The Brexit Cupboard Part 2

[PerverseConverse]

Following on from the fantastic thread of the weekend, I thought we'd continue discussing our brexit cupboards and boxes here. Here's to all the preppers and their cupboards, no matter what they contain. (Keep quiet about your stash in real life).

I couldn't persuade my kids (4 and 5) to eat things like tofu or jackfruit, so I'm hoping that there won't be power cuts and am filling (our new) freezer with familiar stuff. We needed a bigger one anyway; this has just been the push we needed.

I have tins too, but there's no point buying stuff that they don't eat in a month of Sundays!

Food will stay frozen a good while if the power does go off, and I'm hoping that we aren't sent back to the dark ages.

Quite right. Get what people eat.

DH has just shown me our candle / matches / lighter stash. I really hope we won't need it!

I’ve only got up to page four but just wanted to share a tip as I’m in the middle of the tinned potato discussion.

Gnocchi can be roasted in the oven and make a great substitute for a crispy potato or a chip

It is disconcerting to discover the sensible level headed ones are making plans and it is not just the more erm, panicky ones of us forward purchasing.

Oh and I am repeating myself everywhere. Helps me keep quiet in real life. No-one has even hinted at being prepared or suggested getting 3 days of stuff in in real life.

Mind you, so far I am doing what I normally do and taking advantage of offers and buying those things in bulk and then using up slowly. There seems to be a lot of offers on at the moment.

I am going to be trialling tinned carrots later to see if they are worth getting in as emergency food.

Can anyone help me with a powdered milk question please? I'm trying to work out how much liquid milk eg. 100g of powdered milk will make? I'm ordering it online so can't 'read the pack' but nor can I find any info anywhere. Thanks!

A friend is coming round in a bit, so I spent a bit of the afternoon sorting the loft-void (loft conversion, but there's a shed-base in one of the leftover bits. Huge box slowly being filled with stuff that expired 2020 or later, huge shopping bags with stuff that expires in the second half of 2019.

First rule of forward-planning club. You don't just not talk about forward-planning club; you outright lie to all the locals about the existence of forward-planning as a concept in your world.

To be fair I'd feed her if needed.

I'm trying to work out how much liquid milk eg. 100g of powdered milk will make?

I got this from Google:
"Simply mix 32.5g (about 3 teaspoons) of milk powder and 225 ml off water to make 250mls"

Does that help?

I grew up with powdered milk. IIRC it tends to clump annoyingly when being prepared. I always used to first make a thick paste of it with a little warm water, before topping up to the final volume.

I need to sort my stash out and look what I still need to buy. I also need to start hiding it in the loft as my family keeps eating everything!

Another question either my husband or I fly every week to Hoalland as he works there. Can we still fill the case with food and bring it back after Brexit?

Balloondog re powdered milk - from memory think 57g makes a pint (or adjust for litres) That should give you a rough idea. I am using the filtered semi skimmed liquid milk at moment but always used to use powdered skimmed and have plenty stashed! To make it up I just put a pint of cold water in a measuring jug and add around 60g and whisk it in with balloon whisk - simples! I buy the Tesco one as it's a lot cheaper than Marvel.

I don't think anyone knows Murinae. Definitely wouldn't be OK in the other direction but you might get away with it on the way into the UK. Even if it isn't legal it may not matter if no one is checking.

Balloondog - also just a thought, if buying on the net, you could go to a supermarket online site and check prep or nutrition/ingredients info for that item, if they sell it. Re mixing the milk up - it really is as simple as the method I offered! Believe me, I've tried all the other ways...

Balloondog [Parte the Thirde] I once made the mistake of buying a quantity of dried milk online and it turned out to be specially formulated for use in baking; no way could it be used as liquid milk (I know this because I contacted the seller to complain!) but I'm reminded it's still lurking in the freezer somewhere so I may be forced to do a lot of baking soon... every cloud...

Thanks all, that's super useful and the tips are most appreciated!

@Murinae I don't see why you couldn't bring things back but it would have to be within the rules (as cabin crew I could say these in my sleep! 'The UK has strict laws in the importation of meat, fish, milk, seeds and nuts') and I suspect customs will get a lot stricter with checks after Brexit. Hope that helps!

Also, in case anyone is after Idahoan instant mash which I've seen mentioned that n a few threads, it's currently on offer at £1 in Asda.

for those worried about bread, you can make the easiest flatbreads in the world with equal quantities of flour and natural yoghurt. add a pinch of salt, or some chopped coriander if you want but that's as difficult as it gets. its a very sticky dough to work with so you will need extra flour on your hands, but they taste great.

Thanks dementedma, I'd been thinking of make flatbreads again anyway (last made some over 30 years ago!) It would be a good thing to do with my youngest who is into cooking.

The wraps I buy right now have too many odd ingredients in and more importantly I don't think they taste that great.

I might try that flatbread this week

However for brexit purposes dairy is thought likely to be one of the most affected foods and so yoghurt might be hard to get unless you're making your own. Might be wise to get the hang of yeast or else use lard to make tortillas.

you can make the easiest flatbreads in the world with equal quantities of flour and natural yoghurt

I learned that one from Jamie Oliver's 5 Ingredients series and we've made it quite regularly since! Agree, the dough is quite alarmingly sticky and sloppy to work with.

@Balloondog I bring lots of stuff back and forward now. Ribena, teabags and crumpets to Holland and tonight I have two frozen pizzas in my case going back to the uk. As it’s always eu to ru there doesn’t seem to be any restrictions it not sure how it will be after brexit

Eu to Eu not ru!!

I like to put a little cocoa powder in home made popcorn.

I got some flameless (i.e. battery operated) tealights in the January sales. They flicker realistically and unlike normal tealights can safely be left unattended so I'm pleased. Will need spare batteries but I haven't done the big battery review yet.

Now time is ticking on I'm thinking more strategically. I'm going to do a spreadsheet of what we have/need and then google to see where the best prices are. Then I can make a list for all the different supermarkets. Unfortunately January is a low-income month for me but if necessary I will put groceries on a credit card and pay off in March.

@RosinaAlmaviva I have picked up some bargains at ClearanceXL, Cut Price Barry's and Approved Food.

Thanks to whoever posted about the Italian uht cream. That, some Idahoan and some paxo have made it into my trolley whilst reading the last few pages. You can make a very good meatloaf with a pack of paxo a pack of mince and, if you have it some bacon

Re white sauce for a pasta dish I always sub stock for milk, with a teaspoon of Dijon.

Also star bargains, who have lots of giving tree freeze dried fruit crisps at the moment at 39p a bag.