Preparation for COVID resurgence anyone?

I read that in Australia they were trying to stockpile on loo roll again having had a local lockdown, but shops are now rationing it. I guess that's the one item you wouldn't want to be without!

No, my freezer is full and I have a good store cupboard. I don't eat carbs or sugar so everything fresh for me, veggies are planted and growing well

If a second wave occurs in the coming week , ensure plenty of food stocked resort making more of my own dishes .
But a haircut is an immediate priority .
With the hot weather its been unbearable with hair longer than normally kept .
Mick

Surely there’s a difference between stockpiling and having sufficient stock which is used and replenished. I wonder how much of the stockpiled canned goods and dried foods was actually used?
I have well stocked freezer and cupboards but I do use all my stuff in rotation.

The ONLY time I purchase extra quantities of anything is when things I normally use(and are not perishable), and purchase are on sale. Then I will buy several of them. Helps to keep my bills a little lower over time.

In my old house I did have a very large freezer, but found that even with the most rigorous stock list, I still ended up not using a lot in there, and ending up disposing of them. In my flat just have a small under-counter freezer, and find that I now really use everything in it. Does not have room for me to do batch cooking and freezing meals - (used to be these that I often ended up throwing in bin from old freezer).

I work out my daily menus for the week before I go to Supermarket, and just keep some extra like sausages, couple of pieces of fish, in freezer for emergencies.

Did not stockpile this time, managed with what I could get on my weekly shop - will do the same next time.

I do expect more problems in the New Year with Brexit, but think will be more likely to see shortages for a long time of fresh produce, so cannot stockpile that even if I was that way inclined.

I did feel so sorry for people who could not stockpile last time, particularly families on very limited income who just could not afford to do so. If people would just purchase what they need and are going to use each week, it would make life easier for everyone, and help to prevent the high amount of food that is thrown away.

SueDonim

I’m not sure if you’d include me, Summerlove but I’d say that as long as my grocery bill is about the same as normal, I’m not stockpiling.

You’ve reminded me though that I’ve just done a delivery order and forgotten loo rolls! I’ll only be ordering one pack, though.

I’m someone who replaces as I use, but I always have more in than needed.

It is a little stock pile, but was built over time when things were on sale. Now it’s one Out one in (unless something is on sale)

I was just wondering if that makes me a stock piler or just someone “sensible”

We are going to buy a second freezer. I will, between now and winter gradually stock it with batch-cooked meals frozen home grown tomatoes and green beans. I will probably continue to have a supermarket delivery every couple of weeks, buying in special deals as they arise. As managers of our households, surely it is our responsibility to use our available income wisely? I have spent probably twice as much as normal buying from small local suppliers who have delivered to us. We were very grateful. I have in the past three weeks finally had two deliveries from Waitrose . The service was brilliant and the quality of food first class. We are still in lockdown. We have been really lucky for the whole of the lockdown in having excellent service from small local suppliers and finally Waitrose, but I think we should be better prepared in future.

TerriBull

I imagine there will be a second wave, given how certain groups of people have abandoned all efforts to social distance. We'll maintain our weekly delivery slot for the foreseeable future, make sure the freezer has adequate stocks of fish, chicken, mince and frozen veg, also make sure our non perishables are topped up regularly, particularly flour now that has happily reappeared again. Ensure that we have enough in the way of masks and anti bacterial hand wash. I want to be better prepared than I was for the initial lockdown which happened rapidly.

Where do you shop, TerriBull? I still can't get flour online from Tesco, so might need to change supermarket!

(BTW, Gransnet admin, am I missing something in the new quote facility? On other sites I can edit, or rather reduce, a quote to the bit that is relevant to my own response but don't seem to be able to do that on Gransnet?)

We bought a second freezer so each time I order from the supermarket (about every 3 weeks) I include some extras for the freezer. I also plan to order customised meat packs for the freezer from a local farm. It will all get used eventually. DH has planted some winter veggies, and I buy wholesale packs of loo rolls online. Bread, butter, eggs and milk from local shops; flour from nearby mill. We're keen to keep the local economy afloat when the next outbreak of Covid (and the inevitable lockdown) happens. I don't think it's an 'if' just a 'when'.

I imagine there will be a second wave, given how certain groups of people have abandoned all efforts to social distance. We'll maintain our weekly delivery slot for the foreseeable future, make sure the freezer has adequate stocks of fish, chicken, mince and frozen veg, also make sure our non perishables are topped up regularly, particularly flour now that has happily reappeared again. Ensure that we have enough in the way of masks and anti bacterial hand wash. I want to be better prepared than I was for the initial lockdown which happened rapidly.

I always have a good stock of meat on freezer and dried and tinned foods. During lockdown I found it hard to buy flour so I have now bought a 10kg bag of plain flour from Aldi this week. I am putting in pantry in case of a second wave over winter. I bought 2 tins of dried yeast too. I usually use fresh yeast for making bread and pizza. I shall stockpile cat food as I have 5 cats and 1 recently died, and I struggled to get them meat cat food and had to give them just dried food some days which they eat but expect a tin of cat meat too. They have 3 tins a day between them and some crunchies. A dozen tins last no time. I shall aim to stockpile 6 or 7 dozen tins.

pollyanna

How should osteoporosis be best treated? I don’t have injections, just take adcal and alendronic acid. If that is no good, what is the alternative?

Sorry to digress from original thread.

Try Boots for soluble Co Codamol they had loads or on line pharmacies

I’m not sure if you’d include me, Summerlove but I’d say that as long as my grocery bill is about the same as normal, I’m not stockpiling.

You’ve reminded me though that I’ve just done a delivery order and forgotten loo rolls! I’ll only be ordering one pack, though.

I try not to wait till I run out of something before replacing it, always have done, and hadn’t even thought about stocking up in case of a second wave. Or Brexit!

For those who won’t “stock up” and think “stockpiling unnecessary”, how do you explain how that’s different from keeping plenty in as you say you normally do?

I live in a rural area of northern Scotland so having a bit extra in the cupboard is a way of life for us especially over the winter. I just replace Asap the stuff I use.

Btw, I was in M&S today and they were selling off branded pasta for 50p a pack and branded rice at half price. Are they telling us there will be no second wave?

Well stocked - loads of tins and 4 freezers full of stuff. Planned last year due to Brexit which, when we crash out, could lead to worse shortages than Covid I'm afraid.

We got caught out by the lockdown. We were due to put a meat order in and then found out that there was a shortage of meat with our usual supplier. We bumbled through for a few weeks and then local Village shops started diversifying and offered some great deals and we now use them. I will make sure that I have dried yeast though and flour in the cupboard as that caught us out too! Hubby is diabetic so we have decided we will carry on just being careful.

I just hope that all those who have a rather sniffy attitude towards any kind of planning ahead in terms of stocking up don't start weeping and wailing if they have empty cupboards and can't get delivery slots.

I don't agree with panic buying but it's a bit rich pointing the finger of blame when you've done nothing to ensure you have adequate supplies to see you through a possible second wave.

We have to take responsibility for our own planning. We've seen the ugly side of stockpiling so why risk having to cope with shortages?

I'm going to make sure I have enough gluten free pasta, tinned tomatoes, passata, beans, spaghetti and flour and liquid soap. Also I'm getting to the good bargain greeting card shop when it finally re opens and getting all the cards I need as I've spent a fortune on expensive ones

Luckygirl

My main action is to try and get vastly overdue dental treatment done during this brief lull; I can then have my osteoporosis injection that has had to be delayed (by 6 months!) whilst awaiting the dental treatment (can't have both at same time).

Please re consider an osteoporosis injection. Honestly they cause more damage than they can fix, they cant grow new bone its a con. It only makes adexa look better as its old bone inside. Plus they do NOT stop fractures. And just think why you need dental work, its due to the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw, and ear too as it happens.

I can see your point too, JenniferEccles, but just supposing that mindset did become entrenched - which personally I doubt will happen, because we all have different approaches to life and its challenges - I think the supply chain could cope with it.
The type of stockpiling I am talking about already exists, and always has. People buy gradually, so it has no effect on anyone else. Even if a lot more people started to do this now, I think its gradual nature is perfectly sustainable in normal times and, as I said, actually reduces demand should unforseen supply problems suddenly arise for other reasons.

The OP described how she is producing her own food as a precaution. There's definitely no way that sort of forward planning can hurt anyone else, so I think its a great idea.

I am making sure that I am replacing what I use so that I don't run down. I think its only sensible, I have not been in a shop for 3 months. I am concerned at the stats, the options that seem likely to me are that we carry on with this level of infection for months or there's a spike in autumn. I hope I am wrong, but this is not looking nailed by any stretch of the imagination.

I see the point you are making MamaCaz but I do wonder if the mindset of stocking up a bit in advance could become so entrenched that it continues even when (if) we get a second spike.

I just feel that if enough people are like that it would inevitably lead to shortages.