Those gov't food boxes?

I like potatoes.

I always thought, if marooned on a desert island, my request would be potatoes.
I could catch fish.

ExD well, not an avocado, definitely

If kept in the fridge they can go black. They have to be just right. Best kept in the fruitbowl.

i think cous-cous is a wonderful staple, soo easy to prepare and goes with anything and everything.
i cant see the point of potatoes, all that cleaning, scraping, peeling and boiling or baking.
cous-cous is kettle food, so within my ambit.
so easy, boil water in kettle, pour over cous-cous in bowl. cover bowl. leave until bored./ while chopping peppers/toms to add. uncover. fluff up with fork, eat with same fork. if feeling flush add tinned fish. maybe a few nuts and seeds. lovely nosh.
i think the free food boxes were intended for people who could not get anything otherwise.
remember unlike all yous on here, many esp older peeps do not have internet/ wouldn't know how to order deliveries.

IT was the assumption that everyone has an avocado "in their store cupboard" that made me gasp.
I agree avocados in Britain are of dubious quality and taste.
Title for another thread - what do you have in your store cupboard?

Ps there is no effort involved whatsoever in making avocado toast?

Put toast in toaster
Cut avo carefully all around lengthways (be careful!)
Scoop out avo flesh
Mash if desired with salt and or lemon juice
Place on toast
Eat

We eat a lot of avocados when we're in Australia, somehow they're just not the same here.
Avocado on toast is a breakfast staple there.

I've only managed to get a slot with Tesco, every other supermarket is hopeless. Waitrose will only give slots to those shielding in England!

We’ve had two and the first one came in very handy as we hadn’t been able to get home delivery slots. The second was unexpected as I thought we’d cancelled it - and we nearly had a third but I managed to intercept the chap before he left it and he’s taken us off his list.

All in all it’s a good variety and was different each time. What we haven’t used will go to the food bank when we escape from lock down.

These boxes seem jolly decent if you’re a regular eater. I don’t need one but I’d be happy with one if I did.

ExD; these boxes are only for those people Shielding and therefore not able to leave their home for 12 weeks.

Some of them may have help with food supplies already but quite a few won't.

I still think cous cous is a strange 'staple' ingredient (?).

Not strange at all - it's very convenient and quick to make and can accompany almost anything.

But I suppose pasta and olive oil were considered strange at one time.

Thank you to whoever told me they were free, yes I had mixed them up with those boxes you could order from supermarkets.
There have been reports that families are going hungry through lack of cash to buy food - are these boxes just for the elderly or vulnerable people?
With a lot of determination I have managed to get deliveries about once a fort night which has been fine, we may run out of certain things but most can be done without.
I still think cous cous is a strange 'staple' ingredient (?). Mind you I watched a TV programme showing how to make tasty meals from "what you have in your store cupboards" that started off with avocado toast (and added tuna and other ingredients) .
ps. What time of day do you eat avocado toast? Is it worth the effort?

Good idea dragonfly.
I suppose if you can't get a delivery or collect slot you would have to accept. But people who are in receipt of pension could actually pay for them.

I was asked if I needed one and I said no but have received 2 - each Friday at 7am.
I have donated them to the local food bank as I am on all the supermarkets priority delivery lists.
I tried to ring and cancel them but I was just pushed from pillar to post.
I was surprised that in one of them there was a mango which I found a bit random and a Fray Bentos pie. I didn't know they still made those.

I am not shielding nor on the vulnerable list - just "Elderly". Nonetheless, I have now received, for the past two weeks, a bag of random food, donated by local shops and farms. Our local Councillor and Community Council have undertaken the organisation and delivery. The first week was mainly fruit (2 each of bananas, oranges and apples) and veg with macaroni, lentils and a stock cube. I made a giant pot of soup, supped some and froze some. Both weeks we have had 6x free range eggs from a local farm and this week less fruit veg but a large loaf, breakfast bars, biscuits, tinned soup and beans were included. I feel a bit odd accepting these deliveries, but my DDs have pointed out that if this crisis had arisen a few years back, then it would have been me organising the deliveries (I was convener of the CC) and how nice it is that the next generation have stepped up to the mark.

Annesixty, we did get a phone callto ask if we needed it,seems different areas have different methods. Spoke to someone who didn’t like the biscuits in their box! Seeing it’s free people can be so ungrateful ?

Hace you had a shielding letter from the CMO, Hetty58?

If so, you must let them know you are vegan and they will give you an appropriate box of vegan food if you need one.

There is a vegetarian version. Not sure if it's vegan. Google it to see.

Crikey! Is there a vegan version? I'm allergic to half those things!

You do not lose your vulnerable status, if you decline a box, that is based on clinical criteria.

From the Scottish Govt website:

Through the SMS Shielding Service or your local authority helpline, you can order free weekly boxes of basic food and essential supplies. Brakes & Bidfood have been contracted by the Scottish Government to provide these boxes. The box will contain a letter from the Scottish Government. These will include:

ProductQuantity
Coffee1x50g
Tea bags40 bags
Biscuits1x300g
Bread1x800g
Cereal1x500g
Baked Beans2x415g
Soups4x400g
Pasta1x500g
Rice / Cous Cous/ Noodles1 x 500g
Fruit 11x5 count
Fruit 21x5 count
Shower Gel1xunit
Semi-skimmed UHT MILK.2x1ltr
Cooking Sauce - jar1x350g
Pre potato (whole, washed)1x2kg
Tinned Meat1x340g
Tuna1x145g
Vegetables (peas probably)2x300g
Chopped tomatoes2x400g
Tinned fruit1x410g
Toilet roll

I know people who are getting free food. They are pensioners with a guaranteed income. I think it would be better to make sure they have delivery slots.
The money could be better spent. There are people whose income has dropped because of the virus. They are the ones who need help.
I get the point though that one person made about why she accepted - in case she lost her vulnerable status.

yes, these are the free one, ExD; i think you may be thinking of some supermarkets were doing £30 boxes to get things out quickly to people who were going short. no choice, just veggie or standard.
no choice with the govt ones as far as i know, maybe a veggie.

It seems to be a massive undertaking and covers most basics quite well. Most of those who don’t actually need them seem to be donating them onwards so at least there’s not too much waste.

I didn’t realize they were free. Good to think people are being looked after. I think my dad would have been shocked at the thought of taking what he would consider charity but much better than going hungry.

My very well off friends have now received three.
The H has complex health issues and the first box just arrived unasked for and not needed.
They have now managed to cancel but it seemed not to be easy.
They passed the boxes on to family members struggling through early dementia and have now alerted close family to the situation.
I think a phone call to ask if the box is needed should be made otherwise money is wasted.