Prepping for Brexit thread

Jazee

I'm reliably informed that supplies of tinned potatoes and tomatoes are running low. Personally I still need to get more toothpaste, tea bags and rice. There's probably more that I'm running low on again, must do a proper check.

unrecordings

njm123 wrote: »

There's definitely more empty sections in supermarkets now - particularly of the cheaper "Value/Basic" style lines - whether that's people using those to stock up or the supermarkets taking advantage of the situation and deliberately removing the cheapest lines so they can increase their profits by selling more of their mid price brands.

Having said that the only consistent shortage across all supermarkets seems to be paracetamol - shelves are empty everywhere.

Got mine in early (started last October) thankfully my usage is down again so I've not had to top up for a couple of months. Just because the supermarket shelves are empty doesn't mean to say there's a shortage - it's probably impulse buying exacerbated by slow shelf stacking. I bet the instore pharmacies are still just fine (because you have to ask for the stuff, so the impulse is lessened)

As for generally empty shelves, didn't some kind of retail group say this was the worst time for brexit - as supermarkets should be moving into their xmas stock ? (notice how there seems to be less halloween tat this year as far as I've seen)

unrecordings

unrecordings wrote: »

Got mine in early (started last October) thankfully my usage is down again so I've not had to top up for a couple of months.

Just to add, my surplus, if there is a short term one (because there are periods I need to be on the max dose) is on promise to my local hospice. I'm fairly certain they're not allowed to accept it - I'm not part of the accredited supply chain - but if needs must then they know it's there

Just had another thought - I had a chat with an instore pharmacist a few months ago. Supermarkets (and general retailers) have more strict licenses for OTC meds than their pharmacy counterparts, so maybe supply is being dialled back a little to general retailers in deference to the traditional pharmaceutical supply chain - just a thought...

Primrose

I think dry goods like rice, pasta and lentils are good store cupboard items because a little goes a long way when storage is in short supply. Potatoes on the other hand are more bulky and difficult to accommodate in larger quantities unless you have a garage or weatherproof shed.

If fresh supplies do start to get difficult I'm sure we'll soon start to see an interesting new thread on here about weird and wonderful food combinations! People on here are full of good ideas which they are happy to share and given a good supply of stock cubes, all kinds of filling soups can be produced from a combination of ingredients.

Not too late if you have a patch of spare ground in your garden to sow a few Swiss Chard or spinach seeds or even mixed hardy winter lettuce and salad seeds.

unrecordings

I think the general concern is going to be who gets the last pain au chocolate

either that or China decide to put the boot in and send all the xmas Playstations to Marseille instead of Harwich

AndyCF

MrsLurcherwalker wrote: »

It totally defeats the whole reason for having the 'emergency stocks' in the first place. I know what I've managed to put in place and I'm the only who needs to know!

That is sensible common sense.

Although as I've said before I think any silly panic buying by the masses is more a danger than anything else. We won't run out of stuff, I can't see it happening. If nothing else those who import and the sellers themselves, they are not going to 'cut their own throats' so to speak and not sell here anymore!

I think the only real issue might be if someone insists on brand x instead of brand y or z or is after something slightly unusual perhaps, out of season (expensive imported) fruit/veg or in one case I read about some bizarre mega-expensive imported tea.

Jazee wrote: »

I'm reliably informed that supplies of tinned potatoes and tomatoes are running low. Personally I still need to get more toothpaste, tea bags and rice. There's probably more that I'm running low on again, must do a proper check.

Jazee wrote: »

I'm reliably informed that supplies of tinned potatoes and tomatoes are running low. Personally I still need to get more toothpaste, tea bags and rice. There's probably more that I'm running low on again, must do a proper check.

There is actually an excess of tinned potato's in one local shop around here now, they have a lot more than they usually do but its in the Smed brand (I posted about that a while back as I'd not seen it for 20+ years!) , mind you at 55p for a reasonable size tin they are OK. Yes I did check the 'use by' date was after 1982

On a different note no one locally has any tubs of instant mash, there are boxes and boxes of the sachets though. I had a quiet word about this yesterday and was informed there was no problem with them, but who is to say. (They'd say that anyway!)

Although some may actually turn their nose up at the thought of tinned spuds opposed to fresh, some people I know do actually. I still maintain ( and I do get fresh ones, yes really! ) keeping a tin of them is sensible anyway, nothing to do with Brexy, as if you need some in a hurry they are there and their use-by date is usually (at the time of initial purchase at least) at least a year if not two years away so there's no need to think about them for a long time.

Blue_Doggy

AndyCF wrote: »

Although some may actually turn their nose up at the thought of tinned spuds opposed to fresh, some people I know do actually. I still maintain ( and I do get fresh ones, yes really! ) keeping a tin of them is sensible anyway, nothing to do with Brexy, as if you need some in a hurry they are there and their use-by date is usually (at the time of initial purchase at least) at least a year if not two years away so there's no need to think about them for a long time.

I find tinned potatoes very useful if I fancy fried or saut!ed potato, or to slice and put on as a topping for lo meat or veg for a quick bake in the oven. (Luxury version - sprinkle grated cheese on top )

GreyQueen

When camping, I made a hearty and tasty one-pot meal by slinging a jar of pasta sauce into a pan, adding a tin of potatoes and a tin of sweetcorn.


Ok, not going to win any Michelin stars there, but fast to heat (in a gas-grid down situation I'd be miserly with my butane cylinders) and sticks to yer ribs.

cuddlymarm

Even when my cupboards are low I can still usually feed us for at least another week ( more as long as nobody whinges about what we’re having)
So I feel confident me and mine won’t go hungry.
Our problem will be the rise in food prices that might happen. We are on a fixed income due to OH being retired, I work part time but overtime will be rare and shared out but we will cope. We’ve been through bad times before and this time we won’t have kids to feed and clothe so we’re in a better position than a lot of people.
All we can do now is count down the days now and wait and see.

Primrose

I'd never thought of actually using tinned potatoes as a quick standby for those odd occasions when saute potatoes are required, so thank you for that suggestion. Have reached a stage in my life where short cuts and easy options are always worth knowing about. There's a lot of collective good advice and wisdom on this forum!