Did you underestimate?

[Barbararara]

Just curious how everyone feels their preparations matched up to actual needs. I didn’t put enough thought into how eating habits would change when we are all at home. Or how many cups of coffee dh drinks at work or that I would need so many freezer bags instead of my usual boxes that take up too much space. I didn’t anticipate how much laundry washing I’d have to do - proper hot soapy washes, or that we’d want to shower after every trip out. It never occurred to me that I’d need hand cream, something I’ve barely ever used.

I wish I'd grated and frozen cheese. I saw it recommended on here and meant to but didn't get round to it.

Bread is our weak point. Hadn't bargained for all the extra lunches normally eaten outside the house

I did prepping for no-deal Brexit originally, so we're pretty set for food. Got caught out by bog roll, soap and cleaning products though!

I really wish I’d signed up for a milkman or lots of supermarket delivery services. None of them are accepting new people now. I managed to get onto Tesco and I’ve got my first food delivery today for the first time in three weeks, so we didn’t do too bad.

Have loads of cleaning stuff because (surprise!) Im not doing any cleaning!

But supplies of flour, rice, bread, treats inc wine are decreasing rapidly and I miss salad leaves... first world probs I know.

I think I omitted to count in the return of DD1 from uni too.

I’m grateful for what I have and slightly better prepared than I would normally be. But I underestimated how long we might need to stay inside. Food wise - Ideally in this situation we should be fully prepared to have atleast 3 months of supplies and two months of lean supplies ahead. Being a low key prepper always I think I could have planned it much better. The things I underestimated is the need for number of masks, gloves,games, entertainment and learning resources for kids as such but we can manage. I’m regretting not having separate freezer, pantry or utility at home though.

I wish I'd signed up for a veg box (especially now Ocado are so unreliable and hard to get slots with -- not something I anticipated).

I wish I'd bought more staples like a back up aluminium foil, cellophane wrap, greaseproof paper.

Also, I had no idea how much tea I would be drinking!!!

Our 2 weeks in isolation were absolutely fine and could have managed another week although we ran out of fresh fruit and veg.

I underestimated yeast. We've 5 sachets left and I've started a sourdough starter for long term bread making reasons. Otherwise my prep was ok.

I wish I had like others signed up for a veg box or milk delivery etc.

I underestimated how much baking I would want to do with the kids if we were locked in all the time. I wish I had bought more flour. I had no idea everyone else baked so much and it would all vanish so soon.

evaporated for caramel and baking but the condensed is for drinking

Other way around. The condensed is thick and gloopy. Great for caramel (heated with butter and salt). Evaporated is slightly thicker than milk and you can add water to it to make milk substitute.

I have been fine.

I have been a "prepper " for decades.Did no panic buying last month, and still stacks of stuff left.

Alcohol (terrible really), crisps, sweets, veg seeds and compost here.

Glad we have eggs delivered as had no idea they would be so hard to find.

I haven't been outside or even gone shopping for the last 12 days now - I just wish I had more supermarket own brand twix and cake.

I live alone- I have previously been diagnosed with clinical depression- it's been manageable but I didn't expect it to get so much worse.

I've got plenty of basics like pasta, rice, tins etc

Our dogs have recently switched to having wet & dry food & I would have liked more wet food stored.

Wish I'd stored more chocolate biscuit bars & snacks in general.

We're getting through more bread products than usual, so wish I'd got some extra packs of tortillas from Lidl a couple of weeks ago (they have long life use by dates). DD is home from uni and scoffing more chocolate than I thought!

@MotherOfDragonite I’m very envious now of veg boxes. Wish I’d had the foresight to order one. I’m so grateful for my milkman though.

Another thing I didn’t consider was printer ink.

I didn’t have a clear timescale in mind. I underestimated what we’d need in terms of food, but at the same time I got the Easter eggs in and have birthdays until June sorted. Even watching events unfold in China and then Italy, I thought it wouldn’t be so bad here and I felt a bit daft stocking up, even though I did and encouraged others to. I had a lot of dissonance so I just wasn’t systematic enough. Still I’ve been home for 19 days now so I got something right.

Plain flour is the only thing I’m a bit short on.
My children are making lists for next time, whilst praying the internet holds out.

It really hit at a bad time of year food wise, nothing to harvest or pick and last years harvest running low. Really hoping we can still get ome planting potatoes so we don't have to save ourown. Plus it seems unlikely we will be able to get our pigs this year, so eventually we are going to be low on meat, although we are trying to rectify this in the spring buy buying from a local farmer.

Kids books is what we really need more of, no librarys is really hitting our spare time / sanity.

I have masses of everything, still.

But I really should have booked my delivery slots in when this lockdown started looking likely. Haven’t been able to get a delivery slot despite trying for a fortnight with each of the big supermarkets. And I very much agree with them prioritising the vulnerable when I am able bodied and could easily physically get myself to a supermarket. No big deal as I can get fresh fruit and veg and eggs from a farm shop which is entirely outdoors and has great social distancing, but we are hoping to stay put.

Also should have bought some spare packs of felt pens. Ds2 has developed a very recent penchant for colouring in.

stet I haven’t read the whole thread but I discovered today you can make your own yeast!
www.theverge.com/2020/3/31/21199708/yeast-diy-baking-covid-19-shortage-make-it-yourself-bread

When I come to restock the brexit box and cupboard I'll be getting extra:

Oils
Tinned fruit
Bread flour
Yeast
Dried fruit
Snacks and treats
UHT milk
Cheese for the freezer
Crackers
Cereal
Biscuits

It's just a problem of where to store it.

When I prepped I didn't anticipate the dc being with me 24/7 due to no school and not seeing their dad EOW and half the holidays. And of course I didn't anticipate not being able to get a delivery at all or being unable to go out to the shops. Live and learn.

I'm 2.5 weeks into isolation and am getting to the 'interesting' point of dinner combos. I'm lacking imagination to be fair and missing chocolate. I've ordered some from love cocoa and the local health shop will deliver as I found out today but I need to up my prepping game.

I wish I'd bought that extra freezer I thought about too.

I still have lots of tins. Some were starting to go rusty from being stored outside in shed, I will store them more carefully next time. One tin, though stored indoors, had completely dried up (grapefruit, guessing the acidity had pierced the tin from inside).

I should have got more yeast, though I found using just one teaspoon for a loaf works ok, and you can make unleavened breads after all. I miss fresh veg, roasted peanuts, and may run out of decent coffee (beans or ground). I wish I had frozen some cheese, which I will also miss when my small stock runs out.

Biscuits and cake, which I hardly ever eat usually, have been inadvertently stored for ages for that reason. Though rather stale, they are turning out useful!

I bought for Brexit so assumed we would be able to get some stuff. I added more stuff for covid.

I haven't really started on the tins. Ex did a big veg shop two weeks ago. Also had a top up shop early his week of £20 quids worth of bread milk and veg, delivered by someone from church. That'll get us through another week and a half.

What I would get more of:

At a guess: tinned veg. Have some but it was supposed to supplement not be the sole source.

Tinned fruit. Children really like pudding. It helps them emotionally.

SR/ Plain flour. Ds wants to bake.

Christmas cake. Lasts ages.

Sorted out the freezer more and got a better ratio of veg.

A fucking list of where everything is. Including where the other fucking lists are.

I concentrated on stashing. I hope I have proportions right.

I would be happier with more macaroni. Ds is craving it. Only got 4 packs. (3.5 now)

Soap. For ex. Thought I was crazy, now ringing me and asking for things... Taken him two bars of soap.

I read and nodded at Bellini's posts without fully comprehending the reality of supermarkets going tits up and how much treats become so much more valuable.

A spare of everything and two more after that in case the spare does not work. Currently using incandescent light bulbs as two went early on well before stated lifetime and one of the spares didn't work. Dimmable light bulbs were not available in Morrisons just before we went into quarantine.