Brexit preppers - how many weeks are you prepping for?

[Jackshouse]

^ I was think 6 weeks but maybe that is over kill. Perhaps I only need 2 weeks worth.

I don't think that's overkill at all. If its stuff you use anyway then its just advance purchasing anyway.

Stuff we normally use but putting stuff away this morning took forever and I need to think through the storage of it.

I think 6 weeks is a good period if you can do it.

I have more but I'm a long term prepper anyway and always have loads of dehydrated stuff, vegetable garden, chickens etc even when we're not heading for potential chaos.

Thanks. We don’t really have the capacity for that but I’m considering buying a breadmaker and lots of flour and yeast too.

I suppose the more you have the more you can eek out what is available in the shops.

If we are relying on the stuff we have and only the stuff we have we are going to be fucked. living in a flat is not the best place to keep chickens or make sure there are vegetables growing.

I have two weeks, more would be good, there is time.

I am starting the seeds off this week and after the bad weather I will commence preparing the garden.

@BlackeyedGruesome I agree: but I just think people’s capacity to cope in a crisis is pretty remarkable. I was made redundant a few years ago and things were quite tough: but we managed to survive on very little and didn’t feel we were suffering or missing out (although it got a bit boring having pasta and tinned tomatoes every dinner, and bread and jam for every breakfast and lunch!)

I’m going for 4 weeks at the moment. We are a family of 5 with two large dogs so that’s quite a lot of stuff. I need dh to go out so that I can make a list of what I’ve got. He’s adamant it won’t be a problem and has no idea that I have a stash. I’m doing something each week. Long life milk this week!

I’ve also requested ds1’s medication and ds3’s inhalers early so that I’ve got a few spare and I’m going to do the same with mine.

I would stress it's what you can afford if you aren't a general prepper and what suits your circumstances including financial, obviously.
Focus on ingredients to make stuff if you are twitchy but struggling for both space and affordability.
I think Jack Monroe much as I dislike her has some useful tips for cooking with tinned stuff.
Dried onions from Amazon are a good idea for any main meal base and don't take up much room. I know porridge with water sounds grim but if you stir it while cooking on the hob it's very creamy. Add some choc or a bit of tinned fruit and it's delicious.

I know that sounded like a Viz cartoon but I am keen not to alienate anyone who, for whatever reason, can't get a load of extra stuff In beyond a few days worth.

We live in the Scottish Highlands and I’ve never known anyone to make porridge with anything other than water. Heads off to buy some oatmeal for the stash.

How do I calculate how long my stash will last? I've been buying things rather ad hoc over the past few months/couple of years (but with long lulls in between where I've been dipping into it as a working pantry set up). Need to ramp up a gear now, especially on the tinned veg. Have you done approximate meal plans with your inventories?

I made a two week plan and I am buying around that. There is a thread on Brexit meal planning on this board.

I would look at what you have got and work out what meals you can make from it. 80g is a portion of fruit and veg for an adult.

I've been into the shed today and actually grouped stuff into meAls to see how far it would go, towards the end it would be very full but I've almost got 30 days supply. Going to do another Asda shop on Friday to fill my gaps.
I think realistically we've got a few more weeks to top up gradually... I feel very despondent about the likelihood of no deal...

If my toddler decides he doesn't like mashed potato, Tuna and sweetcorn anymore though then I'm a bit stuffed!

I think she will be sent home with a flea in her ear and she can say "I tried. So it's WA or No Brexit ". The success of the non binding Spelman amendment showed me that the majority view in Parliament is against no Deal. Some Tories were willing to support it. The rest were too scared at this stage to put their heads above the parapet. However, if it comes to it, I reckon the feckers will accept WA because it is the only Leave option left. No Deal does not have majority support.

I'm actually going for two months. But that's party because I'm due at the end of march

Congratulations @Hedgehogblues .

I remember before my dd was born that my freezer full of my lovingly prepared home cooked meals stopped working. I lost all my lovely lasagnes and stews. Same time of year ish, too. One of the reasons I'm a prepper now

Thank you @bellinisurge. I thought about freezer issues the other day but if that happens I will still have enough dry, tinned, and dehydrated stuff to get through

I think we all have to assume/hope that freezer issues won't occur, otherwise its very difficult to get sufficient decent protein options unless you're content buying stuff you won't eat in the event that a decent solution is found.

I have tins of meatballs for example that we would really be scraping the bottom of the barrel to eat now in normal times. I want them for now as an insurance policy but if by some miracle were we no longer leaving (I know the chances of this are now next to nil) then I would donate them and could afford to write off the cost. I appreciate that I'm in a fortunate position and that many people just can't afford to donate things.

Upshot is I now have an extra freezer and I am cramming it with meat, cheese, butter, cooked meals. Frozen veg going into the current freezer.

We don’t really have the capacity for that but I’m considering buying a breadmaker and lots of flour and yeast too.

Do you think bread is going to be a specific problem? I thought I read somewhere that we are relatively self-sufficient in wheat but I may have imagined that. If it is the case though, stocking up on flour may be of no benenfit and the money and space you use for that might be better used for something else.

Do you think bread is going to be a specific problem? I thought I read somewhere that we are relatively self-sufficient in wheat

My understanding is that we are certainly not self sufficient all year round even if we are at particular times of the year. We import a lot from the US. Yields were down last year due to the unusual weather. And of course bread goes off quickly and so gets hit by any supply chain issues.