How many will ignore isolating to get Christmas food?

[Namechangeforthis111]

I was just thinking tonight what a nightmare it would be if we had to isolate for any reason in the next 2 weeks.

Absolutely no delivery slots at all! Other people really busy with their own shopping etc.

How many people will just ignore isolating? And would you blame them?

@Butterflight

I've stocked up on frozen/freezable and cupboard stuff as best I can. Click and collect booked at the supermarket each week, which we could probably persuade someone to collect if we couldn't. Turkey getting delivered from the butcher. Aldi and Co-op will deliver through Deliveroo. And I've got a list of all local veg deliveries just in case we need them. We don't get Amazon Fresh round here, but I think I've got all bases covered.

Coop delivers directly through their site and still same day within 2 hour slots. Plus you also get the Coop membership stuff.

Think Aldi do the same, but they never have the stuff I want in stock to test!

I booked slots for every week up to Christmas week when they were released on 1st November. Partly because we are trying to avoid shops because I am asthmatic and we are generally reducing our contacts, and partly because DH and I are doing well over 40 hour weeks WFH so we really don't have time to go food shopping.

I currently don't really have festive food in any of those trollies - just regular groceries. I'll add it at some point. But I have worked hard to make sure there was sufficient in the house at all times since March that, if we needed to isolate, we could pretty much do it without needing to panic. As, you know, needing to prepare in the face of a pandemic.

Currently waiting for a test result here. I've kept us topped up throughout the year and also have made a point of getting stocked up with turkey, salmon, gravy, nibbles, pizza, quiche, sausage rolls, part cooked bread, brandy butter, alcohol etc etc. If I test positive then we'll be eating some of the freezer food. Iceland have deliveries for food next week, so if necessary I can book a slot, get veggies and freeze them\top up on nice cheese. Only thing that wouldn't keep is dips, but DD says she can make a couple from ingredients in house. As far as I'm concerned there would be no reason to go out for food!

How many people will just ignore isolating? And would you blame them

Plenty I would imagine given the selfish behaviour of many and yes I would blame them. It’s been known for months to ensure you have enough food in to isolate with if needed.

Well people tutted the last time everyone stocked up in case of isolation. "Panic buying" they screamed.

The supermarkets have said recently NOT to buy "just in case". My local Tesco has a sign saying "max one item" on some of the staples.

So we are following the advice to shop as normal and buy what we need, when we need it. I can't imagine that we are unique.

Not turkey but we have a back up of misst of a Christmas dinner. If this happens I'm hoping I can forward our booking details and send a friend. We'd happily offer to do the same if needed.

I think some people will, especially if isolating due to being a contact.

I’ve got deliveries and click and collects booked for between now and Christmas and also quite a bit of food in the freezer/cupboards.

My main concern is my M&S Food to order collection because you have to go in store to collect. I’ve got cash out to pay the balance in case I need someone to go pick it up for us.

Made the decision not to go out shopping for anything over the Xmas period to avoid crowds. We'll make do with whatever we have in the house and in our final delivery before Xmas on the 21st. We have good stocks at home so should be fine. I really don't want us to contract Covid for Xmas.

This is why I’ve stocked up. Plenty of Christmas food in the supermarket already and lots freezes.

@scottish83

Well people tutted the last time everyone stocked up in case of isolation. "Panic buying" they screamed.

The supermarkets have said recently NOT to buy "just in case". My local Tesco has a sign saying "max one item" on some of the staples.

So we are following the advice to shop as normal and buy what we need, when we need it. I can't imagine that we are unique.

We’re not stocking up though as in buying more than normal, just buying stuff sooner than we normally would. Hopefully means I won’t have a full to the brim trolley just before Christmas

I really head scratch at these kind of threads. What exactly is it that you need to buy in the next two weeks that you can't get after that?

We wouldn’t be breaking isolation for Christmas food shopping.

Since a brief isolation period earlier this year while we waited for a (thankfully negative) covid test result to come back, I’ve been trying to make sure we maintain 2 weeks worth of long life food in the house. So we should have enough ordinary food in to keep us going in isolation if need be.

As for Christmas food, there’s plenty that can be bought ahead of time.
We’ve got the Christmas meat and veg in the freezer already, cheese in the fridge, and Christmas cakes waiting in the cupboard. We’re close enough to Christmas now for things like cheese and Christmas cakes to have use by dates into January.
There’s a few bits I would ideally prefer to have fresh, but we’ve got enough already in the house for an adequate Christmas dinner if we do have to isolate at the last minute. And if we don’t have to isolate, then my Christmas shop at the supermarket is going to be much smaller than usual!

I reckon any forgotten fresh essentials wouldn’t take up more than a small basket, and we would probably be able to find a neighbour or nearby friend willing to drop off a few bits and pieces.