When to replenish stash?

[EveLevine]

Just wondering what everyone’s opinion is on when is the right time to replace stash items that have been used?

I’ve always been a casual prepper, but became more serious and organised a proper, much more organised stash for Brexit. I’ve been so glad of that stash! The difficulties getting slots, and the item limits on some orders, means that thanks to my stash I’ve been able to concentrate on just buying food, and not having to buy anything else has given me more cash free to buy more expensive alternatives where my usual items are not available.

We’ve just been having one shop per week from Ocado (priority ordering) and I’ve been sharing that with elderly DPs. I’ve recently started booking slots with a Tesco again, as they seem to be allowing pass holders to book 4 weeks in advance, and there’s lots of items I can’t get from Ocado. But I’ve been sticking to one delivery per week, as I feel it’s unfair to use more when so many need them.

However, I’m starting to run out of items that ASD DS will eat - I’m getting enough weekly to manage, but It’s concerning me how much the stash is going down.

So just wondering when others were planning to replace their stash? I’m concerned about not being prepared for a possible second wave. Is it selfish to use slots now? I’m seeing more available locally - checked today and there are slots available with 4 different supermarkets! But is it selfish to use these to refill stash?

What’s everyone else doing?

@BanKittenHeels you feel it will be a third wave before Christmas?

I heard on the Intensive Care programme that there will be a spike in July and one in October so I'm restocking now. I buy a 9 pack of loo rolls every time I shop so we don't have to worry about that. Nor pasta. I'm also buying a few tins extra each time I shop.

you feel it will be a third wave before Christmas?
Yes.

I've been restocking as we go along. Delivery slots are readily available in this area now and so Ive been making the most of them.

@BanKittenHeels I guess I was hoping for more time

Thanks.

I’ve just gone through my pantry now, so I know what I want to get, so now it’s just a matter of convincing my husband that we need everything I want LOL

I’ll just have to buy a few things here and there as we go

I hope I’m wrong honestly I do LovePoppy and I’m not working front line at the moment but all of my family and friends are and that’s what many of them expect - these are their personal beliefs, not something they have been told by their trusts.

I think getting things in will be different for the subsequent peaks. People now know that shops can restock if given a chance, so hopefully they will prevent people going bat shit crazy like they did in March.

Bankitten I think my concern has always been not being able to get out to shop rather than worries about restocking.

Hi everyone - delurking to say hello. Was so grateful to have lurked on this board pre brexit and done a good stock up, and then further increased stocks early (Jan/Feb) for corona so able to avoid panic buying / empty shelves. We are at the stage now of stock rotating and using up random bits (random frozen ready meals, meat thats been in the freezer a while already, half opened packets of this and that in the cupboards) with a view to creating space to restock with newer stuff and have had a good chance to see what does and doesnt work us us, prep wise, so we know better what to stock. I am also predicting a 2nd wave in the not too distant future and a 3rd in late Autumn - time will tell - and I'd rather be well prepped. Thank you to you all.

ps printer ink and paper was one we hadnt thought on - for printing primary school work. Restocked those this week as tesco had them back in. Now on the lookout for replacement paint / playdoh and art supplies.
I am also prepping some xmas presents for the kids in case there are difficulties ordering near christmas - would rather have a few things in to prep

My 15 yr old son has very disordered eating, he picks one meal at a time and eats in non stop (3 meals a day of beans on toast at the moment) and then will suddenly change without warning, I feel your pain OP, there's very little understanding of it.

I'd slowly start restocking, it's not like you're stockpiling everything for the sake of it, you're getting the minimal selection of food your DS will eat.

I'm terrified that a second wave will take us back to panic buying and stock piling, we have a weekly slot reserved due to shielding but if the food isn't there to send it doesn't make much difference!

Really tough for those of you that have dc with restricted eating. I'd definitely build a network of helpers to stock up. Especially as there's a 3 item limit on most things.

We have a freezer coming on Tuesday & I really hope we can squeeze it in where I think we can

Today is going to be about thinking & organising what will go on each freezer shelf & sticking to it! Chicken fillets & veg will need to feature highly as I'm trying to be healthy but also beige food in case dc need to fend for themselves a bit. Other than oven chips & fish fingers type things, beans & toast & supernoodles, not sure what else they can attempt.

I've ordered a refill kit for printer ink - never done it before but cheaper than cartridges

I've ordered some birthday & Christmas presents too as usually get anxious & am a forward planner anyway. Both dc have birthdays before Christmas & have ordered some winter things - jigsaws & canvasses to attempt oil paintings 😬.

Other than clothes & books I'm trying to think of things that can double as necessities & treats for birthday gifts. Ds will need a new bike so keeping an eye on gumtree for one.

There are bound to be shortages & delays for Christmas things with or without a second & third wave.

Dd (13) is a horribly fussy eater. Loves pizza, homemade soup and eggs any which way one week and turns her nose up at it the next. Same with sainted chicken nuggets. Or sausages. Or chicken curry.
Despite all the fecking pureed organic veg I gave her when she was weaning.
The struggle actually is real.
All I can do is focus on the basics and hope she goes for them. She's already had a few "we can't readily get stuff" from me. Which isn't brilliant because it makes a skirmish into a battle.

I fall somewhere between proper prepper and just very-well-stocked-cupboards, but for things like tinned goods with long use-by dates, I’d never buy individual tins from the supermarket anyway, for eg. tinned tomatoes I prefer a particular brand and buy trays of 12 from Amazon. I bought them on subscribe & save monthly till I built up a good stash and now replace a tray of 12 when I break open a new one so kept a good stash. They’ve been out of stock for a while so the stash is going down, but I’ve just found that the manufacturer are selling online directly now so I can order some more to replenish, yippee! Subscribe & save is great though because you just set it up once, then things arrive each month without you needing to think about it. Finances permitting obviously. But I do that for lots of tinned/jarred goods, pet food, cat litter, loo roll, toiletries etc.

Spaghetti hoops are available in trays of 24 from Amazon as well, OP, is that useful for you?
Heinz Spaghetti Hoops - 24x400g www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08613LB7D/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uL.VEbYGF3P57?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Heinz are also doing direct delivery ‘bundles’ that include spaghetti hoops heinztohome.co.uk/

For items you use a lot of, bulk buying is definitely the way forward.

@BanKittenHeels I’ve heard a few trusted friends say the same re third by Christmas

I managed to get a good amount of stuff today, Hopefully by July I will just be at the restocking as use the stage. Which is how I normally keep my pantry, but I just want a little bit more in.

Art supplies are certainly something I need more of for my children.

As far as Christmas presents, I usually start shopping in June anyway, so that’s not going to be a huge change for me

@OpthalmosVerde - great idea to go directly to the supplier. Subscribe & save good too if you have space.

I'm trying to decide if I should keep the empty glass jars I've collected. Don't normally make jam or pickle but will I suddenly start? Maybe need to do some more research on what I can easily dehydrate

Keep your jars if you can bucketeejit, you never know what they will come in handy for. I recently started using them to keep previously frozen berries in the fridge, as sweet jars in my 'tuck shop' and to store things like lentils and pearl barley, just poured out from the enormous bags that I bought to keep a normal sized amount in the cupboard.

Oh and I freeze homemade chicken stock in glass jars as well, just leave a gap at the top

I buy stationery from an online school supplier, Education or Ross

Thanks everyone for the supportive comments. It really helps, especially since so many people in real life tell me I’m too soft, and he’ll eat other foods if he’s hungry! He really wouldn’t!

I’ve tried ordered multi packs, and bigger/smaller tins as a pp suggested, but the multi packs all seem to be out of stock :(

@GreyishDays the cut off time for Ocado is currently 2 days before, so stock levels are not very accurate at the moment unfortunately.

@Northernsoullover do you mean the critical care program filmed at the Royal Gwent? That’s my local hospital, which is one of the reasons I’m so worried about a second spike. I’ve already heard they’ve had to relocate the children’s ward as it’s been turned into a Covid ward! DS has had all his appointments cancelled, we’ve been told it’s telephone appointments only until at least October.

@BanKittenHeels it’s the third peak in winter that scares me. I’m not worried so much about availability of food, but of having enough that I don’t need to go shopping during a peak if that makes sense? I have a DC who is severely asthmatic, and uses montelukast and clenil, and while they seem healthy through the summer months, Nov - Feb is always awful for them health wise, this winter we had 4 lots of steroids! I’m worried about that happening during a peak.

@OpthalmosVerde that’s brilliant - thank you! I’ve been checking Amazon pantry, and they seem to have very little stock of anything. Never thought to check “normal” amazon.

I’ve also had an email this week informing me that Amazon Now is now available in my postcode - does anyone know if they have purchase limits?

BanKittenHeels that’s made me feel a bit sick I had assumed there would be a second wave in october/November but hadn’t really thought about there being three waves. Do you mind me asking if you’re all in England? I’m in Wales and we are taking a different approach to an exit strategy, we haven’t even reached our peak yet, so maybe we will only have the two...

I’m struggling to know where to begin with restocking tbh. I do have good levels still and have secured decent and reliable milk, fruit and veg deliveries but it is sweets, treats, bread and butter that will see me out at the supermarket. Thanks to furlough, I have to go to lidl and can’t afford regularly shopping with delivery slots

I've always dismissed you peppers as a bit mad but my god am I eating my words.
Thank you for your advice

Preppers