meaning shopping just doesn't happen.

It's a balance though. Food waste is an ugly thing. Food rotation is important. A few extra bags of pasta, rice, tins and sauces are worthwhile so long as they get built into the meals you plan and periodically replenished.

[ElsieDear]

Same! Just last week I got an old Hello Fresh box and filled it with tins, rice, pasta, UHT milk and biscuits! I've also filled my freezer and cupboards up full and the same for loo paper and nappies etc. It's just in case. If it's nothing then I can use everything I've bought. Tip: Buy some bread flour and yeast so you can make your own bread!

[Blackandgreenteas]

Yeah I’ve still got the remains (no pun) of the Brexit cupboard. Probably never any harm in having a bit in.

[Strictly1972]

I’ve been thinking the same thing you know as it’s payday on Friday. DH will think I’m being dramatic but I don’t think it will do any harm to stock up on things we will use up. We don’t have much freezer space though so will mainly be things that we can keep in the cupboard.

[CaffiSaliMali]

YANBU. I am very relieved that I still have my Brexit stash.

If people can afford to do so it's worth having a decent amount of tins etc. in. I have done so since I became unwell 10 years ago and found myself with days when I wasn't able to leave the house to buy food and lived off crisps and cereal as I was out of soup, beans and bread. You never know when you may be stuck indoors for a few days due to illness or bad weather.

Buying extra pasta, rice, tins etc. now allows the shops to restock. If we do get to a situation where people are panic buying then you don't need to partake. Long life juice is handy to have in, with some UHT milk so you can still have a cup of tea and also some tinned fruit and veg for vitamins. We have only bought things we will use anyway, except the UHT milk. We will donate it to a food bank and replace at some point.

[Butchyrestingface]

Parrot mother here. Not stockpiling for myself but after a slight panic in the local Tesco on discovering that all the bird seed was out of stock, I bulk ordered on Amazon.

Delivery arrives tomorrow.

Otherwise, the cupboards are pretty bare.

[ShopoholicIn]

I had done this 2 weeks back.. no harm in stockpiling.

[sadeyedladyofthelowlandsea]

I always have a stockpile, just in case of anything really. Trying to get anything in the freezer is like a really cold game of Jenga.

But if it helps, a family member who lives in China has had his city go into lockdown. No reported cases near them yet, but all of the residents are ordered to stay at home, aside from essential workers. He/his wife are allowed to leave the house for an hour every two days to buy essentials, but only if they're wearing face masks and surgical gloves. So lockdown isn't necessarily sealing up a plague house, it's limiting contact.
The main thing he's complaining of is being bored out of his skull!

[PonderTweek]

We always have a stockpile. I was just talking to my husband how we need to go through the stuff and check if we need anything just in case. It's not just for shortages, but I just like being prepared in case we all get the flu or something and are unable to get to the shops (this happened last year and we don't really get help from anyone). Always good to have a stash of meds and paracetamol, nurofen etc in case they are needed.

(Although when we first started our stockpile it was for the zombie apocalypse...)

[ShinyMe]

I'm not a prepper in any shape or form, but I could live off the contents of my cupboards and freezer for at least a couple of weeks if I needed to. I got into the habit when I was struggling financially, of buying a bit extra when I could, and having supplies just in case. As @RippleEffects says, it comes in handy at all sorts of times, not just in the event of an apocalypse - illness, bad weather, power cut, sudden poverty, whatever. So long as you can afford it and have the space, and aren't depriving other people, then what harm can it do? Just make sure things don't get out of date.

[Glitterblue]

Since we moved out of town and DH uses the car for work, and now we have a bit more cupboard space, I've started making sure we have a few tins of soup, sweetcorn, tomatoes, beans etc, packets of pasta, jars of curry sauce and pasta sauce, packets of passata etc and various meats and bread in the freezer because some weekends we do run out of time to do a food shop and it's handy to have things in the cupboard and freezer that would make a dinner. So I think I'll do this a bit more, just in case. It's a good idea.

[AlexaShutUp]

I'm stocking up too - medicines, toilet paper, canned food and stuff for the freezer. Better safe than sorry.

[picklemewalnuts]

I'm checking the medicine box for cold remedies, and getting UHT milk and so on. Dog food. I can't imagine being seriously short of anything essential, but the more you have the fewer hard choices you have to make.

[ZarkingBell]

I trying to think what I can add to my stock of tinned chick peas/chopped tomatoes and baked beans to make some nice meals!

[Cuddling57]

I'm starting to make sure my cupboards are full.

[PianoTuner567]

Why do we need UHT milk? Are we expecting the electricity to go off?!

[Neome]

Very good to see so many “non-preppers” planning ahead. It’s bound to help in the long run.

[Gooseysgirl]

Yep! I'm adding a few extra bits to my online grocery shop this week to top up the Brexit stash

[HerkyBaby]

The thing is if you stockpile it means you won’t need to join the panic buyers clearing shelves at supermarkets. My very grounds and sensible husband came home tonight and suggested we get some supplies just in case. Proudly informed him that it was already done. However do need to sort dog food out.