"Paralysed by fear"with what to do about possible food shortages? Start here. *Thread titled amended by OP's request*

[bellinisurge]

I have been popping on to various threads over the past few months with this suggestion. I feel (as a general prepper) that it's a good place to start . Or do no more than this. But think about it and your personal situation. Tweak as suits you.
Imagine you are snowed in for three days. What will you and your family actually eat? Get freezer friendly and/or shelf stable versions of that. What are your hygiene needs - toothpaste, sanpro, shampoo etc. Make-up too if it makes you feel good.
Think about snacks and treats. And entertainment. Because being stuck indoors is boring.
Why 3 days? It's doable and storable and keeps you away from the shops while you suss out how things are locally. Want to do more? Plenty of advice on MN.

If veg & fruit are the main food shortage items... can't you just buy frozen or canned? What % of total calories are fruit+veg in most people's diets? I bet it's like 10% on avg.

^Paralysed by fear* ?
I hardly imagine we'll be returning to rationing as happened during WW2 , and even then people weren't 'paralysed by fear'
Major unnecessary scaremongering yet again; we're too used to eating just about any foodstuffs available instead of using seasonal vegetables and fruit. I hardly think we're all going to starve ffs!

I could probably survive on the contents of my freezer for three months, since the DC left home

Actually Daffydownclock, lm also shitting myself......now there is even talk of martial law.

So l think although maybe you don’t give a smug shit, some of us are paralysed with fear

I'm also thinking about protein sources and things needed for a baby

@DaffydownClock eating in season produce is good advice, but where is it going to come from? The UK only produces about 50% of what we eat, so if there are problems with importing produce there will be shortages, it is inevitable.

There is no harm whatsoever in doing some forward planning now to prevent panic buying nearer Brexit.

"Paralysed by fear"? Come on, there's really no need for that level of inflammatory language. If anyone is genuinely in that state of mind then I suggest you get off Mumsnet and make an appointment with your GP ASAP.

We have so much waste in this country and with Most people acting in a sensible way we should be fine. So what if we can’t get Spanish strawberries for a few weeks. I honestly can’t get worked up about the media spouting such crap.

DaffydownClock to be honest I’m pretty damn scared. I have a young baby and a toddler, they rely on me for everything, I need to keep them fed, warm and safe. I am worried. I can get in long life and frozen food (which the toddler may or may not eat if it’s not his normal) I can get in nappies and wipes. However, if the supply chain really does get disrupted then I can’t keep them safe from other people looking for the food we have and they don’t, I can’t keep the water on or the power, I can’t magic up fuel for the car. I should be enjoying my maternity leave, instead I’m worrying about how I can keep my family safe and well if we stop being able to get food into the country! We are are the stage of people who actually work in the supply chain warning about this now.
It seems completely insane that a professional in a developed country is having to worry about food and safely like this but then I’m sure plenty of teachers, doctors and office managers in Syria never imagined they would end up refugees fleeing war with nothing.
I’m really really hoping that I’m worrying for nothing and it’s all just hormones making me feel this way but yes, I am afraid for my fsmily.

@bellinisurge I've been pretty much burying my head in the sand about brexit, which is useless I know. I read a lot of threads you posted on last night and woke up this morning determined to stock a brexit box. I'll start at 3 days, mostly because that's all we can afford right now and we haven't got much storage space. Thanks for the tips, I've found them really helpful, and I'm sorry you're getting so much vitriol.

bellinisurge

I'm sorry you're getting so much vitriol.

Politely suggesting to people that's there's no need to use such dramatic, emotive and fear-mongering language is not "giving them so much vitriol".

I think Bellini's advice about food/supplies is helpful, but using that kind of wording isn't, especially when we know there are a number of posters on these boards who are so wound up by it all that they're not sleeping.

Getting on this thread. Going to baych cook this weekend

dongdingdong I wasn't talking about this thread, there are others where bellini (and others) have been subject to a LOT of abuse. This one is currently tame, but I'm sure it won't be long

I’m nervous as we’ve just got on board with prepping but planning shops last night I’ve realised it’s quite expensive to try and do it all at once, yet I feel on a really small time limit to have as much stocked up as possible come March 29th. Luckily DP is on board now with having a few sensible preparations in place as we have young kids and go through a lot of milk and baby formula which is our biggest concern.

Gosh I hope it’s alright, people scoff but it’s hard not to panic when you don’t have much money to stock up but hear talk in the news of martial law etc :(

Hopefully there will be news of a delayed Brexit after today, or by some miracle some kind of consensus on how to go forward so a deal of some kind can be struck.

Very worrying times.

I'm not quite 'paralysed by fear' (bit dramatic) if I'm honest.

Just buy in some frozen foods and canned stuff you can use for a while if it comes to it (which I doubt it will).

My freezer is small though so can't get too much in it.

-Frozen veggies (including cooking essentials like onion, garlic, mushrooms etc)
-Frozen fruits (for smoothies)
-Freeze some bags of fresh spinach and kale (good for smoothies as well as putting in pasta sauces etc)
-Frozen bread
-Frozen bake in oven rolls (good for sandwiches/hot dogs)
-Frozen veggie alternatives (sausages, mince etc)

Buy some extra packets of cheddar cheese (as it has quite a long lasting date) as well as dairy free milk (I don't drink normal milk).

Canned/cupboard
Tomatoes
Sweet corn
Tuna
Chickpeas
Pesto
Pasta sauce
Rice
Pasta

I have most of this stuff in anyways from the weekly shop every Monday, depending on how things go, you might have to buy some more to last a while in a few weeks.

You can always just add some extra tins or frozen veg each time you do a shop and build up gradually

There has been a lot of fear expressed on other threads by other people who don't know what to do. I'm not sure how else to characterise that. I'm not full of fear but lots of other people are. As observed on here.
I'm happy to take yet more flack from people about having the temerity to suggest some proportionate action that people can take.
If it pisses you off, then ignore it and do your own thing.

If stored correctly Confit duck will last six months stored in a jar covered in fat.

I'm happy to take yet more flack from people about having the temerity to suggest some proportionate action that people can take. If it pisses you off, then ignore it and do your own thing.

As I've said, I think the advice you've given is sensible and helpful. What does grate on me though is the use of highly dramatic words like "paralysed with fear" when talking about this stuff. It's just not helpful IMO, for reasons I've explained upthread. Anyway, I'll leave all you preppers to it!

I'm looking on the optimistic side, if there are some good shortages I might finally shift that half stone that's been stubbornly hanging round my thighs.

*food shortages

Thanks bellini this is very helpful to get me started.

bellini I’ve been lurking all over the preppers board for a while and I’ve found your advice very helpful (I just don’t know why people can’t ignore threads they don’t agree with or aren’t interested in)
I have a question though - do you think it’s best to keep extras just in the cupboards with the normal stuff, or keep some things separate so they don’t get used?
I’ve just been filling the cupboards more than usual but it’s just made me a bit lax with food shopping because I know there’s food in iyswim, so I’m wondering if I need to put it somewhere else - but then when do I allow us to use it?

Why does everyone on Mumsnet say "Sanpro"?? I've never heard it said in real life