Power cut rations

brightonman123

get onto the trevor balis(?), the one who invented the wind up radio.. could be onto somethimng here (wind up cooker? good exercise, keeps you warm while waiting for stuff to heat up as well..)

Andy_Hamilton

Buy yourself a gas stove like this one http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/3407497/Trail/searchtext>STOVE.htm#tab3

That one from argos is really expensive and I have seen the same type in halfords for under £13.
The small gass bottles have enough in them for a 2 day camping trip with kettles and 2 meals. We used to go camping with a big bottle and double burner but never again!

You can use these in the house aswell!.

Olliebeak

Those disposable barbecue things? If you're nervous about using indoors, then take it outside into a garden area/beach/field. They are good enough for a few sausages, burgers, thin steaks, gammon.


During the power cuts of the early 70's (we were all electric at the time), my dad remembered our camping gear which over-wintered in a local farmer's barn. He returned with our calor-gas double burner hob/grill and our camping-gaz primus stove. Along with mum's pressure cooker, we were well-suited for the duration ! Night-lites on saucers and candles on the mantlepiece - talk about spirit of the blitz!!!

Sunnyday

I`d be wary of using any of the camping stoves indoors.

A few years ago DH came home with a tale of someone who had used one in a tent with fatal consequences.
Apparently the fumes collected in the top of the tent and couldn`t disperse even though the door was open.

I`d definately have one, in fact we do have an old one kicking about somewhere but i`d pick a sheltered spot to use it outside, rather safe than sorry.
HTH
SD

chardonnay_2

natzini wrote: »

We have been suffering from a lot of power cuts lately too.

I know I'm going to throw the chicken away as the last one lasted at least 8 hours and I'm sure the ones in the fridge (even though the door was kept shut) will be good at all for us. But what else should I throw? Meat kept in the (unopened) freezer?

Am so upset about all of this.

the food in your freezer should keep for a min of 24 hours - (google it to be sure), as long as the door was kept shut.

the stuff in your fridge - i would rely on my senses - ie, do they smell bad, look off (gone a funny colour) etc.

you will be able to smell off chicken

rosieben

Power cuts are very common in country areas, although I used to have difficulty convincing work colleagues of this when I was in London. They all thought I was joking but its no joke when you’re cold, tired and hungry and no leccy!

Now I’m back living in a small village and getting power cuts again; for 2 years I used a candle stove which was quite effective for making a hot drink or warming soup, but bil treated me to a gas stove similar to the one that Andy linked to as he says its safer and also has 2 rings.

If its a holiday flat and the weather is nice, then it would be a portable bbq and hit the beach or picnic area?

Bogof_Babe

rosieben wrote: »

If its a holiday flat and the weather is nice, then it would be a portable bbq and hit the beach or picnic area?

It is in England so that's (weather) a longshot lol. However it is only a ten minute walk from the edge of town where all the cafes etc. are, so if we wrap up warm and take a brolly we could eat there!

Does anyone know whether they still do those self-heating tins of coffee that were launched about 10 years ago? They didn't really take off, did they - probably too little coffee for too much dosh .

rosieben

Bogof_Babe wrote: »

It is in England so that's (weather) a longshot lol. However it is only a ten minute walk from the edge of town where all the cafes etc. are, so if we wrap up warm and take a brolly we could eat there!

Does anyone know whether they still do those self-heating tins of coffee that were launched about 10 years ago? They didn't really take off, did they - probably too little coffee for too much dosh .

Yes I see that the weather could be a bit of a problem! I never heard of self-heating coffee? I missed that one obviously!

Bogof_Babe

They were cans with a widget in, and when you opened them something happened with the widget that heated the coffee up. They weren't very popular because iirc they were 99p for about half a cup, which was a lot of money in those days!

pigpen

We had a 48 hour power cut.. all but 10 minutes!!! at new year!!!!!!!!!!

We have had 3 new years with no water after pipes burst.

this years power cut was the electric mains which blew and shot out the gas supply so one had to be repaired before they could do the other.. they had guys working on them the while time.. I was fit for a breakdown by the time the power came back on!