To be frustrated with DH over tins I have saved

[goteam]

Like others, I got wind of what was coming re CV back in early February and began adding a few tins and long life items to each shop (different shops and over 6 weeks, no panic buying here). It was mainly me not DH doing this and I don't drive so was more of an effort. Because of this planning none of us have had to leave the house for over a week. I stocked up the freezer too.
Yesterday, DH seeing all the tins (not loads, maybe 25 of different things - beans, tomatoes, fruit, soup) he exclaimed 'we have loads of tins, I might start experimenting, maybe learn to make houmous'. DH isn't much of a cook but has other qualities. I got the chickpeas to use as bases for things like stews not so DH can 'experiment' with food he will only likely eat. Also we have 2 long dated houmous in the fridge (we are veggie!) WIBU to snap at him 'I didnt lug those tins home for experiments. They are for making proper meals'. Being slightly dramatic as I didnt lug them home at once but DH is generally bad at food waste, meal planning, checking dates etc so it just wound me up. The tins didnt just appear, I got them and he like many others only realised the severity of this a few weeks ago and laughed at me stocking up on tins. If it wasn't for me one of us would be queuing for the supermarket right now but as it is we have plenty of food to last a few months if careful.

YANBU OP - how is having 25 tins in the house even hoarding? We would never have less than that what with sweetcorn, tinned toms, beans, tuna, condensed milk, coconut milk, whatever else hanging around for months, usually dusty at the back of the cupboards.

My DP is the same in any case even under normal circumstances. I come back from the shops with a weeks worth of stuff for a meal. Then I spy him with a gleeful look on his face in the kitchen, surrounded by stuff for at least three separate meals, ready to use it all and an argument ensues. Every time. He used to run a great restaurant with his parents which sadly went bust. They just didn't understand portion control!!

So you have Tahini?

If you already have hummus that should be used first but I can't see an issue with him having a go at making it. Why would only he eat it, if it something you usually eat?

DS has developed a baking habit, it's the butter that's causing me issues but it's still good to see him using the time constructively.

It’s not the time for experimenting , just tell him this. It’s time for meal planning and “gentle” rationing especially as we are at home and less active. I’ve just read on another thread about deliveries being cancelled unexpectedly so you need to plan for any eventualities.

Gah! That would be annoying. Mostly as you already have long life hummus in the fridge. Can you please tell me where you got long life hummus as I find the stuff in Tesco has a short shelf life and you cannot freeze it. Once the hummus in the fridge is gone, then you can fanny about and make your own.

I get annoyed when people who prepare are accused of being the cause of empty shelves. Because I batch cook, I often have a full freezer. But I have been buying the odd extra bit of long life stuff for the cupboard since mid jan to build on Existing stocks. But always a couple of things at a time, not a trolley full. We do tend to keep our cupboards full as a matter of course. means we only need to nip out for bread, milk and veg for most of the month

This means that we’ve not been out to the shops during all this panic buying and won’t need to for a while (getting milk and fruit /veg delivered). But for some reason we are seen as the scourge to society.

YANBU
DH only ever cooks things he can eat & the waste is appalling, add to that I then have to make something different for me & DS , the extra cost is annoying too.
DH laughed at me when I had a bit of a Brexit panic and bought a few extra tins and a new 24 pack of toilet rolls every couple of weeks. He’s pretty pleased that we now as have approx 30 toilet rolls left, we are well stocked and haven’t had to go out to source food during this stockpiling madness.

Sorry, that is loads, especially seeing as it sounds like it’s just the two of you. No wonder people are finding empty shelves
Empty shelves are not op’s fault. different shops and over 6 weeks, no panic buying here

YANBU.

If only he eats hummus, then he needs to eat up what's in the fridge first, before even thinking about using a tin. If he does make some he has to promise to eat it, for proper meals eg lunch over a few days not snacks, even if it's not as nice as he'd hoped (though it's probably quite hard to make hummus inedible).

Sorry for those of you with inconsiderate, greedy partners. They're not all like that, it's not a mysterious 'man thing' they can't help.

Maybe if some of them are messing about with food or overeating from boredom they should learn to cook some sensible family basics? Mine did that when he downshifted a few years ago, plus some easy recipes from the Jamie's 5 ingredients book.

Sabra houmous normally has at least 2 weeks shelf life

I can appreciate that he might want to 'experiment' and try making new things when we are restricted on what we can do for entertainment! However, we are being careful with our food supply and I would be annoyed at things being wasted unnecessarily. I think you need to decide if you can trade off one tin for his enjoyment, sometimes its worth the trade.

YANBU
25 tins is hardly a horde. I’m being frugal with food atm. I also bought more before the panic buying set in as I also got wind of possible future supply issues. It has been a godsend due to self isolating.

And if he wants to experiment, maybe he would be better to buy some veg seeds and grow things in pots or the garden if you have one.

No we dont have tahini, that's the annoying thing! It would be shit houmous! Basically blended chickpeas and olive oil!

I like full cupboards as I grew up poor as the only veggie in the family eking out meals and got good at cooking out of necessity. We would usually have a fair few tins in anyway as in times of plenty I replace whatever we use to keep them full. We are lucky to have no money worries but I still believe in low food waste and careful planning.

I don't want to touch the tins in the supermarket atm as want to leave them for others. Ostensibly the elderly and NHS workers and more selfishly I want to stay out of shops if we can. We havent had to go to the shops for ages and still have treats in. The kids are eating long life pain au chocolate as we speak so I'm not being tight!!

So you have Tahini?

You don't need tahini to make something approximating to hummus even if it's not technically proper hummus. DH doesn't like raw garlic so I make a chickpea spread with just chickpeas, lots of lemon juice, and then a mix of olive and sesame oil. But, at the moment although we both like this we're leaving our cans alone and eating what fresh food we've got.

But the OP says they already have hummus and presumably the chick peas would be better put to use in a curry or similar meal?

And do you have pittas and/or crudite veg for the hummus? This is not a time for 'experimenting' and using things that could be put to better use elsewhere. You'd end up eating nothing but hummus for days.

On second thoughts, maybe do that, serve him hummus morning, noon and night and when he complain, tell him that if some fucker hadn't decided to make hummus, you'd be able to have a nice chick pea curry or whatever your favourite use for chick peas is.

My DP is the same in any case even under normal circumstances. I come back from the shops with a weeks worth of stuff for a meal. Then I spy him with a gleeful look on his face in the kitchen, surrounded by stuff for at least three separate meals, ready to use it all and an argument ensues.

My dh is the same. He is a very good, creative cook, but my heart sinks when I see him nosing about in the pantry and announcing his plans. He never thinks to ask if I already have intentions for various ingredients, and sniffs that I’m ‘controlling’ if I object to him using something. He never shops. It’s tiresome.

makeitgoaway you can use oil instead of butter in baking. I do as it also makes things vegan (I'm vegan) I make a banana bread with overripe bananas a cup of flour, soya milk, oil and a few spoons of peanut butter. The kids love it and it is high in protein and I allow them a bit of chocolate spread on it!

Do people really think that 25 tins is hoarding?

My mother always told me that when times are good, you but extra tins and dried stuff to carry you through the times that aren't so good. Its a lesson that has served me well in life.

25 tins is a perfectly reasonable buffer for a rainy day - job loss, rent increase, car breaks down, pandemic hits the UK and you have to stay home for 14 days...

I get you, DH is wfh now, his head is constantly stuck in the fridge snacking on whatever he sees without any thought for what it’s for and how it will be used, he clearly assumes the food fairy will just replenish as she usually does.

He has a strop this morning about who ate the last slice of banana bread. That will be the banana bread that I shopped for ingredients and DD baked and he ate the last piece of the last loaf too.

It’s like it’s his right to have endless deliciousness available.

goteam - tell him not to experiment until it is all over. Then he can make a meal all on his own (you have to option of cooking something nice for yourself/getting takeaway/getting a meal out without him. But he must eat his experiment!

YANBU
My DH has always done this. For example he’ll make chicken wrapped in bacon whereas frugal me would have made two meals - one with chicken, one with bacon. It always annoyed me - even before CV.
This week I’ve had to read the riot act re. toilet roll and kitchen towel usage 😀 - DS uses about 3 sheets of kitchen roll to blow his nose.

barbaraofseville exactly!!! The bloody houmous would just be used as snacks on oat cakes. We have peanut butter for oat cakes or the houmous (sabra and Delphi are long life brands for the pp who asked)

caperberry I worry I am being controlling too but until DH thinks about this sensibly I feel I have to control it. My priority is making sure we all have healthy ish meals and go out as little as possible right now.

yanbu - any experiment that could lead to food being thrown away is something to be avoided. even immoral.

I don't see the issue with making hummus - it will be much healthier than the shop bought kind.

Just use the shop stuff up first.

Also home made hummus freezes well - I have some in my freezer right now.

And I think this is the perfect opportunity for experimenting with food, as long as the experiments get eaten regardless.

I would be foraging some wild garlic to add to the home-made hummus right now, if you are anywhere near the countryside.

Also home made hummus freezes well - I have some in my freezer right now.

I did not know that! Not that my hummus lasts long enough to freeze anyway but good to know 😊

Sorry OP, I think I may have misread your post.

I thought you meant 25 tins of each different thing, but if you mean 25 tins in total that’s pretty normal.