Prepping: the new world...

DigForVictory

I’m down in Oxford this weekend & there are boxes of surplus produce (apples, courgettes, tomatoes sighted) absolutely free. Ok, they’ll be on kerbs in residential areas & unmapped but still, if you have the capability to turn unloved courgette & tomato into a hearty pasta sauce, these are splendid opportunities.
Coaxed mum on a walk & we returned with a clean handkerchief of sloes (sisters appalled at my pleas by whatsapp for gin!) - why not forage whilst the hedgerows are generous? If you really want to outpsyche your teenagers I do recommend rose hip syrup. It looks & tastes wholly organic & is rich in vitamin C & history…

Floss

DfV, I'm of the DelRosa generation & loved it - I also loved that orange juice they gave out at the baby clinic (we called it baby orange!) and next-door gave their kids and me malt extract too! I was a very fussy eating child and was regularly given Minadex and we all had Haliborange tablets too.

Cherryfudge

Oh. how I loved DelRosa! I have a clear memory of talking to a school friend and she said she hated Cod Liver Oil. I didn't mind it and we worked out it was possibly because I had mine with DelRosa.

Funny what one remembers.

Nelliegrace

As a dog walker I have small plastic bags in my pockets suitable for foraging blackberries, rosehips, sloes, etc. 

DigForVictory

I've still got a bag of nappysacks... Now to find it & move it into my coat pocket.

DryTheRain

Hi all again, it’s been a while but I hope you can help with some essential food prepping recommendations please 🙏

I remember the Jack Monroe list of basics but cannot seem to find it online anymore. The context is that I - and probably a couple of million others - are facing unduly early PIP reviews, with a horrific newly designed 88 question form. Cuts by any other name, it’s designed to be arduous and couched in inexplicable language and while I can huff and puff about it, the need for a backstop is very real.

There’s always Aldi and its indelible grain packs, plus my carer insisted on taking me out and kindly paid for a pub meal. Followed by a trip to the corner shop which was full of tuna tins and value packs of ready to eat wholefoods, like chickpeas. I will also be re-ordering Kewpie mayo from amazon, guaranteed to perk up almost every dish however basic.

Any further thoughts or tips would be really welcome though as I’m panicking not just a little but a lot x

DigForVictory

Walloped AI and it retrieved this, which has not the details I would like but may help overcome some of the 88 page terror.

• Pulses and Beans: Lentils (especially red lentils, which break down easily for soups/stews), chickpeas, kidney beans, and cannellini beans (often tinned for convenience).
• Grains: Rice (brown and/or white), dried pasta, noodles, and porridge oats (versatile for breakfast or baking).
• Tinned Goods: Chopped/plum tomatoes, light coconut milk, and tinned fish (tuna, salmon, or sardines).
• Vegetables: Onions, carrots, and potatoes (cheap and long-lasting).
• Frozen Vegetables: Items like frozen leeks or sweetcorn are often recommended for their cost-effectiveness and reduced waste.
• Flavourings & Spices: Garlic (fresh or granules), stock cubes, salt, pepper, chilli flakes, and other herbs and spices are a great, inexpensive way to add flavour.
• Dairy/Alternatives: A block of cheese is often cited as a valuable, versatile item

 Others have read her more & may have their own access to lists but my worry is that the default trifecta of cheap food - pasta rice & beans, have all taken a cost of living caning & even the handy to haves like stock cubes have also rocketed. Sorry if that's not supportive or desperately helpful but the truth is messy.  Stocktake hard, then try to buy when discounted? (We all know gravy powder & stuffing mixes will be full RRP until the week they're reduced for Christmas prep, similarly there may be drops in other handy spices.)

DigForVictory

Meanwhile, I popped on to share this from the Met office - as Friday fun takes on a whole new soggy meaning for tomorrow:

The Met Office has issued an amber weather as Storm Claudia looks set to batter parts of the UK on Friday.

Flooding is likely with up to 80mm of rain expected. The warning is in place from noon until the end of the day, with it covering parts of Wales, the Midlands, the South West, South East and East of England.

"Keep yourself and others safe; prepare to avoid travelling by road during potentially dangerous road conditions. If you must travel, ensure you watch for possible danger and drive cautiously."

It adds: "It is not safe to drive, walk or swim through floodwater, avoid it where possible and if you are affected by fast flowing or deep-water call 999, and wait for help."

It also warns UK households to compile a kit of: insurance documents, torch, spare batteries, first aid kit, medicine, waterproof clothing, blankets, food, water.

It says: "Consider checking on vulnerable people that you know including older people, those with underlying conditions and those who live alone; they may need support with food and medical supplies."

Best of luck to all, and may your drains be clear & effective.

Working_Mum

DryTheRain said:

Hi all again, it’s been a while but I hope you can help with some essential food prepping recommendations please 🙏

I remember the Jack Monroe list of basics but cannot seem to find it online anymore. The context is that I - and probably a couple of million others - are facing unduly early PIP reviews, with a horrific newly designed 88 question form. Cuts by any other name, it’s designed to be arduous and couched in inexplicable language and while I can huff and puff about it, the need for a backstop is very real.

There’s always Aldi and its indelible grain packs, plus my carer insisted on taking me out and kindly paid for a pub meal. Followed by a trip to the corner shop which was full of tuna tins and value packs of ready to eat wholefoods, like chickpeas. I will also be re-ordering Kewpie mayo from amazon, guaranteed to perk up almost every dish however basic.

Any further thoughts or tips would be really welcome though as I’m panicking not just a little but a lot x

I'm sorry things are changing for you. It may help to get some inspiration from this thread:-

November 2025 Grocery Challenge - Page 14 — MoneySavingExpert Forum

Posters have various budgets and are really open in sharing their challenges and what they're buying - it may give you some practical ideas. I credit it with reducing my food bills by half!

Big hugs,

((WM))

DigForVictory

Saw something on an American site & boggled briefly. When faced with flooding, if you do not have a dedicated emergency dry storage container, you can do worse than put critical papers in the dishwasher. Unplug it first, and top rack I'd imagine, but I took their point that of all kitchen appliances, it is designed to keep the wet confined and therefore should be more waterproof than, say, the microwave.
May this be of academic interest only!