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

Quite a few of the ideas seem to require outside space or are people happy to use camping stoves, etc., inside?

If I need to, I shall designate my conservatory with the windows open as "outside". The open windows will give plenty of through ventilation - possibly too much for comfort - but keeping the inner door closed will keep the inside of the house from losing heat. The reason for not using the camping stoves inside is that they need the ventilation, or exhaust gases could build up.

If the idea of self-heating meals does grab you, A**n have quite a few of Hotpack's Action Pack meals, at this page. www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Action+Pack+self-heating+meals&tag=gransnetforum-21
Could be useful to have one or two in the cupboard in case you need a hot meal but can't make one. Some of them got good reviews from buyers, some less good. I have ordered a couple to see what the better-sounding ones (Pork Sausages & Beans in Tomato sauce, Chicken Dopiaza, and Meatballs and Pasta) are like. I shall try one when they arrive and report back.
£8.49 for a meal for one is quite dear, but delivery is free. EvacQ8, who make them, are cheaper at £5.99, but their shipping charge is £5.96 plus VAT. evaq8.co.uk/Self-Heating-Food/action-pack-self-heating-meal-kit.html

The self heating meals don't appeal, I'm afraid. I can't imagine they will be anywhere near hot and therefore very unappealing even if they're tasty.

I hope to find out what they are like soon.

We no longer have gas for cooking so in a power cut we would be stuck.

We are being told there is a possibility of 3 hour cuts - so I think we will cope - am just malkng sure we have things in that we can eat cold - tuna, old fashined tinned ham etc.
With notice we can prep a flask of hot water for drinks and another flask of soup should we wish.

I tried self heating cans donkeys years ago in my youth (whilst saving for a little camping stove) and they got very hot! Today’s self heating cans might be different… Probably not very environmentally friendly.

I'm sure what I have seen is a contraption that heats food.

I'm pretty sure it must be environmentally friendly, too.

Just turned the electric off on my gas oven and can still light the burners with a match match. 🔥

Erm- what good are plug in lights if the a power cut🤔

My gas hub in 'new' house has igniter but it stopped working soon after moving in(back in august) so i bought a clicky igniter thing.However i do think its very old as it does NOT cut out for safety if light goes out- and knobs DONT need pressing down first to use- they just turn & straightaway gas comes through.Probably a good thing weve no children in the house! 🤔

MissA
Are you thinking of a Dutch oven used with hot coals

Elegran

If I need to, I shall designate my conservatory with the windows open as "outside". The open windows will give plenty of through ventilation - possibly too much for comfort - but keeping the inner door closed will keep the inside of the house from losing heat. The reason for not using the camping stoves inside is that they need the ventilation, or exhaust gases could build up.

That's what I have always been told Elegran but your idea sounds like a possibility for you.

As we found in the lockdowns, there are an awful lot of people with no outdoor space so it wouldn't be an answer for them.

MerylStreep

MissA
Are you thinking of a Dutch oven used with hot coals

Nope.
I've probably made the whole thing up, but this little thing was quite modern looking.
Never mind, it's getting on my wick now!

MissAdventure

MerylStreep

MissA
Are you thinking of a Dutch oven used with hot coals

Nope.
I've probably made the whole thing up, but this little thing was quite modern looking.
Never mind, it's getting on my wick now!

MissA I know of something that is near to what you describe, but it isn't a modern-looking gadget. For £1.65 you get a "Hot Pack Flameless Ration Heater Which Includes a Water Activation Sachet" You put your meal - which presumably could be something of your own in a boil-in-the-bag - into the outer bag with a wad of chemical-heating stuff, add a small amount of water and leave it for about 12 minutes. It gets really hot and heats the food.

www.hotpackmeals.co.uk/hot-pack-heates-with-water-sachet/
www.hotpackmeals.co.uk/how-hot-pack-works.html

I bought a couple of HotPack ready meals complete with heating packs, to keep ready in case of longer power cuts. Each of them includes the heater describes in the link. (No wonder the ready meals cost £8.49 each, as the heater alone is £1.65) Haven't tried one yet for Quality Control purposes, but I plan to report back when I do.

(I bought them on A****n, BTW, from Scout and GuideWorld, at www.amazon.co.uk/s?k=Action+Pack+Self+heating+Meal+Pouch&tag=gransnetforum-21 )