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!

So again I ask: are you suggesting that larger families make do with less food per person than smaller ones?! FFS if you have a large family you need more food. It's not taking it from other people who need it any more than you are taking stuff from people who need it every time you eat a meal hmm As for taking responsibility for having a large family: which child do I get rid of so as to lower our food needs?

Do a couple of shops a week instead of one, that way the demand for food is spread out and shops have more of a chance to restock and cope with demand.

Try your local corner shop, my corner shop has limits but knows I have a dairy free child, he let me take three dairy free milks, worth a try they may let you have a bit extra if you take the children with you.

Ration books would probably be a great idea. Like many people we may have to take on shopping for both sets of parents, possibly one set of grandparents and are a family of 5 already. If my friends/neighbours asked for help I dont think I would be able to with the limits. With a ration book I could buy their allowance without effecting my families supply.

Yes heartsonacake but during the war each person has their own allowance.

Buy two tins of toms, two passatas and two tomato purees (the purees can be watered down instead of the tinned toms).

And two packs of fresh tomatoes as well.

theAntsareMyFriends This is what I've been thinking too. I have several elderly people I have offered to shop for, and I'm more than happy to do it, but if they all need milk and a loaf of bread and we need some for ourselves that's more than I'm allowed to buy. As people have said it's not ideal to have to visit umpteen different shops as that's just increasing contact. Some sort of rationing system would stop the piss takers while allowing those with genuine need to buy as much as they actually have need for.

Rationing during WWII was necessary, but sadly, it really wasn't enough to sustain people and so there was often a large deal of corruption.

I suggest that having a large family would be a good reason to get a Costco card or cash and carry membership. A friend of mine has 8 children plus her and dh to feed and has had a card for years.

If you are self-isolating and need food but have no family nearby to deliver it, contact your local Mutual Aid group. They will shop for you and deliver it.

I hope I am not overly optimistic but I think the food is a short term glitch due to panic buying stretching the just in time supply chain.

Countries more into the CV19 situation don't seem to have experienced significant food or toiletries shortages. They have experienced shortage of ventilators, medical beds and staff.

I am having the same problem. I am shopping for 7 people, 2 of which have severely restricted diets, so it’s not a case of making do with what is on offer and having different meals. For dinner every day Ds2 only eats baked beans, croquettes and fresh fish fingers from Sainsbury’s. Ds1 only eats home made pizza for which I need plain flour, yeast and a specific pasta sauce from Sainsbury’s. None of which have been in the shop even tho I’ve been going every day since Monday.

Yesterday I did a shop and had a trolley 3/4 full and a man wanted to push in front of me in the queue and he started shouting I shouldn’t be hoarding and panic buying. I said I’m feeding 7 people, this lot will only last 4 days!

How do you find the time though if you are working full time?
Many can't potter about comparing produce.

I tend to do more frequent smaller shops after and before work. I get what I can and have found some of the products.

I am a vegetarian (vegan for a year) with a very limited repetoire. I make a vat of ratatouille with tinned toms every week and have it several times with a jacket or pasta.
Everyone's nicked my idea!

I bulk it out with lentils or grated carrot, I water things down, I add butter beans, all of which I have managed to buy this week by being a bit creative in where I shop.

Also, I always drink Oatly, but if push comes to shove and I'm hungry I will go back to dairy as I've no allergies so appreciate that's easy.

I understand the fear. As a single student I could happily live off a bag of pasta and tinned toms.

There are four of us with twin teenage boys in that mix. They are ganets especially for snacks.
They will have to learn to go meat free.

My nan was widowed just after the war with 8 kids. They were so poor but they had no choice and made a little go a long way. I've never experienced real hunger though and from posts I've read on here it is something thst stays with you. My Aunt preps because of this.

Also, try not to panic. Read some of the threads from Italy, France or Spain. At the moment shoppers can still go out and aren't living off Spam just yet.

If you're struggling it's worth asking on your local Facebook group. All sorts of local small businesses are offering home delivery to people at the moment to make sure everyone has what they need.

You may have to do lots of little shops as opposed to be a big shop. You could also try pre-booking an online shop and get things in then as well. You'll also need to be creative with your meals for a while!

I can't drink tap water, I get a funny reaction within 30 mins of drinking it, my skin breaks out in hives and filtering it makes no difference so I buy 10 bottles a week just for me to drink.
We can only get 3 per visit so instead of isolating ourselves at home (we are old!) Someone has to go and get water for me!

You can't expect the supermarket to make exceptions for you. If they make an exception for you then they have to do it for everyone. It's not their fault they have to put restrictions in place, blame people panic buying.
Solution? Corner shop or a couple of supermarkets.

Buy two tins of toms, two passatas and two tomato purees (the purees can be watered down instead of the tinned toms).

Not sure where you are shopping but there has been none of those things in my local shops. In Lidl yesterday they just had one type of tinned tomato and in Sainsbury’s and Aldi they had none.

I have 5 kids. There is food in shops. Might not be what you want but just adapt!

How many are in your family? You don't say

You really need to be more creative. You don't need milk. Drinking water is just fine (and according to recent studies drinking milk past weaning age doesn't seem healthy anyway). Just buy whatever fruit, veg and starch is on offer and cook that. The kids don't have to like it. After a few hungry days they'll eat whatever except for the very few ones with severe autism et cetera. How do you think that people survive wars? It's not on nice food, I can tell you that.

And yes there is plenty of food around, you just have to be creative and get used to shopping more frequently. You might not be able to get tinned tomatoes but there are loads of jars of pasta sauce around and there's always instant pasta kits if you're desperate.

Find a corner shop and buy the extra? That way everyone can get some food, surely that isn't unreasonable?

can you take someone from your family with you, so you're 'two' customers?

Im figuring we will have to adapt. There’s only 3 of us. It sounds as if you chose to have a big family. I could come on here all wah wah wah about my life and I didn’t even chose mine. I’m disabled and chronically ill. My whole life for the past 8 years has been about isolation. So you need to just get on with it.

Time to look at alternative recipes online. Your asd child may need to be prioritised with regular food. But everyone else can adapt, I imagine.

The talk of having to implementat ration books or even having to put limits in store is so sad - why can't peope just not be selfish?? If only people weren't greedy bastards then we wouldn't have any such problems. People panic buy then that results in some shortages so then other people panic and bulk buy...its a vicious cycle.

Why can't you buy tinned tomatoes and passata? Not quite the same but surely close enough, we all have to compromise at the moment