Preparing for Winter V

Cherryfudge

sammy_kaye18 said:

Need to work on building up food storage though for us this winter. We get easily cut off in bad weather with downed trees, mudslides etc so want to make sure I have plenty in. 

It feels autumnal here too though it's probably not cold out, just wet and windy.

I'm sorting through my 'emergency provisions' and using up a few that have been in there too long and weren't going anywhere by themselves. I live in town so I'm not all that likely to be stranded for days on end, but I want to be able to stay in if the weather's horrible or we're unwell.

We always have a freezer full of stuff, but some is more odds and ends than meals, and I want to run those down a bit and replace with things like sausages and frozen fish so we can make easy meals. However, I need a rethink on what to put in the food section of the emergency stuff.

I know everyone will have their own ideas, but what goes in apart from baked beans, corned beef, tuna, biscuits, tinned fruit and crackers? I want a few I can use if the power goes out...

fionaandphil

@Cherryfudge we have tins of rice pudding, soup and some of those instant pasta things that you just stick water in.  I also like to have some pasta, noodles and rice in the cupboards as well as some hot chocolate if the weather is horrid

Nonnadiluca

@sammy_kaye18, don't know if you know this, but you can speed up ripening tomatoes by putting them in a paper bag with a banana . You seem to be on the case with your winter preps , the weather we're having today certainly concentrates the mind in that direction! 

sammy_kaye18

Cherryfudge said:

sammy_kaye18 said:

Need to work on building up food storage though for us this winter. We get easily cut off in bad weather with downed trees, mudslides etc so want to make sure I have plenty in. 

We always have a freezer full of stuff, but some is more odds and ends than meals, and I want to run those down a bit and replace with things like sausages and frozen fish so we can make easy meals. However, I need a rethink on what to put in the food section of the emergency stuff.

I know everyone will have their own ideas, but what goes in apart from baked beans, corned beef, tuna, biscuits, tinned fruit and crackers? I want a few I can use if the power goes out...

Our freezer gets the same and we have some very random meals with them! 

In my store cupboard provisions I have 
* Baked Beans
* Tinned Spaghetti 
* Corned Beef
* Cheap hotdogs
* Fray Bentos pies - my son would live on these if he could
* Soups
* Tinned Tomatoes
* Kidney Beans
* Cannelini Beans
* Long Life Milk 
* Custard
* Rice Pudding
* Semolina
* Pasta
* Rice
* Cous Cous
* Noodles - either as a pot noodle or the ones you can add hot water too
* Instant Mash Potato
* Coffee / Tea / Sugar
* Hot Chocolate
* Tinned Vegetables - sweetcorn, potatoes just incase
* Tinned Fruit
* Evaporated Cream
* Sauces 
* Flour
* Juice (squash) 
* Biscuits
* Crackers
* Crisps
* Various herbs and spices 

I know then with those I can do a few easy meals for a few days and I store slow cooker dump bags in the freezer too. In worst case scenarios too I can probably cook a majority of that in a power cut as well with a single hob gas burner. 

sammy_kaye18

Nonnadiluca said:

@sammy_kaye18, don't know if you know this, but you can speed up ripening tomatoes by putting them in a paper bag with a banana . You seem to be on the case with your winter preps , the weather we're having today certainly concentrates the mind in that direction! 

I think it may come to that. I am going to leave them until the end of the month if the weather is going to get nice again and hope they ripen themselves but if not I will be helping them along. 
I will go out and give a lot more of the leaves a cut off though I think and see if concentrating more of the growth to the fruits will help.  

youth_leader

Could anyone recommend a good torch please?  I've just found mine, and even with new batteries, one of them doesn't give much light.

Laura_Elsewhere

Cherryfudge said:
 However, I need a rethink on what to put in the food section of the emergency stuff.

I know everyone will have their own ideas, but what goes in apart from baked beans, corned beef, tuna, biscuits, tinned fruit and crackers? I want a few I can use if the power goes out...

Something like Ryvita, oatcakes or similar, and jars of meat or fish paste, could be useful. Not astoundingly tasty perhaps but in the event of the power going, it means a lunch-type meal you can do without any heat or power at all. Obviously you can't keep an opened jar without refrigerating so small jars better than cheaper-per-100g larger ones, so you can open one and finish it off the same day. 
Ryvita or oatcakes are good with butter and jam too, but might be useful in colder weather to have a paste or pate that has protein in, for better nutrition than just the butter and jam. 

sammy_kaye18

youth_leader said:

Could anyone recommend a good torch please?  I've just found mine, and even with new batteries, one of them doesn't give much light.

I dont have an actual torch. The ones I have are actually cheap set of bike lights. I find they give so much more light than a cheap shop brought torch. And most of them are rechargeable. 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/EBUYFIRE-Rechargeable-Headlight-Waterproof-Flashlight/dp/B08764SH43/ref=sr_1_13_sspa?crid=30FW9EXW52TAE&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.QgAd2PseYm3kYuyciFd40Y21lfCAW21zNiu4zRayF5kYKrNQYqRvLx3I0d1uFlFT87szmmn4xskeEd0WpjGxGDRdz_U292NP-NYQVSnCOzdmGhJT4bsRVRuhdn1FDqpjs6F1V6npy1SjvLH_3HT10wXVMgRYmMjv5f1T4yUuSbgluyumDzV1ZETvcmv6J-y1NzvphFnZejOC_W6koJwGdwaBBGvVQxHKgQok8vYR-kL41hQhzeiaT5HwKtp47QB7G_Yj7VQgqS_o26GNIuXkIgE1II882nSw04vWzS80fis.Rtj2W_VlKdihQ4iFZ7vgYtfbB3wW7wd2LSAdK3hGJLQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=bike+light+set&qid=1725558115&sprefix=bike+light+set%2Caps%2C243&sr=8-13-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1

My husband also works in a tool hire shop and has brought rechargeable torch which has 2 settings, like a LED strip light, and then if you click the button again it is a single light but can be hung up as well and is magnetic and gives off a lot of light too. Similar to this 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Renogy-Rechargeable-Cordless-Inspection-Emergency/dp/B07WSYNH1Q/ref=sxbs_sbv_search_btf?content-id=amzn1.sym.1752a688-0e5a-45d7-b487-a939a3d279dc%3Aamzn1.sym.1752a688-0e5a-45d7-b487-a939a3d279dc&crid=2PVU7I6F9VLP2&cv_ct_cx=workmans+torch&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.S929mTIfhCXKuGKrkDNQGA.yBaOf4ShHWQdZWdVRCu9EPCMm2YxTDTvYWhceMcXiFw&dib_tag=se&keywords=workmans+torch&pd_rd_i=B07WSYNH1Q&pd_rd_r=5be77636-892a-4b06-819c-4c7990ee8102&pd_rd_w=17EHX&pd_rd_wg=Nf55X&pf_rd_p=1752a688-0e5a-45d7-b487-a939a3d279dc&pf_rd_r=8JS8VYM8V6PQATH6ZJ7Y&qid=1725558254&sbo=RZvfv%2F%2FHxDF%2BO5021pAnSA%3D%3D&sprefix=workmans+torch%2Caps%2C126&sr=1-49-06195d41-65bd-48f4-8e70-03d97b6094ec

Floss

youth_leader said:

Could anyone recommend a good torch please?  I've just found mine, and even with new batteries, one of them doesn't give much light.

I would suggest either a MAG light, or try a head torch which are readily available at outdoor shops.

MrsCD

Yes, we have a variety of torches around for when the lights go out. I have a head torch for in the kitchen and just getting around the house. We have larger standing lights, using USB and batteries, then there are the smaller lightbulb rechargeable/battery lights to hang up in a room, as well as regular hand torches. I have a tiny metal one that uses one AAA battery which lives in my bag with a spare battery. There are a few slightly larger ones around the house. It's just what the circumstances need...we're more likely to have a power cut where we need light inside, others may need light for outside.
Foodwise, we have tins of minced beef, chicken in sauce, stewing steak, all to have with tinned potatoes and veg if we need to use the  camping hobs. Rice can be cooked in a food flask with boiling water if you have time to leave it. Couscous with vegetable stock is a good standby because it just needs boiling water too, then you can add chopped cucumber and tomatoes, and some meat or cottage cheese for protein. Tins of ham are handy for sandwiches with crisps! I'll write if I think of any more.
Hubby's torch is the ...

REHKITTZ Torch LED Torches Super Bright,3300 Lumens Adjustable Focus Flashlight for Dog Walking Hiking Emergency 

 From Amazon. 
Sorry, when I try to paste a link it takes me to our account! Maybe it's a kindle thing!