Family thinks I’m overreacting

[Aneira11]

Whilst they expect some supply chain delays around Brexit, both my DH and sister think that my stockpiling plans are OTT.

We have plenty of storage space, which helps, as I’d planned for 8 weeks worth of food. However, we’d never usually eat tinned food (at the moment I only use tinned tomatoes and coconut milk), so they think I’m being a bit daft to buy in sardines/spam/beans/tinned fruit etc. I’m basing my shopping list on the Tin Can lady (Jack).

Realistically how many weeks/months are you stockpiling for? I suppose whatever we don’t use could be donated to the food bank.

Anyone else facing similar cynicism from their family?

[ThatPeskyElf]

I’m on the fence, seems like for some disruption but not sure it’s going to be as apocalyptic as some on here are saying?

People I’ve asked in RL think I’m a bit bonkers when I’ve asked them if they are stockpiling.

[ElyElyOy]

I don’t think many people I’ve seen in the prepper threads suggest it’s going to be apocalyptic - and some of the more serious preppers are just serious preppers, nothing to do with Brexit.

My family are quite cynical but I don’t stockpile, I just buy things on offer, and always have a few spares of things so they don’t think any different of me with the few Brexit-specific preps that I’m making.

If you are following Jack Monroes schedule could you maybe “sell it” that you are doing it from a health/finance/ease angle (her little experiment seems to show improved health from doing it). Maybe you could incorporate 1 or 2 tin meals/puddings in to your weekly normal meals and see how well they are received?

Overall though I wouldn’t worry about other people and their opinions: and hopefully the food banks will have a really good influx of donations in April :)

[OVAgroundWOMBlingfree]

Sadly I don’t think you are overreacting.

Perhaps spend sometime researching inventive ways to use the tin goods before Jack Monroe comes out with her book (I am sure she had some decent ones on her blog back when it first started) to try and persuade them.

Think about perhaps dehydrating (dehydrators are relatively inexpensive) and storing veg that way if it is tins that really puts them off.

Ask them what they would struggle without if there were even temporary shortages or rolling shortages and ask how they would like to prepare for that situation.

[bellinisurge]

Don't like Jack Monroe but whatever works for you or anyone else. If she gets people thinking about it , good for her.
Buy what you will actually eat. Ignore people who think you are mad. You can always give it away if it's shelf stable and you don't need it.
Don't announce your supplies to all and sundry or they will start relying on you and your supplies.

[LiviFri]

Agree with OvaGround. SO MANY things you can do with tinned fish and tinned tomatoes, pulses and oil. You can sell this as trying new dishes and going healthier. On top of which, once Brexit happens, food standards will go out the window (chlorinated chicken anyone?). So it makes sense not just to have supplies ready but - if you are a meat and fish eater - to think about adjusting your diet to a hike in prices and a serious drop in safety standards. And of course it's January so plenty of articles to convince family about going more Mediterranean as it's so much healthier, e.g. edition.cnn.com/2019/01/02/health/mediterranean-best-diet-2019/index.html/

[LiviFri]

edition.cnn.com/2019/01/02/health/mediterranean-best-diet-2019/index.html

Hopefully this link ok :)

[Tiredofit]

Similar scepticism in our house. Only ds3 (12) thinks I’m talking sense so I’ve stopped mentioning it to the others. Unfortunately I haven’t really started stocking yet as I’ve had no money with Christmas but yesterday I “tidied out” our large cupboard and filled the bottom shelves with empty cardboard boxes which I shall fill as I am able. I have a grocery order coming on Tuesday, half of which is items for my boxes. I shall say nothing about it, just wait to see what happens.

[Autumnbloom]

Not usually one to prepare for something, but I am finding the whole instability of the political situation worrying, anything could happen, they seem to be just making stuff up now and May seems very stubborn and obsessed by her goal. My husband thinks i’m Batshit, but is humouring me, he even picked up a few extra bits. Either way, nothing to be lost by being a little prepared, we will use it up or donate it if nothing comes to pass (and I really hope it doesn’t). I’m willing (hoping) to be proved wrong.

[PositivelyPERF]

I’m sure a pit of people think I’m over reacting, including my adult boys, but I had a very bad injury and the pain was increased by movement. I was sooo glad to have my prepping supplies as it meant I didn’t have to go near the shops for a good few weeks. Ok, I did use an awful lot more tinned stuff than I usually do, but thankfully I enjoy experimenting with food.

[Shouldbeworkingnotreadingtalk]

My family and friends also think I'm over reacting. You are not alone .... 😊.... in fact, I'm now starting to "hide" my habit ... for example, maybe putting 2 boxes of dishwashing tablets / washing powder/ salt, etc into one box, there's normally lots of "air" in packaging. I know they are now full to the brim, but just looks like 1 or 2 boxes / packets / bottle in the shelf not 5! Only doing this for dry goods, cleaning stuff, not things that go off once opened like Jam etc.

[Lollypop27]

My Dh thinks I’m batshit too. I’m worried not just for the shortages where everyone is panicking but his job is reliant on items that are imported from the EU. I asked him what would happen if the items couldn’t get to his work. Would he still be paid if there was no work? He just shook his head. That’s making me worried more! We could afford to still at the mortgage and bills but I don’t know how much we would have spare for food.

Anyway I have carried on stocking up regardless. He knows the cupboards are full but he doesn’t know about the boxes under our bed and the bottom of the wardrobe 🙈

[bellinisurge]

All you can do is keep on with what works for you. We all need to be sensible and realistic about what we can afford . Slow and steady rather than a "big shop" remains an option.
My dh now is fully behind it but was massively sceptical first of all. He generally comes back from the shops with "here's a couple of bits for the stash".

[motheroftinydragons]

My DH think I've gone nuts and keep moaning about our shopping bill. I'm not going mad either just stocking up on the basics we need.

Still he thought I was mad keeping bottled water in (we've got two under three including a FF baby) but he was laughing on the other side of his face when a mains pipe burst locally two weeks ago and we had no water for the day....

[londonloves]

My mum simultaneously thinks I'm mad and has offered to give me some cash to add to the stockpile, so not sure what's going on there!
Haven't told anyone else except immediate family.
My neighbour saw me stashing a load of tins in the shed earlier though so I might have to kill her

[HolySwearingCuss]

I don't know how anyone stocks in sheds and so on. Forget Brexit chaos, aren't you ever worried about things just vanishing?

(I might just live in a particularly shit neighbourhood though!)

[londonloves]

No other space at the moment to be honest. Got good security (windows boarded up, double locked). Critical stuff is staying in the house though.

[tellmewhenthespaceshiplands]

Evening all.
After weeks of wondering if I should start a stash I've decided I'm going for it. Last night DH and I watched "Brexit:The uncivil war" and this morning I woke up feeling all over the place - scared, frustrated (again) angry (again) the lot. Probably more than I did the day after the vote result. Apologies for derail as I know this isn't the board for discussing that.

So I decided I needed to take back control (oh, the fuck€€g irony ) of it all and I've started my list. Taking on board ideas from you lovely lot tomorrow morning I'm going to brew a pot of proper coffee - may not be as many of those to enjoy soon! - and I'll start a meal plan from tins/dried/freezer. Then make a list for 3-4 weeks then over next few weeks start buying and storing.

Just writing that makes me feel better. Thanks everyone for posting so many helpful ideas ...we should have a secret eye brow raise or something to identify MNers at the UHT shelves!

[Racecardriver]

This made me smile. It is a bit loopy but all prepping is. It’s an attempt to get back in control. Do you have some underlying anxiety that needs addressing? If so please wait until after brexit to do so. Keep stock piling, it’s not doing anyone any harm and makes you feel better. It’s one of the most benign ways to control anxiety.

[tellmewhenthespaceshiplands]

Thanks Racecardriver! It's good to have a productive way of channeling it all.
Now, where the hell am I going to put everything ... : )

[PositivelyPERF]

I made the mistake of telling some people about it and now I’m worried I might get murdered for my tinned asparagus. 🤭😁

All joking aside, I’m not keeping my supply in my usual larder as I know, if things go to pot, people will be asking for certain foods. Of course they’ll want it for free or for what I spent on it, rather than what it will cost if prices shoot up. I’ll be keeping the amount I have, very quiet.

[EverlyNow]

My first shopping haul was a bit “end of days”. I think I got caught up in the prepping ideology, which is why my family thought I’d gone a bit extreme.

I’ve since readjusted my shopping list (and returned the tinned sardines etc to Tesco) and focussed instead on stockpiling more of what we’d usually eat. My DH is now much more onboard with the idea!!

I’ve been pleased with some of the bargains I’ve found (half price rice and olive oil in our usual brands), so it’s been a good idea planning ahead and selling the idea of making savings, rather than being wasteful!

[bellinisurge]

Glad you have dialled it back @EverlyNow .
As a prepper, I don't see this as End of Days. In fact I don't think like that for prepping. I see it as a bit bumpy as well as avoidable by our politicians.

[HalloumiGus]

DH thought I was mad but humoured me. Then he saw the reports about medication shortages and has suddenly stopped the gentle eye rolling. Just quietly do what you can.

[tellmewhenthespaceshiplands]

I'd like to think you'd get a better class of looter with tinned asparagus!

When I made DH check out the shed space with me yesterday we both suddenly reverted to whispers when I realised next door were in their garden having a ciggy

Halloumi 'quietly do what you can' sums it up for me.

[Stinkytoe]

I’m getting in a stock of food but mostly stuff we’d usually eat. My family will happily eat it up either way. Also, enough nappies, toiletries etc for several months

I think the key is that you don’t want wastage, if by some miracle Brexit goes entirely fine.