What arrangements have you made for cooking should the energy be turned off?

DaisyAnne if you have a gas or dual fuel cooker, most gas burners on the hob can be lit with a match or independent gas lighter.

If you have any kind of solid fuel stove, once the fire is going you should be able to use the top of it like a hob and boil kettles and even cook a casserole on it. Kettles are slower to boil, but it can be done.

You could buy a small camping stove, but this is safer used outside. If you are using a paraffin or calor gas heater, they too usually have flat tops that you could put a hob kettle or saucepan of water on.

You can wrap baking potatoes in foil and cook them in the base of a stove, put them in the ash tray, or push them well into an open fire and cook them that way.

If you know a power cut is coming you could start cooking a casserole in a slow cooker and when the power cut starts unplug it wrap it up in towels, cushions, a blanket or old quilt so that the heat is kept in and it keeps cooking, like the old hay box.

Since the power is only going to be off for a few hours I will just go to bed. However I have a gas hob so I can heat hot water, soup and stuff in pans. I also have a power bank which I am keeping charged up. It has a plug and USB points and even a light on it. So I could sit in the kitched with the gas on for warmth and have light and the ability to use a computer or tablet.

I thought cookers today wouldn’t allow the gas to flow if the electric ignition wasn’t functioning. It is a compulsory safety feature, so I was told.

I did have a gas hob and fire in my last house but when I moved here, the hope I would remain into my 90s (at least) made me decide to go for what I thought were safer options so mainly electric. I think that is why I'm feeling the niggles.

The modern hay box idea would work though. From the little I have heard they seem to be hoping to take the power off with notice if they need to do it. Thanks M0nica.

DD lives remotely where there are frequent power cuts. They have a wood burner and candles. They can boil water on the burner.

I will eat cold food and go to bed!

Message deleted by Gransnet. Here's a link to our Talk guidelines.

There’s a wood burner in the garden workshop, we can manage. We have candles, night lights, torches, etc.

I don't know who you were being so cross with Chestnut I'm not sure why it is any of your business whether I can go without cooking for any specific period of time. I do have dietary issues but I'm sure I can sort them out without bothering you.

As far as I am concerned it isn't about being "able to go without". Why would anyone want to? I would rather be organised. I really don't think your life is being harmed by me doing that.

I am always "prepping" but generally protecting myself about getting older. My best buys recently have been remoted controlled sockets. Great now, even better later - no good in a power cut though.

Generally being prompted to look I have now ordered two plugin sensor lights. Good for now and for later. They come on if they sense movement (of course) but they are also emergency lights that stay on for two hours if there is a power cut.

I don't want to be a nuisance to others so I would rather be ready to deal with things. No one needs your permission to do that, do they?

Esspee

I thought cookers today wouldn’t allow the gas to flow if the electric ignition wasn’t functioning. It is a compulsory safety feature, so I was told.

Mine works with cigarette lighter as the electric thingy has broken and it did before.

Lots of candles storm lamps torches for lighting. Small barbeques and flasks tins and dry meals with long life that just need hot water. The armed forces live on it so it's not all bad. We learnt this from camping holidays years ago it taught us how to eat very well in certain circumstances.
Some years ago we employed a well known but ridiculous kitchen company. We needed a new kitchen and we were totally messed up by them. I just had my new total hip replacement and had no kitchen for over two months but managed with all of the food mentioned above and my crock pot.
I also remember the 70s I worked only a three day week for months in a bakery because of strikes and there were power cuts. My mum coped and we were all fed preparation is key.

I’m not preparing for hot meals although I might fill a flask with hot water or soup assuming that we get advance notice. I like cold food like salads, fruit and sandwiches so will be fine for a few hours. I might get in a few treats like some biscuits or chocolate - as long as I leave then untouched until there are power cuts!

I have just ordered some extra batteries as I noticed, when I got one out of my stash to replace the one in my kitchen clock, that I only have a couple left. I ordered them on my Tesco order for tomorrow and added a new torch as well as I thought one that can stand up like a lantern would be better than just a hand held one.

I am more worried about how to occupy myself as I live alone and tend to crochet and watch tv in the evenings. I’m hoping that my new torch will be bright enough to crochet while I listen to an audio book on my iPad. I’m going to make sure my power pack is kept fully charged!

teacheranne there is a neck reading light on amazon which is LED and will last 80 hours. I bought one early last summer, to crochet by. It does work for crochet and knitting or sitting reading in bed and is comfortable. £16.99

re cooking: 3 hours 4-7 will not mean emergency measures for me, I have some cuppasoups and they will do. Any longer then I can cook easily and safely on my trangia, using meths, which I have already prepped for and bought in

Heat soup on the wood burner if all else fails. Should be fun .

No plans to cook here as we are happy to eat cold food.
However the gas barbecue could be fired up though if it wasn’t raining ☔️

For a 3 hour window and given advance warning too, I couldn’t be bothered to faff about for a hot meal. I’d make a sandwich!
#lazygran
?

If we were given a 3 hour window I could cope round that, I would probable go to bed with my wind up torch and battery radio.

If it’s only a few hours then I will use flasks with hot soup . The slow cooker stays warm for quite a long time so can make a casserole in advance and then wrap the switched off slow cooker in a blanket if necessary.
The gas hob can be lit with a match too so plenty of options here ?

And retreating to bed with a torch or camping lamp sounds good too!,

We’ve bought extra gas canisters for the camping stove.
If given prior notice of the cuts, we’ll eat hot meals at other times and use the camping stove just for cups of tea. To make the gas go further, I’ll fill flasks with boiling water when the electric is on and bring it back to the boil on the camping stove. I might also keep a small jug of milk out of the fridge at those times to minimise opening the fridge door.
We’ve a good supply of dried noodles in case we have lots of stir fries.

DH is a fisherman, so we have a shed full of off grid cookers, heaters, lights etc. We also have a gas BBQ. I'm more worried about cold water washes.
As others have said, it'll only be a few hours. We'll just have to adapt our usual habits.

We already have 4 small portable gas cookers in the garage
( they are blue) which we use during power cuts, when we got them from Amazon a few years ago they were only £14.99 each, as we have an electric cooker they get used quite often as they are quicker than Electric to cook certain things, they have been very useful and we use them with a camping kettle and saucepans which are lighter and heat up quickly.

Esspee Gas cooker knobs have to be pushed in and held while they light. Once you let go, unless they are lit the gas supply is cut off. That is the safety device.

Providing you light the gas while pushing and holding the knob in, it doesn't matter how you light it: automatic lighting system, independent gas lighter or matches, or flaming brand. The key thing is that the knob is being held in.

I haven’t got the brain power to worry about this to be honest if gas and electric are blacked out at the same time (extremely unlikely) I ll eat cold food
I honestly couldn’t care less people are living underground in Ukraine and my family managed in the war I managed in the 70 s with 3 small kids and I ll manage again
It isn’t worth a minutes worry it’s not happened it may not happen just live for now

My new cooker works with manual lighting espee so think you were told wrong

Like DaisyAnne we have plug in PIR lights, on by each external door, one on the landing and one in the hallway. I highly recommend them.
Whilst on the subject of endorsed products, can I use this opportunity to give many, many thanks to you, karmalady, for the information and advice about perfect fit window blinds? We had been unaware of this impressive system until you posted; your approval seals the deal.