THE Prepping thread - a new beginning :)

mumf

Oh yes,and freezing can cause condensation,which could ruin the oats.

Cappella

r.a.i.n.b.o.w -

I didn't see the programme - I've been slowly prepping for the possibility that the sheep/zombies will panic buy if/when these no-deal advice leaflets start to be distributed, with the idea that I'd need 3-7 days of supplies until new stocks start to trickle in. With the above "first weeks" info, are we talking April next year? And how long is that "first weeks" string? 2, 4, 10 weeks?
What is the shortest time I should prep for, given that I'm starting from a standing start?

Difficult to say really. Everyone's different, and preps for different reasons. I had serious health issues very suddenly (I am ok now thankfully)and I store enough /frozen/preserveddried/tinned goods to last the two of us and the dog a minimum of 6 to 8 weeks. Our well stocked house was a godsend when I couldn't leave the house for 6 weeks, and MrC was trying to cope with everything. If I was starting from scratch I'd suggest maybe 4 weeks but I'm sure others here will be able to give you more help and advice. Storage can be an issue - our house is tiny - but there are ways round that. If cost is als an issue I'd start with just a couple of extra tins or packets a week, and slowly build up a store cupboard.

I've never frozen oats so can't help you there but I've stored them for 6-8 months in an airtight plastic container without any deterioration or mite issues. I do pop flour and rice in the freezer for 3 days though and then transfer it to plastic e advice.storage boxes and both have kept well for over a year. I rotate stock carefully as well and only buy what I know we'd eat anyway. No point spending money to stock up and then not using it.:)

[Deleted User]

The problem comes with storage, if there are eggs in the product the freezing kills them and they can't subsequently develop into whichever pest they are. I've had a couple of episodes of pantry beetle and moth that ran through my dried store like wild fire and cost me an awful lot of money because if they get into one thing everything else is at risk, flour, pulses, dried fruit, tea, dried milk, sugar, oats, nuts, even in one case chocolate which is utterly gross when grubs are wriggling in it! so Even if the product is pristinely clean when it comes into store one mistake and one not freezing of a product could lose you the whole stock cupboard.

Cappella

Mumf - you're right about food hygiene standards here, they're better than in many countries so I'm not shouting you down at all. I've never had a problem with oats or pasta but I buy my rice in bulk from an ethnic supermarket and did once have a very nasty problem with it :rotfl: Also had issues with flour mite from M****sns so take no chances now.

[Deleted User]

this morning very early watching an American news channel for the first time I can remember the word DESPOTIC was used reference to the White House and Presidents treatment of people who transgress! strong language indeed!

DigForVictory

Before the news stories showing empty shelves (and how the supermarkets let that happen I do not understand) I did a quick whipround, with a son, of our essentials.
Spam is produced in Denmark. I may get more anyway as Costco is cheaper than supermarket, so saving as well.
I have enough tinned mackerel to fill a shoebox but noone else eats the stuff. All should be well.
Cholula chili sauce is made in Mexico - I think I may allow myself *not* to dash out & buy a dozen bottles but eldest eats it at almost every meal and any hedge against inflation is surely prudent. It will improve his cooperation, anyway. [Not 'alf!]

Tea - my stash has dwindled to a paltry two boxes... In The Event, this could mean despondency within a month! [Resolved. Son looking weary but tolerant.]
I have a dozen tins of chickpeas, and no one who can make hummus. [Yet.]
I've several bags of dried pulses but of a vintage I rather hesitate to examine. Himself has declared the Costco white flour (Marriage family) to be acceptable - I'll pick up another 8 bags next I'm in.
Dried peas mill to flour easily (says she with both hand mill & child labour) and that adds heft to anything needing a bit more protein.
Ground almonds I need to check & dried fruit - I may skip Seville oranges as noone seems to love marmalade at all but strawberry jam is dashed hard to hoard - the blighters keep eating it. Suggestions?! I did think of relabelling it but the chaps are not daft.

Husband went a bit rogue with lock & lock boxes so the major dry goods players are all boxed, labelled & neatly shelved - as far as he knows all his essentials he has at least a week of, but I'm thinking I want to stretch that to a month & where shall I store it then. Hurrah for cans which are so much easier.

Water - ah. Indeed once the hosepipe ban comes down bathtub will be bailed, plants for the watering of. Unless son 2 has been soaking in Radox again. Madness - his garden centre Saturday job means the tub has a sedimentary layer of fine, probably mineral rich soil & yet he contaminates it with blue stuff...
The OS map shows springs in the back garden but two are right by a retaining wall, which I hesitate to excavate without power tools and quicksetting concrete. The third appears to be a wildeyed splodge by the mapmaker as the grass and weeds there are looking as dun as the rest of the garden.

ziggy2004

Hope the trolls leave you alone Mrs LW! I am steering clear of that thread, much better for my blood pressure.

My pantry is nearly at my comfort level which is around 6-8 weeks of food eating comfortably which could be stretched much further as needed.

My main concern is also people panic buying and having had empty shelves in the local shops here in January with the snow I am very aware of how dependent we are on good distribution channels.

I think realistically they will need to be able to move food throughout the country within a week at most as even with stockpiling people will need access to food and medicine within that timescale. Guess one of my worries is that they will come with baked beans and spam and I would much rather eat what I have in my pantry.

[Deleted User]

Takes two to tango love and I don't dance because I have 2 x size 8 left feet! I shall neither read posts or answer PMs and as I said I will NOT play the game!

ancientofdays

I think we could eat from stores for a few weeks, although some things might not always have been our first choices.

We more or less never eat tinned meat or fish, with the exception of corned beef, which my OH has about twice a year. But we do use tinned tomatoes in sauces and tomato puree, will need to check stocks of those.

I could do with upping pulse stocks. I'm being a bit careful as we had an attack of some tiny little shiny brown beetle, fortunately confined to one cupboard and I had to dispose of the contents but at least it was the kitchen cupboard and not the store. I think that came in inside something thar came over from the USA.

HUMMUS is really easy, drain and reserve the liquid, blend chickpeas with crushed garlic, olive oil and some lemon juice, seasoning plus sesame seeds and sesame oil if you have it. You can use the reserved liquid to get it to the right texture. You are meant to use tahini paste but I always have sesame seeds and oil so I use those rather than making a special purchase.

I do see that the above is quite reliant on items not produced here, apart from the garlic and much of that comes in from abroad.

fuddle

"why are there beans in my fishing cupboard?"

"I think you'll find you have a fishing shed, the cupboard is mine... for excess beans. Now don't take on a woman who preps!"

I came down this morning to find not a trace of fishing kit in 'his fishing cupboard'.