No space!

[DoubleGloucester]

Hello 🙂

I have been prepping for a while for Brexit. The only problem is having enough storage space!! My house is tiny and already filled with toys, books etc (we did a massive Marie Kondo exercise in the spring lockdown but still, so much remains...).

We also have a pathetically small, old and leaky fridge. Hope to get a new one next payday but might be too late by then!

Thinking of storing some fresh fruit and veg outside after Christmas but our big problem round here is mice - has anyone found anything sufficiently mouse proof for storage?

My top tip is Nido milk. I have been practising with it and found it is good in porridge and pasta sauces - my fussy family haven't noticed it at all! I have even used it a couple of months out of date and it's been fine.

Good to know I can use it put of date. It works well for me in coffee and in white sauces.

I think prepping is fine - but why would you be worried about milk? I thought most of our milk came from the UK?

We prepped long life milk for Covid because we weren’t able to shop, but Brexit is a different scenario.

@DoubleGloucester

Hello 🙂

I have been prepping for a while for Brexit. The only problem is having enough storage space!! My house is tiny and already filled with toys, books etc (we did a massive Marie Kondo exercise in the spring lockdown but still, so much remains...).

We also have a pathetically small, old and leaky fridge. Hope to get a new one next payday but might be too late by then!

Thinking of storing some fresh fruit and veg outside after Christmas but our big problem round here is mice - has anyone found anything sufficiently mouse proof for storage?

My top tip is Nido milk. I have been practising with it and found it is good in porridge and pasta sauces - my fussy family haven't noticed it at all! I have even used it a couple of months out of date and it's been fine.

Possible a cool box for outside

@BlackeyedSusan yes it was fine :-)

@Bessica1970 I just like knowing that I've got milk in my house all the time. Then I don't need to rely on anyone else if we end up self-isolating in January and possibly deliveries may be hard to get.

@tommika thank you for the cool box tip!

I do love these threads! I've just realised that I have an empty cool box that is currently just taking up space.

Hi. I have nets with long life veg in hanging from the rafters of the garage. Mice, (and I know we have them, the cats bring me some and I can watch one munching the dropped bird seeds whilst I work) haven't seemed interested.

That's an idea, indignatio. I have some roof space.

I'll get extra onions- I don't think anything else would store that well.

What's lido milk? Is it a typo for long life?

Do you have space under your bed?

Will the long life veg in the shed be okay if there's a frost do you think? I'm thinking that's a good idea.

I think that the veg which is naturally available at this time of year is most likely to be fine for storage. My current list of stocks/wanted are
Onions
Shallots
Garlic - thanks for the reminder
Squashes - personally I love crown price and onion
Potatoes
Sweet potatoes
Celeriac
Cabbage
Sprouts
Turnips and swede

Frost or no frost. Just based on what was grown and kept historically

It depends how it's packaged- I don't think anything packaged in plastic would last.

So perhaps cabbage that's not been wrapped- wouldn't it be left unpicked, traditionally, rather than stored?

Squash is a good call though.

@picklemewalnuts

That's an idea, indignatio. I have some roof space.

I'll get extra onions- I don't think anything else would store that well.

What's lido milk? Is it a typo for long life?

Nido milk is powdered tinned milk.

Ok. Two cabbages, plastic removed 4 or 5 weeks ago. Then hung in bags- see under- in garage. We have had a frost during that period.

Outside not perfect, but perfectly firm

The cabbages look good.
Does Nido milk differ from own brand powdered milk? That made perfectly respectable porridge in our house last week. Not nice in tea IMHO. If I was desperate for coffee I'd use coffee mate but if our milk ran out I'd just drink water.

Brilliant! I'll stock up next shop. Every little helps and all that. Thank you indignatio.

Powdered milk is an interesting one. I've been keeping it in for yogurt making. I don't suppose an extra couple of tubs will do any harm.

cabbages: rather than cut into them, peel off a layer or two when you need it, they keep longer.

nido and own brand taste different yes. Own brand is usually skimmed milk, Nido is full fat. both are ok in sauces, but Nido not so good for cereal. I remember having own brand for cereal and I think it was ok.

I have wooden beams in my garage... I could screw in some hooks and hang up a cabbage or two, and transfer to indoors as room is available in the fridge.

I have all the veg hanging in the garage. As listed earlier. Hooks would be posh, screws into the side of the beams work fine. Careful where you position them. Braining yourself on a squash in the gloom can be painful

Hi all, just a couple of suggestions. I use my microwave to store my bread products in (also have a problem with mice but they cannot get in there). It is a really good bread bin. Also have a very large coo box as we camp in the summer but it is never wasted space. I keep all sorts in there. Currently holds kitchen paper towels, spare Hoover bags, dog biscuits, foil and cling film. I use the top of my fridges for tins and beverages. (Beer, carton juice etc).

Someone else mentioned on here taking out the putting food behind the bath panel. Good thinking

I have a conservatory which is blooming freezing and I have a shed. All of which are going to hold the extra food that I’m going to buy on the week before new year.

Thanks everyone, some great suggestions. Will look at hooks and a cool box. I like the microwave idea but we do use ours a lot! Under bed space all taken up with things to sell on ebay at the mo but I might have to give up with that as it's a lot of effort for little cash.