Preppers Paradise: Pickled Turnips and Sovereignty Spam

[RedToothBrush]

Despite all the accusations of hysteria for those saying they intend to prep, today Theresa May said households were going to be given guidelines in August and September on how to prepare in the event of No Deal.

Robert Peston@Peston
@theresa_may says 70 "technical notices" for businesses and households will be published in Aug and Sept setting out how we can all prepare for a no-deal Brexit (should that be what happens). Yikes

Arla are already warning that milk product may be scare and baby formula will be 'an occasional luxury' even if we do get a deal
Dairy products 'may become luxuries' after UK leaves EU

Whilst we wait for the government to advise us on what action we all need to consider taking, this is a thread dedicated for those people who wish to share tips, advice and what they plan to do rather than clogging up other threads.

Theresa May has told MPs that dozens of documents spelling out the actions needed to prepare for a no deal Brexit will be published this summer

I can’t believe we are actually choosing to do this. Dh is screwed with his asthma. He struggles to sort out his repeat prescription at the best of times.

I will have to go quite slowly as I don't have much spare money every month

This is the big thing, that perhaps the government doesn't get because so many in the Tory party assume people have 'other money' or savings. Or have the freedom to act.

I could in theory go and buy £200 worth of stuff at the last minute. Not everyone can. My problem isn't so much the funds to do it, but being able to justify it to DH. He thinks I'm 'over thinking' it as it is. May's comments today might focus his mind though.

I'm buying extra, but buying a 10kg bag of rice, drew the third degree from DH and I just can't be arsed with it. So I'm gradually getting stuff and trying to put it somewhere discreet to avoid the hassle. He won't be angry or tell me to stop, but I really could do without the grumbles and comments about me being OTT tbh.

I do wonder what it would be like to live with a hard leaver if you wanted to stockpile though. I can see some viewing it as an act of treason such is the strength of feeling.

I am trying to figure out a way to break it to DH that I have a sudden inexplicable desire to pickle everything.

I think it's terribly sad that Brexit is causing such arguments within marriages.

Luckily DH and I are of the same view but there are people in my life I literally can't discuss this with, for fear of killing them.

There's no middle ground between Leave and Remain, one is logical, the other emotional.

While it’s wise to prepare I’m so angry that we have to

Not everyone can afford to buy extra

My husband has changed today from don’t be ridiculous to ok you can stockpile a bit if you want to but it’ll be fine.

Much as I hate Brexit, I really don't see the point in stock piling.

The fall out is going to last for years not days.

It's simply not possible to prepare for that duration.

Medicines maybe, in the very short term, I get but that's it.

Can't say it's the main reason we're moving to Oz but it's a factor! Going to move rurally too, and become as self sufficient as possible!

Concentrated nutrients

• Bags of nuts, preferably unflavoured and unsalted (avoid excess salt) - check the expiry date is long
  Also pnut butter

• Dried fruit e.g. dates

• Dark chocolate (70%+ cocoa) is pretty healthy in sensible amounts

< spoilsport alert > Don't waste storage space on junk food like crisps, sweet biscuits, choc with < 70% cocoa content.
Anyway, they have a half-life like hard radiation, so are likely

Tinned veg, beans, fruit

Tinned fish (in brine, not dubious cheap veg oil) - tuna, salmon, sardines - fish is v healthy

Staples:
Porridge oats, brown rice, pasta, crackers, jam

Essential toiletries:
tooth-paste, spare tooth brush, deodorant, soap, shampoo

In case of water / clean water supply issues:
Wet wipes, wet toilet wipes, face wipes, at least 6 litres of bottled still water per person

In case of power cuts / power rationing:
Microwaveable rice / pasta, instant porridge, pot noodles
Also candles, matches, torches, portable electric heater (if space)

BATTERIES

Basic 1st aid:
Include umpteen plasters, a big roll of plaster, a few bandage rolls, germolene, aspirins, basic book

Is it just me to find it unbelievable that political decisions could lead to people dying from lack of essential medication? There is no need for a no deal Brexit. It would be totally self-inflicted. The government is doing this.

This is the driving force behind prepping for me... I think our government is incompetent and definitely doesn't have people's interests in mind. We cannot rely on them.

Place mat here too.
At least H isn’t getting upset anymore about me saying it’s going to be a real mess. So I can buy my 25kg bag of rice.
Plus plenty of pulses.
Freezer isn’t huge so not going very far with that.
UHT milk
I’m wondering about cans of mackerel,sardines and tuna. Th dcs won’t want to eat that butbthen if there is nothing else... they might.
And a 25kg bag of flour. Then we can make our own bread still (solar panel should allow us to still use the bread machine even if there are some power cuts).

Still feels and looks completely crazy, like it’s from a bad movie. Planning like this in a developed country? I didn’t think it would happen tbh.

Issue with water supply.
A couple of weeks ago, Lidl had a water butt. I nearly bought one but thinking now I should really get one. At least we would have some clean ish water if need be.

Bearbehind Like any emergency, it is the initial period which is likely to be most chaotic and critical
It could take the govt 3 months to get things back to - not normal - but to a basic standard

... and there may be a few different govts / PMs during 2019

IME stockpiling actually causes the shortages.

Bread, milk, water all ran out when we had snow because some people bought so much that wasn't actually necessary, meaning others got nothing.

Bear for me the preparation is about coping with the first 2~3 weeks where the borders will be a mess, things won’t be coming in etc...
I do hope that after that, there will be some movement and that, even if you still can’t find everything (see the issue with dairy as a longer term issue), at least we should find the basics.

That’s also the reason why I dintbwant to buynthings we wouldnt normally eat. Because the idea is that, regardless of what happens, then we can get through the stock at our own speed. (Because it will last at least a year so no issue of things getting ‘bad’ iyswim

Stockpiling now for let’s UHT milk isn’t go g to create shortage in march 19 though....
And shortages we could have now will be easier to ‘deal with’ iyswim. In big part because people aren’t going to buy tons and tons of canned food all in one go.

bearbehind Stockpiling - without reason - can indeed cause unnecessary shortages

Stockpiling where there is a significant risk is just basic common sense looking after yourself

Fair enough, I'll leave you to it and pop round for a cup of sugar when the shit hits the fan

DP has finally acknowledged that his 'it'll never happen here' attitude is looking more and more naive by the day. He was horrified when I showed him the @Peston tweet about the advice to businesses and homeowners today.

So, we're going to start a more focused kind of prepping/stocking-up than we had been doing. However we currently live with my df (in his house) who is a Leaver...so god only knows where we're going to put it all!

I can't believe this is actually happening, though. I'm so fucking angry.

who is a Leaver...so god only knows where we're going to put it all!

All the more reason to stockpile, and arrange your stash artistically on your street-facing windowsills spelling out "F**K BREXIT"

MarcasiteCat

WRT insulin needing to be refrigerated - gas fridges (generally used for camping) are not very expensive and it sounds like buying one, and spare gas canisters, might help you avert a bit of worry?
I’m sure insulin will be one of the top priorities for pharmacies to quickly replace in an emergency scenario, so even a few days worth of emergency refrigeration could well be enough.

The moment my DH stopped eye-rolling about me starting to stock up, was when we trudged 2 miles in the heavy snow to the shop, back in March, and they’d only let us buy 6 litres of milk because they weren’t sure they’d get their regular deliveries (and indeed didn’t).
This was just off a dual carriageway in South East England! That’s when it dawned on him about how fragile supply-lines are.
We’ve kept in a few boxes of UHT ever since - especially as we found a brand that the kids find acceptable - the Moo brand of Organic UHT. (I think Organic is probably pointless by the time it’s UHT, but it does taste better.) And the ‘emergency milk’ has come in useful a few times since, such as when the car broke down, so he can see that we’ll still use it and it won’t be money wasted if by some miracle Brexit isn’t a disaster.
On the same principle we’ve filled a corner of our garage with a large pallet of loo roll, toiletries and cleaning products.
I need to sit him down and insist he goes to buy a pallet each of tins I know we’ll eat come what may. I’m thinking tuna, baked beans and peanut butter.