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Original poster

Do we actually need to get two weeks of food in?

433 replies

ducksterr · 08/09/2026 14:16

I’ve seen some stuff about the government advising us to get a few weeks of food in the cupboards but I can’t fathom how it’d come to that in the present or near future. If we do need it, can someone tell me why? Is there seriously a concern that we won’t have food, electricity or water between now and Christmas? Aibu to think that just won’t happen?

OP posts:
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9
SquirrelGG · 09/09/2026 23:33

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 15:04

I don’t understand this at all. If the water supply is affected, trees are down on the roads and there is no food in the supermarkets, how are people going to cook their tins of food? It’s all ridiculously dramatic.

For goodness sake! If there were no way to cook my tins of food I would eat them cold. Needs must. Other countries have been giving this sort of advice to their citizens for years, only in the UK is it seen as being "ridiculously dramatic".

fluffythecat1 · 09/09/2026 23:24

HedgerowD · 08/09/2026 16:58

Absolutely not, people make it too complicated. Cold baked beans or spaghetti hoops, crackers, cold rice pudding, it doesn't really matter does it. Just a few days of stuff to keep you from being hungry. And most importantly some water.

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I think people are missing this. Water is much more important than food when it comes to health and wellbeing. The government website recommends ‘A minimum of 2.5-3 litres of drinking water per person per day is recommended by the World Health Organisation for survival. 10 litres per person per day will make you more comfortable by also providing for basic cooking and hygiene needs. ‘

TallSturdyGirls · 09/09/2026 23:13

LakieLady · 08/09/2026 15:11

I always have a stash of cash, it's a throwback to when I first moved here, and we were beset by power cuts.

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The main issue is like covid, everyone panic buys. I lived on a communist country in the 80s. Lots of shortages. Often created by panic buying (as a result of actual shortages previously)

AquamarinePearlGold · 09/09/2026 23:09

risingup · 08/09/2026 14:21

I'm not sure why we have to stock up on food to be honest. I'm 5 minutes from a supermarket which I kind of use as my pantry anyway so in an emergency I'd just pop down there and get stuff. Wouldn't store it all at home "just in case".

Well not if it had no food you wouldn’t! 🙄

FindingMeno · 09/09/2026 22:49

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 22:47

I think it’s because the likelihood of needing to exist on stockpiled food is virtually zero for people in towns and cities.

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Well, if you've assessed the risks and feel you don't need to insure against them, you do you.

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 22:47

FindingMeno · 09/09/2026 22:40

Most of us wouldn't question the need to pay for insurance in case our house burns down.
I don't get why the idea of providing yourself with some insurance from short term disruption is so shocking.

I think it’s because the likelihood of needing to exist on stockpiled food is virtually zero for people in towns and cities.

FindingMeno · 09/09/2026 22:40

Most of us wouldn't question the need to pay for insurance in case our house burns down.
I don't get why the idea of providing yourself with some insurance from short term disruption is so shocking.

godmum56 · 09/09/2026 22:21

whatcanthematterbe81 · 09/09/2026 21:49

exactly. If I was desperate, I would be eating cold beans out of the tin. (As long as the aliens haven’t stolen my tin opener)

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buy ringpull cans!

godmum56 · 09/09/2026 22:20

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 21:47

Freeze a loaf or wraps and then you could make sandwiches from tuna, Pek, corned beef, salmon?

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For planning purposes, I would be assuming power cuts. Some of the wraps and so on have decent long dates but weeks to months so need rotating.

Calasa · 09/09/2026 22:17

The shops carry three days worth of goods. That’s it. And that’s assuming they are open. .
the report just published confirms the UK’s resilience planning is woefully inadequate and puts us at risk.

Rudicoolcat · 09/09/2026 22:01

Just looked at the date at the bottom of a can of corned beef (left over purchase for a camping trip) and it's January 2031!! I'll be okay then... 😂

concertinacornflake · 09/09/2026 21:56

NoisyHiker · 09/09/2026 21:48

Isn't bottled water full of billions of microplastics?

Tough times = tough choices!!!

savemysleep · 09/09/2026 21:55

whatcanthematterbe81 · 09/09/2026 21:49

exactly. If I was desperate, I would be eating cold beans out of the tin. (As long as the aliens haven’t stolen my tin opener)

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I’m fine with cereal with or without milk, tinned fish & crisps!

concertinacornflake · 09/09/2026 21:54

YvieYfronts · 09/09/2026 21:38

Genuine question, if I were to stock up, would it be best to choose items that can be eaten without having to be heated and if so, what could that be other than baked beans?

The standard advice is tinned fruit/veg/pulses/fish/meat, dry things like crackers, biscuits, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, cereal/oats, longlife/powdered milk.

godmum56 · 09/09/2026 21:52

YvieYfronts · 09/09/2026 21:38

Genuine question, if I were to stock up, would it be best to choose items that can be eaten without having to be heated and if so, what could that be other than baked beans?

Chick peas, spaghetti, canned fish, canned meat, biscuits, crackers, sweets and chocolate, snack food long date milk drink cartons, and that's just off the top if my head. its up to you if you want to get a camping stove then you can, at very least you can make a hot drink, pot noodles, porridge pots or similar. For a few days, balanced diet doesn't matter, bulk and tasty is more important. Of course if you have allergies or are vegan or vegetarian then you will need to make your choices around those things.

whatcanthematterbe81 · 09/09/2026 21:51

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 21:31

The shop will be empty because people have bought the food.

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No shit

whatcanthematterbe81 · 09/09/2026 21:49

savemysleep · 08/09/2026 16:42

For a few days though does it actually matter if the meals are rubbish?

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exactly. If I was desperate, I would be eating cold beans out of the tin. (As long as the aliens haven’t stolen my tin opener)

NoisyHiker · 09/09/2026 21:48

Isn't bottled water full of billions of microplastics?

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 21:47

YvieYfronts · 09/09/2026 21:38

Genuine question, if I were to stock up, would it be best to choose items that can be eaten without having to be heated and if so, what could that be other than baked beans?

Freeze a loaf or wraps and then you could make sandwiches from tuna, Pek, corned beef, salmon?

savemysleep · 09/09/2026 21:46

concertinacornflake · 09/09/2026 21:28

Yes this is a big concern. I don't know what is kept in stock for emergencies? Presumably there is some international cooperation on this, amongst allies.

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No idea, but considering how many millions take daily meds I think it’s a huge issue.

savemysleep · 09/09/2026 21:45

YvieYfronts · 09/09/2026 21:38

Genuine question, if I were to stock up, would it be best to choose items that can be eaten without having to be heated and if so, what could that be other than baked beans?

tinned soup, tinned sweetcorn, tinned fruit?

godmum56 · 09/09/2026 21:44

ok bored now. Do it, don't do it. No a stock of non perishables won't put off the end of days but having two or three days of supplies in, maybe some bottled water, candles or wind up lights, maybe a wind up radio, plus a way to make a hot drink just might make you more comfortable while you wait out a long power cut, flooded roads or a similar minor crisis. Similarly a simple go bag might save you from being like the lady in Whaley Bridge who had to leave her house without so much as a spare pair of knickers.

YvieYfronts · 09/09/2026 21:38

Genuine question, if I were to stock up, would it be best to choose items that can be eaten without having to be heated and if so, what could that be other than baked beans?

Rudicoolcat · 09/09/2026 21:38

MellowSubmarine · 08/09/2026 14:25

I think there’s two stories getting conflated.

The actual Gov advice mentions a couple of days of food for emergencies.
Then there are also the stories around supply chain disruption from El Niño. But the Gov is not suggesting we get weeks of food in now to protect against supply issues later.

@MellowSubmarine 👍🏼

Living remotely, stocking up on a few extras for the pantry ahead of winter is just plain old common sense. Living anywhere else, well it's just sensible surely...

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 21:31

concertinacornflake · 09/09/2026 21:26

I think you're very funny, and I applaud your ability to keep saying such nonsensical things!

I've come round to your way of thinking tbh, people will definitely be able to stock up from the empty shop that's had no deliveries.

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The shop will be empty because people have bought the food.