Store cupboard - in case of emergency

westcoastscot

I love winter too. When we were on the island i inherited a small flock of geese, among them one greylag who used to fly south with the wild geese and then return each spring. One year he came back with a partner, and although he visited she was too shy to stay, so they camped with the wild geese on the machar and he visited every day .
We so looked forward to seeing him each year

tootoo

In case of bad weather what kind of things do you store?
I thought of the usual staples such as pasta, rice and uht milk. But I'm sure there sre lots more I should have!

ziggy2004

I have a well stocked store cupboard anyway with dried and tinned food, when we lived in an area which was affected by bad weather ( and I mean several feet of snow not a dusting ) I always made sure we had extra in during the winter months, we did get snowed in every winter though.

We have things like

Tinnned fish ( tuna, mackerel, salmon)

Tinned fruit ( peaches, cocktail, pineapple)

concentrated tomato purree

Stock cubes

lentils, pasta, rice, flour, sugar, suet, oil, yeast, baked beans, chickpeas, jelly, custard powder and I am sure I am forgetting heaps

Gigervamp

It's a good idea to keep some bottled water in case the water pipes freeze up.

Bread flour and yeast and milk powder as bread and milk are always the first things to disappear in the shops when there's going to be a lot of snow.

Fruball

It is worth planning for a few days (or weeks depending on where you live) so if the worst happens, you have good food. Having 20 packs of pasta is going to be no good if you have nothing to go with it

So I plan for days meals... ie

B. instant porridge pots for kids
L. microwaveable rice and a tin of chicken in white sauce
tinned vegetables
D. Soup with the long life bread rolls that you warm in the oven
Snack - tinned fruit/biscuits

That is a day covered and won't take up loads of space.
Another day may be

B. cereal bars
L. pasta with jar of sauce
D. tin of chick pea dahl for me and tinned spag bol or similar for kids
Snack - tinned fruit/biscuits

I also have alternative ways of cooking these in case the electricity goes off

You could even fill 3 shoe boxes (a box for each day) with these things and shove them under the bed. Include some long life treats too. If they aren't needed then you have 3 days of 'interesting' meals and the kids (if you have any) will find it fun opening a box to see what that day's meals are :rotfl:

meritaten

Matches, Candles etc are also good non-food items to have in reserve. if you are 'all electric' then a camping gas stove and canister of gas can ensure you can get a hot drink and meal! expensive? not really and they come in very handy at summer barbeques!

[Deleted User]

I agree with meritaten.

We've got so used to operating a switch/opening a valve, and having our lights/cooker/fire come on, that we tend not to plan for the day when it/they doesn't/don't come on.

£10 or £20 spent now, could mean the difference between being really miserable, or being reasonably comfortable, in an energy failure.

It also applies even if you are not "all electric", as gas supplies aren't immune to failure.

ETA: Don't forget to include plenty of things to keep you entertained.

Ludo can get awfully boring, after the 200th game.

tessie_bear

at the start of each winter we buy;
1) uht milk...watch the date as it doesnt last forever
2) bread mixes/milk powder
3) tinned meat such as stewing steak
4) tinned potatoes
5) tinned veg

i also do my best to make sure we have plenty of food in in the winter if you know what i mean...the stock are kept up and the on sight of the first flakes of snow i walk over to the local shop and buy some more milk and bread
we also have water in the garage in bottles

hth

[Deleted User]

Make sure you have a manual tin opener.

When the power goes off, you're going to feel a right pratt, trying to open tins with an electric tin opener.

Butterfly_Brain

Find an alternative source of heating as well because most gas boilers need Electricity to operate.