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

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 ☔️

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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?

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

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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!

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.

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.

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.

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.