Critique please!

[JustHowConcerned]

I don't genuinely think there will be any massive shortages / power outages etc... but think it is very very likely that there will be short term shortages with last minute panic buyers / supply chain issues / fuel supply preventing food coming up as far as north Scotland.

So... i'd like to have a few weeks of food in.

My cupboards and freezer are generally pretty well stocked and i reckon we'd easily manage 2 weeks on what it already in at any one time.

My current prep stash so far:

Snacky Stuff
2 x boxes ritz crackers

Jams / Spreads
1 x peanut butter
1 x jam

Condiments / Sauces
1 x garlic and herb dressing
2 x onion chutney
2 x sweet chilli sauce
1 x BBQ Sauce
4 x assorted pasta sauces
4 x stir fry sauce
2 x fajita seasoning

Packets
10 x assorted micro rice
500g red split lentils
2 x flavoured cous cous packets
5 x pasta n sauce packets

Tinned
3 x chopped toms
5 x assorted soups
2 x macaroni
2 x meat free bolognese
2 x coconut milk
2 x baked beans
2 x peas and carrots
1 x chickpeas
2 x beans and sausages
2 x beansprouts
2 x new potatoes
2 x ratatouille
1 x chilli
1 x pulled pork
2 x chicken curry
2 x sweetcorn
1 x 6 hot dogs
1 x green lentils
1 x kidney beans

Other
6 x 2L bottled water
1 x 22 dishwasher tabs
1 x matches
2 x 9 toilet roll
3 x 30 multivits
4 x 16 paracetamol
San Pro

No idea but that's roughly what I have so waiting for responses

Hopefully we are on the right track!

I came back to add that i have dried pasta etc, and will buy more early next year along with noodles, a few packet bread mixes and some sugar. (We eat little bread and don't really use sugar in anything). Freezer will be stocked with frozen meat and veg as normal.

Oops, forgot i'll get some UHT milk in nearer the time too - again, we don't use much. I have butter in the freezer already as the stuff i like (nice french butter) has been hard to get hold of lately!

I would focus on the basics and I think you have a decent enough starting point. I would be adding to your tins/packets section and not so much on things like fajita mix and garlic dressing.

The likelihood is that some level of food would still be available but there would be shortages. If prices rocket then you're going to be more concerned about calories and less concerned about variety.

As an easy win I'd buy four six packs of beans, four four packs of tinned soup and some large bags of rice, pasta and flour/bread mix. I'd also buy some tins of tuna and meat (I like the chicken in white sauce since if the stockpile is not needed for emergency purposes than I can just use them up in a chicken pie.)

UHT milk is fine but doesn't actually last that long and so I'd buy some dried milk and some tins of evaporated milk.

I'd also prioritise more vitamins. A two month supply for everyone would be a good idea.

I'd post my list but I'll be pegged as a freak since its a bit longer than yours

You've missed out chocolate and alcohol

its important to have some nice stuff stashed.

If you only think you need food for a couple of weeks then you could plan it around actual meals. Personally I'd aim for at least a month just in case..

We are fortunate in that even if prices doubled, whilst it would hurt, we would still be able to afford to buy food (only 2 adults).

We are both overweight, so i'm loathe to stock up massively on things like flour / bread mix / pasta as the likelihood is it won't get used.

I'll get some cereal bars and a small amount of chocolate in nearer the time too.

Good point re more vitamins.

I'll carry on adding a tin or 2 into each shop too - more "meal" type things.

I've got about 4 gallons of gin in the cupboard - it very rarely gets touched!

I'm working on the theory that i can easily manage for 2 weeks on my normal freezer / cupboard along (3 even maybe), so another 2-3 weeks of stashed food would give getting on 6 weeks worth of food total.

You don't have any breakfast foods - a few bags of porridge oats would be a good idea, you can make it with uht/evap or even water. A spoonful of peanut butter on top and you've got a filling breakfast.

Do you drink tea, coffee or hot chocolate? Do you take sugar or sweeteners in them?

Bread is one of the first things to run out (like when we had the snow earlier this year), so a few bags of flour/yeast or some packets of bread mix would be a good idea. Soda bread is quick and easy to make if you're not a keen baker.

Think about what's nutritious and will keep you going, even if it's not what you normally have to eat. For example, we eat a lot of stir fries during the week, but if fresh veg and meat is in short supply, we've got tuna and sardines for protein, frozen veg, and rice/pasta/flour in the cupboard.

Oh, and we normally have protein shakes for breakfast - if you're thinking about foods with a long shelf life that also fit with a diet, something like a bag of whey protein/Huel might work.

You’re better prepared than me. I usually have a couple of weeks worth of food in, so I don’t count that as prepping. I’ve just started buying my ‘prep’ food. So far it consists of 12 tins of sweet corn 🌽😁

Was also going to say add some breakfast stuff.
And make sure you have the means to keep warm (guessing that's a given ) and to entertain yourselves if you are stuck in the house for a bit.

I have two bags of Huel and will buy some more. Its a good protein fallback and I personally think its decent value at circa 1.45 a meal.

In terms of brexit prepping flour, pasta and rice is still fairly cheap and whilst of course nobody wants to waste money, if you treat it like an insurance policy, you could always donate items to a food bank if it turned out we don't need it and everything is fine.

I did a brief morrisons shop today and added some more Look what we found (although the price has gone up), a couple of tins of chicken in white sauce, a couple of tins of chicken curry, 6 x 1kg bags of rice (which were very cheap), 6 bags of value pasta and a few ready made flavoured rice packets.

The vacuum packed potato rosti things from lidl were DC tested a few days ago and were a hit.

I'd add long life orange juice (or other fruit juices) too. I buy the 4 packs for around £2.50 - 3.00.
Any pets? extra pet food.
Tea, coffee
washing powder
washing up liquid (cheaper and less space than dishwasher stuff, if limited on space)
shampoo
cheap bars of soap
toothpaste
Razers

you can buy powdered "juice" which is quite handy to have in a store cupboard.

Make sure you get white rice which keeps better than brown. Or have the brown rice as the first rice you use.

The brexit zombies might be coming but there's no need to eat brown rice..

user I'd love to see a list of what you have stashed as I'm sure it would be great inspiration

Make sure you get white rice which keeps better than brown. Or have the brown rice as the first rice you use.

Oh. I didn’t know that. Thank you. I usually keep a few bags of the microwave rice in the house. I’m just thinking that since they’re partially cooked, they wouldn’t take long on a gas stove, in case of electric supply interruptions.

Thanks all

I just have a cereal bar for breakfast and will stock up early next year. DH will eat anything so if his standard bagel isn't available he will happily eat pasta / rice / soup - whatever.

I only drink water. DH does drink coffee, but if it wasn't available it would be an issue, and there's always a couple of weeks worth of coffee in anyway.

We don't use sugar in anything. I have a hot chocolate once in a blue moon and what is already in my cupboard would keep me going for a year.

I will get a couple of bags of bread mix in (have a breadmaker).

We have oil fired central heating, so will get an oil fill probably around February. If the power goes off we do have a generator that would run the boiler. Electric over but a gas hob. Open fire in one room too and fuel stored in the dry.

Will def be picking up some more pasta, and have a look at the tinned meals / meats in a few other shops (only been to Tesco lately).

The cat has extra food put away, but is a semi-feral anyway so catches a lot of mice etc herself. I have a years worth of hay bought for the horses, and their bagged feeds are all UK made - but i will have a small stock up in case deliveries are an issue (though by the time Brexit potentially causes issues, the grass will be coming in so extra feed will be negligible).

DH has a beard, and i embrace leg hair so not worried about razers (though i have plenty of spare blades). Bottles of shampoo / shower gel etc coming out our ears anyway.

I am stocking up on my preferred washing liquid / dish soap etc as it comes on offer (Ecover) as it is made in Belgium.

Thankfully space / security isn't an issue in terms of keeping stuff.

I'm certainly keeping track of dates / rotating new things, and anything which won't be used i'll donate tot he food back anyway. Just want to be mindful and not stock up on a lot of monies worth of stuff which won't get used either!

2nd paragraph should say if his coffee wasn't available it would NOT be an issue - he'd just drink water too. I don't expect issues with water supply.

Worst case scenario we can collect in 2 x rain butts off of the (fairly large expanse) of house roof and barn roof and boil on the hob.

2 x large gas bottles for running the hob - one only just been started and the other is awaiting replacement - 1 bottle lasted us 4 years so good on that front!

Good shout whoever suggested oats - i'll get some early next year too

I divide my stores by date eg 2019 on one larder shelf, 2020 on another etc etc. rather than putting all the baked beans together. It’s a bit of a faff putting everything on the right shelf after shopping but it does mean we don’t miss expiry dates. Ok ok, I make my children do it

I really recommend this method if you have the space.