Larger families.... shopping limits

[ThisMustBeMyDream]

Anyone else having issues in getting enough food to make a meal for their family? I can't afford (nor have time) to make seperate meals for everyone. But I can't get enough of the foods we eat as a family in some lines.

We use 4 packs of mushrooms and 5 packs of peppers per week. We are only allowed 3. Same for yogurts etc.

I am working, not from home. I don't have time for daily shopping as I finish at, rush back before after school club finishes and get the kids home for dinner which is already later than I'd like.

I have a delivery pass, but that appears to be totally useless at the minute. We are potentially to be isolating from today as one of the kids may possibly have a cough. Even if I could get a slot, I'd need several slots in the week and you can't even get half the stuff you need anyway.

We don't have anyone to bring us food either. 🤷

Is it worth approaching the supermarket manager to discuss individual requirements?

I saw a woman have 1 of her 4 muller bloody lights removed from her today. I mean I understand restrictions in some areas. But most people would not consider 4 yogurts excessive/panic buying.

Help!

Those who have more than one or two children it’s quite ironic that you’re moaning about not being able to feed your family of 5,6,7 kids - over population of our planet was always going to bite us in the bum one day. I wonder going forward if adopting the old Chinese-like limit of children per family will become a global rule - kudos to those that grow their own veg etc to feed their larger families

This all makes me so glad that I just have me and dd to try and feed... oh and the dog, but she exists on dry food. And I couldn't even get the basics at the supermarket today...

Why should most families have to suffer, because others have chosen to have big families? Genuine question.

I get that there are shortages but only of things people can stockpile surely? Tesco tell me I can only order 3 loose carrots. Are people stockpiling those? lol

I'm sorry but you sound like ignorant dickheads it's not the families who have more than 2 children stockpiling, it's the people who have more bloody money to stockpile, being greedy that's why the shops have limited the food, because of greedy bastards ransacking shelves unrealistically! I have 4 children, dh, me and the dog and I cant even get a fucking slot on any of the shopping sights and we dont have a car either, also on my last shop I couldn't afford to buy any more than what I would do normally! So those op saying it's to do with how many kids you have and how we shouldn't have had x amount of children really are small minded!

FFS large families aren't the problem, give your head a wobble. If they were the shops would be permanently out of stock of things! The problem is people panic buying and stockpiling. I actually think all the pissy snipey little digs at larger families is disgusting and self righteous. Honestly, sometimes this forum is worse than the daily mail.

I cook for five from scratch most meals, and one pack of red peppers a week is enough. Five packs? What is it, a rugby union team?

No words just this

@ClaireB29 that picture just sums it up
I don't think it's small minded at all to question why in this day and age people have such big families... it's such a shame and also heartbreaking that other people (particularly the elderly) have to suffer at times like these as a result...

They're not suffering because of Large families. It's not sue and Bob with 6 kids getting their usual 6 cans of Tom's a week that's the problem it's Karen and Stuart with 2 kids panic buying 20 when they usually only want/need/use 2 etc etc

Well my husband ships the LNG that provides 60% of our power here in the U.K. and I’m struggling to find ways to protect myself whilst providing the food my 4 kids need to survive ( we got twins that are four ) adapt that’s all we can do my husband will continue to be apart from us while you freakin moan and I am in the same boat feeding several kids but I have no family or support and every time I go to the shops I risk my life yet have no choice get over it

@MermaidinJeans I will gracefully beg to differ...

If you have a food warehouse (Part of the Iceland chain) near you they sell large catering sized tins. Still plenty left in my local today despite regular sized stuff sold out. I remember thinking they would be good for large families. The giant tins of baked beans for example would feed a large family for 2/3 meals. They also had tings like massive tins of rice pudding, tuna, corned beef, fruit salad etc. They also had Huge bags of rice (pasta all sold out though).

It’s a huge issue for larger families. I have 4 children and Tesco were limiting toilet roll to one 4 pack per person, regardless of whether you live by yourself or need toilet roll for 5. The problem is, there’s no easy way round it. I usually only ever buy 24 packs as it’s cheaper, so smaller packs more often also costing more. I’ve no idea where all the big packs have gone.

Some countries like Spain for example have a large family card which families with 3 or more children can get. This gives you discount entry into places and in this circumstance could allow for more food.

There is no way round it except multiple visits.if you were already a regular online shopper, supermarkets could perhaps let you order in line with your previous orders but I guess this is all too complicated at such a busy time.

On the limit of items, I have found that different flavours of yoghurts, puddings etc, even of the same item, are allowed and this helps.

Oh and I also buy baked beans usually by the tray, 24 tins I think, no hope of this now, no bulk items in the shops or online, where are they all?

4 adults and 1 child to feed here. I don't mind cooking up what we can get as I quite like cooking but we have 6 cats and 2 dogs and I am struggling to get cat litter anywhere. I have had to go to two different stores most days to get 4 tins of cat food in each as they eat 5 tins a day between them and a few crunchies. It seems easier to get dog food and dogs less fussy and will eat dry food too. I have to self isolate for 12 weeks as get chronic asthma really bad and dh is recovering from brain surgery so must not get any infections so self isolating also for 6 weeks. My two adult sons are delivery drivers so working so many hours at the moment driving food to supermarkets. By the time they finish at anywhere between 7 and 9 there is not much left to buy in shops. I have never had online delivery before but signed up to one now. First delivery date I could get April 8th.I a m thinking cars will have to eat dog food.

I would suggest stick your head above the parapet on a local Facebook page and ask if anyone has a spare whatever you need that you can buy off them as you have x kids and not managed to find any in the shops. Particularly fresh food as I suspect many people have bought far too much and it'll just go off.

Also checkout your farm shops and local corner shops - see if anyone can order in for you.
Dotto fruit & veg, meat & egg wholesalers that supply hotels, pubs and restaurants - they'll be looking for new markets

@caringcarer Suggest visit or phone an independent pet shop and ask if you can pre-order in advance in bulk. There's one near us attached to a cattery/dog hotel, and another inside a garden centre both still seem to have plenty of stock as they're off the beaten track between supermarkets and not on the radar of a lot of people.

I am absolutely sick to death of people moaning about this tbh....we are ALL suffering when it comes to shortages of food.
I am divorced Mum of 3... 2 of which are incredibly fussy eaters, to the point they’d rather not eat. No I haven’t stockpiled, and neither do I have any money coming from their Dad. I rent and have to work.
But, do u know what? We will not starve to death, because we do what we have to... and yes I’m exhausted, my daughter is high risk ( I know people say kids don’t get sick...but this is bullshit if they have the health risks that make that hugely susceptible to this disease!) ...so I’ve have been having to isolate, as much as I can. I tell you why...this IS NOT normal flu, and I’d rather be following the isolation rules and getting on by with plain pasta with cheese and crying to myself each day, because this is an absolute war against this virus. This shit is serious. This is our world war 3 of our era, and there’s no ‘bad man’ to blame that can be killed. We have to pull together as a nation instead of letting the rest pull us apart. We can deal with the aftermath later...because we have to.

So please. Stop whining about how u need x amount of mushrooms and peppers per week, and get the hell on with changing your ways...we’re in this for the long haul, so deal with it and seek help from neighbours and friends...do the same to others. Protect yourself and your children.
Our safety and all others is paramount now.

MrsBadcrumble123 that didn't work out very well for China... The Chineese goverment has been trying to convince citizens to have more children for the last few years because the policy has backfired and produced an aging population which can't be supported by the number of young people:

www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/02/china-population-control-two-child-policy

Many countries with aging populations financially incentivise 3+ children with more rather than less child benefit for the third and subsequent children... The world is overpopulated, but individual countries can't financially function when the age balance in their population tips too far.

Sorry that sounded really harsh, but I just feel that people aren’t taking this seriously as a threat to our world as we know it. The implications and things that are happening are absolutely disastrous, and the shortages, due to the twats, that are seemingly everywhere, are piling on more pressure. But we have to understand that these things have been put in place are for the nations safety, as a whole (and in my opinion haven’t been done soon or drastically enough!).And let’s face it, it’s nowhere near as bad as this shit is going to get. So pull together with anyone locally to you (who still has an ounce of dignity left) and we can do it.

Cat litter......if you have a shredder, use any old paper/bills/newspaper. Drags around the house a bit but needs must.

Or even better still if you have a Country Animal Food Store nearby try the pelleted chick feed, really good, cheap and they don't carry it around on their paws. I use that regularly for two persians.
A country store will also have pet foods in bulk at good prices.
We are all going to have to become less picky, more adaptable and inventive in how we cook and eat. We will have to learn how to stretch meals by bulking.
Why do you think our parents made stuff like toad in the hole... the batter is filling and cheap and alternatives to sausages can be used even veggies... And any batter left can be used for pancakes. It's a challenge but we have to get through.
Eat to live and not live to eat as they did in the war years. We have grown soft on instant gratification.

Some of the smaller, local shops are doing really well with supply & demand. I got bread yesterday. It’s also about popping in a different times if you can and being creative about what you cook. I work in the NHS in a community team so I can pop to get things during my day but I do also realise that’s not always possible for all esp if isolating.

Just want to say it must be so hard being a single mum with four children as it is, let alone with all this happening. Many of the shops near me are empty and I can see it would be hard to shop for your family unit with your four children in tow. There are no delivery slots available near me either. I have been traipsing round small shops, petrol stations etc, trying different times of day etc and therefore managing but it is stressful and scary. I really feel for you and think people are being unsympathetic.

@Mummadeeze I thin where people are reacting negatively is when people are specifying that they ‘need’ so many packs of mushrooms/peppers/tinned tomatoes.

All of us have to be a bit more creative. I don’t deny that some youngster have genuine dietary needs for allergies and intolerances but there are far more who are just picky and the time has come when parents cannot pander to them.

My granddaughter is lactose intolerant- so I keep being told 😏. We cooked a roast dinner - beef, broccoli, carrots and roast, not mashed potatoes so nothing at all with dairy. She promptly announced that she couldn’t eat any of it.

As long as you have potatoes, some fresh vegetables, it doesn’t matter what and some staples like flour - yes you can make your own bread - and some dairy like cheese and eggs then you can create a meal.