Prepping amidst Pandemic - Thread 17

[Sprayitall]

Hi all, starting this thread to continue from preppers thread 16. Because we are amidst a pandemic now, I have changed the title to prepping amidst pandemic than “for pandemic”. I hope all of you keep well amidst this and get all the help, support and hope needed to cope during this challenging times. Feel free to add your thoughts, preps and ideas here.

I've been lurking for a while on here after starting prepping re Brexit last year.

My stash was almost completely depleted during lockdown. Managed to get delivery slots most of the time (shielding as caring for elderly/sick parents), but we frequently had to share a slot which was challenging with limits on how many items you could have. Also helped out a friend's neighbour who got stuck at one point.

Am currently adding an extra £10-15 worth of supplies to each weekly shop from an extensive list, starting with the most essential items and stuff we struggled to get last time, flour, yeast, sugar, tinned tomatoes, loo roll.

I've got 2l of antibacterial gel as DD and I will be needing it constantly when we both go back to school in September.

Also debating buying a second freezer as DD is a bit picky about tinned food and the it's much nicer to have fresh or as close as possible.

I hope its ok for me to join you. I am a regular name changer but have been on the prepper boards before :)

My brexit stash took a massive knock over the last few months, but I am SO GLAD to have had it, it gave me peace of mind and meant there was always stuff to fall back on. It has also shown me that some of the things I bought were perhaps not things we would eat so going forwards I can adapt what is in there to reflect this. I really need to give my supplies a good sort through and rotate/send some bits we wont use to the food bank.

I used to run on themes for things and like @Rowanberries I am doing toothpaste and mouth wash this week. I think I will sort the remainder of the toiletries the following week as the cupboard I store them in has space to accomodate them (my brexit stash is a right mess )

I have found this website really useful for info about freezing stuff. I have an allotment which has been a bit hit and miss due to my lack of knowledge but I have learnt loads for next year and hope to grow and freeze down surplus produce to keep us going throughout the winter - it gives lots of tips on successful freezing of produce.

www.thespruceeats.com/is-it-safe-to-eat-freezer-burned-food-1388417

I am trying to get all our DIY up together before the end of the year in case anything happens to my job or things become too expensive for us to afford. Although we were planning a massive extension next year so that might have to go on hold.

I am also starting to plan and buy for Christmas but I usually do this.

Hello! Rejoining as MNHQ nixed my precious account. @LovePoppy I know exactly what you mean about food anxiety. I have the same. I'm a child of the 80s from a working class family, and I can remember with clarity days where three of us shared a tin of soup for lunch. Brexit/COVID has hugely triggered that anxious "I don't have enough food" feeling.

I have sensory issues related to food and although I am miles better than I used to be (I eat more than 3 foods now!) one of my big worries is not having familiar foods. That's one of the reasons I started my Brexit stash and it was extremely handy during lockdown.

Dh has just discovered that we can get a refund on ds1's bus pass for school given it was closed for a term. That'll go towards Christmas prepping.

We have been prepping by putting in a shed to allow for storage of garden equipment and to make space for dh to use the garage as a work shop. I think my main prep now needs to be working in the garden to help it be more productive next year. We have had quite a preductive growing year so far and I have eeven brought a dehydrator to help store some of the crops. The children enjoy both growing and eating the food and it's a useful skill.

Just popping in (have nc) Funny how people are doing teeth/mouth this week, I am too! Plus general topping up of the medicine and first aid cabinet as I gt 40% off own-brand products this week. I think we have enough shower gel for a year now!

I did teeth last week.

Today I've got instant mash, ravioli, cat food, loo roll and coconut milk powder.

I use coconut milk a lot in curries and stir fries and opening a whole tin for two of us just results in waste, so being able to make up the right quantity as I go along will be much better.

I've also bought all the sugar this week as have noticed it showing up as out of stock more frequently. 1kg each of granulated, soft brown and caster sugar, plus 2kg of icing sugar which has now sold out at my local huge Tesco.

DD went to Sainsburys with her dad on Thursday and said there were a lot of gaps in the rice and pasta aisles.

And I'm getting my new freezer Monday week!

Coconut milk powder sounds good. I've frozen leftover coconut milk before in ice cube trays which makes it easy to portion out when cooking the next time. But a cupboard version means more space in the freezer for something else!

@Rowanberries exactly. I do freeze it sometimes but atm I'm using all my ice cube trays for ice!

@MintyCedric

And I'm getting my new freezer Monday week!

So exciting!!!

@DontBeShelfish

Hello! Rejoining as MNHQ nixed my precious account. *@LovePoppy* I know exactly what you mean about food anxiety. I have the same. I'm a child of the 80s from a working class family, and I can remember with clarity days where three of us shared a tin of soup for lunch. Brexit/COVID has hugely triggered that anxious "I don't have enough food" feeling.

I’m sorry you’re feeling the same way ❤️

I'll third the food anxiety thing, I come from a poor single parent family and noticed recently that my dining room where I store all my preps looks like a bloody corner shop. Think there is quite a lot of 'running out of food' anxiety going on for me. I still shudder at the childhood memory of my mum having to put things back in the sumermarket at the checkout because she didn't have enough money

@RhubarbTea @LovePoppy Yep. It's grim. It also doesn't help with weight loss as I eat it all! 😂

My DM used to send us to the corner shop to ask for food on tick. It was really humiliating, especially when we were refused, and the older I got the more aware of it I was. My DM's suggestion was to make sure I'd collected the stuff off the shelves before I asked, that way the shop owner would be less inclined to refuse.

morning all
back from a weekend of camping - hot and exhausted but we had fun!
DH casually announced he had run out of coffee whilst I was away (he didn't come camping) but he happily discovered I had some in the garage so he didn't have to bother going to the shops. I was not impressed and explined about me now needing to update my inventory list and he looked at me as if I'd gone mad!!
MintyCedric that coconut milk powder is genius - have ordered a large bag, thanks. We use quite a bit of coconut milk in cooking and I was trying to gather some tins but this will be much easier.

I need to check my list and add a few bit to my my weekly shoping order today. Might try to get one or two mor Christmas bits sorted too .

My lettuce and spinach has all geminted in my raised bed which is very exciting too.

Glad it was helpful @mosscarpet.

I didn't even know it was a thing, stumbled across it looking for coconut shampoo!

Have realised I have missed the oximeter off my medical shop. Are they all the same? They seem to vary from about £6 on eBay to upto £30 on Amazon. Is thee one anyone would recommend? The only difference seems to the the accuracy percentage of either 1 or 2%

Yes my stash has been depleted since lockdown too Moss due to everyone taking stuff out of the cupboard and not writing on my inventory list

Where do people bulk buy rice ?
I've got 10kg bags of basmati from Tesco before for about £11. Checked Costco and it seems to be more pricey. Any other tips?

I’ve not bulk bought it, rice and pasta I’ve just bought in small bags as found it easier to store. It’s £1 for a kilo so wouldn’t be saving anything buying in bulk anyway.

Amazon sell 10kg bags too Tiddle

@IceCreamAndCandyfloss Yes I agree, the big bag is a bit of a pin. But where do you find basmati rice for £1/kg?
@MarshmallowManiac thanks I'll take a look

TiddleTaddleTat Lidl have had huge bags of rice the last few times I've been in. I didn't notice the price though but may be worth checking if you're close.
Our storage boxes were pretty empty by the end of May but thankfully we've been able to fill them mostly back up. We have very little storage so I'm now trying to find dried alternatives to things.

The costco rice is a little more pricey but it is good quality.

I've been drawing up lists to replace the stuff that we have used over the last five months. Generally speaking, we were OK for food, but I'd forgotten to plan for non food items such as computer paper, ink, washing up liquid etc.

@MintyCedric

Glad it was helpful *@mosscarpet*.

I didn't even know it was a thing, stumbled across it looking for coconut shampoo!

I got some too Only small packets sadly

DH thinks I’ve lost my mind