Are you stocking up on food/household items?

[DaisyDooley]

Have you started ‘stocking up’ on items you think might be rising sharply or might become harder to get hold of?
We know that there will be a knock on effect of ships being stuck in the Straight of Hormuz.
I read that food prices are expected to go up by 9% by Christmas. I can’t remember where I read it don’t shoot me but I thought at the time that it was a ‘proper’ source (as opposed to my mates from school on Facebook).
If you are stocking up -what are you buying?

You can make a very good liquid feed using comfrey, nettles or green alkanet. Or a mixture of all three. You just pick some, chop it up, cover it in water and leave it for a couple of weeks. Strain off the liquid and dilute 10:1 with water and use once a week to feed tomatoes and all fruiting veg like courgettes. It works, but also stinks to high heaven.

I am “stocking up” insofar as I’m prioritising cupboard items over fresh. So I have got more in the way of couscous, dried and canned beans, seeds and nuts, rice and lentils than I would normally have. Usually I keep my supply levels quite low but really, “stocking up” can be done gradually over time.

Im also “stocking up” by growing and preserving herbs, fruit and veg in my garden.

Always stocked up on most things anyway due to the fear of running out of food caused by childhood.

We get 48 every 7 months for a family of 4. Would be less but the kids seem to think they need a billion sheets for nothing.

My garden has loads of comfrey, appreciate this, thanks

I always keep my foodcupboard fairly well stocked of tinned and dried bits anyways so dont think Im that bothered TBH.
Although I do keep meaning to buy some bottled water. But thats because I live in the SE and my water company has a bad track record at the moment!😄

I’ve bought some seeds to grow spring onion, radishes, lettuce, salad leaves, rocket etc which are either already starting outside or growing in pots/tins on car windowsills,
Im also going to expand my herb garden. I’m wanting to grow chervil which is impossible to buy. However I’m not very green fingered.
I’m getting some tomato 🍅 plants too -don’t know how well they will do in North Yorkshire though!

No and I won't be.

Absolutely not and have zero plans to

👏 I have light bulbs that stay on if electric goes, loads of batteries, torches, portable gas cooker and 6 spare cartridges, matches, medication, candles, and toilet rolls. During COVID my adult DS who had to work through it used to pop by after he finished his work to collect food and toilet rolls and he took a few for his friends too. In an emergency I don't need to go to shops leaving g more stuff for those that didn't prep. I've been got a generator but it needs diesel to run it.

I thought it was fresh veg, etc that is likely to go up because of price rises on fertilisers and possible shortages of out of season vegetables that we import. You can't really stock up on those and why not just get the fruit and veg that is in season like we mainly did in the past.

I do have a bit of a stock of things like flour, rice and pasta, but I always do. The only time I didn't was when Covid hit, because we were replacing the kitchen so I had run everything down, bloody typical!

Because if people can't get Spanish tomatoes they will switch to whatever fresh stuff is available instead (or buy tins) and there won't be enough of that for everyone.

I prep more for emergencies and to ensure I've always got one or two essentials in hand if there's a problem with the supply chain.

If anyone is buying to try and beat price increased, obviously don't buy anything you won't use before the well by date.

Again, if anyone is looking at planting seeds to save money, probably only worth doing if you've got suitable soil already and pots if you need them, otherwise the set up costs will outweigh any shop purchases. I grow tomatoes for the fun of it and do get my monies worth, so worth doing for me. Appreciate some may want to grow whatever to ensure they always have some available.

I try to eat seasonally with some things -I only buy British Strawberries/raspberries & cherries. Same with asparagus. I wait till British cauliflower comes in and only eat new potatoes when they are new & British!
I think it’s very sad that we have as a nation moved so far away from seasonal eating - the joy I get from gorging on local strawberries 🍓 is almost palpable. Then, by August im sick of them and looking forward to the autumn fruits and veg. I never eat a parsnip until we have had a frost and never after Easter either.
If you eat everything all year round when do you look forward to things?

I also buy mutton which is cheaper than lamb and tastes wonderful.

I thought animals was stunned with electricity and then had had a bolt through the brain? Cows are anyway. They have a electrode at both ends of the spine. Cureent applied to stun the bolt through the head? Slaughter houses are mass production belts. Each animal goes through the process individually.

Pigs and chickens

Are they gassed on mass? That's a bit grim. I didn't know. Must read up. at least with cows they are used to being in crushers so they don't know really know what's coming, but they smell death as soon as they get off the lorry.

Not stocking up, it's people panic buying that causes food shortages

I was told by a farmer’s daughter that they most definitely know what’s coming when they are being loaded onto the lorry. Dr Temple Grandin is an autistic woman who has used her understanding and insights to help design slaughterhouses that are less frightening.

But it’s still grim.

Have you and anyone else saying you'd never stock up at least done the stuff in here? Food and bottled water are near the bottom of the page.

https://prepare.campaign.gov.uk/get-prepared-for-emergencies/

It is worth doing. Local councils and emergency services need to be able to focus on very vulnerable people in an emergency - like a cyber attack that brings supermarket deliveries to a halt or causes serious power or supply issues - not on finding food and water for everyone else as well.

No, it just makes things worse for everyone else. I won’t be changing my shopping habits and neither should anyone else. These threads should be banned as they encourage panic buying.

Why are people so blind to logic

Get a grip.

Ideally pick one up whilst you’re doing the responsible thing and stocking up like the government is advising everyone to do.

That’s a good mix.

I went into my allotment shop today. There’s enough fertiliser in there to feed the 5000 😂

I am going with hugel culture for a few bits. Basically was just being lazy. Cba to buy top soil to fill the trenches dug a few years ago in my bindweed warfare. So I just shoved a load of non composted stuff in there and hope to good there not too many perennial weeds 😅