Stocktake Time - Brexit Countdown

[AldiIsla]

Can't believe we might actually have a No Deal crash.

Anyone else finding it overwhelming doing usual Christmas stuff, the winter weather preparations and then Brexit and being ready for more coronavirus stuff?

I need to do a stock take of food and toiletries.

We've been life prepping so boiler has been serviced early, electrics have had an upgrade this year. Car getting serviced next month.

I can't be arsed.
I feel sick.

I fit whoĺe chickens in my freezer very easily since I learnt to spatchcock them from the BBC Good Food you tube video. Easy to do and just put them in large freezer bags. I personally find the IKEA ones really strong. Sometimes i even put a marinade in and freeze it all together ready to take out, defrost and put in the oven. No wasted airspace from a large chicken cavity and the added bonus of cooking quicker. Have even halved them again if I am playing freezer tetris.

That's very interesting @HelebethH. I've just looked it up. Do you keep the bones for stock? I just need to use up some fridge/freezer food then I'm going to give that a go.
*Ponders on whether to ask butcher to do it, being a bit squeamish about raw meat.

HI Whenwillow. I keep a large freezer bag in the freezer until I have half a dozen. I then put them in the slow cooker overnight with bay leaf. Carrot, onion and water and Peppercorns. Next morning nice stock. Only use about one pint of water. When strained it’s very concentrated like the stock pots you buy. Freeze it in ice cube trays and when frozen take out and keep in a bag. Instant stock pots when you need them. I also have another bag for cooked chicken carcasses smashed down and do the same for chicken noodle and scotch broth soup. They can all be packed flat.

two flights of stairs. But not very fit as I have hypermobility syndrome and menopause has made it worse so walking is a bit tricky. I am trying to build back up walking again. once the progesterone has buggered off things will tighten back up again and I will be able to walk further again.

Has anyone seen the link posted on Westminstenders of the video of lorries backed up on the way to Dover. Posters on there think the shelves are likely not to be refilled after boxing day. Just thought it's worth noting.

I did an extra small shop for my parents- delivery for first date available the 2nd Jan.

I’ve decided to try and see the bright side of the unexpected lockdown - if we’re allowed no one in our household, then I can have supplies in view and no one will think I’m crazy! I’m also going to order a few bags extra of treats and activities for the kids to keep us busy.

Between DLA and carers, we have a £30 bonus due tomorrow, so I’m going to spend that on treats and activities for DCs, to make our holiday isolation a bit more nicer. So far, I have gingerbread bread dough and jelly tots, cookie mix, marshmallows and crackers to make s’mores......anybody got any other ideas? Doesn’t have to be food, just want Christmassy stuff to keep kids occupied till Friday, since all our plans have now been cancelled.

@helebethH thank you for the freezer bag tip. I spent the morning transfering all the frozen veg into freezer bags and stacking them in the freezer draw and they take up very little room. I've also realised I have just one portion of chicken breast so need to stock up on chicken and maybe some lamb chops whilst I'm at it.

Lots of things were out of stock today for tomorrow. We struggled to get a few things. Ex was really shocked how much was out of stock. guess who does not do the Christmas food shop usually!

@EveLe

Usborne books do nice activity books with a Christmas theme.

French have closed the border to freight for 48 hours.

@EveLe, if you are anywhere near a Poundland, they have Christmas themed books and activity books? I think B&M and Home Bargains do too, if they're still open where you are.

I have an online food shop due to be delivered on Wednesday. Hoping we don't get too many substitutions/ cancellations now it's Christmas at home in tier 4 for us!

We have an online food shop. Will cancel a few things as they came from Morrisons. It was our backup plan.

I know I'm going back a page but re the tins of carrots and peas if find if they mixed the peas are over cooked because of cooking the carrots but if you get them separately the peas are better and the carrots the same. Both will last in the fridge a couple of days if you only want half a tin of each. That being said beggers can't be choosers at the moment. I did my last shop before Christmas on Monday (never shop later than the 22nd before Christmas anyway, hate how manic the shops feel and getting in and out of car parks a nightmare). I will get in another shop before new year where I apsolutely must get stamps, have you seen how much first class stamps going up by!
Good news today is the French have opened up their border a bit so hopefully the poor lorry drivers can get moving.

Had my delivery today, thankfully they had everything including turkey 😀 a couple of things were substituted from supermarket own brand to more expensive brands.

DH wants to stock up on Christmas goodies, the big kid, thanks that Christmas cake, puddings and mince pies will be on offer. Given the chance he would eat those daily.

So there's a deal:we can relax now,right?

@Ridcully82

So there's a deal:we can relax now,right?

That's what I'm wondering.

Nah, snow next 🤣

@EzzieLove

Nah, snow next 🤣

Will that get here before the flood,or locusts?😜 I'm not sure I trust 2020,even in the last week of it😜

I hope so.
So happy to be wrong.

I'll always keep a buffer in but very glad to start using this up, hopefully a few cheap months ahead for us.

Covid and delays at ports due to customs possibly. Also we have lost a lot of good will with drivers now not wanting to come here.

It is less risky now I think but still not worth relaxing completely. Will look into possible delays more after Christmas. Maybe there will be a hiccup after the ports closed as lots of lorries are in the wrong place.

I think we still need to wait and see. I agree with @BlackeyedSusan. I'm relieved we've avoided complete no deal chaos, but there will still be changes, and I'm sure there'll be problems with the just in time supply system.
Merry Christmas though

Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas!

Really hoping that we won't have too many food shortages and/ or price hikes now a deal has finally been done, but who knows. I didn't realise we imported a lot of (to my mind) food which could be/ is grown here, like mushrooms and onions; I'm guessing that people who voted Leave assume that production of home grown veg can/ will be increased to compensate? (I know zero about farming though, happy to be corrected!!)

We had a lovely Christmas, hope everyone else did too.

DH spoke to a friend, worked in the food processing industry, about potential lack of food imports. DH has long thought “well we’ll just have buy food produced in the UK”. Like it’s an easy fix. Friend said the UK doesn’t have enough land to produce enough. DH is finally onboard.

I have a delivery from Holland and Barret due tomorrow, then supermarket delivery on Wednesday.