Are you being careful with how much you eat?

[middleager]

I find I am already 'rationing' in my head - one less slice of bread, no bag of crisps (children might want them), using that manky old pepper instead of chucking it etc.

Kids and DH still feasting and while I want to keep things looking normal for DC, I can't help but mentally prep for what lies ahead.

I'm also saving 'treats' for when I might appreciate them more. By treats I mean normal eggs for the kids (we have six eggs) rather than biscuits etc.

Is anybody else doing this? Perhaps you've been doing it for days/weeks.

I can eat quite frugally (Veggie) but the other 3 are in for quite a shock.

DH is still rolling his eyes at my warnings about how bad it could get, so eats with no such thoughts.

I’m more worried about running out of money to buy food than actual food shortages. We’re both self employed.

Having said that, I enjoy cooking, and I’ve been prepping a bit because of Brexit, so we have plenty in the cupboards and freezer to keep us going for a while.

@SonjaMorgan exactly!! No income whatsoever coming into this house at the moment so being very careful.

Yes. Cooking only as much as I know will be eaten. If they are still hungry they can have a slice of bread and butter.

I haven't got huge stocks - about a week and a bit, as I was in no way going to buy into the greed or the anxiety of so many people. Have to admit - was very relieved to get my usual Sainsbury's shop (some things not available, but enough of basics).

I have warned them that like it or not, they will be getting lentil soup and that squid ink pasta that has been in the cupboard since Italy seven years ago could well be on the menu.

I am. It's mainly due to the fact that you can't just easily replace supplies and the unpredictability of what you can get or if you can get it.

I'm also aware of paying more for stuff (e.g. cheapest option is always sold out, having to just buy where you can) - I needed two items for a recipe today I forgot to pick up during the week, so chanced a farm shop and ended up paying £10 for artisan stuff rather than approx £4 for Tesco brand. Was then too stingy to buy cake there which I am now regretting! So trying to save where I can but I'm spending far more on my one much-anticipated Ocado delivery than I normally would because I can't really plan too well/ combine with a supermarket shop.

I'm hoping it won't last long. Assuming once all the panickers have their stash, stock will be replenished and then bought at a normal rate.

Some of the arseholes on FB see to be regarding this as a competition to see who can stuff the most into their garages.

I have to admit that I hope someone breaks in and steals the lot!

I don't think there is any need to if you are prepared to shop little and often. It's just impossible to do a full shop but stuff is about.

FFS, didn't you hear the news that people like me in vulnerable groups are meant to self isolate for 12 weeks!

I got a click and collect slot for 12 days time and need to go out at least once before then for some supplies.

I'm being very careful right now, have done a cupboard audit and found some surprising stuff and will do the same with the freezer at some point too.

No. Cheap crap is in plentiful supply everywhere.no run on pot noodles.plenty of Easter eggs.
Diet has gone to ruin, Haven’t eaten crisps in 5 years until tortilla chips was all I could get to go with with ageing veg ( made into dips),

I do think it looked a bit better today in the shops ( I can can only go after 6-pm during the week)

I dont think this thread is scaremongering at all.

Its simply asking if people are being more careful with their food atm.
That could be because the shops are struggling to stock up as people panic buy, OR because people are not confident of their income this / next month OR because people don't want to go to crowded shops too often OR because people are trying to use a bit less to leave a bit more to go around.

It will help the planet if we all waste less than we are used to wasting

Yes.

We are in self isolation and I'm conscious of not wanting to have to ask friends to go to the shops all the time so trying to manage what we have carefully.

The kids are getting used to it!

Eat things strictly in date order
No waste
No bingeing!

People are stashing in garages? Wow, just wow

I’m being careful- but more because I’m worried about weight gain from being at home and not in a routine! Not being at work and having constant access to my cupboards (Plus stress eating from being around my kids all day) is a recipe for disaster so trying to be mindful.

Personally I’m not worried about running out of food- we’ve got enough batch cooked meals in the fridge to last about 2 weeks, and if London does go into lockdown as predicted I imagine access to shops for essential groceries will still be allowed.

No. I've been recovering from an eating disorder for 3 years and I'm not allowing myself to rationalise restricting that way. Its unhealthy and unnecessary. I've not been triggered like this since I started recovering but this can only lead to unhealthy eating habits and mental stress.

Yes, live in a smallish town, all supermarkets here have been stripped bare for a week now, no pasta, rice, tomatoes, olive oil, soaps, hand wash, fresh meat etc fruit and veg is hit and miss, som days there’s bee no virtually none, just loads of empty crates.
PEOPLe here are struggling to source essentials like baby milk, nappies, wet wipes etc I asked at Tesco about it and said it’s not so much panic buying, but the fact these item size are not being sent on delivery’s from distribution centres.

Hoping it gets better next week as it’s dire atm.

Not wasting a single thing here, using up fresh and saving cupboard foods which will last longer - also trying to use less loo roll. I think there will be food supply problems at the peak of the outbreak because food producers and supermarket staff may be ill and there will be less workforce to get food onto shelves. Really worried about it actually.

People are stashing in garages?
Every freezer on every website in the entire country is sold out.

I was on the Preppers board a few weeks ago when freezers were mentioned.

We just have a standard fridge freezer but am refining it, such as removing packaging etc. Great tips on the Preppers Board.

I think I would prefer proper rationing to the uncertainty of just a lucky dip, with somebody snaffling all the flour.

Yes definitely & we are usually pretty good, but realise we had a way to go not to waste anything

Adding a bit of water, knob of butter & squirt of tomato purée to a can of beans to make it go further as they are like gold around here now.

Cutting up fruit for smoothies & freezing in in mixed bags ready for the blender. Saves risking any going off.

Blanching & freezing scraps of veg to make soup with etc etc.

DD has been the biggest problem as she always cooks herself too much pasta. That's had to stop as it's no longer easy to get & we now need to make what we have last. She finally seems to be getting it & is at last measuring her spaghetti 🙏

Yes. Me, one cat and two young adult kids here. Our last couple of shopping deliveries have been short of lots of things, and as I am in the vulnerable group, we are all trying to stay away from shops as much as we possibly can, so I am making what we have last as long as possible. DD still has to work, though lots of her shifts are getting swapped with holiday days now, thankfully. I think she might ring in and say one of us has a cough before she's supposed to go in on Saturday. Not ideal, but she's scared to lose her job, and scared she'll bring the virus home with her from work and I'll get it.

Lots of leftovers for lunch, keeping an eye on use by dates so things don't get wasted, which sometimes does lead to weird meals, but none of us are hugely fussy so it's OK.

Luckily I have a stock of cat food (I buy a bit extra whenever it's on offer) because he really is a fussy little git and will only deign to eat a certain food, and even then only two flavours.

I have a shop booked for tomorrow, so we'll see what turns up. After that there's no delivery slots showing as available.

Me too, OP! Usually I throw out the broccoli stem but tonight chopped the whole thing and it was delicious. I give my dog all left over scraps. I used to be lax with my toddler about eating everything at once, so she used to graze a lot during the day and there was a of food waste. Now, I make sure she sits down and eats the full meal, and I eat what's leftover.

Yes.

Nothing is being wasted.

My stockpot has had pride of place on the stove, simmering away with anything (bones/veg peelings) I can put in it and I've now got about 4 pints of stock that I'll use for soup/risotto.

The children are told that each meal
needs to be eaten, no snacking or leaving food only to ask for more later.

The fridge is no longer a free for all. I've carefully planned what meals I can make with what I have, so it's been made clear that fridge raids are off bounds. If someone's hungry I'll feed them.

We are lucky in that I had my unused Brexit stash plus a well stocked freezer and pantry anyway so we've not had to buy much of anything bar some fresh veg/fruit (though I'm desperate for dishwasher tablets now, but have washing up liquid so a 1st world problem if I have to hand wash the pots).

Should have said, it's not because I'm worried about food supplies, rather because of panic buying I'm trying to use up what I have in an efficient way and this not add to the chaos.

I'm also trying to reduce outside contact so would rather shop as infrequently as I can and don't want to add to the online delivery queues that I know are needed for people who are vulnerable.

I think the bulk buying must be leading to huge amounts of waste. Fair enough, toilet rolls and tinned food can be out away and kept indefinitely, but the gallons of milk, the fresh fruit? Surely a lot of perishables are being binned when people realise they can't store them properly.

Yes. We have a decently stocked freezer and cupboard to last our family 14 days at a stretch but I'm in the 12 week isolation group so going out for food is difficult and I'm worrying about proper food and money shortages so we're eating whatever we can throw together from the fridge and counter pile first so we can leave our long life things a bit longer.

A bit of light relief...