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!

And 4 packs of mushrooms and 5 of peppers is a lot. I am just having to buy whatever veg there is.

They did have loads of chopped tomatoes, I bought 6 tins like normal and felt bad, but that's 3 meals. (Not on their own obviously)

I'm surprised you were allowed to buy so many. Tesco here is limiting it to two tins per person.

They really need to sort food supplies out. I am sure they are trying and it is not easy, but it is fuelling panic.
I do know no one will starve. There is enough food of some kind on the shops, but it is scary to go in and see shelf after shelf empty.

jenjen71 I'm not sure a comment as fatuous as "The people in the war survived, so im sure we can to." should be dignified with a response, but if by "the war" you mean WW2, there were at least 20 million deaths as a result of disease and famine during WW2 in addition to the 55 million who died violently.

That's fne until a family needs to self-isolate. Unfortunately stocking up is both the selfish and yet the sensible thing to do right now. There's no easy way to square that circle.

But you only need to do a big stock up ONCE to a level where you have enough in to feed you all for two weeks. Then just replace things as you use them (or replace with an alternative if needed) to maintain your stock level. So use two tins of toms, buy two tins of toms. You don't need to constantly stockpile.

I'm wondering what the radfords are doing - with sue pregnant and so many of them to feed. Must be a nightmare

Half the problem seems to be so many children that are fussy eaters and they are still being indulged by their parents, even now, when supplies are running dry. Let’s face it, if you’re hungry enough you’ll eat anything...

Cloud monkey, I agree but there are many parents here who state categorically that their children will be hospitalised because they wouldn’t eat due to their condition.

I do agree. I have also wondered about this. Ideally we should all be able to limit our shopping trips to once per week to reduce contact, for our own and others' benefit.

However, this will never be possible when shopping for a large family with the current restrictions, even without special dietary requirements.

If this goes on for a long time it will affect production as well. I suspect formal rationing may be inevitable and would be sensible and much fairer

Cloudmonkey, it’s not always so simple.

Thankfully I am in a reasonably stable place with my 3 dc (all have ASD and all have (different) food issues), but it’s not that long ago that it was a very different story.

Dd1 in particular, would not have eaten ‘when hungry enough’ (and, at one point, she didn’t drink when thirsty enough either!), and so I can totally understand why some posters are anxious about getting the ‘right’ foods.

So the supermarkets are empty but our local shops (including corner shops) still seem well stocked. Greengrocer had everything when I walked past this afternoon and still toilet roll in the local discount shop.

Half the problem seems to be so many children that are fussy eaters and they are still being indulged by their parents, even now, when supplies are running dry. Let’s face it, if you’re hungry enough you’ll eat anything...

I agree I think this will separate the fussy eaters from those who will not eat and would rather starve than eat available food.

There’s a reason this is happening, and if you need to shop more often or become more creative then so be it. People are literally dying, we need to think about others for a change.
But apparently not mothers with large families?

Smaller portions?
Shop at small shops which dont have the same restrictions
Go to multiple shops
Adapt your recipes. E.g. instead if using 3 peppers, use 1 pepper, 1 courgette and 1 aubergine
Buy frozen veg, or both fresh and frozen
Shop more frequently

Perhaps this is a stupid question, but ca't you go through with 3 of each, and then your DH goes through with 3? Or if you're a single parent, is your eldest child old enough?

As far as I'm aware the limit is per person not per family.

When things are “normal” I shop at least once every two days, often daily. Fresh bread, fresh fish, fresh vegetables and produce. I shop depending on what is there, and not what I have on my list. The idea of meal planning is backwards. We should look at the shops, the season, the produce, and what is available, and make the plan from there. Not make a meal plan for several people for a week plus, and go to a single shop and expect every item to be in stock, in the quantities you require, with a choice of several brands or types.*

Sadly we don't all live in your idyll. Firstly a lot of areas don't even have these shops, certainly not within walking distance. Secondly, these shops will generally only open during the working week and thirdly they tend to be a lot more expensive than supermnarkets. I looked at milk delivery and it was almost 3 times the cost of supermarket milk, great for smug middle class people but not so great for the majority.

I'm wondering what the radfords are doing - with sue pregnant and so many of them to feed. Must be a nightmare

I'm sure Noel will have access to a cash and carry for the magic pie shop.

When things are “normal” I shop at least once every two days, often daily. Fresh bread, fresh fish, fresh vegetables and produce. I shop depending on what is there, and not what I have on my list. The idea of meal planning is backwards. We should look at the shops, the season, the produce, and what is available, and make the plan from there. Not make a meal plan for several people for a week plus, and go to a single shop and expect every item to be in stock, in the quantities you require, with a choice of several brands or types

Do you have a full-time job? Who has time for this, especially when most specialist grocery shops are open 9-5:30? I get home at 6pm, and want to get some ingredients out of the fridge and cook. Not to go round 4 different shops to "see what there is" and make something. Maybe if I had a rich husband and all day free I could do this - the 2nd one is about to come true due to redundancies.....

I also hate deciding what to cook and then having to buy food - that's why I'd rather do it once every 2 weeks in one go.

@Butterymuffin tinned tomatoes are like gold dust around here

We have 4 dc, 2 of whom eat adult potions now. It’s proving tricky but complicated further by allergies. 2 cartons of oat milk (Oatly barista) last my 2 toddlers 1.5 days. I buy minimum if 12 cartons usually. Limited to 2.

Got granny’s, aunties, friends picking some up every time they’re at a shop. This is an essential, medically required item BUT not covered by prescription despite being recommended by paediatrician.

We will manage, just have to adapt quickly! I have a delivery pass too, always book a month in advance but had to click and collect one week as no options available.

Good luck everyone!

On the oat milk point it can be better for children just to drink tap water (and never eat cereal) by the way. No need for most people ever to have milk. We are the only adult animal which drinks milk.

I've thought about this from today. Walk in with your hair down coat on, buy what you need to buy. Go to the car put your hair up take your coat off... go back in!!@ sounds pathetic but we need to do what we need to!!

@swishthecat I totally agree re people doubling up with trollies. That was happening in Asda this morning with husbands and wives having a trolley each. Disgraceful and greedy!

I’ve spent most of this afternoon chasing all over to try and get some bread for my 84 and 87 year old sister and her husband both with health problems. I couldn’t get any for them at Asda at all. I finally got them one pack of burger buns from a corner shop which is the best I could do for them.

As for children and their diets? Yes some have genuine dietary needs and others are just spoiled and bloody picky eaters. Tough.

My neighbour said today she’d bought cartons of fresh soup from Aldi but her spoiled and precocious offspring won’t eat it. Her words ‘they think it’s disgusting.’ Well again, tough. Go bloody hungry then.

@Rk123 and it’s precisely people like you who are depriving other people. Shame on you.

I think we all need to change our mindset about the food we eat. 5 packs of peppers a week is really bad in terms of air miles and cArbon footprint regardless of the current restrictions. Get some seeds planted now and look forward to them and be inventive about what you can cook in the meantime