Preparedness for when

NewShadow

Not sure if this is already common knowledge, but I've just spent a pleasant hour or so watching these videos: https://www.youtube.com/user/DepressionCooking/videos

Clara (died 2013) was a [strike]91[/strike] 98! year old lady that used to cook the meals her mother cooked during the great depression and tell stories about life during that time.

A beautiful idea, and some lovely looking very frugal recipes.

Frugalsod

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Loo rolls a few days.

So anarchy pretty quickly then? :rotfl:

COOLTRIKERCHICK

Frugalsod wrote: »

So anarchy pretty quickly then? :rotfl:

Hahaha haha...:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

[Deleted User]

COOLTRIKERCHICK wrote: »

Loo rolls a few days.

So TS would very quickly HTF.

[Deleted User]

I reckon we'd have at least 6 months worth of supplies if we had only them to survive on but factoring in that we have produce in the garden and on the allotment which we could harvest and store and would be able to forage and fish if it was safe to do so we might eek them out for a couple of months longer than that. If we were being frugal with the supplies and not eating the 3 meals a day we're used to in non SHTF days but going down to 2 it might even last longer than that. I think odd combinations of ingredients might be left towards the end of that period though.

Frugalsod

I would imagine that most preppers have a better realisation than most of the need to cut down food waste and as such could probably last longer than most with a set amount of food than non preppers. I actually use this lower food waste to actually reduce my food bills during normal times and so that leaves me more money for other things including additional preps. When it comes to an emergency I think it will help my food stocks last longer as it is habit rather than a sudden need to cut down which might impact most people when things deteriorate suddenly.

elona

FS

That is a really good point. Not only do a lot of us try not to waste
stuff and make the most of what we have but we automatically make things out of basic ingredients.

I used to get a chuckle when DDs looked in the fridge and said "There is nothing to eat" and a half hour later I would produce a meal or snack! There seem to be a lot of people who only recognise
food as a ready prepared article whereas preppers would see onions, lentils , a couple of carrots, a manky potato and a stock cube - as soup. Or a bit of flour, an egg, milk and a few bits of leftovers as stuffed pancakes. Leftover mash would become potato scones or added to veg to become veggie burgers etc.

thriftwizard

Spot on, Frugalsod & elona! Have had a very busy weekend but spent some "downtime" (i.e. behind the wheel!) thinking about how long our stocks would "carry" us as things stand ATM. Assuming 7 adults still - which is still subject to variation without much notice - and a constant 'leccy supply, 4-6 weeks. Without electrickery, 3-4 weeks. But the pet/livestock situation isn't quite so rosy, because of lack of storage space; 2-3 weeks max. for the cats, although the cage birds & chickens would currently get further, as I've just re-stocked! And the cats are too elderly to hunt now, although one did proudly present us with a mouse a couple of weeks ago; it may well just have died of fright. So I need to think where else I could "stash" a bit more catfood, that wouldn't be in anyone's way. One of them can't eat dried food (though she adores it) so this means bulk.

I'm also at that point where my winter stocks of flour etc. are beginning to run low, so need to plan a journey that includes a trip to the mill Oooop North. What's there will do us another week or two, and I've just ordered in & received a sack of oats, which should see us through the summer, but it's not hard to spot the "hungry gap" when you're feeding 7 on a shoestring!

RAS

Small thing about stores I have been meaning to add.

Leedle have been doing some jars of pate with a 2018 date line for 59p. 180g and about 550-600 calories, three flavours.

Not great (a little dry for my taste) but the long keeping date and the lidded jars makes them good for long journey picnic or a hotel room meal if you do not want to eat out.

Bought some for myself and some for the food bank.

Cappella

I've worked out that we'd be ok for between 3 to 5 months depending on whether or not the allotment would be producing enough fresh produce at the time to supplement our stores. At the moment we are just running out of last years potatoes and onions, but there will be spring onions ready in the cold greenhouses soon and we have plenty of pasta and rice.
There's very little to forage here (inner city) but I do know where there's wild garlic and there are plenty of nettles and dandelions around the playing fields to use to add vitamins and minerals if necessary.
Elona and FS - I absolutely agree about food waste. I'm very glad that I can cook, thanks partly to my mum and my home economics teacher, and partly to plain downright greed on my part :on As you say, cooking from scratch gives you a different slant on making the best use of so called leftovers. Cooking is such an essential life skill, I do wish basic cookery was covered properly in the National curriculum.