Prepping for Brexit thread

slm6002

some dried yeast in the fridge bbd 2017

Is this the best place to store the dried yeast?  I have only ever stored it in the cupboard, but would like to make sure I'm storing it right.  Thanks

Living_proof

I am an avid dehydrator and freezer user and whilst this may be unpopular, can I suggest some of you look out for a second hand, good, vacuum sealer - something like a Foodsaver. The bags are quite expensive but can be re-used several times as long as raw fish or meat hasn't been stored in them. We reckon the Aldi rolls of plastic work out on average at 12p a bag, and if you can use it three times which is about average, then 4p each. Some users manage to use zip lock bags successfully which is even cheaper. Great for long term storage of things like specialist flour, rice, spices and herbs as dry goods and then bullet-proof freezer storage for a good couple of years. I also store quantities of home-dried, home-grown produce and this also cuts waste out completely. I am completely taken with my Foodsaver and would replace it like a shot if it expired.

[Deleted User]

I learned something new today and that's that turtle beans and black eye beans don't need pre soaking before cooking.  They take around 45 minutes to come to edible.  That's worth knowing for store cupboard foods.  I always run with a good amount of lentils both the split red and the speckled continental ones because they're easy to process and cook relatively fast but I didn't know about Turtle Beans.

Mummy2cheekymonkeys

It might be a good idea to keep and eye out when you go shopping next for some offers. Tesco had some offers on as they had over ordered during the lockdown. My local store had clearance prices on bags of rice, pasta, cooking oil and bars of soap. There was probably more but those were ones I noticed. It wasn't dirt cheap but worth looking out for. 

MingVase

Remember that Brexit will start to affect us well before Xmas because the supermarkets fill their warehouses to capacity for xmas and new year. They won't have space for extra. Some did have plans for building/leasing extra space but that probably went down the plughole because of the lockdown.

jamanda

We all seem to be on the same page with regard to dried and tinned goods prep.  What other things does everyone think may be scarce due to Brexit, Xmas, Plague etc.
I am noticing the price of food going up considerably.  I buy a lot of corned beef for the dogs (I can squish poorly dog's tablets in it, and have to pretend the same for the other dog).  Price has gone from £1.60 to £2.00 and, in the last couple of weeks, has jumped to £2.50.  Other stuff also going up, but not in pennies.  I've tried to set the grandkids up with coats, jeans, etc. which was a bit of a treasure hunt too.  I'm wondering where to focus next.
If DH is made redundant we'll be struggling so I'm trying to plan ahead.  I obviously can't cater for everything, but I'm wondering what I've forgotten.

MingVase

I've stocked up on teabags and coffee Jamanda. Also lentils so we'll always have soup. Olive oil. I noticed the prices going up as well and would like to know the reason why. I won't get huge stocks of anything though because I don't think that works for us. I'm more focused on being flexible,  using what is available and reasonable and eating that

Primrose

Jamada - I think the best way of planning ahead is to sit down quietly with a pen and paper and mentally walk yourself through a few average days of your life,  thinking of the essential activities you would do like cleaning bathrooms, laundry, essential gardening /growing jobs and write down a list of associated purchases which are linked with those jobs which you will need going forward in the long term,.  For example,  doing laundry needs laundry liquid/powder,   dishwasher might need salt, tablets etc, gardening might need slug pellets, compost, Tomorite.etc?
Once you have each activity listed you can then write a list of associated purchases needed and can stock up according to the order of priority and amount of money & sstorage available.
Obviously food is  the major priority, and ways of cooking it economically like perhaps a pressure cooker to save fuel or a metal hob simmer plate might be worth investigating, a slow cooker if you have a cheaper overnight fuel deal, .  Investing in plenty of thermals so you can economise on heating without shivering is another area to think about. .
The threat of redundancy is now becoming a major black cloud on the  horizon for many of working age so every step taken now to try and "redundancy proof" yourselves will help to make life just a little less stressful later on.  The risk of roaring food and fuel price inflation is a genuine one so taking steps now to stock up on essentials is worth doing.
Having experienced three redundancies between us during our working lives I can testify that every precautionary step taken in everyday life to "put something by for harder times" has proved a very wise policy.

[Deleted User]

I'd invest in as many herbs spices and flavourings as you can find, they don't go off, they do fade a little in flavour over the years but are still usable long after the best before date.  If you have enough variety of flavours from different world foods even if you have to live on rice and beans you can make them into totally different dishes by changing the flavourings. The other thing that's worth doing is making jam and chutneys which also keep for years, we've eaten very old jam that had been missed on the shelf about 10 years from the date it was made and it was perfectly OK.  The Japanese make sweet desserts from Aduki beans so your bean stash will give you mains and puddings, soups and pates, sauces and dips all of which have many variants if you can flavour them differently so you don't get bored.

jamanda

Thank you.  We have lots of thermals (DH's work supplied a load foc after we had already stocked up).  We have tea/coffee.  I have bought secateurs and bits for the garden and probably enough soap powder for a year - that was accidental.  Toiletries, shampoo, soap stocks OK.

We have food growing in the garden doing reasonably well, and I have bottled 8lb of morello cherries this week.  I beat the blackbird!!  I THINK I've thought of everything.  Until I haven't.