The Prepping Thread - A Newer Beginning ;)

Floss

Another tip for keeping to oneself in supermarkets is to use the self scan on one's phone (not Tesco surprisingly). Observe the dates & look of ones chosen item, pick just that one up, scan, put into own bag, move on & repeat.

I use a string bag for my shopping - it is all visible & has only been handled by me. The self scan till area is always empty and its all card payment so either tap or insert, using the corner of my phone to key in my pin.

Back to the car and home - and at 7.30am it usually takes 30m to get shopped & be home before I start work. The only annoyance is the increased number of online shopping carts!

VJsmum

To add to the debate - we do click and collect for the most part but will go into shops (needed to today) if something runs out or there's something we forgot.  That way, it means that we are not in the shop for that long (bearing in mind that i'm shopping for 4 adults so it would take a long time to get everything) and i also double mask (clinical mask under a home made 3 layer mask) to reduce any risk even further.

I've also stopped washing it all - most goes in a cupboard where anything on it would die over time and although the fresh goes in the fridge, most of that is cooked which would destroy anything.

maddiemay

I am CEV and get SM deliveries every week, maybe because we live in a very rural area Tesco, Asda and Sainsburys have always come from the nearest store, 2 of them 26 miles away. We occasionally get short dated perishables, but as already mentioned prepared salad fruit and veg only ever have short dates anyway, there was something last week (forgot what) that was short dated and it was pointed out on the e-mailed list with the option of returning.
I don't have a working immune system of my own (don't make antibodies and get mine from weekly infusions).  Going back to the area in which I live, I have the O.K. from my Immunology Prof to venture into my little town, taking all the usual precautions with extra liberal use of hand gel, and venture with care into butchers, bakers, health food shops etc.  I hope that it goes with out saying that if I lived in or very close to larger conurbations I certainly would not be doing so.   I count myself as being very lucky. Although there are several reports from extremely reputable universities etc saying it is not necessary with efficient hand washing, we still disinfect the groceries delivered, it is a habit and doesn't take long, but food bought locally from baker, butcher etc is repacked, original packing discarded and hands well washed.

Nargleblast

Planning meals for the following week or even the next few days is an excellent OS, moneysaving habit, but you have to be prepared to be flexible. Sometimes something might crop up on the day you had planned an intensive cooking session, or if you are relying on supermarket deliveries, the fresh veg you had pencilled in for Thursday has a short use by period and needs to be used up before then. No need to panic, just swap Thursday's planned meal with Monday's, for example. And you are not going to get shot at dawn if you get to Friday and decide that what you had planned for the weekend isn't going to work for some reason. You may suddenly come across some reduced price chicken or fish which it would be criminal to turn down, so get it and quickly revise your meal plan. Being flexible is the key. I know some folk use the method of looking in the fridge first thing in the morning and decide on that day's main meal depending on what needs using up first. Horses for courses and all that. I used to have a plan for the whole month, which was a framework, but I was never afraid to chop and change around.

thriftwizard

I'm still happily trotting down to our local market & doing most of my shopping in the open air. I do also go to the local butcher & baker, and am currently having to go to the Post Office almost daily as I'm selling (some of) my fabrics on Ebay, to make space, if not as much money! (I know they can pick up now, but that ties me down.) But dairy, over & above what the milkman leaves on our doorstep 3 times a week & the very excellent cheese stall at the market, has to come from the supermarket. I've found it's usually quite empty between 4-5pm; the "school run Mums" have been & gone, and the "What shall we have tonight?" returning office workers haven't arrived. And there is still is a rush at 5pm regardless of working-from-home... but it is generally well-managed, my friends who do a few hours there tell me. I try to limit my visits to once a week; thanks to the market, that's very do-able with a bit of planning.

One of our DDs (both still living at home) is currently working in a supermarket; we've always felt we can't hide away from the virus, but we're early 60s and still reasonably fit despite both having had health challenges in the last few years. We've been pretty sensible, and will continue to be so, but at the end of the day, life must go on...

Serendipitious

I guess everyone has to do their own risk assessment according to where they are health-wise and how risk-averse they feel about things generally. You have to do what makes you feel comfortable otherwise you'd be living on edge all the time.

I had some very serious routines going on in the old place, due to it being a high population area, plus living in a block of flats, plus working, but daily life feels easier here in a rural area, with a scattered population, and my own front door to the outside etc etc. And I'm grateful to have moved from a place which saw 3000 cases in one week in January, to a much geographically-larger county that's only had around 100/week, but I'm mindful that the next challenge as we return to 'normal' is that this quiet spot will receive an influx of tourists and shops will inevitably become rather busy. So I'll be stocking up for summer, I think, to avoid the crowds.

greenbee

I am 100% reliant on deliveries as I was isolating before and during the first lockdown, and have been dealing with long covid ever since. I did try the coop back in May after a blood test/ECG appointment but at the time it was completely chaotic. And I've been to a bigger supermarket when I was early for the cardiology clinic which is next door to it - that was fine. However, I've made the decision to save my energy for work - driving 10 miles and a trip round the supermarket isn't worth it. 

I 'reverse meal plan' in that I see what turns up in the weekly veg box, and then work out what I can use from the freezer to make the most of it. The milkman delivers milk, eggs and yogurt - and other bits occasionally. And I get additional bits and pieces from the veg box supplier as well. I have a supermarket delivery every couple of months, so stock up on olive oil, butter, olives - and buy veg I can't guarantee to get from the veg box (this week is the first delivery for 10 weeks, so I've got lots of peppers and radishes). I also buy inessentials like ice-cream and pizza on these occasions I'm always amazed at how long things last when I don't know how long it will be before I can restock. 

GreyQueen

boazu said:

We get deliveries, we wash things that need to go in the fridge in water with disinfectant, bleach and washing up liquid in it and also fresh fruit and veg (as much as you can unless they're in plastic packs and then we wash the packaging).  Everything else goes into the store room in boxes for 72 hours (the time it says the virus can survive on metal but we chuck in cardboard etc too) as long as it isn't perishable and then I can put it all away where it needs to go and clear the floor. It works for us.

From the bottle of household disinfectant chez moi; CAUTION; Do not mix with other chemicals. Do not dilute in less than 1 part to 30 parts water.

Household bleach bottle DANGER wear protective gloves/ protective clothing/ eye protection/ face protection. WARNING! Do not use together with other products. May release dangerous gases (chlorine)*. May be corrosive to metals.

I take this very seriously; a dear friend of mine did permanant and irrevocable damage to her lungs while cleaning her bathroom and mixing household cleaning products. Please, people, do not be tempted into following Boazu's regime.

* Chlorine gas is the 'mustard gas' of World War I. A wickedly dangerous substance.

I

silvasava

I do a very 'loose' meal plan. Mainly because when we were working both DH and I could be on emergency call out so we needed to be very flexible. It's a habit I don't seem to be able to loose. I have a general menu that gives a few options depending on how we feel or what needs using, or leftover  
I'm also CEV but I've been using either my local Morrisons or Lidl about once a week or so. Both of them are well organised and people do seem to be aware of distancing so I've never felt uncomfortable. I'm afraid I've never quarantined or disinfected anything I've bought so far, I do hand sanitise, I have one in the car too and I wash my hands thoroughly. TBH I can't think of anything that I buy has been needed on the same day so it's probably been quarantined by default. 

With you on mixing bleach with anything GQ.  I was on a safety seminar and they showed what can happen when you mix household cleaners with bleach as you don't know what's in them. They also showed the effect of water thrown on to a fat fire - an explosion of burning fat droplets. Never forgotten either of them, totally horrific.

wondercollie

I've never wiped down anything that has been brought home.  I just change out of my uniform when I get home (unless you work in ICU or the OR, Canadian hospitals don't provide uniforms or laundry services)
What has been noticed most recently is the selfishness of the elderly.  My first dose of the vaccine was cancelled because of a national shortage and the priority was to give it to the elderly in nursing homes.  When the new supplies arrived, the vaccination of frontine staff was resumed.  This week they opened up mass vaccination of the over 80s.  Unfortunately, we all know have to go through the same centres for the shot.  Instructions are very clear.  Remain in your car until five minutes before your appointed time and then approach the doors.  So what do all of the over 80s do?  Arrive up to two hours early and form a line around the building in -10C.  They then hassled staff who followed the rules and went straight to the door five minutes before their appointment.  Staff were told they were too young to be getting the vaccine and shouldn't be jumping the line up!  The same staff who people have been calling heros for working every darned day of this mess.

I saw Dettol today in the supermarket for the first time in years.  Suddenly I was  a little girl again, that smell is something you never forget.

Good to see you GC!