Stockpiling vacuum packed food in case of war

[EclecticShock]

My friends husband has bought a couple of thousand pound worth of vacuum packed food in case there of an imminent war... Euro crisis, Syria and Middle east problems... China and Russia power dynamic. What do you think? Is this sensible or deluded? I would have said deluded but I don't want to be dismissive of her and her husband. He does quite a lot of research but not sure it's from valid sources.

So looks like he's bit as extreme as we thought and perhaps we are overreacting. Good to know, thank you for all your replies :)

tartyflette, the Doomsday Clock is currently at 5 minutes to midnight. It was at 2 minutes to midnight in 1953 and 3 minutes to midnight in 1984 (so yes, during the Cold War). See here. (giant geek emoticon).

My mother used to hoard canned food and toilet rolls, although not out of any apocalypse anticipation, more out of a compulsion for buying cans and loo rolls .

I, on the other hand, am prepared for nothing. So if a natural disaster / nuclear disaster / Day After Tomorrow style big freeze happens, I'm fucked .

I think spending a couple thousand pounds on emergency food is daft, yes.

I monitor war/conflict stuff for a living and I certainly don't have vacuum packed food in my cellar. China-Russia dynamic, WTF?

If you live in an area prone to natural disasters or even a big terrorism target, sure, put together an emergency kit and plan. That's very different to preparing for the end of the world or some hypothetical global meltdown.

It's really not healthy to live your life in that state of paranoia. If he were really that clever he'd do some proper risk analysis and chill out.

Thats just sensible class free.

And to me it seems sensible too, yet many people still think being prepared is paranoid. Funny enough, these same people crazy relatives think they will just come to mine if things go really pear shaped!

I suffer from anxiety and occasionally think about storage after late night movies. But then I think that frankly? Post apocalyptic universe? I wouldn't want to survive anyway.

I have no idea what it is in particular he is preparing for, just that he is concerned about the state of the world and had bought food...

Dreaming, can you elaborate on what you monitor, it might help me talk to him.

Why buy the food, boards for windows etc then tell everyone? It's sensible if you can afford it to have more than a weeks worth of long life food and a few notes stored up, as natwest taught us.

It is so difficult to know if he has injustified anxiety that affects him or I'd he just has a different perspective.

daisies - best to avoid depressing late night movies. I only have to watch Twister for example & i get nightmares about tornadoes... i now stick to comedies. :)

Have you talked with him about it? Ask him what triggered it, and maybe he can clear up any misunderstandings.

What exactly did he buy? 2k worth of vacume packed food or 2k worth of stuff, some being vacume packed food? He may have stocked up on loo roll, pasta, tinned toms, rice, seeds and all sorts.

You know if that Greece crashes out of the Euro, then there'll be a temporary crisis in that country? It imports 40% of its food and 90% of its gas so if there's no immediate tradable currency then there will be shortages. If you were resident in Athens, stockpiling wouldn't be the worst move you could make. He may be a little bit paranoid, but not completely barking mad!

I have but he won't have a serious discussion with any of us as he thinks we don't have a clue and therefore have no valid opinion. He reads a lot about global politics etc...

However, would you want to be trapped in a sealed room with someone whose entire diet consists of stockpiled Heinz beans? I'd take my chances with the Zombie apocalypse.

Good point, does he live in Greece OP?

Just food so far, that's all I'm aware of.

London :)

Maybe he's scared of Olympic terror, or Dec.2012?

Wine and Pringles

That's all anyone really needs

conspiracy theorists and doom mongers they live with constant expectation of war and catastrophe
silly arses

Good point Worra but then one persons stockpiling is another quiet weekend

I'm going to give him benefit of doubt and let him get on with it, he seems happy enough. Although I wonder where he will take it next...

I would worry if he joins a rifle club and stopped having a laugh.