To not know how to feed my family!

[Rosehip345]

We’re luckily not in the position yet. I can manage for another week I think.
I have four kids under 6, and I’m on my own. We don’t fit the criteria for vulnerable delivery slots, plus can’t actually get one.
How am I supposed to get any shopping?!!! Can’t take the kids in, can’t leave them outside, can’t get delivery!

I hope people will seriously consider having more than 2 children after this - a large family is not essential.

Neither are you, my love. None of us are essential.

Try and find a community facebook site for the area. Its really tough time. If taxi service running in the area and you have the money - ask if they could do a shop and you will pay them?

I have to chime in again, sorry, but Milk & More are no longer taking on new customers. I'm a regular customer and every time I log on I get a message to that effect. At the moment a lot of things are out of stock too but that may not be so in every area.

Not sure where in the country you are, but I know Nisa local stores are taking telephone orders and delivering in some areas

Her husband do more? Presumably he’s working away because a) he’s a key worker and b) to help pay for food on his children’s tables. Has it occurred to any of you lot with your judgy pants up round your nostrils that if he wasn’t working then they still wouldn’t be able to put food on the table because they might not be able to afford it? Because that’s my situation too. My husband either works 6am-11pm every day and puts money in the bank to feed his family or he doesn’t work and we don’t eat.

I’m seriously struggling to be able to get a decent shop done round here too OP. My supermarkets also won’t allow children in so I can’t go there but local shops don’t quite have everything that I need. Like yoghurt for kids- I’ll eat fancy farm shop yoghurt all day long but the kids won’t. They just want cheap fromage frais type efforts because it’s all they will eat. In fact one of them basically exists on those and mashed potato so I am going to need to be able to get in to a decent shop or at least a delivery/click and collect at some point. Farm shops are great and their stuff is A1, but they aren’t a supermarket.

What about your kids school? I work in a school and we are offering boxes of food for anyone that qualifies for free school meals. Or for anyone else that feels they need it we have food bank vouchers. Could either of those be an option, might be worth contacting them , or they may have local advice?

How rural? Are you the sort of rural where the church is really important even if you never set foot in it and you have a parish magazine?

Try the vicar or your local parish councillor. Or village facebook group. Or go to your nearest farmshop/butcher and ask there. I'm rural and we have had a leaflet through about our local COVID-19 village group which is doing shopping, meds deliveries, dog walking and telephone chats.

It's way better thanwhere I work in a city where all the new NHS volunteers are going to be mobilised to make sure elderly people are fed.

I work in a school and if a parent called up In your situation we would be more than willing to collect and drop off some food.
If your children’s school is open there will likely be staff there every day 💐

oh local farm shop have set up a drive through. they've made up various boxes and are also selling milk, eggs etc. brilliant! also semi rural here.

Our council has a helpline, if you are less vulnerable but still “stuck “ they will put you in touch with one of the neighbourhood volunteer groups. Everybody understands how it is with kids or if you are self isolating. Have you had any leaflet or anything mentioned in Facebook? Our local church and the community Facebook group set it up in our area.

Thank you so much to everyone who has genuinely posted helpful advice, I’m feeling much better as pretty sure at least one of these avenues will work.

For those asking about my husband, he’s in the sea, can’t really get much less commutable!

And for the comment about children, which of my children should I be listing on eBay first?!

Are you really absolutely certain local supermarkets won’t let kids in? My local fb page is full of rumours about this, as is Mumsnet, but when I actually went in I saw children with my own eyes, so the local fb page was clearly full of nonsense. Not saying all supermarkets are letting kids in, but despite local rumours mine was. Worth phoning?

I kept checking for slots. And after what seemed like days and days my patience paid off and I managed to get an Asda slot for Monday at 10pm. Keep trying OP they do come available.
Check out local facebook groups. And nearby churches - ours has an army of helpers for anyone needing help. And try your local council, they will have a list of local services and help groups.

If you don't manage to sell any of the children on ebay I would echo the idea of trying a local farm shop. I get a veg box which normally I have to collect but they have been delivering for free over the last few weeks.

If your husband is in the military could you ask your local naval family support team?

Get up really early we got a delivery slot by getting up at 430

@Iwantedthat at Morrisons.

Other thing if you are very rural - go to your village supermarket. You know the crap one that you usually only go to when you have run out of milk or want a pizza.

These are currently brilliant, they don't have the massive queues round the blocks, have a lot more stock than the giant supermarkets and are much more likely to let you in with your kids.

I went to one this morning at 8am. They let me and DH in together, there were about 2 other couples in and they had everything that the massive supermarket didn't have.

Drive further out. The supermarkets have NOT banned kids. They've banned family groups, as in 2 adults and children.

Also suggest going in the evening when it's far, far quieter.

I don’t know how rural you are. I found a food wholesalers who normally only supplies restaurants was supplying anyone within a certain distance. They don’t carry everything a supermarket does and everything was in quantity. You could go to them, open the boot they fill it and then you have to close your own boot.

But the one I used was awesome

One of your children must be at school if they are 5. It might be worth asking school for suggestions. Our primary sent out a letter and asked us to let them know if any of us were struggling and they would let us know of any volunteer groups in our area that might be able to help.

@Lynda07
Do you always struggle with comprehension?
I’m clearly not annoyed at OP but at the idiots saying ‘where’s your husband’ when’s op had said I’m on my own.
It’s the ignorance that there are ppl struggling and in different circumstances.

Lots of the farms round here are selling produce direct and some will deliver. Go to small places not the likes of Ocado.

Just take your kids. I had to do the same thing with my 2 this week. It’s not ideal, & people can moan and bitch all they want about people taking their kids but what else are you supposed to do?

Hi op

Phone round local butchers and grocers to see if they deliver
I've found our local butcher
Does local free delivery over £20
Good luck

I’ve shopped for people this week.

Where are you OP?

I bet someone would shop for you.