BREXIT Stash - how long will your stash last?

[daphine2004]

So I started prepping lightly for Brexit, a box of medicines (calpol, piriton, paracetamol, plasters etc.) I am now investigating the other threads for what people are prepping in terms of food, but I am struggling to decide how long the food will need to last.

How long will your food stash last you? Thanks.

Not around today but I can also PM my list for a family of four if anyone wants it. It's tailored to my family so for example there is very little tuna on it even though tuna is a generally a good option. Not a good option for us since my DC would simply not eat it. My DSs are also teens and eat as much as I do! Reluctant to just post since there are journos around (I suspect others have also have the TV Company PM..)

Dehydrater is a really good idea for anyone who grows their own. I have a kilner jar in the kitchen containing 21 very large courgettes and a smallish kilner jar containing 5kg of carrots. massively space saving and a good way to keep vegetables that can then be added to stews, soups etc.

vacuum packer can also be picked up fairly cheaply and is very useful.

You are right I should not comment about stashing food.
Prep away I guess better safe than sorry. I personally won't be buying anything as I don't believe there will be a need but at this point nobody knows what's going to happen.

Nobody ever died of having some extra food in their cupboards..

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@royalton - I'm planning to shove mine in stews etc but they can be rehydrated as is. Fruit leathers are a great way of storing fruit but my dd demolishes them as soon as I make them.

TheElementSong you sound deranged. What are you on about 🤯

What polite language!

I think with the rehydration it depends on what it is. So for example spinach leaves will rehydrate to something resembling a cooked spinach leaf but not to something resembling a freshly picked spinach leaf. I personally use them in cooking other things or making soups. So if I'm making a lasagne I would stick dehydrated courgettes, aubergines, peppers, mushrooms, onions, spinach etc into the ragu if I didn't have fresh available. You wouldn't know any difference once its cooked (although mushrooms can sometimes be a little more rubbery in texture, particularly if they were past their best when you dehydrated them so chopping them smaller is a good idea).

I wouldn't ideally use dehydrated veg to serve up a boiled portion of veg though.

The other thing you can do is make powders - mushrooms are particularly good for this and add a really good flavour.

fruit leathers as bellini says are also good plus we eat most of the fruit in its dried state without rehydrating or add it to breakfast cereal. The flavour of fruit is really intensified in the dehydration process.

It really is super easy.

I've started prepping mainly because we ran out of fuel and had empty shelves in the shops early this year.
I am very rural Scotland and we had two days of nothing being available. It went to -6 and we pretty cut off on the farm. I know how easily shortages can happen up here. Fuel was stuck at Grangemouth and the tankers couldn't get down to us.
I'm also storing animal feed in bulk plus I'm ordering double coal at the moment to build up a supply.

For anyone thinking of a dehydrator, I recently purchased the
Mliter 5 stackable tray dehydrator on Amazon , unfortunately it had an error before even working so I had to return it. Just in case anyone thought of trying that one.
I haven't chosen another yet as I'm unsure of which to try.

I've got some tins - soup, beans, tuna, sweetcorn etc, tea and coffee, sweetners, a huge box of washing powder, toilet rolls, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, anti histamines, washing up liquid and bin bags. I'm planning on getting in packets of things next month as the date on them is shorter.

I don't have much money so am just going at it slowly. I figure if we end up with a deal or not leaving then I can use them when I am switched into universal credit. I'm not in danger of that at the moment as I get carers allowance but it will happen at some point.

I also think if I have some stuff in then if prices spike i have a shorter shopping list for the same money which should help a little.

user I would love to see a list of your stash for inspiration, thanks

I've asked for a dehydrator for my birthday. Really hope I get it. This thread is so inspiring

I can do 2.5 weeks, plus another 2 weeks on emergency supplies (high fat granola bars/peanut butter). I’ve got that stashed away, and that would be after we’d ran out of fresh stuff. That’s all cans/dried foods.

I have the Andrew James rectangular six layer dehydrator. I've had it about 5 years and not had any problems with it at all. I think it was about £25ish.

Happy to PM my food spreadsheet in the morning AnotherShirtRuined

Dehydrating really intensifies the flavour which compensates a bit for any loss of texture.
I wittered on about them before in a prepper thread and a poster gently referred me to the Eddie character in Friends- Chandler's short term room mate who had a bit of a mania for using one. Which actually represents very well how much I love them and how others are a bit weirded out by them .
Have I told you about dehydrated home grown cucumbers? They are delicious....stop me now!

I bought a Lidl's dehydrator this year and really love it. We have tried plums, apples, figs and pears from the garden so far. I am not prepping as we live in rural France, but the garden has yielded everything for lots of frozen ratatouille this year.

bellinisurge what about the minced turkey? did it work? was it edible?

The minced turkey is in its vacuum sealed bag, proudly sitting in obscurity on a garage shelf. The seal has remained intact and I am frankly too scared to mess with it. .

Currently dehydrating some melon (last batch I did was bloody gorgeous) and some pear.
I was doing my weekly shop and twitching at all the marked down/last day to sell fruit and veg. I admire my own restraint at only getting some melon and pear.
Ok... and some "half price last day to sell" organic tomatoes to add to my home grown mini load in the freezer which is waiting for get out, roast and make into passata. Which I will then preserve.
But no more. Honest. @IFeelSorryForMillie .

Sure, whatever you say Eddie

@Whatthefoxgoingon

Thanks user I'm really looking forward to it, especially as I'm struggling with how much I need to actually get in/store so it will be great for inspiration.

bellini I was very interested to read about those dehydrated cucumbers on another thread and you were kind enough to answer a question for me. I'm equally intrigued by the dehydrated melon... It sounds so yummy and I'm not sure I would have thought about it myself. It really is inspiring to me to learn what you (and others) use your dehydrator for.