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

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 )

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!

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.

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

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! 🤔

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

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

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

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

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.

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 hope to find out what they are like soon.

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.

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

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.

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

And Wired magazine has tested some of them, with the help of Becky Douglas, a nutritionist from Champneys.
www.wired.co.uk/article/camping-cuisine

You can buy self-heating cans and sachets of food. I thought they existed so looked them up. available on A**n of course. Not cheap, but what is cheap these days?
www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=self+heating+cans+of+food

According to wikipedia - "Self-heating cans have dual chambers, one surrounding the other. In one version, the inner chamber holds the food or drink, and the outer chamber houses chemicals which undergo an exothermic reaction when combined. When the user wants to heat the contents of the can, a ring on the can—when pulled—breaks the barrier which keeps the chemicals in the outer chamber apart from the water. In another type, the chemicals are in the inner chamber and the beverage surrounds it in the outer chamber. To heat the contents of the can, the user pushes on the bottom of the can to break the barrier separating the chemical from the water. This design has the advantages of being more efficient (less heat is lost to the surrounding air) as well as reducing excessive heating of the product's exterior, causing possible discomfort to the user. In either case, after the heat from the reaction has been absorbed by the food, the user can enjoy a hot meal or drink."

So now we know.

I'll have a go.

We'll let Bear and Ray do the foraging.
I'll collect firewood, you can rub two sticks together.

Oh I meant fussy.
I'm not!

I'm not just and I don't know anything, so that's that sorted.

I like Ray Mears best btw

And I know how to find water out bush

Now you're talking!

Especially if we invite Bear Grylls and Ray Mears along ?

We would be great at this bushcraft lark.

With my looks and your brains, what could possibly go wrong?