Who doesn't have a stock cupboard

miasnanny

Take_it_like_a_man,_sonny wrote: »

We do and guess what.

It brews Wobbleade.

Wobbleade? Do tell, I'm intrigued.

ruby_eskimo

I was going to say we didn't but then thinking about it we do have a 3kg bag of pasta, lots of passata and herbs, tins of beans and soup and always a loaf of bread in the freezer. No where near the levels of some people but it does mean we have stuff just in case.

Pooky

I've always kept a small store of stuff and normally up the levels from September onwards incase of bad weather (we're in a small village that's prone to snow). However we know that we're in for a big financial change in the next few months so I've been stocking up big time. I've got a years worth of toiletries (everything for all 4 members of the household) and by shopping wisely with offers and coupons I've spent less than half of what I'd normally do if I chucked it in the trolley each week.

I've had a couple of AF orders through with stock items that are still in date and have splashed out on some suitable storage boxes for dried goods to be stored in bulk (our cats do a great job with keeping the field mice population down but we often get them hiding in the dark corners). I've got enough dried beans/pulses etc for a year, enough rice and pasta for a good 6 months and enough flour for4/5 months. All the time I can still afford to, I will buy to replace what I use but if things do get really tough then I know I can divert money away from shopping and into utility bills etc. (although we've got solar panels and enough free wood chopped to keep the house warm this winter). You never know what might crop up.

aliasojo

I can't have a store cupboard. I'd just eat it.

Popperwell

I didn't have much of a store cupboard before but now I am alone, on a low income and am worried about future finances especially changes in benefits that are coming.

My pantry is full of anything I can think of that has a long date on them from boxes of cereal, long life milk, baked beans, tinned tomatoes, rice, pasta, biscuits, crisps, tinned fruit, marmalade, jam and other items to spread on bread or toast etc...cupboards of tinned meat, soups, tuna, potatoes, vegetables, sweetcorn, gravy mixes, bread, bread buns, scones, crackers, sauces, condiments, fresh vegetables, potatoes etc...

Freezer is smaller than the last unfortunately but it has fish, meat, frozen veg, potato products(oven chips, roast potatoes, jacket potatoes)mince etc...I suppose being alone now I can manage with it being smaller.

Fridge is full of all kinds of fresh items(salad stuff)sliced meats, cheese, fresh milk, butter, eggs etc...but to be honest I am running out of space in general.

So if I manage to clear the outhouse, I may transfer my food store into that or it will give me more space for a larger one. Otherwise as I no longer use the dining room to have meals, put extra food in there.

To avoid using the main electric oven and save money on the utility bills I eat a lot of cold meals, salads, sandwiches, cereals, fruit but I have invested in(and hopefully when I learn to use them they'll save some money)a combi microwave, a halogen oven and a slow cooker and I can more hot meals.

I have built up a store of fizzy and still water, squashes, fruit juices and soft drinks too. Coffee, tea bags, hot chocoate, powdered milk. Cup a soups, pot noodles, mug shots etc...

Where possible if popular brands are on offer I'll get them but a lot of what I have are value ranges but I have checked the nutritional information and most are the same as the more expensive items and taste as good.

Or they are items that were BOGOF or half price or as an example a jar of pickled onions £1.89 but buy two and they cost £2 for the two. So the second one only cost 11p.

Or Tesco's Fruit and Fibre 500g at £1.20 but for another 5p you can have a box containing 750g.

The same with cleaning items and washing powders and liquids and softeners.

Where possible I have tried to build up a stock of toilet rolls and again have often found Wilkinsons have some good offers where you get say 16 3ply for approx £6 or less and that beats well known brands in price and quality as they are often only 2ply. The same can be true of kitchen rolls too.

Candles, tealights, matches and batteries...

Get this...I thought they'd be rubbish...Tesco's disposable razors, 5 for 13p. I normally buy Wilkinsons Sword, 10 for £2.50. I trie one of the cheaper razors on a beard of four days growth and got such a close shave it took ages to return. That means I can get approx 120 razors for what I was paying for 10. So I am saving approx £30.

When we get a new Aldi built on the town I am hoping I will see some bargains there, presently I would have to travel 7 miles to reach the nearest Aldi and that would mean adding a taxi each way so any savings would be lost and using a bus would mean you cannot carry much.

A neighbouring town is fortunate to have ASDA, Sainsbury's, Tesco's, Aldi and Morrisons. Here at present we have a small Heron's freezer shop and Tesco's so this new retailer will offer more variety and competition.

The future frightens me somewhat.

Popperwell

For all that I am eating less and I don't always stick to regular times, sometimes smaller portions spread across the day or night is better or two meals instead of three.

I have as examples most days, porridge and a selection of fruit or yesterday after a little shop in the afternoon, I had a large bowl of cereal, semi skimmed milk with strawberries, red and green grapes, blueberries, banana, if I had nothing else I doubt I would come to any harm.

It could be recent events worrying about the future and finances(most of you know Mum passed away approx 5 weeks ago)or because of eating a little less but I have lost weight but I will always try to make certain I eat and avoid it affecting my health still further(I do have some health issues)so I still try to eat good quality food.

Though sometimes I feel I am doing so because I have to and am just going through the motions.

mummyroysof3

i dont have a stock cubourd as such but never completely run out of stuff to eat

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi, I have a wide selection of herbs and spices in the cupboard plus a selection of sauces, jams, pickles etc in the fridge.

I dont stockpile food though, sorry but I just dont see the point. To me having lots of money laid out in tins and packets of food is a waste. I mealplan and buy what I need fortnightly and I aim to only buy what I do actually need.

I also dont have massive amounts of storage space in the kitchen, or anywhere else for that matter.

Having said that there would always be a spare tin of beans, some tinned soup or a tin of tuna in the cupboard.

As for being ill or snowed in - well we live in the middle of nowhere and on the rare occasions that we get a lot of snow I keep an eye on the forecast and might buy some extra food in. Having more than 2 or 3 days when we cant get the car out is very unlikely though.

I have family around who could bring me food in an emergency. My husband and I both have vehicles and both drive so one of us should be able to get out and do some shopping even if the other was ill.

Mrs_Arcanum

Was one of the biggest buying points for our current house. The kitchen was dreadful but it did have a huge larder to keep stuff in.

Fruball

I've got friends who go shopping when the last tin is finished/freezer empty.

I just don't understand it. I would panic if I didn't have a good storecupboard, esp in these uncertain times.

I did only recently realise that I should be storing water too! I don't have as much stored as I would like but am building on that!!!

If there was a huge crisis, banks/computer systems that we rely on for EVERYTHING these days, were to happen, and it so easily could - I imagine the internet/computers are fairly fragile things really and should not be relied upon as much as they are - then at least I know I can feed my children. I couldn't bear my children to be hungry and me not able to feed them

I expect it sounds selfish but if the time comes, I will not be sharing my hoard as feeding my own family comes first.