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.

He has used up a lot rather than keeping up stock but it is me doing all the ordering so my own fault. ( He does the collecting when click and collect)

We're on day 8 of isolation and I've realised we don't eat baked beans as much as we did in the first lockdown. I've kept a tally of what we have been eating and this time round our eating habits are very different to last time.
More cooking from scratch, healthier meals and we've used a lot of the frozen veg and meat. Chocolates lasted 2 days so I need to stock up on more treats. We ran out of bread but had flour and yeast in so the kids made bread,focaccia,scones and muffins yesterday. So I'm thinking of buying more flour and yeast.
It's been a practice run for Brexit, so at least I know what to buy next. I have a delivery on Wednesday so hopefully will get some extras.

Jumping in to the thread...
I prepped for brexit then covid loomed and I prepped for that (despite eye rolls and outright mockery back in early February) but it's all been depleted and recent news suggests I really need to ramp up the Brexit preparation again. So I'll join you guys here if that's OK.
Still have some stores, but not enough and need to focus on things we are likely to struggle with supply wise (fruit and veg, obviously but otherwise I'm not sure), so I'm off to RTFT and see what you wise people have suggested.

I am finding it tricky to work out what we eat normally in comparison to what we would eat if we couldn't get hold of stuff in our normal shop. IE if no bread was available we would eat more pasta and crackers.

Yes Blackeyed me too because if you couldn't get pasta you would go to rice, which would also be in short supply because you (and everybody else) couldn't get pasta. Maybe we should change total tack and if we can't get pasta we should just eat jelly

Don’t forget the tinned fruit (to go in the jelly) 😋

@BlackeyedSusan

I am finding it tricky to work out what we eat normally in comparison to what we would eat if we couldn't get hold of stuff in our normal shop. IE if no bread was available we would eat more pasta and crackers.

Why would we be short of bread. Flour comes from the US and Canada ?.

@Pyewhacket did you not see what went the quickest in March?
As said many times on these threads, if you can't buy what you normally buy, you buy something else.
But so will everyone else, so there is going to be a lot of competition for what is available.
A lot of what comes from non EU countries still comes via the EU
So you can't rely on any specific product being available.

Shopping came today. Ryvitas have a long date on them, surprisingly.

@BlackeyedSusan What about Crackerbreads? I've bought several boxes as they have 6 months plus date on them, and DC can eat them with peanut butter or nutella if butter is short. I've also bought cream crackers for Dc to have with cheese.

For other alternatives to bread I have part baked baguettes (Iceland one has 8+ weeks date on it, and I've eaten them several weeks out of date and they've been fine) DS loves them warm with tinned soup but won't eat them cold for sandwiches, so I've also got the just add water bread mixes as a back up - I use them to make sandwich rolls rather than a loaf, and we've used them for burger buns too.

I found it hard to think of alternatives, so I wrote out a weeks menu plan I could use if no fresh items available, and have just increased the quantities. Happy to share my list if it will help.

Ryvitas were really long dated compared to crackers.

Crackers are good past bbd by quite a lot if sealed in plastic

Pizza bases too. (Napolina) good to go a couple of months after...will tell you in the morning if there were any after effects. Or rather if I do not appear on any threads you can draw your own conclusions!!

Yes definitely EzzieLove

The only thing is if you want a ham salad sandwich crackers don't quite do it. I but I suppose you won't be able to make a salad sandwich in January anyway so crackers'll be fine.

Yes EveLe would love to see your list please. Part baked rolls sounds good and maybe garlic bread too. Rolls freeze well also. Am also going to buy some wraps as they have long dates too. Maybe also try Biscoff spread it is delicious!

Great idea Blackeyed thanks, we sometimes make pizza so would be a good shortcut. Hopefully you will make it back

Evele. Yes please

Happy to post my list to give people ideas, but should point out I have DC with food aversions, so some of it may seem odd or repetitive, but hopefully it might help.

I have done my list based on the assumption I'll have eggs, butter and cheese in the fridge, as these items have a long fridge life, and I always keep them well stocked. But otherwise, if for example we had to isolate for 2 weeks, we could live out of the food cupboard only.

BREAKFASTS:
Cereal with UHT or powdered milk
Cereal Bars / Go Ahead Bars
Porridge made with water /UHT milk with golden syrup and dried fruit topping
Toast from just add water bread mix with Nutella, Jam or Lemon Curd.
Pancakes - just add water mix, with lemon juice and sultanas
Homemade Flapjacks
Fruit Smoothie (frozen fruit and UHT juice)

LUNCHES:
Tinned Spaghetti on toast (Homemade bread)
Baked Beans on toast (Homemade bread)
Tomato Soup with Part Baked Baguettes
Cracker breads with Peanut Butter and dried banana chips
Tuna, Sweetcorn and Mayo Wrap
Tinned Ham and Cheese Part Baked Baguettes
Nachos - Tortilla Chips, Salsa, Cheese
Tinned Ravioli with melted cheese
Omelette (Tinned ham/mushrooms)
Ryvitas with tuna crunch (tinned tuna and sweetcorn, mayo)
Mac and Cheese (Bisto Cheese Sauce)
French Bread Pizza made with part baked baguettes
Cheese and Crackers

Main Meals:
Corned Beef Hash made with Idaho Mash, with baked beans
Homemade Hawaiian Pizza - tinned ham, pineapple, sweetcorn,
Hot Dog Pizza
Bacon grill, Scrambled egg, tinned tomatoes + mushrooms, fried new potatoes
Tuna Pasta Bake
Pasta with Stir In Sauce
Hawaiian Fried Rice (tinned ham, pineapple and sweetcorn)
Corned Beef Pie - Hash plus pastry mix
Steak Pie (stewed steak with tinned veg and pastry mix) tinned new potatoes
Pasta with Tomato and Basil Passata and Tinned Hot Dogs
Spaghetti and Tinned Meatballs
Super Noodles with Tinned Hot Dogs
Spaghetti Carbonara
Tinned Chicken fried with Rice & Sweetcorn

SNACKS/TREATS:
Hot Choc with Marshmallows & UHT Squirty Cream
Pringles
Fruit Winders
Homemade Rocky Road
Apple Pie (tinned pie filling and pastry mix)
Micro Popcorn
Chocolate Stash!

First list was worst case, live out the cupboards if no other shopping available, and the freezer failed or had already been emptied, so very repetitive and not a huge amount of variety, but would keep us fed if we were ill or couldn't get shopping.

I also have a list of meals that can be made using frozen meat and veg, which is what I have filled my freezer with - I've used lots of mince meals as it takes up so little space using the library method:

LONGER LIFE FRESH OR FROZEN MEAL IDEAS:
Bacon, Sausage and Egg
Gammon with Egg and tinned pineapple
Cheesy Pasta
Cottage Pie (Idaho Mash)
Shepards Pie (frozen mash or Idaho)
Spag Bol
Spaghetti and Homemade Meatballs
Lasagne
Chilli and Rice (leftovers on Jacket Potatoes)
Beef Casserole (frozen veg)
Pulled Pork Baguettes
Chicken and Sweetcorn Pie (just add water pastry mix)
Beef and Tinned Mushroom Pie (just add water pastry mix)
Beef and Mushrooms with Egg Fried Rice
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Curry and Rice
Chicken Tortillas (with frozen peppers)
Sausage, Beans and Oven Chips
Dirty Fries (frozen gammon joint - leftovers for sandwiches)
Sausage and Idaho Mash
Toad in the Hole
Chicken Tray Bake (frozen parsnips, tinned carrots)
Chicken/Pork Stir Fry (frozen stir fry pack)
Fish Fingers, Frozen Mash and Peas
Jacket Potatoes and Tuna Mayo
Jacket Potatoes with Cheese and Beans
Sausage Pasta Bake
King Prawn Fried Rice
Prawn Stir Fry (frozen stir fry mix)
Burgers (Homemade rolls from bread mix)

Thanks for the list, it’s really helpful. I think I’ve got most of the things to make those meals. I wouldn’t have thought of all of those combinations though.
I’ve also got a difficult to feed teen, but she would eat most of the meals you’ve listed. She won’t have milk in cereal, but I use milk in the porridge and pancakes.
She is better when she makes her own food, so I’ve got plenty of baking powder/flour/sugar so she can bake.
I need to add part bake bread to my list, as realistically I’m not going to be organised enough to bake bread for when I need it. I’m really disorganised, so work days are a nightmare!
I’ll def get some squirty cream for hot chocolate.
I’ve also got lots of custard powder and instant Asda custard for quick puddings.

@BlueistheNewme Mine doesn't have milk on cereal either, but in a cup on the side as he doesn't do "wet" food. He likes smooth foods. I have bought some milkshake powder to add to UHT milk to ensure he will drink it.

My biggest problem is getting fruit and veg into him, but we get lots of help from the Feeding Clinic, and they've taught me to feed him things like baked beans, tomato soup etc to get the count up - beans have to be in a separate dish, but at least he'll eat them!

We also use more sugary foods than most people will, but thats because DS is at risk of malnutrition (he's below 1st centile) so calories are more important than healthy eating, so some people may not like the sugary items on my list, but they don't have to use them if their DC will eat more normally (DS only currently eats 11 foods so diet is very limited!)

If your buying part baked bread, I recommend the Iceland one - so far they have the longest dates I've found on them, they also do smaller round crusty rolls which are nice too.

If you don't have time to bake bread ( I always forget the night before so I cheat and use the just add water bread mixes as they are quicker) think about whether you can use alternatives - crackerbreads or ryvita would be nice for packed lunches - you could use them with soup, or something like tuna crunch.

Thanks for the suggestion of custard! I hadn't thought of that - but DH loves it so I'll get some to go on home made apple pie - i've got several tins of pie filling as it makes a lovely warm treat in winter.

Thanks, I’ll go to Iceland for the part baked bread. 11 foods is really restricted, it must be so hard to manage his diet.
Mine isn't as restricted, but she won’t drink milk at all. She has it in hot chocolate, and a small amount in porridge. She won’t eat any fresh fruit really, but will eat it dried and apple/cherry tinned.
She will eat pasta, but only certain types in certain situations. Eg spaghetti at home but not at school. And will only eat certain things with it at school. And mac and cheese only with macaroni,
Soup can’t go in her food flask, but she will eat it at home. Worried about eating in front of people, and it tastes different at school. And she won’t eat any bread at school either, so that limits the packed lunches!
She also has a lot of sweet stuff. I stopped buying ready made, and she makes it herself. And she will eat some tinned fruit, so apple crumble or stewed apple and custard. I put less sugar in the custard.
It’s better than it was, at one point she would refuse breakfast as she was too anxious to eat. And then the same with packed lunch. She refuses to eat anything from school. She would rather go all day without than buy a bottle of water at school.

iceland is doable as a smallwe supermarket and hopefully not too crowded.

also I can't be gone long as two children are now self isolating from school.

makes mine sound positively extravagant with food choices...

we have given up and given the one of them white bread and processed meat as they will eat that for breakfast, and roast chicken. and drink lemonade. this is a win over no breakfast and no drink at all.

remember Jamie and his dislike of mums posting chips through the fence. Betting some of those kids were autistic and would not eat.

oh and march dated pizza bases were ok so far....

Thanks for the list EveLe they were really helpful and gave me some ideas.

Difficult to feed teens in this house too Blue, am going to try and get some treats in for them and me and buy some chips and dips for snacks and chocolate, and marshmallows, hot choc and squirty cream for movie nights. Also am going to buy jelly and Angel Delight with tinned fruit for an easy dessert, and tinned rice pudding is good and quick too. Tinned custard also keeps ages.

Also need some good lunch ideas too as have only got a few.

Hummus is really good for lunch or snack and keeps ages in the fridge. I've eaten it 2 weeks after the BBD and it's been fine. Also tomatoes last ages in the fridge too and apples.

Glad you're back with us Blackeyed

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.epicurious.com/recipes-menus/turn-grilled-marinated-red-peppers-into-14-dinners-article/amp

Just found this. Some nice looking recipes which can mainly be made from (with some substitutions) shelf stable items.

I am currently trying to expand our usual meals so there are options when/if fresh is difficult to come by.

Glad the pizza bases were safe! Yes, I think you’re right about some of the school fence chips children being autistic.
Thanks for the link Indignatio, I’ll have a look at that for some more ideas.

Enjoying reading about all your preps! We’re pretty much ready as we’ll ever be now. Pantry and freezers are both full and Christmas shopping near enough done (I started very early this year).

We did a non-food prep over the summer though: overhauled our diets and lost 25kg in weight between us. Portion sizes have gone down, supplies are lasting longer and we eat way fewer crisps, chocolates, cakes etc now. It means we can now have treats in house in small quantities without someone scoffing the lot. It’s been a really good health plus prepping bonus for the family.

Now I just need to figure out how to keep the fresh fruit and veg supply up (thankfully everyone is ok with frozen if there’s no alternative!)